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https://archive.org/details/portraitbiograph01unse_0 


••1 


i 


\ 


A PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL 

RECORD 

OF 

DELAWARE  COUNTY, 


CONTAINING  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES  OF 

Prominent  and  Representative  Citizens 


TOGETHER  WITH  BIOGRAPHIES  AND  PORTRAITS  OF  ALL  THE 


PRESIDENTS  OE  THg  UNITED  STATES. 

AND  BIOGRAPHIES  OF  THE 


GOVERNORS  OE  INDIANA. 


CHICAGO: 

A.  W.  BOWEN  & CO., 
1894. 


LOGANSPORT,  IND. 

FROM  THE  PRESS  OF  WILSON,  HUMPHREYS  & CO, 
PRINTERS  AND  PUBLISHERS. 


N placing  this  Portrait  and  Biographical  Record  of  Delaware  county,  Ind., 


before  the  citizens  of  this  county,  the  publishers  can  conscientiously  claim 


that  they  have  (varried  out  in  full  every  promise  made  in  their  Prospectus. 
They  point  with  pride  to  the  elegance  of  the  binding  of  the  volume,  and  to  the 
l^eauty  of  its  typography;  to  the  superiority  of  the  paper  on  which  the  work  is 
printed,  and  to  the  truthfulness  depicted  by  its  portraits,  and  to  the  high  class 
of  art  in  which  the  latter  are  finished.  The  few  typographical  errors  contained 
within  its  leaves  are  such  as  will  occur  in  any  volume  on  its  first  publication, 
and  they  are  so  trival  as  to  hardly  merit  even  a passing  notice.  Each  and  every 
biographical  sketch  has  been  submitted  for  correction  and  approval  to  the  person 
for  whom  it  was  written,  and  therefore  any  error  of  fact,  if  there  be  any,  is 
solely  due  to  the  person  for  whom  the  sketch  was  prepared.  Differences  in  the 
spelling  of  surnames  of  members  of  the  same  family  are  due  to  the  mutations  of 
time,  or  residence  in  different  locations,  and  in  some  instances  tliese  discrepancies 
have  been  explained — in  others,  no  explanation  has  been  made.  The  publishers 
would  here  avail  themselves  of  the  opportunity  to  thank  the  citizens  of  the 
county  for  the  uniform  kindness  with  which  they  have  regarded  this  undertak- 
ing, and  for  the  many  services  rendered  in  assisting  in  the  gaining  of  necessary 
information 

Confident  that  our  efforts  to  please  will  fully  meet  the  approbation  of  the 
public,  we  are.  Respectfully, 


A.  W.  BOWEN  A CO.,  Publishers. 


January  1,  1894- 


175 

25 

41 

176 

177 

521 

763 

606 

737 

683 

683 

182 

178 

178 

187 

188 

113 

193 

763 

qoT 

136 

194 

684 

195 

523 

579 

685 

685 

196 

196 

781 

782 

764 

606 

686 

714 

197 

687 

715 

199 

200 

200 

783 

783 

785 

132 

201 

523 

524 

688 

641 

641 

525 

785 

202 

129 

689 

203 

738 


Bowers,  N 738 

Bowers,  R 739 

Bowles,  T.  J 203 

Boxell,  G 580 

Boyce,  C.  W 205 

Boyce,  Mrs.  M 206 

Boyd,  C 689 

Bradbury,  A.  B. . . . 206 
Bradbury,  B.  F....  207 
Braddock,  M.  C. . . . 786 

Brady,  A.  W 207 

Brady,  T.  J 205 

Braminer,  D.  E.  . . . 526 

Braimner,  H 527 

Brandon,  W.  R 739 

Brandt,  D 765 

Branson,  H 580 

Brig-ht,  J.  D 154 

Brindel,  G 642 

Brock,  J 787 

Brooks,  G.  W 210 

Brotherton,  W 210 

Brotherton,  W.  R..  211 

Brown,  A 607 

Brown,  C 643 

Brown,  Mrs.  H 789 

Brown,  J.  S 581 

Broyles,  Mrs.  H.  W.  788 

Broyles,  T 789 

Bryan,  Brothers...  788 

Bryan,  R.  J 788 

Bryan,  W.  R 788 

Buchanan,  J 76 

Buckles,  A 211 

Buckles,  J.  S 212 

Budd,  C.  A 213 

Budd,  S.  O 213 

Bullock,  J.  C 690 

Bunch,  R.  A 214 

Burk,  J 643 

Burson,  J.  W 219 

Calaway,  W 220 

Catnuiack,  D 225 

Campbell,  A 790 

Campbell,  A 528 

Campbell,  D 644 

Campbell,  R.  P ...  226 
Carmichael,  J. ..... . 715 

Carmichael.  0 227 

Cassell,  J 229 

Casterline,  J.  P.  H.  528 

Cathcart,  C.  W 156 

Cecil,  Z.  W 716 

Chapman,  A.  W.  . . . 230 

Chase,  I.  J 147 

Cheeseman,  Mrs.  N.  608 

Chilcote,  F.  E 530 

Church,  C.  H 233 

Clark,- A.  S 531 


Clark,  W.  T 608 

Claypool,  M.  S 235 

Clemens,  W.  A 791 

Cleveland.  S.  G....  117 

Cleyenger,  J 717 

Cline,  T 717 

Coffin,  W.  H 582 

Colby,  H 691 

Colfax,  S 164 

Collett,  J 161 

'Cooley,  W.  S 609 

Cooper,  W.  H.  M,.  . 236 
Cottrell,  D.  W.  . . . 236 

Cowing,  G 237 

Crabbs,  O.  W 240 

Cranor,  O.  N 240 

Cromer,  G.  W 241 

Cox,  \V 766 

Crawford,  J.  W.  . . . 645 

Crooks,  C . . . 692 

Cropper,  I.  N 241 

Crozier,  G 243 

Cunningham,  A.  B.  718 
Cunningham,  M,  A.  719 
Curtis,  Mrs.  R.  C..  . 646 

Daniels,  F 740 

Darter,  H.  H 647 

Davidson,  J 720 

Davis,  E.  E 531 

Davis,  3,11^ 171 

Davis,  L,  W 693 

DeHaven,  A.  T....  532 

Depoy,  M,  L 533 

Devoe,  A 533 

Devoe,  O,  H, 695 

Dick,  P,  B 253 

Dill,  N.  C 534 

Downing,  J.  R 648 

Dragoo,  B.  S 649 

Dragoo,  J,  W 245 

Drake,  J,  W 246 

Driscoll,  W.  E 246 

Drumm,  E 583 

Drumm,  J 584 

Duckwall,  J.  F 249 

Dudelston,  C 694 

Duke,  G,  W 767 

Dungan,  J,  W 251 

Dunn,J 791 

Dunn,  J.  C 792 

Dunn,  R 252 

Dunning,  P.  C 133 

Dyer,  S 516 

Eber,  J.  E 254 

Eiler,,J.  C 254 

Elliott,  G,  L 257 

Ellis,  F 258 

Ellis,  S,  M 259 


Ellison,  G 741 

Elrod,  F.  A 259 

Emerson,  C 251 

Emerson,  W.  C 260 

Evers,  J,  N 261 

Fay,  G,  W 262 

Fenwick,  C 741 

Ferguson,  J.,  793 

Fillmore,  M 68 

Fitch,  G,  N 1.'6 

Flannery,.! 696 

Fleming,  A.  ,T 610 

Fleming,  C,  A 611 

Fleming,  N.  J 612 

Fletcher,  D 721 

Flinn,J 566 

Flowers,  D.  W 649 

Fortner,  W,  H 263 

Franklin,  L.  A 2(54 

Franklin,  P.  W.  . . . 264 

Fudge,  C,  B 187 

Fudge,  J,  S 535 

Galliher,  C,  W 272 

Galliher,  M 266 

Galliher,  M.  J 271 

Galliher,  Mrs,  R...  266 

Garfield,  J.  A 109 

Garrard,  J 272 

Gates,  H.  N 273 

Gibson,  W 612 

Gilbert,  Miss  J.  ...  650 

Gilbert.  T.  H 651 

Gilmore,  W.  P 613 

Goddard,  J.  A 274 

Good,  A.  H 594 

Goodrich,  I.  G 768 

Grant,  U.  S 98 

Gray,  I.  P 144 

Gray,  J.  M 279 

Gray,  J.  T 536 

Gray,  W 584 

Green.  G.  R 280 

Greene,  G.  IV 283 

Gregory,  R.  S 284 

Gribben.B.  F 289 

Griesheimer,  J 652 

Griffith,  R.  C 290 

Groover,  S 794 

Guthrie,  T.  S 291 

Gwinn,  A 653 

Haimbaugh,  F.  D..  293 

Haines,  Ci 293 

Haines,  D.  T 294 

Hamilton,  A 296 

Hamilton,  M 297 

Hamilton,  S 298 

Hammond,  A.  A.  . . 135 


(5 


INDEX. 


Hancock,  G 299 

Hancock.  Mrs.  N..  656 

Hanna,  K 151 

Hannan,  E.  P 537 

Hanneyan,  E.  A...  . 153 

Harman,  J 655 

Hannan,  J.  W 653 

Harring'ton,  T.  E.  . 300 

Harrison,  H 121 

Harrison,  W.  H . . . . 53 

Harrison,  IV,  H.  . . . 127 

Han-old,  M 614 

Hartle,  ,S,  J 768 

Hartley,  J.  J 301 

Hartley,  J.  M 585 

Hartley,  Mrs.  H.  E.  586 

Hasting-s,  S.  G 302 

Hathaway.  S 303 

Hayes,  R.  B 102 

Hays,  J.  C 614 

Heal,  D ,795 

Heath,  J,\V., 304 

Hebb,  W 538 

Hefei,  A.  C 655 

Heffner.  I) 567 

Heinsohn.  J.  A.  ...  305 

Helm,  P.  A 721 

Hendricks,  T.  A. . . . 140 

Hendricks,  \V 129 

Hensley,  J.  W 657 

Hensley,  W.  W . . . . 658 

Hewitt' J 722 

Highlands,  H,  H.  . . 305 

Higman,  G.  N 306 

Himes,  G.  W 615 

Hindman,  R 722 

Hines,  F 307 

Hines,  J.  R 308 

Hitchcock,  W.  E...  309 

Holsinger,  J 616 

Holsinger,  J.  T....  61(> 

Hooke,  L.  J 796 

Houck,  C 618 

Houck,  J 617 

Houck,  ,J.  W 618 

Houseman,  B.  F...  5,39 

Hove}',  A.  P 146 

Howard,  1 796 

Howell,  D.  P 6.59 

Hummel,  .1.  R. 310 

Hupp,  J.  G 742 

Hurley,  J.  J 743 

Hyer,  H 797 

Jackson,  A 45 

Jackson,  F.  G 310 

Jackson,  J.  B 724 

Jackson.  J.  H 723 

James,  M 312 

Janney,  A.  F 798 

Jefferson,  T 29 

Jennings,  J 128 

Johnson,  x\. 94 

Johnson,  A.  L 315 

Johnson,  J.  C 316 

Johnson,  E 660 

Johnson,  R.  A 56S 

Jones,  A 661 

Jones,  G.  R 321 


Jones,  G.  W 539 

Jones,  H.  A 799 

Jones,  J.  H 743 

.Jones,  L.  J 322 

Jonsonbough,  G ..  . 569 

Jordan,  D 161 

Jordan,  W.  A 724 

Kabrich,  G.  \V 619 

Keesling,  G.  W,  . . . 725 
Keesling,  S.  C.  ...  323 

Keller,  H.  J 324 

Kemper,  G.  W.  H. . 324 

Kern,  J.  E 620 

Kerwood,  A.  L 326 

Kessler,  .1.  P 519 

Kidnocker,  M.  D.  . . 328 

Kilgore,  C.  W 330 

Kilgore,  D 329 

Kimbrough,  C.  M..  331 

Kirby,  G 334 

Kirby,  J.  M 333 

Kirby,  T 332 

Kirby,  T.  P 334 

Kirb'y,  W.  W 335 

Kirk m. an,  J 587 

Kitts,  C.  A 335 

Klein,  H.  C 336 

Koons,  G.  H 338 

Koons.  Mrs.  J.V.  H.  343 

Koons,  W.  P 344 

Koontz,  Mrs.  M....  661 

Krohn , J.  S 541 

Krohn,  W.  F 540 

Lane,  H.  S 139 

Leaird.  S 696 

Lenger,  G.  F 345 

Leavell,  J.  M.  . . . 542 

Lefavour.  J 542 

Leffler,  J.  G 345 

Tvefter,  B.  F 763 

Lenon  family 597 

Lenox,  R 621 

fvenox,  1 621 

Lewellen,  J.  ( ) 346 

Lewis  family 596 

Lewis,  W 598 

Lincoln,  A 90 

Lindsey,  J 726 

Little,  ,T.  W 347 

Losh,  J 622 

Losh.  J 662 

Lotz,  O.  J 349 

Ivucas,  L 697 

Ludlow,  J.  B 350 

McAllister,  A.  J...  744 

McClung.  J.  H 353 

McConnell,  A 622 

McConnell,  E 745 

McConnell,  J 354 

McCormick,  M S70 

McCormick, Miss  M. 

H 726 

McCreerv,  T 587 

McCulloch,  J .355 

McCulloch,  G.  F...  356 
McDaniel,  J.  E 698 


McDonald,  J.  E.  . . . 

158 

McHardie,  E.  L. . . ■ 

543 

McKillip,  T 

359 

McKimmey,  J.  R.. . 

360 

McKimmey,  J.  W.  . 

623 

McKinley,  J.  W. . . . 

800 

McKinley,  R 

063 

McLain.  D.  A 

365 

McLaughlin,  G.  N. 

365 

McNairv,  S 

'746 

■ _ 1 

Madill,  A 

544 

Madison,  J 

33 

Mahoney,  Mrs.  L.. 

664 

Manor.  J.  S 

699 

March,  W 

366 

Marks,  E 

Marquell,  H.  M . . . . 

544 

Marsh,  J 

369 

Marsh,  J.  R 

371 

Marsh,  W.  E.  H. . . . 

371 

Marsh,  \V.  M 

370 

Marshall,  M 

727 

Marshall.  R 

624 

Martin,  J 

664 

Martin,  J.  S 

372 

Martin,  S 

375 

Matthews,  C 

148 

May.  J 

747 

Maynard,  W 

800 

Meeks,  J.  A 

379 

Meeks,  J.  W 

377 

Meeks,  M.  L 

378 

Meeks,  O.  L 

375 

Meeks,  R 

376 

Meeks,  W.  A 

378 

Messersmith,  H.... 

379 

Michael.  D 

546 

Miller,  A 

665 

Miller,  A.  H 

801 

Miller,  H 

588 

Miller,  J 

381 

Miller.  R.  N 

666 

Mitchell,  D.  C 

382 

Mitchell,  H 

382 

Mock,  A.  R 

387 

Mock,  J.  D 

384 

Mock,  J.  F 

383 

Mock.  M.  G 

384 

Moffett,  L 

747 

Monroe,  J 

37 

Moomaw,  C.  F 

802 

Moore,  A 

570 

Moore,  C.  W 

466 

Moore.  D.  B 

699 

Moore,  L 

571 

Moore,  P 

388 

Moore,  W.  J 

599 

Moore,  W.  M 

748 

Moore,  W.  R 

388 

Moreland,  J 

749 

Morrow,  W.  E 

546 

Morton,  O.  P 

136 

Motsenbocker,  J.  M. 

769 

Munn,  G.  W 

392 

Munsey,  D.  O 

803 

Murray,  A.  L 

770 

Murray,  A.  P 

547 

Murray,  W.  H 

600 

Neely,  C.  F.  W 393 

Neely,  T.  S 394 

Neff,  W.  H 625 

Newman,  S.  J 589 

Nichols,  G 627 

Nickey,  F.  B 396 

Nickey,  J.  F 395 

Nicodemus,  C 627 

Noble,  J 149 

Noble,  N 130 

Nutting,  Mrs.  S.  Z.  272 

Oerther,  J.  J 666 

Ofterdinger,  A 728 

Orr,  D.  P 771 

Orr,  J 602 

Overmire,  H 667 

Overmire,  L.  D....  668 
Owen,  R.  D 169 

Parker,  A.  B 548 

Parkison,  G.  W,  . . , 669 

Parkison,  S 670 

Parks,  S 728 

Patterson,  A.  F , . . . 519 
Patterson,  P.  W. . ..  513 

Patterson,  R.  1 396 

Paxton,  C.  M 549 

Peacock,  W.  H 628 

Pence,  A.  M 749 

Pence,  A.  W 803 

Perduie,  A 400 

Perkins,  J.  W 397 

Peterson,  D.  N 700 

Peterson,  J.  F 701 

Peterson,  W 702 

Pettit,  J 155 

Petty,  J.  S 399 

Pliillips,  C 629 

Phillips,  Mrs.  M.  V.  549 

Phillips,  N.  H 400 

Phinney,  A.  J 404 

Pierce,  F 72 

Pierce,  C 750 

Pierce,  J.  S 550 

Pittser,  W 671 

Pixley,  W.  N 405 

Polk,  J.  K 60 

Port,  T 405 

Porter,  A.  G 144 

Posey,  T 127 

Powell,  J 572 

Powers,  B.  P 406 

Powers,  M 411 

Pratt  D.  D 157 

Puckett,  E.  J 412 

Quick,  J.  A 589 

Racer,  D.  C 703 

Ralston,  B.  F 629 

Ratcliff,  A.  H 729 

Ray,  J.  B 130 

Rea,  Mrs.  1 271 

Reasoner.  O.  1 773 

Reece,  J.N 730 

Rees,  J 731 

Rees,  J.  H 730 

Rees,  L 413 


INDEX. 


7 


Rench,  D.  S 

772 

Replogle,  ! 

630 

Reynolds,  B 

631 

Reynolds,  !.  H 

632 

Ribble,  C 

414 

Ribble,  W 

415 

Rice,  !.  H 

671 

Richardson,  !.  W.  . 

590 

Richey,  W.  S 

416 

Ried,  S.  M 

419 

Rigdon,  ! 

804 

Riley,  !.  W 

162 

Rinker,  A 

751 

Rinker,  D 

752 

Rinker,!.  E 

632 

Roads,  H 

420 

Robinson,  G.  W , . . . 

421 

Roller,  ! 

633 

Rose,  T.  F 

422 

Ross,  !.  C 

422 

Rowlett,  D.  E 

80S 

St.  Clair,  A 

127 

Sample,  C.  P 

426 

Sample,  K.  G 

428 

Sanders,  !.  F 

428 

Schlegel,  E.  S 

754 

Schlegel,  H.  C.  . . . . 

753 

Schlegel,  !.  C 

754 

Schlegel, Miss  M.  F. 

754- 

Schlegel,  W.  H 

753 

Schmidt,  W.  G 

429 

Scott,  D 

591 

Shafer,  G 

430 

Shafer,  !.  W 

431 

Sharp,  O.  M 

775 

Sharp,  T 

806 

Sharp,  W 

755 

Shaw,  E 

432 

Shepp,  ! 

755 

Shepp,  G.  W 

433 

Sherry',  W.  P 

433 

Shewmaker,D.H.H. 

435 

Shick,  C.  A 

438 

Shick,  E 

436 

Shideler,  A.  E 

438 

Shideler,  W.  S 

776 

Shields,  E.  A 

439 

Shipley,  C.  E 

440 

Shirey,  E.  E 

775 

Shirk,  A 

704 

Shirk,  H 

70S 

Shirk,  W 

706 

Shively,  D.  M 

672 

Shockley,  V 

633 

Shoemaker,  ! 

756 

Shroyer,  S.  ! 

551 

Shuttleworth,  H... 

732 

Silverburg,  A.  C.  . . 

443 

Simontou,  D 

572 

Simpson,  ! 

592 

Singleton,  !.  A . . . . 

443 

Skiff,  C 

604 

Slinger,  A.  ! 

444 

Slinger,  T.  ! 

446 

Sloniker,  D.  W.  . . . 

552 

Smell,  E 

446 

Smith,  !.  H 

448 

Smith,  E.  S 

449 

Smith,  M.  C 

447 

Smith,  M.  R 

706 

Smith,  O.  H 

151 

Smith,  S.  B 

553 

Smith.  W.  R 

450 

Snider,  A 

573 

Snider,  W 

634 

Snodgrass,  R.  M.  . . 

673 

Snyder,  A 

777 

Snyder,  E.  C.  A . . . . 

757 

Snyder,  W.  H 

454 

Snyder,  W.  R 

453 

Sprankle,  R 

455 

Springer,  C.  W 

634 

Spurgeon, W.  A. . . . 

4o6 

Stafford,  G.  A 

556 

Stafford,  !.  E 

554 

Stafford,  !.  H 

554 

Stafford,  !.  R 

555 

Stafford,  !.  Riley.  . 

707 

Stafford,  T 

, 574 

Stafford,  W.  H . . . , 

, 557 

Stewart,  E.  R 

. 758 

Stewart,  P.  V. . . . 

. 759 

Stewart,  T.  C 

. 674 

Stiffler,  ! 

. 458 

Stouder,  A.  C 

45Q 

Stradling,  E.  H . . . 

. 778 

Stradling,  ! 

. 460 

Stradling,  R.  W. . . 

. 575 

Stradling,  W 

. 461 

Streeter,  !.  E 

. 462 

Strong,  A.  B 

. 558 

Strong,  H 

. 778 

Strong.  N.  B 

. 559 

Stucky,  C 

. 463 

Summers,  H.  C.  . . 

. 760 

Summers,  W 

. 761 

Sunderland,  S.  K. 

. 761 

Sunderland,  W... 

762 

Swain,  ! 

. 463 

Swain,  O.  H 

. 365 

Swift,  ! 

Syphers,  G.  W.  . . . 

. 560 

Taylor,  E 

. 779 

Taylor,  W 

. 149 

Taylor,  Z 

. 63 

Templer,  C.  B 

. 473 

Templer,  !.  N 

. 469 

Thomas,  B 

. 708 

Thomas,  !.  M 

. 474 

Thomas,  S.  K 

Thompson,  M 

. 162 

Thompson,  R.  W. . 

. 170 

Thompson,  W 

. 732 

Thompson,  W.  A.. 

. 474 

Thornburg,  E . . . . 

. 733 

Thornburg,  ! 

. 709 

Thornburg,  !.  H.  . 

734 

Tindall,  O.  H 

. 560 

Tipton,  ! 

. ISO 

Tom,  !.  H 

. 475 

Trent,  I.  N 

. 476. 

Trowbridge,  D.  E. 

. 592 

Truitt,  Mrs.  A.  A. 

. 482 

Truitt,  ! 

. 481 

Tuhey,  E 

. 484 

Turner,  M 

. 485 

Turner,  R 638 

Turner,  W.  D 486 

Turpie.  D 157 

Tuthill,  T 639 

Tuttle,  A 635 

Tuttle,  Mrs.  E 676 

Tuttle,  J.  S 637 

Tuttle.  M.  L 636 

Tyler.  J 57 

Underwood,  J 593 

Van  Buren,  M 49 

Vig-o,  F 171 

Voorliees,  D.  W ...  160 

Wachtell,  C.  S 487 

Walker,  J 677 

Walker,  M 678 

Wallace,  D 131 

Wallace,  E 163 

Walling,  Q 487 

Walling,  W 488 

I Warfel,  J 678 

Warner,  R 489 

Washington,  G 21 

Watson,  J 639 

Watson,  J 679 

Watson,  W.  F 489 

Weaver,  N.  G 710 

Wellington,  J.  R. . . 680 

Whitcomb,! 132 

White,  A.  S 152 

White,!.  D 576 

Whitely,  W.  N 514 

i Whiteman,  G.  W. . . 562 

Whitney,  E 734 

WiggerE',  ! 680 

■ Wilcoxon,!.  E 491 

Wilcoxon.  E 491 

I Wildermuth,  C.  F . . 492 

Wildman,!.  F 495 

1 Will,  H 735 

' Willard,  A.  P 134 

Williams,  !.  D 143 

' Williams,  !.  S 496 

Williani.s,  W.  H.  . . . 604 

Williamson,  A 577 

; Wilson,  G.  V 711 

Wilson,  !.  W 503 

Wilson,  S.  H . 711 

Wilson.  V 497 

Winans,  H.  C 504 

Wingate,  !.  N 561 

Wingate.  !.  W 712 

j Winton,  R 505 

Witt,  E 506 

Wolf,  A 209 

Wood,  ! 578 

Wood,  !.  C 512 

Wood,  W.  H.  H.  . . . 511 
Woolverton.Mrs.  R.  564 

Worley,  1 565 

! Wright,  1 681 

Wright,  !.  A 134 

Wysor,  !.  H 517 

; Yingling,  Mrs.  R..  682 

Yockey,  A 736 


Young,  W.  H.  F. . . . 518 

Younts,  G.  W 713 

Younts,  W.  H 780 

Governors  and  Rep.  Men. 

Baker,  C 136 

Bigger,  S 132 

Boon,  R 129 

Bright.  J.  D 154 

Cathcart,  C.  W. . ...  156 

Chase,  I.  ! 147 

Colfax,  S 164 

Collett.  ! 161 

Davis.  !.  W 171 

Dunning,  P.  C 133 

Fitch,  G.  N 156 

' Gra3',  I.  P 144 

! Hammond,  A.  A.  . . 135 

Hanna,  R 151 

1 Hannegan,  E.  A.  . . 153 

i Harrison,  W.  H 127 

j Hendricks,  T.  A...  140 

I Hendricks,  W 129 

I Hovey,  A.  P 146 

j !ennings,  ! 128 

!ordan,  D 161 

I Eane,  H.  S 139 

I McDonald,  !.  E.  . . . 158 

Matthews,  C 148 

Morton,  O.  P 136 

' Noble,  J 149 

Noble,  N 130 

Owen,  R.  D 169 

Pettit.  J 155 

Porter,  A.  G 144 

Posej',  T 127 

Pratt.  D.  D 157 

Rav,  !.  B 130 

Rilev,  !.  W 162 

St.  Clair,  A 127 

Smith,  O.  H 151 

Tajdor,  W 149 

Thompson,  M 162 

Thompson,  R.  W. . . 170 

Tipton,  ! 150 

Turpie,  D 157 

Vigo.  F 171 

Voorhees,  D.  W.  . . . 160 

Wallace,  D 131 

Wallace,  E 163 

Whitcomb,  J 132 

White,  A.  S 152 

Willard,  A.  P 134 

Williams.  .J.  D 143 

Wright,  !.  A 134 

Presidents. 

Adams,  ! 25 

Adams,  !.  O 41 

Arthur,  C.  A 113 

Buchanan,  ! 76 

Cleveland,  S.  G.  . . . 117 

Fillmore,  M 68 

Garfield,  !.  A 109 

Grant,  U.  S 93 

Harrison,  B 121 

Harrison,  W.  H.  . . . 53 


8 


INDEX 


Ilaycs,  K.  B 102 

Jackson,  A 45 

Jefl'erson,  T 29 

Johnson,  A 94 

Lincoln,  A 90 

Madison.  J 33 

Monroe,  J 37 

I'ierce,  I' 72 

Polk,  J.  K 60 

Taylor,  63 

Tyler,  J 57 

\'an  Biiren,  M 49 

Washing-ton,  (1 21 

Portraits. 

Andes,  Mrs.  M.  S., 


between  736  and.  . 737 
Andes,  K.  A.,  be- 
tween 736  and ....  737 

Anthony',  E.  C 184 

Anthony,  Mrs.  R.  G.  185 

Anthony,  S.  P 179 

Arniitage,  Mrs.C.E.  191 
Arinitage,  D.  K.  . . . 190 
Bender,C.L.,  facing  199 
Beouy,  O.,  facing.  . 200 
Bowers,  N.,  facing.  738 
Bowles, T.  J. , facing  203 


Brandon, W.  S.,  fac-  i 

iiig' 139  j 

Bunch,  Mrs.  M.  A.  217 

Bunch,  K.  A 216 

Bimson,  J.  W 222 

Caminack,  D 224 

Chapman,  A.  W. . . . 231 
Cooper,  W.  II.  M., 

facing 236 

Cranor,  O.  N.,  fac’g  240 
Cromer,  G.W.,  fac’g  241 
Crozier,  G.W.,  fac’g  243 
Cunningham,  A.  B., 

facing 718 

Cunningham,  M.  A.  174 
Dungan,  Mrs.  E., 
between  250  and. . 251 
Dungan,  J.  W..  be- 
tween 250  and. . . , 251 

Driscoll,  W.  E 247 

Duckwall,  J.T.,  fac- 
ing  249 

Eber,  J.  E. , between 

252  and 2.53 

Eber,  Mrs.  J.  E., 
between  252  and. . 253 

Eiler,  J.  C 255 

Elliott,  G.  L 256 

Ellison,  Mrs.  A.  C., 
between  740  and..  741 
Ellison,  G., between 

740  and 741 

Evers,  .].  M.,  facing  261 
Flowers,  D.  W.,  be- 
tween 650  and ....  651 
Flowers,  Mrs.  M.,  be- 
tween 650  and. . . . 651 

Galliher,  M 268 

Galliher,  Mrs.  R..  . 269 
Gibson,  W. , bet.  612,  613 


Gibson.  Mrs.  C.,  be- 
tween 612  and ...  . 613 
Gibson,  W.  C.,  be- 
tween 612  and....  613 

Goddard,.!.  A 276 

Goddard,  Mrs.  M. . . 277 

Good,  A.  H 595 

Green,  G.  R 281 

Greene, G.W,  facing  283 
Gregory, R.  S.,  fam- 
ily   286 

Hamilton, A. .facing  296 
Hancock,  Mrs.  N., 

facing 656 

Hannan,  J.,bet  ween 

652  and 653 

Harman,  Mrs.  L-,  be- 
tween 652  and. . . . 653 
Harrington,  T.  E-, 

facing 300 

Hastings.S.  G,,  fac- 
ing   302 

Hensley,  J.  W.,  fac- 
ing   657 

Highlands,  H.  H., 

facing 305 

Hines,  Mrs.  A.,  be- 
tween 308  and. . . . 309 
Hines.J.R.,  between 

308  and 309 

Hitchcock,  W.  E., 

facing- 309 

Holsingcr.J., facing-  61b 
Holsinger,  J.  T. , be- 
tween 616  and ....  617 
Holsinger,  Mrs.  M. 

C, between  616  and  617 
Hurley,  J.  J. .facing  743 
Jackson,  Mrs.  E., 
between  722  and.  723 
Jackson,  J.  H.,  be- 
tween 722  and. ..  . 723 
James,  M.,  facin  g..  312 

Johnson.  A.  L 318 

Johnson,  Mrs.  F.  M.  319 
Johnson,  J.  C.,  fac’g  321 
Johnson. R. A.,  fac’g  468 
.Tones,  G.  R.,  be- 
tween 322  and ....  323 
Jones.J.H.  .between 

744  and 745 

Jones,  Mrs.  M.,  be- 
tween 322  and. . . . 323 
Jones, Mr.  M.  J.,  be- 
tween 744  ,and. . . . 745 
Jordan,  Mrs.  M. .be- 
tween 724  and.  . . . 725 
Jordan,  W.  A.,  be- 
tween 724  and. . . . 725 
Keesling,  S.  C., fac- 
ing   323 

Keller,  H.  J., facing  324 
Kemper,  G.  W.  H., 

facing 325 

Koons,  G.  H 340 

I Koons,  Mrs.  J.  V.  H.  341 
I Lefter.  B.  F. .facing  763 
Lenox,  Mrs.  A.  C., 
between  620  and.  621 


Lenox,  Miss  H.  A., 
between  620  and. . 621 
Lenox, I. bet.  620  and  621 
Lewellen,  J.  O., fac- 
ing   346 

Lewis,  W.,  facing.  . 598 
McClung,  J.  H. .fac- 
ing   353 

McConnell,  J..  fac’g  354 

McCormick,  M 174 

McKillup,  T 358 

McLaughlin,  G.  N.  362 
McLaughlin,  Mrs. 

O.  J 363 

March,  Mrs.  M.,  be- 
tween 366  and ....  367 
March,  W.,  between 

366  and 367 

Martin , J.  S 373 

Marshall,  R.,  facing  624 
Mitchell,  D.  C..  be- 
tween 382  and.  . . . 383 
Mitchell,  Mrs.  E., 
between  382  and.  383 
Mock.J.  D., between 

384  and 385 

Mock,  J.  F., between 

384  and 385 

Mock,  M.  G 385 

Mock,  Mrs.  M.  D. . . 385 
Moore,  A.,  between 
570  and 571 


Moore,  Mrs.  M.  A., 
between  570  and.  571 
Moore, W.  R., facing  388 
Neely, C.  F.  W.,  fac- 
ing   393 

Parkison,  S., facing  670 
Peterson,  Miss  E. 

E..  facing 701 

Petty,  J.  S.,  facing.  399 
Phillips. N.H.,  fac’g  401 
Pierce,  C.,  between 

750  and 751 

Pierce,  Mrs.  R.,  be- 
tween 750  and ...  . 751 
Pittser,  Mrs.  E.. be- 
tween 670  and. . . . 671 
Pittser,  W.,  between 

670  and 671 

Port,  Mrs.  C.,  be- 
tween 404  and. . . . 405 
Port.T.,  bet.  404  and  405 
Powell,  J.,  facing.  . 572 

Powers,  M 408 

Powers,  Mrs.  M.  E.  409 
Reasoner,  O.  I.,  fac- 
ing  773 

Rees,  L-,  between 

412  and. 413 

Rees,  Mrs.  M.  A., 
between  412  and.  413 
Reynolds,  B..  be- 
tween 630  and ....  631 
Reynolds,  Mrs.  E., 
between  630  and..  631 

Richey,  W.  S 417 

Robinson,  G.  W., 
facing 421 


Ross,  J.  C., facing.  . 422 
Sanders,  J.  F.,  fac’g  428 
Schlegel,  H.  C.,be- 
tween  752  and . . . . 713 
Schlegel,  Mrs.L.  J. , 
between  752  and..  753 
Shafer,  J.W., facing  421 
Sharp,  Mrs.  M.,  be- 


tween 754  and.,.  . 755 

Sharp,  T 174 

Sharp,  W,,  between 

754  and 755 

Shipley,  C 441 

Shoemaker,.!.,  fac’g  756 
Skiff,C..bet.  604  and  605 
Skiff,  Mrs.  L.,  ber 
tween  604  and. . . . 60S 
Snyder,  E.  C.,  fac’g  757 

Snyder,  W.  R 452 

Stewart,  E.  R.,  be- 
tween 758  and, . . . 759 
Stewart,  Mrs.  M., 
between  758  and.  759 
Stifffer  family,  be- 
tween 458  and ....  459 
Swain,  O.  H.,  fac’g  4(55 

Templer,  C.  B 472 

Templer,  J.  N 468 

Trowbridge,  D., fac- 
ing   592 

Truitt,  Mrs.  A.  A. . 479 

Truitt,  J 478 

Wildermuth,  C.  F..  493 

Wildmai-i,  J.  F 494 

Williams,  S.J.,  fac- 
ing  605 

Willson,  Mrs.E.,  be- 
tween 496  and.  . . . 497 
Willson,  V.,  between 

496  and 497 

Witt,  E 508 

Witt,  Mrs.  E.  F 509 

Presidential  Portraits. 

Adams,  J 24 

Adams,  J.  Q 40 

Arthur,  C.  A 112 

Buchanan,  J 77 

Cleveland,  S.  G. . . . 116 

Fillmore,  F ■ 69 

Garfield,  J.  A 108 

Grant,  U.  S 99 

Harrison,  B 120 

Harrison,  W.  H.  . . . 52 

Hayes,  R.  B 103 

Jackson,  A 45 

Jefferson,  T 28 

Johnson,  A 95 

Lincoln,  A 91 

Madison,  J 32 

Monroe.  J 36 

Pierce,  F 73 

Polk,  J.  K 61 

Taylor,  Z 65 

Tyler,  J 56 

Van  Buren,  M 48 

Washington,  G 20 


PRESIDENTS 


OF  THE 


STATES. 


'( 


Ji:.. 


‘ f 


■ 4 .v(w. 


ft: 

•xr 


:3inKi;.'V 


G.  WASHINGTON 


PEESIIIEHTS  OF  TIIF,  ONITEII  STATES. 


EORGE  WASHINGTON  was  born 
in  Westmorland  county,  Va. , Febru- 
ary 22^  1732-  His  parents  were 
Augustine  and  Mary  (Ball)  Washing- 
ton. His  great-grandfather,  John  Washing- 
ton, came  from  England  to  Virginia  about 
1657,  and  became  a prosperous  planter.  He 
had  two  sons,  Lawrence  and  John.  The  former 
married  Mildred  Warner  and  had  three  children, 
John,  Augustine  and  Mildred.  Augustine,  the 
father  of  George,  first  married  Jane  Butler, 
who  bore  him  four  children,  two  of  whorii, 
Lawrence  and  Angustine,  reached  maturity. 
Of  six  children  by  his  second  marriage,  George 
was  the  eldest,  the  others  being  Betty,  Sam- 
uel, John  Augustine,  Charles  and  Mildred. 

Augustine  Washington,  the  father  of  George, 
died  in  1743,  leaving  a large  landed  property. 
To  his  eldest  son,  Lawrence,  he  bequeathed 
an  estate  on  the  Potomac,  afterward  known 
as  Mount  Vernon,  and  to  George  he  left  the 
parental  residence.  George  received  only 
such  education  as  the  neighborhood  schools 
afforded,  save  for  a short  time  after  he  left 
school,  when  he  received  private  instructions 
in  mathematics. 

He  was  an  acknowledged  leader  among  his 
companions,  and  was  early  noted  for  that 
nobleness  of  character,  fairness  and  veracity 
which  characterized  his  whole  life. 

When  George  was  fourteen  years  old  he  had 


a desire  to  go  to  sea,  and  a midshipman’s  warrant 
was  secured  for  him,  but  through  the  opposi- 
tion of  his.  mother  the  idea  was  abandoned. 
Two  years  later  he  was  appointed  surveyor  to 
the  estate  of  Lord  Fairfax.  In  this  business 
he  spent  three  years.  In  1751,  though  only 
nineteen  years  of  age,  he  was  appointed  ad- 
jutant with  the  rank  of  major  in  the  Virginia 
militia,  then  being  trained  for  active  service 
against  the  French  and  Indians.  Soon  after 
this  he  sailed  to  the  West  Indies  with  his 
brother  Lawrence,  who  went  there  to  restore 
his  health.  They  soon  returned,  and  in  the 
summer  of  1752  Lawrence  died,  leaving  a 
large  fortune  to  an  infant  daughter,  who  did 
not  long  survive  him.  On  her  demise  the  estate 
of  Mount  Vernon  was  given  to  George. 

Upon  the  arrival  of  Robert  Dinwiddle,  as 
lieutenant-governor  of  Virginia,  in  1752,  the 
militia  was  reorganized,  and  the  province 
divided  into  four  military  districts,  of  which 
the  northern  was  assigned  to  Washington  as 
adjutant-general.  Shortly  after  this  a very 
perilous  mission  was  assigned  him.  This  was 
to  proceed  to  the  French  post  near  Lake  Erie 
in  north-western  Pennsylvania.  The  distance 
to  be  traversed  was  between  500  and  600  miles. 
Winter  was  at  hand,  and  the  journey  was  to 
be  made  without  military  escort,  through  a 
territory  occupied  by  Indians.  The  trip  was  a 
perilous  one,  and  several  times  he  came  near 


22 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


losing  his  life,  yet  he  returned  in  safety  and 
furnished  a full  and  useful  report  of  his  e.xpe- 
dition.  A regiment  of  300  men  was  raised  in 
\'irginia  and  put  in  command  of  Col.  Joshua 
Fry,  and  Major  Washington  was  commissioned 
lieutenant-colonel.  Active  war  was  then  begun 
against  the  French  and  Indians,  in  which 
Washington  took  a most  important  part.  In 
the  memorable  event  of  July  9,  1755,  known 
as  Braddock’s  defeat,  Washington  was  almost 
the  only  officer  of  distinction  who  escaped 
from  the  calamities  of  the  day  with  life  and 
honor.  The  other  aids  of  Braddock  were  dis- 
abled early  in  the  action,  and  Washington 
alone  was  left  in  that  capacity  on  the  field  In 
a letter  to  his  brother  he  says:  “I  had  four 

bullets  through  rny  coat,  and  two  horses  shot 
under  me,  yet  I escaped  unhurt,  though  death 
was  leveling  my  companions  on  every  side.’’ 
An  Indian  sharpshooter  said  he  was  not  born 
to  be  killed  by  a bullet,  for  he  had  taken  direct 
aim  at  him  seventeen  times,  and  failed  to  hit 
him.  After  having  been  five  years  in  the 
military  service,  he  took  advantage  of  the  fall 
of  Fort  Duquesne  and  the  expulsion  of  the 
French  from  the  valley  of  the  Ohio,  to  resign 
his  commission.  Soon  after  he  entered  the 
legislature,  where,  although  not  a leader,  he 
took  an  active  and  important  part.  January 
17.  1 759-  he  married  Mrs.  Martha  (Dandridge) 
Custis,  the  wealthy  widow  of  John  Parke 
Custis. 

When  the  British  parliament  had  closed 
the  port  of  Boston,  the  cry  went  up  through- 
out the  provinces  that  “The  cause  of  Boston 
is  the  cause  of  us  all.”  It  was  then,  at  the 
suggestion  of  Virginia,  that  a congress  of  all 
the  colonies  was  called  to  meet  at  Philadel- 
phia, September  5,  1774,  to  secure  their  com- 
mon liberties,  peaceably  if  possible.  To  this 
congress  Col.  Washington  was  sent  as  a dele- 
gate. On  May  10,  1775,  the  congress  re- 
assembled, when  the  hostile  intentions  of  Eng- 


land were  plainly  apparent.  The  battles  of 
Concord  and  Lexington  had  been  fought. 
Among  tho  first  acts  of  this  congress  was  the 
election  of  a commander-in-chief  of  the  colo- 
nial forces.  This  high  and  responsible  office 
was  conferred  upon  Washington,  who  was  still 
a member  of  the  congress.  He  accepted  it  on 
June  19,  but  upon  the  express  condition  that 
he  receive  no  salary.  He  would  keep  at  exact 
account  of  expenses  and  expect  congress  to 
pay  them  and  nothing  more.  The  war  was 
conducted  by  him  under  every  possible  disad- 
vantage, and  while  his  forces  often  met  with 
reverses,  yet  he  overcame  every  obstacle,  and 
after  seven  years  of  heroic  devotion  and  match- 
less skfll  he  gained  liberty  for  the  greatest 
nation  of  earth.  On  December  23,  1783, 

Washington  resigned  his  commission  as  com- 
mander-in-chief of  the  army  to  the  continental 
congress  sitting  at  Annapolis,  and  retired  im- 
mediately to  Mount  Vernon. 

In  February,  1789,  Washington  was  unan- 
imously elected  president.  In  his  presidential 
career  he  was  subject  to  the  peculiar  trials  in- 
cidental to  a new  government;  trials  from  lack 
of  confidence  on  the  part  of  other  govern- 
ments; trials  for  the  want  of  harmony  between 
the  different  sections  of  our  own  country;  trials 
from  the  impoverished  condition  of  the  coun- 
try, owing  to  the  war  and  want  of  credit; 
trials  from  the  beginnings  of  party  strife 

At  the  expiration  of  his  first  term  he  was 
j unanimously  re-elected.  At  the  end  of  this 
term  many  were  anxious  that  he  be  re-elected, 
but  he  absolutely  refused  a third  nomination. 
On  the  4th  of  March,  1797,  he  returned  to 
his  home,  hoping  to  pass  there  his  few  remain- 
ing years  free  from  the  annoyance  of  public 
life.  Later  in  the  year,  however,  his  repose 
seemed  likely  to  be  interrupted  by  war  with 
I Lrance.  At  the  prospect  of  such  a war  he  was 
again  urged  to  take  command  of  the  armies. 
He  chose  his  subordinate  officers  and  left  to 


JOHN  ADAMS 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


25 


them  the  charge  of  matters  in  the  field,  which 
he  superintended  from  his  home.  In  accepting 
the  command  he  made  the  reservation  that  he 
was  not  to  be  in  the  field  until  it  was  neces- 
sary. In  the  midst  of  these  preparations  his 
life  was  suddenly  cut  off.  December  I2,  he 
took  a severe  cold  from  a ride  in  the  rain, 
which,  settling  in  his  throat,  produced  inflam- 
mation, and  terminated  fatally  on  the  night 
of  the  14th.  On  the  18th  his  body  was  borne 
with  military  honors  to  its  final  resting  place, 
and  interred  in  the  family  vault  at  Mount 
Vernon. 

I'he  person  of  Washington  was  unusually 
tall,  erect  and  well  proprotioned.  His  features 
were  of  a beautiful  symmetry.  He  commanded 
respect  without  any  appearance  of  haughtiness, 
and  was  ever  serious  without  being  dull. 


OHN  ADAMS,  the  second  president 
and  the  first  vice-president  of  the 
United  States,  was  born  in  Braintree, 
now  Quincy,  Mass.,  and  about  ten 
miles  from  Boston,  October  19,  1735.  His 
great-grandfather,  Henry  Adams,  emigrated 
from  England  about  1640,  with  a family  of 
eight  sons,  and  settled  at  Braintree.  The 
parents  of  John  were  John  and  Susannah 
(Boylston)  Adams.  His  father  was  a farmer 
of  limited  means,  to  which  he  added  the  busi- 
ness of  shoemaking.  He  gave  his  eldest  son, 
John,  a classical  education  at  Harvard  college. 
John  graduated  in  1755,  and  at  once  took 
charge  of  the  school  in  Worcester,  Mass.  This 
he  found  but  a "school  of  affliction,”  from 
which  he  endeavored  to  gain  relief  by  devot- 
ing himself,  in  addition,  to  the  study  of  law. 
For  this  purpose  he  placed  himself  under  the 
tuition  of  the  only  lawyer  in  the  town.  He 
was  well  fitted  for  the  legal  profession,  pos- 
sessing a clear,  sonorous  voice,  being  ready  and 
fluent  of  speech,  and  having  quick  perceptive 


powers.  In  1764  he  married  Abigail  Smith,  a 
daughter  of  a minister,  and  a lady  of  superior  in- 
telligence. Shortly  after  his  marriage  (1765) 
the  attempt  of  parliamentary  taxation  turned 
him  from  law  to  politics.  He  took  initial  steps 
toward  holding  a town  meeting,  and  the  resolu- 
tions he  offered  on  the  subject  became  very 
popular  throughout  the  province,  and  were 
adopted  .word  for  word  b}'  over  forty  different 
towns.  He  moved  to  Boston  in  1768,  and 
became  one  of  the  most  courageous  and  prom- 
inent advocates  of  the  popular  cause,  and  was 
chosen  a member  of  the  general  court  (the 
legislature)  in  1770. 

Mr.  Adams  was  chosen  one  of  the  first  dele- 
gates from  Massachusetts  to  the  first  conti- 
nental congress,  which  met  in  1774.  Here  he 
distinguished  himself  by  his  capacity  for  busi- 
ness and  for  debate,  and  advocated  the  move- 
ment for  iddependence  against  the  majority  of 
the  members.  In  May,  1776,  he  moved  and 
carried  a resolution  in  congress  that  the  colo- 
nies should  assume  the  duties  of  self-govern- 
ment. He  was  a prominent  member  of  the 
committee  of  five  appointed  June  ii,  to  pre- 
pare a declaration  of  independence.  This 
article  was  drawn  by  Jefferson,  but  on  Adams 
devolved  the  task  of  battling  it  through  con- 
gress in  a three  days’  debate. 

On  the  day  after  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence was  passed,  he  wrote  a letter  to  his 
wife  which,  as  w&  read  it  now,  seems  to  have 
been  dictated  by  the  spirit  of  prophecy. 
" Yesterday, ” he  says,  "the  greatest  question 
was  decided  that  ever  was  debated  in  America; 
and  greater,  perhaps,  never  was  or  will  be 
decided  among  men.  A resolution  was  passed 
without  one  dissenting  colony,  ‘that  these 
United  States  are,  and  of  right  ought  to  be, 
free  and  independent  states.’  The  4th  of 
July,  1776,  will  be  a memorable  epoch  in  the 
j history  of  America.  I am  apt  to  believe  it 
I will  be  celebrated  by  succeeding  generations, 


26 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


as  the  great  anniversary  festival.  It  ought  to 
be  commemorated  as  the  day  of  deliverance 
by  solemn  acts  of  devotion  to  Almighty  God. 
It  ought  to  be  solemnized  with  pomp,  shows, 
games,  sports,  guns,  bells,  bonfires,  and  illu- 
minations from  one  end  of  the  continent  to  the 
other,  from  this  time  forward  for  ever.  You 
will  think  me  transported  with  enthusiasm,  but 
I am  not.  I am  well  aware  of  the  toil,  and 
blood  and  treasure,  that  it  will  cost  to  main- 
tain this  declaration,  and  support  and  defend 
these  states;  yet,  through  all  the  gloom,  I can 
see  the  rays  of  light  and  glory.  I can  see 
that  the  end  is  worth  more  than  all  the  means; 
and  that  posterity  will  triumph,  although  you 
and  I may  rue,  which  I hope  we  shall  not.” 

In  November,  1777,  Mr.  Adams  was  ap- 
pointed a delegate  to  France  to  co-operate 
with  Benjamin  Franklin  and  Arthur  Lee,  who 
were  then  in  Paris,  in  the  endeavor  to  obtain 
assistance  in  arms  and  money  from  the  French 
government.  He  left  France  June  17,  1779. 
In  September  of  the  same  year  he  was  again 
chosen  to  go  to  Paris,  and  there  hold  himself 
in  readiness  to  negotiate  a treaty  of  peace  and 
of  commerce  with  Great  Britain,  as  soon  as 
the  British  cabinet  might  be  found  willing  to 
listen  to  such  proposals.  He  sailed  for  France 
in  November,  from  there  he  went  to  Holland, 
where  he  negotiated  important  loans  and 
formed  important  commercial  treaties. 

Finally  a treaty  of  peace  with  England 
was  signed  January  21,  1783.  The  re-action 
from  the  excitement,  toil  and  anxiety  through 
which  Mr.  Adams  had  passed  threw  him  into 
a fever.  After  suffering  from  a continued 
fever  and  becoming  feeble  and  emaciated  he 
was  advised  to  go  to  England  to  drink  the 
waters  of  Bath.  While  in  England,  still 
drooping  and  desponding,  he  received  dis- 
patches from  his  own  government  urging  the 
necessity  of  his  going  to  Amsterdam  to  nego- 
tiate another  loan,  It  was  winter,  his  health 


was  delicate,  yet  he  immediately  set  out,  and 
through  storm,  on  sea,  on  horseback  and  foot, 
he  made  the  trip. 

February  24,  1785,  congress  appointed 

Mr.  Adams  envoy  to  the  court  of  St.  James. 
Here  he  met  face  to  face  the  king  of  England, 
who  had  so  long  regarded  him  as  a traitor. 
As  England  did  not  condescend  to  appoint  a 
minister  to  the  United  States,  and  as  Mr. 
Adams  felt  that  he  was  accomplishing  but  lit- 
tle, he  sought  permission  to  return  to  his  own 
country,  where  he  arrived  in  June,  1788. 

When  Washington  was  first  chosen  presi- 
dent, John  Adams,  rendered  illustrious  by  his 
signal  services  at  home  and  abroad,  was 
chosen  vice  president.  Again  at  the  second 
election  of  Washington  as  president,  Adams 
was  chosen  vice  president.  In  1796,  Wash- 
ington retired  from  public  life,  and  Mr.  Adams 
was  elected  president,  though  not  without 
much  opposition.  Serving  in  this  office  four 
years,  he  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Jefferson,  his 
opponent  in  politics. 

While  Mr.  Adams  was  vice  president  the 
great  French  revolution  shook  the  continent 
of  Europe,  and  it  was  upon  this  point  which 
he  was  at  issue  with  the  majority  of  his 
countrymen  led  by  Mr.  Jefferson.  Mr.  Adams 
felt  no  sympathy  with  the  French  people  in 
their  struggle,  for  he  had  no  confidence  in 
their  power  of  self-government,  and  he  utterly 
abhorred  the  class  of  atheist  philosophers  who 
he  claimed  caused  it.  On  the  other  hand 
Jefferson’s  sympathies  were  strongly  enlisted 
in  behalf  of  the  French  people.  Hence  origi- 
nated the  alienation  between  these  distin- 
guished men,  and  two  powerful  parties  were 
thus  soon  organized,  Adams  at  the  head  of 
the  one  whose  sympathies  were  with  England, 
and  Jefferson  led  the  other  in  sympathy  with 
France.  In  1824,  his  cup  of  happiness  was 
filled  to  the  brim,  by  seeing  his  son  elevated 
to  the  highest  station  i»  the  gift  of  the  people. 


THOMAS  JEFFERSON 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


29 


The  4th  of  July,  1826,  which  completed 
the  half  century  since  the  signing  of  the  Dec- 
laration of  Independence,  arrived,  and  there 
were  but  three  of  the  signers  of  that  immortal 
instrument  left  upon  the  earth  to  hail  its 
morning  light.  And,  as  it  is  well  known,  on 
that  day  two  of  these  finished  their  earthly 
pilgrimage,  a coincidence  so  remarkable  as  to 
seem  miraculous.  For  a few  days  before  Mr. 
Adams  had  been  rapidly  failing,  and  on  the 
4th,  he  found  himself  too  weak  to  rise  from  his 
bed.  On  being  requested  to  name  a toast  for 
the  customary  celebration  of  the  day,  he  ex- 
claimed “Independence  forever.”  When 
the  day  was  ushered  in,  by  the  ringing  of  bells 
and  the  firing  of  cannons,  he  was  asked  by 
one  of  his  attendants  if  he  knew  what  day  it 
was.?  He  replied,  “Oh  yes;  it  is  the  glorious 
fourth  of  July — God  bless  it — God  bless  you 
all.”  In  the  course  of  the  day  he  said,  “It  is 
a great  and  glorious  day.”  The  last  words  he 
uttered  were,  “Jefferson  survives.”  But  he 
had,  at  one  o’clock,  resigned  his  spirit  into  the 
hands  of  his  God.  The  personal  appearance 
and  manners  of  Mr.  Adams  were  not  particu- 
larly prepossessing.  His  face,  as  his  portrait 
manifests,  was  intellectual  and  expressive,  but 
his  figure  was  low  and  ungraceful,  and  his 
manners  were  frequently  abrupt  and  uncourte- 
ous. 


HOMAS  JEFFERSON,  third  presi- 
dent of  the  United  States,  was  born 
April  2,1743,  3.t  Shadwell, Albermarle 
county,  Va.  His  parents  were  Peter 
and  Jane  (Randolph)  Jefferson,  the  former  a 
native  of  Wales,  and  the  latter  born  in  Lon- 
don. To  them  were  born  six  daughters  and 
two  sons,  of  whom  Thomas  was  the  eldest. 
When  fourteen  years  of  age  his  father  died. 
He  received  a most  liberal  education,  having 
been  kept  diligently  at  school  from  the  time 


he  was  five  years  of  age.  In  1 760  he  entered 
William  and  Mary  college.  Williamsburg 
was  then  the  seat  of  the  colonial  court,  and  it 
was  the  abode  of  fashion  and  splendor.  Young 
Jefferson,  who  was  then  seventeen  years  old, 
lived  somewhat  expensively,  keeping  fine 
horses,  and  was  much  caressed  by  gay  society, 
yet  he  was  earnestly  devoted  to  his  studies, 
and  irreproachable  in  his  morals.  In  the 
second  year  of  his  college  course,  moved  by 
some  unexplained  inward  impulse,  he  discarded 
his  horses,  society,  and  even  his  favorite  violin, 
to  which  he  had  previously  given  much  time. 
He  often  devoted  fifteen  hours  a day  to  hard 
study,  allowing  himself  for  exercise  only  a run 
in  the  evening  twilight  of  a mile  out  of  the  city 
and  back  again.  He  thus  attained  very  high 
intellectual  culture,  and  excellence  in  philoso- 
phy and  the  languages.  The  most  difficult 
Latin  and  Greek  authors  he  read  with  facility. 

Immediately  upon  leaving  college  he  began 
the  study  of  law.  For  the  short  time  he  con- 
tinued in  the  practice  of  his  profession  he  rose 
rapidly  and  distinguished  himself  by  his  energy 
and  acuteness  as  a lawyer.  But  the  times 
called  for  greater  action.  The  policy  of 
England  had  awakened  the  spirit  of  resistance 
of  the  American  colonies,  and  the  enlarged 
views  which  Jefferson  had  ever  entertained 
soon  led  him  into  active  political  life.  In  1769 
he  was  chosen  a member  of  the  Virginia  house 
of  burgesses.  In  1772  he  married  Mrs. 
Martha  Skelton,  a very  beautiful,  wealthy  and 
highly  accomplished  young  widow. 

Upon  Mr.  Jefferson’s  large  estate  at  Shad- 
well,  there  was  a majestic  swell  of  land,  called 
Monticello,  which  commanded  a prospect  of 
wonderful  extent  and  beauty.  This  spot  Mr. 
Jefferson  selected  for  his  new  home;  and  here 
he  reared  a mansion  of  modest  yet  elegant 
architecture,  which,  next  to  Mount  Vernon, 
became  the  most  distinguished  resort  in  our 
land. 


30 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


In  1775  he  was  sent  to  the  colonial  con- 
gress, whei'e,  though  a silent  member,  his 
abilities  as  a writer  and  a reasoner  soon  be- 
came known,  and  he  was  placed  upon  a num- 
ber of  important  committees,  and  was  chairman 
of  the  one  appointed  for  the  drawing  up  of  a 
declaration  of  independence.  This  committee 
consisted  of  Thomas  Jefferson,  John  Adams, 
Benjamin  Franklin,  Roger  Sherman  and  Rob- 
ert R.  Livingston.  Jefferson,  as  chairman, 
was  appointed  to  draw  up  the  paper.  Frank- 
lin and  Adams  suggested  a few  verbal  changes 
before  it  was  submitted  to  congress.  On  June 
28,  a few  slight  changes  were  made  in  it  by 
congress,  and  it  was  passed  and  signed  July  4, 
1776.  What  must  have  been  the  feelings  of 
that  man — what  the  emotions  that  swelled  his 
breast — who  was  charged  with  the  preparation 
of  that  declaration,  which,  while  it  made 
known  the  wrongs  of  America,  was  also  to 
publish  her  to  the  world,  free,  sovereign  and 
independent ! 

In  1779  Mr.  Jefferson  was  elected  successor 
to  Patrick  Henry,  as  governor  of  Virginia.  At 
one  time  the  British  officer,  Tarleton,  sent  a 
secret  expedition  to  Monticello,  to  capture  the 
governor.  Scarcely  five  minutes  elapsed  after 
the  hurried  escape  of  Mr.  Jefferson  and  his  ! 
family,  ere  his  mansion  was  in  possession  of 
the  British  troops.  His  wife’s  health,  never 
very  good,  was  much  injured  by  this  excite- 
ment and  in  the  summer  of  1782  she  died. 

Mr.  Jefferson  was  elected  to  congress  in 
1783.  Two  years  later  he  was  appointed 
minister  plenipotentiary  to  France.  Return- 
ing to  the  United  States  in  September,  1789, 
he  became  secretary  of  state  in  Washington’s 
cauinet.  This  position  he  resigned  January  i, 
1794.  In  1797,  he  was  chosen  vice  president 
and  four  years  later  was  elected  president  over  I 
Mr.  Adams,  with  Aaron  Burr  as  vice  president. 
In  1 804  he  was  re-elected  with  wonderful 
unanimity,  and  George  Clinton,  vice  president. 


The  early  part  of  Mr.  Jefferson’s  second 
administration  was  disturbed  by  an  event 
which  threatened  the  tranquility  and  peace  of 
the  Union;  this  was  the  conspiracy  of  Aaron 
Burr.  Defeated  in  the  late  election  to  the 
vice  presidency,  and  led  on  by  an  unprincipled 
ambition,  this  extraordinary  man  formed  the 
plan  of  a military  expedition  into  the  Spanish 
territories  on  our  southwestern  frontier,  for  the 
purpose  of  forming  there  a new  republic. 

In  1809,  at  the  expiration  of  the  second 
term  for  which  Mr.  Jefferson  had  been  elected, 
he  determined  to  retire  from  political  life. 
For  a period  of  nearly  forty  years,  he  had 
been  continually  before  the  public,  and  all 
that  time  had  been  employed  in  offices  of  the 
greatest  trust  and  responsibility.  Having  thus 
devoted  the  best  part  of  his  life  to  the  serv- 
ice of  his  country,  he  now  felt  desirous  of 
that  rest  which  his  declining  years  required, 
and  upon  the  organization  of  the  new  adminis- 
tration, in  March,  1809,  he  bade  farewell  for- 
ever to  public  life,  and  retired  to  Monticello. 

The  4th  of  July,  1826,  being  the  fiftieth 
anniversary  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence, 
great  preparations  were  made  in  every  part  of 
the  Union  for  its  celebration,  as  the  nation’s 
jubilee,  and  the  citizens  of  Washington,  to 
add  to  the  solemnity  of  the  occasion,  invited 
Mr.  Jefferson,  as  the  framer,  and  one  of  the 
few  surviving  signers  of  the  Declaration,  to 
participate  in  their  festivities.  But  an  illness, 
which  had  been  of  several  weeks’  duration,  and 
had  been  continually  increasing,  compelled 
him  to  decline  the  invitation. 

On  the  2d  of  July,  the  disease  under 
which  he  was  laboring  left  him,  but  in  such  a 
reduced  state  that  his  medical  attendants  en- 
tertained no  hope  of  his  recovery.  From  this 
time  he  was  perfectly  sensible  that  his  last 
hour  was  at  hand.  On  the  next  day,  which 
was  Monday,  he  asked,  of  those  around  him, 
the  day  of  the  month,  and  on  being  told  that 


rr. 

t 


JAMES  MADISON 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


38 


it  was  the  3d  of  July,  he  expressed  the  earnest 
wish  that  he  might  be  permitted  to  breathe 
the  air  of  the  fiftieth  anniversary.  His  prayer 
was  heard — that  day,  whose  dawn  was  hailed 
with  such  rapture  through  our  land,  burst 
upon  his  eyes,  and  then  they  were  closed  for- 
ever. And  what  a noble  consummation  of  a 
noble  life!  To  die  on  that  day, — the  birth  of 
a nation — the  day  which  his  own  name  and 
own  act  had  rendered  glorious;  to  die  amidst 
the  rejoicings  and  festivities  of  a whole  nation, 
who  looked  up  to  him,  as  the  author,  under 
God,  of  their  greatest  blessings,  was  all  that 
was  wanting  to  fill  up  the  record  of  his  life. 
Almost  at  he  same  hour  of  his  death,  the  kindred 
spirit  of  the  venerable  Adams,  as  if  to  bear  him 
company,  left  the  scene  of  his  earthly  honors. 

In  person  Mr.  Jefferson  was  tall  and  thin, 
rather  above  six  feet  in  height,  but  well  formed; 
his  eyes  were  light,  his  hair,  originally  red,  in 
after  life  became  white  and  silvery;  his  com- 
plexion was  fair,  his  forehead  broad,  and  his 
whole  countenance  intelligent  and  thoughtful. 
He  possessed  great  fortitude  of  mind  as  well 
as  personal  courage;  and  his  commando!  tem- 
per was  such  that  his  oldest  and  most  intimate 
friends  never  recollected  to  have  seen  him  in  a 
passion.  His  manners,  though  dignified,  were 
simple  and  unaffected,  and  his  hospitality  was 
so  unbounded  that  all  found  at  his  house  a 
ready  welcome.  In  conversation  he  was  fluent, 
eloquent  and  entusiastic;  and  his  language  was 
remarkably  pure  and  correct.  He  was  a 
finished  classical  scholar,  and  in  his  writings 
is  discernable  the  care  with  which  he  formed 
his  style  upon  the  best  models  of  antiquity. 


AMES  MADISON,  fourth  president  of 
the  United  States,  was  born  March  16, 
1751,  and  died  at  his  home  in  Virginia, 
June  28,  1836.  He  was  the  last  of  the 
founders  of  the  Constitution  of  the  United 


States  to  be  called  to  his  eternal  reward. 
The  Madison  family  were  among  the  early 
emigrants  to  the  New  World,  landing  upon  the 
shores  of  the  Chesapeake  but  fifteen  years 
after  the  settlement  of  Jamestown.  The  father 
of  James  Madison  was  an  opulent  planter,  re- 
siding upon  a very  fine  estate  called  “Mont- 
pelier,” Orange  county,  Va.  The  mansion 
was  situated  in  the  midst  of  scenery  highly 
picturesque  and  romantic,  on  the  west  side  of 
Southwest  Mountain,  at  the  foot  of  Blue 
Ridge.  It  was  but  twenty-five  miles  from  the 
home  of  Jefferson  at  Monticello.  The  closest 
personal  and  political  attachment  existed  be- 
tween these  illustrious  men  from  their  early 
youth  until  death. 

The  early  education  of  Mr.  Madison  was 
conducted  mostly  at  home  under  a private 
tutor.  At  the  age  of  eighteen  he  w’as  sent 
to  Princeton  college,  in  New  Jersey.  Here  he 
applied  himself  to  study  with  the  most  im- 
prudent zeal;  allowing  himself  for  months,  but 
three  hours’  sleep  out  of  the  twenty-four.  His 
health  thus  became  so  seriously  impaired  that 
he  never  recovered  any  vigor  of  constitution. 
He  graduated  in  1871,  when  a feeble  boy,  but 
with  a character  of  utmost  purity,  and  with  a 
mind  highly  disciplined  and  richly  stored  with 
learning. 

Returning  to  Virginia,  he  commenced  the 
study  of  law  and  a course  of  extensive  and 
systematic  reading.  This  educational  course, 
the_  spirit  of  the  times  in  which  he  lived,  all 
combined  to  inspire  him  with  a strong  love  of 
liberty,  and  to  train  him  for  his  life-work  of  a 
statesman. 

In  the  spring  of  1776,  when  twenty-five 
years  of  age,  he  was  elected  a member  of  the 
Virginia  convention,  to  frame  the  constitution 
of  the  state.  The  next  year  (1777)  he  was  a 
candidate  for  the  general  assembly.  He  re- 
fused to  treat  the  whisky-loving  voters,  and  con- 
sequently lost  his  election;  but  those  who  had 


34 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


witnessed  the  talent,  energy  and  public  spirit 
of  the  modest  young  man,  enlisted  themselves 
in  his  behalf,  and  he  was  appointed  to  the 
executive  council. 

Both  Patrick  Henry  and  Thomas  Jefferson 
were  governors  of  Virginia  while  Mr.  Madison 
remained  member  of  the  council;  and  their 
appreciation  of  his  intellectual,  social  and 
moral  worth,  contributed  not  a little  to  his 
subsequent  eminence.  In  the  year  1780,  he 
was  elected  a member  of  the  continental  con- 
gress. Here  he  met  the  most  illustrious  men 
in  our  land,  and  he  was  immediately  assigned 
to  one  of  the  most  conspicuous  positions 
among  them.  For  three  years  Mr.  Madison 
continued  in  congress,  one  of  its  most  active 
and  influential  members.  In  the  year  1784, 
his  term  having  expired,  he  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  Virginia  legislature. 

No  man  felt  more  deeply  than  Mr.  Madison 
the  utter  inefficiency  of  the  old  confederacy, 
with  no  national  government,  with  no  power 
to  form  treaties  which  would  be  binding,  or  to 
enforce  law.  There  was  not  any  state  more 
prominent  than  Virginia  in  the  declaration, 
that  an  efficient  national  government  must  be 
formed.  In  January,  1786,  Mr.  Madison  car- 
ried a resolution  through  the  general  assembly 
of  Virginia,  inviting  the  other  states  to  appoint 
commissioners  to  meet  in  convention  at  Ann- 
apolis to  discuss  the  subject.  Five  states  only 
were  represented.  The  convention,  however, 
issued  another  call,  drawn  up  by  Mr.  Madison, 
urging  all  the  states  to  send  their  delegates  to 
Philadelphia,  in  May,  1787,  to  draft  a consti- 
tution for  the  United  States,  to  take  the  place 
of  that  confederate  league.  The  delegates  met 
at  the  time  appointed.  Every  state  but  Rhode 
Island  was  represented.  George  Washington 
was  chosen  president  of  the  convention;  and 
the  present  constitution  of  the  United  States 
was  then  and  there  formed.  There  was,  per- 
haps, no  mind  and  no  pen  more  active  in 


framing  this  immortal  document  than  the  mind 
and  pen  of  James  Madison. 

' The  constitution,  adopted  by  a vote  of  81 
to  79,  was  to  be  presented  to  the  several  states 
for  acceptance.  But  grave  solicitude  was  felt. 
Should  it  be  rejected  we  should  be  left  but  a 
conglomeration  of  independent  states,  with 
but  little  power  at  home  and  little  respect 
abroad.  Mr.  Madison  was  selected  by  the 
convention  to  draw  up  an  address  to  the  peo- 
ple of  the  United  States,  expounding  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  constitution,  and  urging  its  adop- 
tion. There  was  great  opposition  to  it  at  first, 
but  it  at  length  triumphed  over  all,  and  went 
into  effect  in  1789. 

Mr.  Madison  was  elected  to  the  house  of 
representatives  in  the  first  congress,  and  soon 
became  the  avowed  leader  of  the  republican 
party.  While  in  New  York  attending  con- 
gress, he  met  Mrs.  Todd,  a young  widow  of 
remarkable  power  of  fascination,  whom  he 
married.  She  was  in  person  and  character 
queenly,  and  probably  no  lady  has  thus  far 
occupied  so  prominent  a position  in  the  very 
peculiar  society  which  has  constituted  our  re- 
publican court,  as  Mrs.  Madison. 

Mr.  Madison  served  as  secretary  of  state 
under  Jefferson,  and  at  the  close  of 
his  administration  was  chosen  president. 
At  this  time  the  encroachments  of  Eng- 
land had  brought  us  to  the  verge  of  war. 
British  orders  in  council  destroyed  our  com- 
merce, and  our  flag  was  exposed  to  constant 
insult.  Mr.  Madison  was  a man  of  peace. 
Scholarly  in  his  taste,  retiring  in  his  disposi- 
tion, war  had  no  charms  for  him.  But  the 
meekest  spirit  can  be  roused.  It  makes  one’s 
blood  boil,  even  now,  to  think  of  an  American 
ship  brought  to  upon  the  ocean  by  the  guns  of 
an  English  cruiser.  A young  lieutenant  steps 
on  board  and  orders  the  crew  to  be  paraded 
before  him.  With  great  nonchalance  he  selects 
any  number  whom  he  may  please  to  designate 


1 


JAMES  MONROE. 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


37 


as  British  subjects;  orders  them  down  the 
ship’s  side  into  his  boat;  and  places  them  on 
the  gun-deck  of  his  man-of-war  to  fight,  by 
compulsion,  the  battles  of  England.  This 
right  of  search  and  impressment,  no  efforts  of 
our  government  could  induce  the  British  cabi- 
net to  relinquish. 

On  the  1 8th  of  Tune,  1812,  President  Madi- 

I 

son  gave  his  approval  to  an  act  of  congress  de-  j 
daring  war  against  Great  Britain.  Notwith-  [ 
standing  the  bitter  hostility  of  the  federal 
party  to  the  war,  the  country  in  general  ap- 
proved; and  Mr.  Madison,  on  the  4th  of  March, 
1813,  was  re-elected  by  a large  majority,  and 
entered  upon  his  second  term  of  office.  The 
contest  commenced  in  earnest  by  the  appear- 
ance of  a British  fleet  early  in  February,  1813, 
in  Chesapeake  bay,  declaring  nearly  the  whole 
coast  of  the  United  States  under  blockade. 
The  emmperor  of  Russia  offered  his  services 
as  mediator.  America  accepted;  England  re- 
fused. A British  force  of  five  thousand  men 
landed  on  the  banks  of  the  Patuxet  river,  near 
its  entrance  into  Chesapeake  bay,  and  marched 
rapidly,  by  way  of  Bladensburg,  upon  Wash- 
ington. 

The  straggling  little  city  of  Washington 
was  thrown  into  consternation.  The  cannon 
of  the  brief  conflict  at  Bladensburg  echoed 
through  the  streets  of  the  metropolis.  The 
whole  population  fled  from  the  city.  The 
president,  leaving  Mrs.  Madison  in  the  White 
House,  with  her  carriage  drawn  up  at  the  door 
to  await  his  speedy  return,  hurried  to  meet 
the  officers  in  a council  of  war.  He  met  our 
troops  utterly  routed,  and  he  could  not  go 
back  without  danger  of  being  captured.  But 
few  hours  elapsed  ere  the  presidential  mansion, 
the  capitol,  and  all  the  public  buildings  in 
Washington  were  in  flames. 

The  war  closed  after  two  years  of  fighting, 
and  on  February  13,  1815,  the  treaty  of  peace 
was  signed  at  Ghent. 


On  the  4th  of  March,  1817,  his  second 
term  of  office  expired,  and  he  resigned  the 
presidential  chair  to  his  friend,  James  Monroe. 
He  retired  to  his  beautiful  home  at  Montpelier 
and  there  passed  the  remainder  of  his  days. 
On  June  28,  1836,  then  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
five  years,  he  fell  asleep  in  death.  Mrs.  Madi- 
son died  July  12,  1849. 


AMES  MONROE,  the  fifth  president  of 
the  United  States,  was  born  in  West- 
moreland county,  Va. , April  28,  1758. 
He  joined  the  colonial  army  when  every- 
thing looked  hopeless  and  gloomy.  The  num- 
ber of  deserters  increased  from  day  to  day. 
The  invading  armies  came  pouring  in;  and  the 
tories  not  only  favored  the  cause  of  the  mother 
country,  but  disheartened  the  new  recruits, 
who  were  sufficiently  terrified  at  the  prospect 
of  contending  with  an  enemy  whom  they  had 
been  taught  to  deem  invincible.  To  such  brave 
spirits  as  James  Monroe,  who  went  right  on- 
ward undismayed  through  difficulty  and  danger, 

1 the  United  States  owe  their  political  eman- 
! cipation.  The  young  cadet  joined  the  ranks 
I and  espoused  the  cause  of  his  injured  country, 

I with  a firm  determination  to  live  or  die  with 
her  strife  for  liberty.  Firmly,  yet  sadly,  he 
shared  in  the  melancholy  retreat  from  Harlaem 
Heights  and  White  Plains,  and  accompanied 
the  dispirited  army  as  it  fled  before  its  foes 
through  New  Jersey.  In  four  months  after 
the  Declaration  of  Independence,  the  patriots 
had  been  beaten  in  seven  battles.  At  the  bat- 
tle of  Trenton  he  led  the  vanguard,  and,  in  the 
act  of  charging  upon  the  enemy  he  received  a 
i wound  in  the  left  shoulder.  As  a reward  for 
his  bravery,  Mr.  Monroe  was  promoted  a cap- 
i tain  of  infantry;  and,  having  recovered  from 
his  wound,  he  rejoined  the  army.  He,  how- 
! ever,  receded  from  the  line  of  promotion  by 


38 


PRES]DE^TS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


becoming  an  officer  on  the  staff  of  Lord  Ster- 
ling. During  the  campaigns  of  1777  and  1778, 
in  the  actions  of  Brandywine,  Germantown 
and  Monmouth,  he  continued  aid-de-camp; 
but  becoming  desirous  to  regain  his  position  in 
the  army,  he  e.xerted  himself  to  collect  a regi- 
ment for  the  Virginia  line.  ‘ This  scheme  failed 
owing  to  the  exhausted  condition  of  the  state. 
Upon  this  failure  he  entered  the  office  of  Mr. 
jefferson,  at  that  period  governor,  and  pursued 
with  considerable  ardor  the  study  pf  common 
law.  He  did  not,  however,  entirely  lay  aside 
the  knapsack  for  the  green  bag;  but  on  the  in- 
vasions of  the  enemy,  served  as  a volunteer 
during  the  two  years  of  his  legal  pursuits. 

In  1782,  he  was  elected  from  King  George 
county  a member  of  the  legislature  of  Virginia, 
and  by  that  body  he  was  elevated  to  a seat  in 
the  executive  council.  Fie  was  thus  honored 
with  the  confidence  of  his  fellow  citizens  at 
twenty-three  years  of  age;  and  at  this  early 
period  displayed  some  of  that  ability  and  apti- 
tude for  legislation,  which  were  afterward 
employed  with  unremitting  energy  for  the  pub- 
lic good,  he  was  in  the  succeeding  year  chosen 
a member  of  the  congress  of  the  United  States. 

Deeply  as  Mr.  Monroe  felt  the  imperfec- 
tions of  the  old  confederacy,  he  was  opposed 
to  the  new  constitution,  thinking,  with  many 
others  of  the  republican  party,  that  it  gave  too 
much  power  to  the  central  government,  and 
not  enough  to  the  individual  states.  In  1789, 
he  became  a member  of  the  United  States  sen- 
ate, which  office  he  held  for  four  years.  Every 
month  the  line  of  distinction  between  the  two 
great  parties  which  divided  the  nation,  the 
federal  and  the  republican,  was  growing  more 
distinct.  The  two  prominent  ideas  which  now 
separated  them  were,  that  the  republican  party 
was  in  sympathy  with  France,  and  also  in 
favor  of  such  a strict  construction  of  the  con- 
stitution as  to  give  the  central  government  as 
little  power,  and  the  state  governments  as 


much  power,  as  the  constitution  would  war- 
rant. The  federalists  sympathized  with  Eng- 
land, and  were  in  favor  of  a liberal  construc- 
tion of  the  constitution,  which  would  give  as 
much  power  to  the  central  government  as  that 
document  could  possibly  authorize. 

Washington  was  then  president.  England 
had  espoused  the  cause  of  the  Bourbons 
against  the  principles  of  the  French  revolu- 
tion. All  Europe  was  drawn  into  the  conflict. 
We  were  feeble  and  far  away.  Washington 
issued  a proclamation  of  neutrality  between 
these  contending  powers.  France  had  helped 
us  in  the  struggle  for  our  liberties.  All  the 
despotisms  of  Europe  were  combined  to  pre- 
vent the  French  from  escaping  from  a tyranny 
a thousand-fold  worse  than  that  which  we  had 
endured.  Col.  Monroe,  more  magnanimous 
than  prudent,  was  anxious  that,  at  whatever 
hazard,  we  should  help  our  old  allies  in  their 
extremity.  It  was  the  impulse  of  a generous 
and  noble  nature.  He  violently  opposed  the 
president’s  proclamation  as  ungrateful  and 
wanting  in  magnanimity. 

Washington,  who  could  appreciate  such  a 
character,  developed  his  calm,  serene,  almost 
divine  greatness,  by  appointing  that  very 
James  Monroe,  who  was  denouncing  the  policy 
of  the  government,  as  the  minister  of  that 
government  to  the  republic  of  France.  Mr. 
Monroe  was  welcomed  by  the  national  conven- 
tion in  France  with  the  most  enthusiastic 
demonstrations. 

Shortly  after  his  return  to  this  country,  Mr. 
Monroe  was  elected  governor  of  Virginia,  and 
held  the  office  for  three  3’ears.-  He  was  again 
sent  to  France  to  co-operate  with  Chancellor 
Livingston  in  obtaining  the  vast  territor}^ 
then  known  as  the  province  of  Louisiana, 
which  France  had  but  shortly  before  obtained 
from  Spain.  Their  united  efforts  were  suc- 
cessful. For  the  comparatively  small  sum  of 
fifteen  millions  of  dollars,  the  entire  territory 


J.  0.  ADAMS, 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


41 


of  Orleans  and  district  of  Louisiana  were 
added  to  the  United  States.  This  was  prob- 
ably the  largest  transfer  of  real  estate  which 
was  ever  made  in  all  the  history  of  the  world. 

From  France  Mr.  Monroe  went  to  England 
to  obtain  from  thac  country  some  recognition 
of  our  rights  as  neutrals,  and  to  remonstrate 
against  those  odious  impressments  of  our  sea- 
men. But  England  was  unrelenting.  He 
again  returned  to  England  on  the  same  mis- 
sion, but  could  receive  no  redress.  He  re- 
turned to  his  home  and  was  again  chosen  gov- 
ernor of  Virginia.  This  he  soon  resigned  to 
accept  the  position  of  secretary  of  slate  under 
Madison.  While  in  this  office  war  with  Eng- 
land was  declared,  the  secretary  of  war  re- 
signed, and  during  those  trying  times  the  du- 
ties of  the  war  department  were  also  put  upon 
him.  He  was  truly  the  armor-bearer  of  Presi- 
dent Madison,  and  the  most  efficient  business 
man  in  his  cabinet.  Upon  the  return  of  peace 
he  resigned  the  department  of  war,  but  con- 
tinued in  the  office  of  secretary  of  state  until 
the  expiration  of  Mr.  Madison’s  administra- 
tion. At  the  election  held  the  previous  au- 
tumn Mr.  Monroe  had  been  chosen  president 
with  but  little  opposition,  and  upon  March  4, 
1817,  was  inaugurated.  Eour  years  later  he 
was  elected  for  a second  term. 

Among  the  important  measures  of  his  presi- 
dency were  the  cession  of  Florida  to  the  United 
States;  the  Missouri  compromise,  and  the 
“Monroe  doctrine.”  This  famous  “Monroe 
doctrine,”  was  enunciated  by  him  in  1823.  At 
that  time  the  United  States  had  recognized 
the  independence  of  the  South  American 
states,  and  did  not  wish  to  have  European 
powers  longer  attempt  to  subdue  portions  of 
the  American  continent.  The  doctrine  is  as 
follows;  “That  we  should  consider  any  at- 
tempt on  the  part  of  European  powers  to  ex- 
tend their  system  to  any  portion  of  this  hemi- 
sphere as  dangerous  to  our  peace  and  safety,” 


and  “that  we  could  not  view  any  interposi- 
tion for  the  purpose  of  oppressing  or  controll- 
ing American  governments  or  provinces  in  any 
other  light  than  as  a manifestation  by  Euro- 
pean powers  of  an  unfriendly  disposition  to- 
ward the  United  State.”  This  doctrine  imme- 
diately affected  the  course  of  foreign  govern- 
ments, and  has  become  the  approved  senti- 
ment of  the  United  States. 

At  the  end  of  his  second  term  Mr.  Monroe 
retired  to  his  home  in  Virginia,  where  he  lived 
until  1830,  when  he  went  to  New  York  to  live 
with  his  son-in-law.  In  that  city  he  died  on 
the  4th  of  July,  1831. 


OHN  QUINCY  ADAMS,  the  sixth 
president  of  the  United  States,  was 
born  in  Qunicy,  Mass.,  on  the  iith  of 
July,  1767.  His  mother,  a woman  of 
exalted  worth,  watched  over  his  childhood 
during  the  almost  constant  absence  of  his 
father. 

When  but  eleven  years  old  he  took  a tear-, 
ful  adieu  of  his  mother,  to  sail  with  his  father 
for  Europe,  through  a fleet  of  hostile  British 
cruisers.  The  bright,  animated  boy  spent  a 
year  and  a half  in  Paris,  where  his  father  was 
associated  with  Eranklin  and  Lee  as  minister 
plenipotentiary.  His  intelligence  attracted  the 
notice  of  these  distinguished  men,  and  he  re- 
ceived from  them  flattering  marks  of  attention. 

Mr.  John  Adams  had  scarcely  returned  to 
this  country,  in  1779,  ere  he  was  again  sent 
abroad.  Again  John  Quincy  accompanied  his 
father.  At  Paris  he  applied  himself  with  great 
diligence,  for  six  months,  to  study;  then  accom- 
panied his  father  to  Holland,  where  he  entered 
first  a school  in  Amsterdam,  then  the  univer- 
sity at  Leyden.  About  a year  from  this  titne, 
in  1781,  when  the  manly  boy  was  but  fourteen 
years  of  age,  he  was  selected  by  Mr.  Dana, 


42 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


our  minister  to  the  Russian  court,  as  his  pri- 
vate secretary. 

In  this  school  of  incessant  labor  and  of 
ennobling  culture  he  spent  fourteen  months,  and 
then  returned  to  Holland  through  Sweden, 
Denmark,  Hamburg  and  Bremen.  This  long 
journey  he  took  alone,  in  the  winter,  when  in 
his  sixteenth  year.  Again  he  resumed  his 
studies,  under  a private  tutor,  at  Hague. 
Thence,  in  the  spring  of  1 782,  he  accompanied 
his  father  to  Paris,  traveling  leisurely,  and 
examining  architectural  remains,  galleries  of 
paintings  and  all  renowned  works  of  art.  At 
Paris  he  again  became  associated  with  the 
most  illustrious  men  of  all  lands  in  the  con- 
templations of  the  loftiest  temporal  themes 
which  can  engross  the  human  mind.  After  a 
short  visit  to  England  he  returned  to  Paris, 
and  consecrated  all  his  energies  to  study  until 
May,  1785,  when  he  returned  to  America. 

After  leaving  Harvard  college  at  the  age 
of  twenty,  he  studied  law  for  three  years.  In 
June,  1794,  being  then  but  twenty-seven  years 
of  age,  he  was  appointed,  by  Washington,  res- 
ident minister  at  the  Netherlands.  Sailing 
from  Boston  in  July,  he  reached  London  in 
October,  where  he  was  immediately  admitted 
to  the  deliberations  of  Messrs.  Jay  and  Pinck- 
ney, assisting  them  in  negotiating  a commer- 
cial treaty  with  Great  Britain.  After  thus 
spending  a fortnight  in  London,  he  proceeded 
to  the  Hague. 

In  July,  1797,  he  left  the  Hague  to  go  to 
Portugal  as  minister  plenipotentiary.  On  his 
way  to  Portugal,  upon  arriving  in  London,  he 
met  with  despatches  directing  him  to  the  court 
of  Berlin,  but  requesting  him  to  remain  in 
London  until  he  should  receive  his  instruc- 
tions. While  waiting  he  was  married  to  an 
American  lady  to  whom  he  had  been  previ- 
ously engaged — Miss  Louisa  Cathe.ine  John- 
son, daughter  of  Mr.  Joshua  Johnson,  Ameri- 
can consul  in  London. 


He  reached  Berlin  with  his  wife  in  Novem- 
ber, 1797;  where  he  remained  until  July, 

1 799,  when  having  fulfilled  all  the  purposes  of 
his  mission,  he  solicited  his  recall.  Soon  after 
his  return,  in  I802,  he  was  chosen  to  the  sen- 
ate of  Massachusetts  from  Boston,  and  then 
was  elected  senator  of  the  United  States  for 
six  years,  from  the  4th  of  March,  1804.  His 
reputation,  his  ability  and  his  experience, 
placed  him  immediately  among  the  most  prom- 
inent and  influential  members  of  that  body. 
Especially  did  he  sustain  the  government  in  its 
measures  of  resistance  to  the  encroachments 
of  England,  destroying  our  commerce  and  in- 
sulting our  flag. 

In  1809,  Madison  succeeded  Jefferson  in 
the  presidential  chair,  and  he  immediately 
nominated  John  Quincy  Adams  minister  to  St. 
Petersburg.  Resigning  his  professorship  in 
Harvard  college,  he  embarked  at  Boston,  in 
August,  1809.  While  in  Russia,  Mr.  Adams 
was  an  intense  student.  He  devoted  his  at- 
tention to  the  language  and  history  of  Russia; 
to  the  Chinese  trade;  to  the  European  system 
of  weights,  measures,  and  coins;  to  the 
climate  and  astronomical  observations;  while 
he  kept  up  a familiar  acquaintance  with  the 
Greek  and  Latin  classics.  All  through  life  the 
Bible  constituted  an  important  part  of  his 
studies.  It  was  his  rule  to  read  five  chapters 
every  day. 

On  the  4th  of  March,  1817,  Mr.  Monroe 
took  the  presidential  chair,  and  immediately 
appointed  Mr.  Adams  Secretary  of  state. 
Taking  leave  of  his  friends  in  public  and  pri- 
vate life  in  Europe,  he  sailed  in  June,  1819, 
for  the  United  States.  On  the  i8th  of  August, 
he  again  crossed  the  threshold  of  his  home  in 
Quincy.  During  the  eight  years  of  Mr.  Mon- 
roe’s administration,  Mr.  Adams  continued 
secretary  of  state. 

Some  time  before  the  close  of  Mr.  Mon- 
roe’s second  term  of  office,  new  candidates 


i 


'I- 


ANDREW  JACKSON 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


45 


began  to  be  presented  for  the  presidency. 
The  friends  of  Mr.  Adams  brought  forward 
his  name.  It  was  an  exciting  campaign. 
Party  spirit  was  never  more  bitter.  Two 
hundred  and  sixty  electoral  votes  were  cast. 
Andrew  Jackson  received  ninety-nine;  John 
Quincy  Adams,  eighty-four;  William  H.  Craw- 
ford, forty-one;  Henry  Clay,  thirty-seven. 
As  there  was  no  choice  by  the  people,  the 
question  went  to  the  house  of  representatives. 
Mr.  Clay  gave  the  vote  of  Kentucky  to  Mj. 
Adams,  and  he  was  elected. 

Mr.  Adams  was,  to  a very  remarkable  de- 
gree, abstemious  and  temperate  in  his  habits; 
always  rising  early,  and  taking  much  exercise. 
When  at  his  home  in  Quincy,  he  has  been 
known  to  walk,  before  breakfast,  seven  miles 
to  Boston.  In  Washington,  it  was  said  that 
he  was  the  first  man  up  in  the  city,  lighting 
his  own  fire  and  applying  himself  to  work  in 
his  library  often  long  before  dawn. 

On  the  4th  of  March,  1829,  Mr.  Adams 
retired  from  the  presidency,  and  was  succeeded 
by  Andrew  Jackson.  John  C.  Calhoun  was 
elected  vice  president.  The  slavery  question 
now  began  to  assume  protentous  magnitude. 
Mr.  Adams  returned  to  Quincy  and  to  his 
studies,  which  he  pursued  with  unabated  zeal. 
But  he  was  not  long  permitted  10  remain  in 
retirement.  In  November,  1830,  he  was 
elected  representative  to  congress.  For  sev- 
enteen years,  until  his  death,  he  occupied  the 
post  as  representative,  ever  ready  to  do  brave 
battle  for  freedom,  and  winning  the  title  of 
“the  old  man  eloquent.”  Upon  taking  his 
seat  in  the  house,  he  announced  that  he  should 
hold  himself  bound  to  no  party.  He  was 
usually  the  first  in  his  place  in  the  morning, 
and  the  last  to  leave  his  seat  in  the  evening. 
Not  a measure  could  be  brought  forward  and 
escape  his  scrutiny.  The  battle  which  Mr. 
Adams  fought,  almost  singly,  against  the 
proslavery  party  in  the  government,  was  sub- 


lime in  its  moral  daring  and  heroism.  For 
persisting  in  presenting  petitions  for  the  aboli- 
tion of  slavery,  he  was  threatened  with  indict- 
ment by  the  grand  jury,  with  expulsion  from 
the  house,  and  also  with  assassination,  but 
no  threats  could  intimidate  him,  and  his  final 
triumph  was  complete. 

On  the  2 1st  of  February,  1848,  he  rose  on 
the  floor  of  congress,  with  a paper  in  his  hand, 
to  address  the  speaker.  Suddenly  he  fell, 
again  stricken  by  paralysis,  and  was  caught  in 
the  arms  of  those  around  him.  For  a time 
he  was  senseless,  as  he  was  conveyed  to  the 
sofa  in  the  rotunda.  With  reviving  conscious- 
ness, he  opened  his  eyes,  looked  calmly  around 
and  said,  “This  is  the  end  of  earth;”  then 
after  a moment’s  pause  he  added,  “I  am  con- 
tent.” These  were  the  last  words  of  the  sixth 
president. 


HNDREW  JACKSON,  the  seventh 
president  of  the  United  States,  was 
born  in  Waxhaw  settlement,  N.  C. , 
March  15,  1767,  a few  days  after  his 
father’s  death.  His  parents  were  from  Ireland, 
and  took  up  their  abode  in  Waxhaw  settle- 
ment, where  they  lived  in  deepest  poverty. 

Andrew,  or  Andy,  as  he  was  universally 
called,  grew  up  a very  rough,  rude,  turbulent 
boy.  His  features  were  coarse,  his  form  un- 
gainly; and  there  was  but  very  little  in  his 
character,  made  visible,  which  was  attractive. 

When  only  thirteen  years  old  he  joined  the 
volunteers  of  Carolina  against  the  British  in- 
vasion. In  1781,  he  and  his  brother  Robert 
were  captured  and  imprisoned  for  a time  at 
Camden.  A British  officer  ordered  him  to 
brush  his  mud-spattered  boots.  “I  am  a 
prisoner  of  war,  not  your  servant,”  was  the 
reply  of  the  dauntless  boy.  The  brute  drew 
his  sword,  and  aimed  a desperate  blow  at  the 
head  of  the  helpless  young  prisoner.  Andrew 


46 


PRESIDENTS  OF  TFIE  UNITED  STATES. 


raised  his  hand,  and  thus  received  two  fearful 
gashes — one  on  the  hand  and  the  other  upon 
the  head.  The  officer  then  turned  to  his 
brother  Robert  with  the  same  demand.  He 
also  refused,  and  received  a blow  from  the 
keen-edged  saber,  which  quite  disabled  him, 
and  which  probably  soon  after  caused  his 
death.  They  suffered  much  other  ill-treat- 
ment-, and  were  finally  stricken  with  the  small- 
po.x.  Their  mother  was  successful  in  obtain- 
ing their  exchange,  and  took  her  sick  boys 
home.  After  a long  illness  Andrew  recovered, 
and  the  death  of  his  mother  soon  left  him  en- 
tirely friendless. 

Andrew  supported  himself  in  various  ways, 
such  as  working  at  the  saddler’s  trade,  teaching 
school  and  clerking  in  a general  store,  until 
1784,  when  he  entered  a law  office  at  Salis- 
bury, N.  C.  In  1788,  he  was  appointed  solicit- 
or for  the  western  district  of  North  Carolina, 
of  which  Tennessee  was  then  a part.  This  in- 
volved many  long  and  tedious  journeys  amid 
dangers  of  every  kind,  but  Andrew  Jackson 
never  knew  fear. 

In  1791,  Jackson  was  married  to  a woman 
who  supposed  herself  divorced  from  her  former 
husband.  Great  was  the  surprise  of  both 
parties,  two  yeai's  later,  to  find  that  the  con- 
ditions of  the  divorce  had  just  been  definitely 
settled  by  the  first  husband.  The  marriage 
ceremony  was  performed  a second  time,  but 
the  occurrence  was  often  used  by  his  enemies 
to  bring  Mr.  Jackson  into  disfavor.  During 
these  years  he  worked  hard  at  his  profession, 
and  frequently  had  one  or  more  duels  on  hand, 
one  of  which,  when  he  killed  Dickinson,  was 
especially  disgraceful. 

In  January,  1796,  the  territory  of  Tennes- 
,see  then  containing  nearly  80,000  inhabitants, 
the  people  met  in  convention  at  Knoxville  to 
frame  a constitution.  Five  were  sent  from  each 
of  the  eleven  counties.  Andrew  Jackson  was 
one  of  the  delegates.  The  new  state  was  en- 


titled to  but  one  member  in  the  national  house 
of  representatives.  Andrew  Jackson  was  chosen 
that  member.  Mounting  his  horse  he  rode  to 
Philadelphia,  where  congress  then  held  its 
sessions — a distance  of  about  800  miles. 

Jackson  was  an  earnest  advocate  of  the 
democratic  party.  Jefferson  was  his  idol.  He 
admired  Bonaparte,  loved  France  and  hated 
England.  As  Jackson  took  his  seat,  Gen. 
Washington,  whose  second  term  of  office  was 
then  expiring,  delivered  his  last  speech  to 
congress.  A committee  drew  up  a compli- 
mentary address  in  reply.  Andrew  Jackson 
did  not  approve  of  the  address,  and  was  one 
of  the  twelve  who  voted  against  it.  He  was 
not  willing  to  say  that  Gen.  Washington’s 
administration  had  been  “wise,  firm  and 
patriotic.  ” 

Jackson  was  elected  to  the  United  States 
senate  in  1797,  but  soon  resigned.  Soon  after 
he  was  chosen  judge  of  the  supreme  court  of 
his  state,  which  position  he  held  for  six  years. 

When  the  war  of  1812  with  Great  Britain 
commenced,  Madison  occupied  the  presidential 
chair.  Aaron  Burr  sent  word  to  the  president 
that  there  was  an  unknown  man  in  the  west, 
Andrew  Jackson,  who  would  do  credit  to  a 
commission  if  one  were  conferred  upon  him. 
Just  at  that  time  Gen.  Jackson  offered  his 
services  and  those  of  2,  500  volunteers.  His 
offer  was  accepted,  and  the  troops  were  assem- 
bled at  Nashville.  As  the  British  were  hourly 
expected  to  make  an  attack  upon  New  Orleans, 
where  Gen.  Wilkinson  was  in  command,  he 
was  ordered  to  descend  the  river  with  1,500 
troops  to  aid  Wilkinson.  The  expedition 
reached  Natchez;  and  after  a delay  of  several 
weeks  there,  the  men  were  ordered  back  to 
their  homes.  But  the  energy  Gen.  Jackson 
had  displayed,  and  his  entire  devotion  to  the 
comfort  of  his  soldiers,  won  him  golden 
opinions;  and  he  became  the  most  popular  man 
in  the  state.  It  was  in  this  expedition  that  his 


r 


f 


M.  VAN  BUREN 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


49 


toughness  gave  him  the  nickname  of  “Old 
Hickory.  ” 

* Soon  after  this,  while  attempting  to  horse- 
whip Col.  Thomas  H.  Benton,  for  a remark 
that  gentleman  made  about  his  taking  a part 
as  second  in  a duel,  in  which  a younger  brother 
of  Benton’s  was  engaged,  he  received  two 
severe  pistol  wounds.  While  he  was  lingering 
upon  a bed  of  suffering  news  came  that  the 
Indians,  who  had  combined  under  Tecumseh 
from  Florida  to  the  lakes,  to  exterminate  the 
white  settlers,  were  committing  the  most 
awful  ravages.  Decisive  action  became  neces- 
sary. Gen.  Jackson,  with  his  fractured  bone 
just  beginning  to  heal,  his  arm  in  a sling,  and 
unable  to  mount  his  horse  without  assistance, 
gave  his  amazing  energies  to  the  raising  of  an 
army  to  rendezvous  at  Fayettesville,  Ala. 

The  Creek  Indians  had  established  a strong 
fort  on  one  of  the  bends  of  the  Tallapoosa 
river,  near  the  center  of  Alabama,  about  fifty 
miles  below  Fort  Strother.  With  an  army  of 
2,000  men,  Gen.  Jackson  traversed  the  path- 
less wilderness  in  a march  of  eleven  days.  He 
reached  their  fort,  called  Tohopeka  or  Horse- 
shoe, on  the  27th  of  March,  1814.  The  bend 
of  the  river  enclosed  100  acres  of  tangled 
forest  and  wild  ravine.  Across  the  narrow 
neck  the  Indians  had  constructed  a formidable 
breastwork  of  logs  and  brush.  Here  900  war- 
riors, with  an  ample  supply  of  arms  were  as- 
sembled. The  fort  was  stormed.  The  fight 
was  utterly  desperate.  Not  an  Indian  would 
accept  of  quarter.  When  bleeding  and  dying, 
they  would  fight  those  who  endeavored  to  spare 
their  lives.  From  ten  in  the  morning  until 
dark,  the  battle  raged.  The  carnage  was  awful 
and  revolting.  Some  threw  themselves  into 
the  river;  but  the  unerring  bullet  struck  their 
heads  as  they  swam.  Nearly  every  one  of  the 
900  warriors  was  killed.  This  closing  of  the 
Greek  war  enabled  us  to  concentrate  all  our 
militia  upon  the  British,  who  were  the  allies  of 


the  Indians.  No  man  of  less  resolute  will  than 
Gen.  Jackson  could  have  conducted  this  Indian 
campaign  to  so  successful  an  issue.  Immedi- 
ately he  was  appointed  major-general. 

Late  in  August,  with  an  army  of  2,000 
men,  on  a rushing  march,  Gen.  Jackson  went 
to  Mobile.  A B.itish  fleet  came  from  Pensa- 
cola, landed  a force  upon  the  beach,  anchored 
near  the  little  fort,  and  from  both  ship  and 
shore  commenced  a furious  assault.  The  battle 
was  long  and  doubtful.  At  length  one  of  the 
ships  was  blown  up  and  the  rest  retired. 

Garrisoning  Mobile,  Jackson  moved  his 
troops  to  New  Orleans,  and  the  battle  of  New 
Orleans,  which  soon  ensued,  was  in  reality  a 
very  arduous  campaign.  Here  his  troops, 
which  numbered  about  4,000  men,  won  a 
signal  victory  over  the  British  army  of  about 
9,000.  His  loss  was  but  thirteen,  while  the  loss 
of  the  British  was  2,600. 

The  name  of  Gen.  Jackson  soon  began  to 
be  mentioned  in  connection  with  the  presi- 
dency, but,  in  1824,  he  was  defeated  by  Mr. 
Adams.  He  was,  however,  succefsful  in  the 
election  of  1828,  and  was  re-elected  for  a 
second  term  in  1832.  In  1829,  he  met  with 
the  most  terrible  affliction  of  his  life  in  the 
death  of  his  wife.  At  the  expiration  of  his  two 
terms  of  office  he  retired  to  the  Hermitage, 
where  he  died  June  8,  1845.  The  last  years 
of  Jackson’s  life  were  that  of  a devoted  Chris- 
tian man. 


ARTIN  VAN  BUREN,  the  eighth 
president  of  the  United  States,  was 
born  at  Rinderhook,  N.  Y. , Decem- 
ber 5,  1782.  He  died  at  the  same 
place,  July  24,  1862,  and  his  body  rests  in  the 
cemetery  at  Rinderhook.  Above  it  is  a plain 
granite  shaft  fifteen  feet  high,  bearing  a sim- 
ple inscription  about  half  way  up  on  the  face. 
The  lot  is  unfenced,  unbordered  or  unbounded 


50 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


by  shrub  or  tlower.  His  ancestors,  as  his 
name  indicates,  were  of  Dutch  origin,  and 
were  among  the  earliest  emigrants  from  Hol- 
land to  the  banks  of  the  Hudson.  His  father 
was  a farmer,  residing  in  the  old  town  of 
Kinderhook.  His  mother,  also  of  Dutch 
lineage,  w'as  a woman  of  superior  intelligence 
and  exemplary  piety.  At  the  age  of  fourteen, 
he  had  finished  his  academic  studies  in  his  na- 
tive village,  and  commenced  the  study  of  law. 
As  he  had  not  a collegiate  education,  seven 
years  of  study  in  a law  office  were  required  of 
him  before  he  could  be  admitted  to  the  bar. 
Inspired  with  a lofty  ambition,  and  conscious 
of  his  powers,  he  pursued  his  studies  with  in- 
defatigable industry.  After  spending  six  years 
in  an  office  in  his  native  village,  he  went  to 
the  city  of  New  York,  and  prosecuted  his 
studies  for  the  seventh  year. 

In  1803,  Van  Buren,  then  twenty-one 
years  of  age,  commenced  the  practice  of  law 
in  his  native  village.  The  great  conflict  be- 
tween the  federal  and  republican  parties  was 
then  at  its  height.  Van  Buren  was  in  cordial 
sympathy  with  Jefferson,  and  earnestly  and 
eloquently  espoused  the  cause  of  state  rights; 
though  at  that  time  the  federal  party  held  the 
supremacy  both  in  his  town  and  state.  His 
success  and  increasing  reputation  led  him,  after 
six  years  of  practice,  to  remove  to  Hudson, 
the  county  seat  of  his  county.  Here  he  spent 
seven  years,  constantly  gaining  strength  by 
contending  in  the  courts  with  some  of  the 
ablest  men  who  have  adorned  the  bar  of  his 
state. 

Just  before  leaving  Kinderhook  for  Hudson, 
Mr.  Van  Buren  married  a lady  alike  distinguished 
for  beauty  and  accomplishments.  After 
twelve  short  years  she  sank  into  the  grave, 
the  victim  of  consumption,  leaving  her  hus- 
band and  four  sons  to  weep  over  her  loss.  In 
1812,  when  thirty  years  of  age,  he  was  chosen 
to  the  state  senate,  and  gave  his  strenuous 


support  to  Mr.  Madison’s  administration.  In 
1815,  he  was  appointed  attorney-general,  and 
the  next  year  moved  to  Albany,  the  capital  of 
the  state. 

While  he  was  acknowledged  as  one  of  the 
most  prominent  leaders  of  the  democratic 
party,  he  had  the  moral  courage  to  avow  that 
true  democracy  did  not  require  that  “univer- 
sal suffrage”  which  admits  the  vile,  the ’de- 
graded, the  ignorant,  to  the  right  of  governing 
the  state.  In  true  consistency  with  his  demo- 
cratic principles,  he  contended  that,  while 
the  path  leading  to  the  privilege  of  voting 
should  be  open  to  every  man  without  distinc- 
tion, no  one  should  be  invested  with  that 
sacred  prerogative,  unless  he  were  in  some 
degree  qualified  for  it  by  intelligence,  virtue 
and  some  property  interests  in  the  welfare  of 
the  state. 

In  1821  he  was  elected  a member  of  the 
United  States  senate,  and  in  the  same  }^ear  he 
took  a seat  in  the  convention  to  revise  the 
constitution  of  his  native  state.  His  course  in 
this  convention  secured  the  approval  of  men 
of  all  parties.  In  the  senate  of  the  United 
States,  he  rose  at  once  to  a conspicuous  posi- 
tion as  an  active  and  useful  legislator.  In 
1827,  John  Quincy  Adams  being  then  in  the 
presidential  chair,  Mr.  Van  Buren  was  re- 
elected to  the  senate.  He  had  been,  from  the 
beginning,  a determined  opposer  to  the  ad- 
ministration, adopting  the  state  rights  view  in 
opposition  to  what  was  deemed  the  federal 
proclivities  of  Mr.  Adams. 

Soon  after  this,  in  1828,  he  was  chosen 
governor  of  the  state  of  New  York,  and  ac- 
cordingly resigned  his  seat  in  the  senate. 
Probably  no  one  in  the  United  States  con- 
tributed so  much  towards  ejecting  John  Q. 
Adams  from  the  presidential  chair,  and  placing 
in  it  Andrew  Jackson,  as  did  Martin  Van 
Buren.  Whether  entitled  to  the  reputation 
or  not,  he  certainly  was  regarded  throughout 


t:-  - ‘ 


fr 


T!r-' 


h 


W.  H.  HARRISON 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


53 


i the  United  States  as  one  of  the  most  skillful 
sagacious  and  cunning  politicians.  It  was  sup- 
posed that  no  one  knew  so  well  as  he  how  to 
touch  the  secret  springs  of  action;  how  to  pull 
all  the  wires  to  put  his  machinery  in  motion; 
il  and  how  to  organize  a political  army  which 
would,  secretly  and  stealthily,  accomplish  the 
most  gigantic  results.  By  these  powers  it  is 
Il  said  that  he  outwitted  Mr.  Adams,  Mr.  Clay, 
Mr.  Webster,  and  secured  results  which  few 
thought  then  could  be  accomplished. 

When  Andrew  Jackson  was  elected  presi- 
dent he  appointed  Mr.  Van  Buren  secretary 
of  state.  This  position  he  resigned  in  1831, 
and  was  immediately  appointed  minister  to 
England,  where  he  went  the  same  autumn. 
The  senate,  however,  when  it  met,  refused  to 
ratify  the  nomination,  and  he  returned  home, 

I apparently  untroubled;  was  nominated  vice 
I president  in  the  place  of  Calhoun,  at  the  re- 
I election  of  Pres.  Jackson;  and  with  smiles 
] for  all  and  frowns  for  none,  he  took  his  place 
at  the  head  of  that  senate  which  had  refused 
to  confirm  his  nomination  as  ambassador. 

I His  rejection  by  the  senate  aroused  all  the 
zeal  of  Pres.  Jackson  in  behalf  of  his  repudi- 
ated favorite;  and  this,  probably  more  than 
any  other  cause,  secured  his  elevation  to  the 
chair  of  the  chief  executive.  On  the  20th  of 
May,  1836,  Van  Buren  received  the  demo- 
cratic nomination  to  succeed  Gen.  Jackson  as 
president  of  the  United  States.  He  was 
elected  by  a handsome  majority,  to  the  delight 
of  the  retiring  president. 

His  administration  was  filled  with  exciting 
events.  The  insurrection  in  Canada,  which 
threatened  to  involve  this  country  in  war  with 
England,  the  agitation  of  the  slavery  question, 
and  finally  the  great  commercial  panic  which 
spread  over  the  country,  all  were  trials  to  his 
wisdom.  The  financial  distress  was  attributed 
to  the  management  of  the  democratich  party, 
and  brought  the  president  into  such  disfavor 


that  he  failed  of  re-election.  With  the  ex- 
ception of  being  nominated  for  the  presidency 
by  the  free  soil  democrats,  in  1848,  Mr.  Van 
Buren  lived  quietly  upon  his  estate  until  his 
death. 

He  had  ever  been  a prudent  man,  of  frugal 
habits,  and,  living  within  his  income,  had  now 
fortunately  a competency  for  his  declining 
years.  It  was  on  the  4th  of  March,  1841, 
that  Mr.  Van  Buren  retired  from  the  presidency. 
From  his  fine  estate  at  Lindenwald,  he  still 
exerted  a powerful  influence  upon  the  politics 
of  the  country.  From  this  time  until  his  death, 
on  the  24th  of  July,  1862,  at  the  age  of  eighty 
years,  he  resided  at  Lindenwald,  a gentleman 
of  leisure,  of  culture  and  of  wealth;  enjoying 
in  a healthy  old  age,  probably  far  more  happi- 
ness than  he  had  before  experienced  amid  the 
stormy  scenes  of  his  active  life. 


ILLIAM  HENRY  HARRISON,  the 
ninth  president  of  the  United 
States,  was  born  at  Berkeley,  Va. , 
Feb.  9,  1773.  His  father,  Benja- 
min Harrison,  was  in  comparatively  opulent 
circumstances,  and  was  one  of  the  most  dis- 
tinguished men  of  his  day.  He  was  an  inti- 
mate friend  of  George  Washington,  was  early 
elected  a member  of  the  continental  congress, 
and  was  conspicuous  among  the  patriots  of 
Virginia  in  resisting  the  encroachments  of  the 
British  crown.  In  the  celebrated  congress  of 
1775,  Benjamin  Harrison  and  John  Hancock 
were  both  candidates  for  the  office  of  speaker. 

Mr.  Harrison  was  subsequently  chosen 
governor  of  Virginia,  and  was  twice  re-elected. 

Having  received  a thorough  common- 
school  education,  William  Henry  Harrison 
entered  Hampden  Sidney  college,  where  he 
graduated  with  honor  soon  after  the  death  of 
his  father.  He  then  repaired  to  Philadelphia 


54 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


to  study  medicine  under  the  instructions  of 
Dr.  Rush  and  the  guardianship  of  Robert 
Morris,  both  of  whom  were,  with  his  father, 
signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence. 

Upon  the  outbreak  of  the  Indian  troubles, 
and  notwithstanding  the  remonstrances  of  his 
friends,  he  abandoned  his  medical  studies  and 
entered  the  army,  having  obtained  a commis- 
sion of  ensign  from  President  Washington.  He 
was  then  but  nineteen  years  old.  From  that 
time  he  passed  gradually  upward  in  rank  until 
he  became  aid  to  Gen.  Wayne,  after  whose 
death  he  resigned  his  commission.  He  was 
then  appointed  secretary  or  the  Northwestern 
territory.  This  territory  was  then  entitled  to 
but  one  member  in  congress,  and  Capt.  Harri- 
son was  chosen  to  fill  that  position. 

In  the  spring  of  1800  the  Northwestern 
territory  was  divided  by  congress  into  two 
portions.  The  eastern  portion,  comprising 
the  region  now  embraced  in  the  state  ot  Ohio, 
was  called  “The  Territory  northwest  of  the 
Ohio.”  The  western  portion,  which  included 
what  is  now  called  Indiana,  Illinois  and  Wis- 
consin, was  called  the  “Indiana  territory.” 
William  Henry  Harrison,  then  twenty-seven 
years  of  age,  was  appointed  by  John  Adams, 
governor  of  the  Indiana  territory,  and  imme- 
diately after,  also  governor  of  upper  Louisi- 
ana. He  was  thus  ruler  over  almost  as 
extensive  a realm  as  any  sovereign  upon  the 
globe.  He  was  superintendent  of  Indian  af- 
fairs, and  was  invested  with  powers  nearly 
dictatorial  over  the  now  rapidly  increasing 
white  population.  The  ability  and  fidelity 
with  which  he  discharged  these  responsible 
duties  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact  that  he 
was  four  times  appointed  to  this  office — first 
by  John  Adpms,  twice  by  Thomas  Jefferson 
and  afterward  by  President  Madison. 

When  he  began  his  administration  there 
were  but  three  white  settlements  in  that  al- 
most boundless  region,  now  crowded  with  1 


cities  and  resounding  with  all  the  tumult  of 
wealth  and  traffic.  One  of  these  settlements 
was  on  the  Ohio,  nearly  opposite  Louisville; 
one  at  Vincennes,  on  the  Wabash,  and  the 
third  a French  settlement. 

The  vast  wilderness  over  which  Gov. 
Harrison  reigned  was  filled  with  many  tribes 
of  Indians.  About  the  year  1 806,  two  extra- 
ordinary men,  twin  brothers,  of  the  Shawnese 
tribe,  rose  among  them.  One  of  these  was 
called  Tecumseh,  or  “The  Crouching  Pan- 
ther;” the  other,  Olliwacheca,  or  “The 
Prophet.”  Tecumseh  was  not  only  an  Indian 
warrior,  but  a man  of  great  sagacity,  far- 
reaching  foresight  and  indomitable  persever- 
ance in  any  enterprise  in  which  he  might 
engage.  He  was  inspired  with  the  highest 
enthusiasm,  and  had  long  regarded  with  dread 
and  with  hatred  the  encroachment  of  the 
whites  upon  the  hunting  grounds  of  his  fath- 
ers. His  brother,  the  Prophet,  was  an  orator, 
who  could  sway  the  feelings  of  the  untutored 
Indian  as  the  gale  tossed  the  tree-tops  be- 
neath which  they  dwelt. 

Gov.  Harrison  made  many  attempts  to 
conciliate  the  Indians,  but  at  last  the  war 
came,  and  at  Tippecanoe  the  Indians  were 
routed  with  great  slaughter.  October  28, 
1812,  his  army  began  its  march.  When  near 
the  Prophet’s  town  three  Indians  of  rank  made 
their  appearance  and  inquired  why  Gov.  Har- 
rison was  approaching  them  in  so  hostile  an 
attitude.  After  a short  conference,  arrange- 
ments were  made  for  a nreeting  the  next  day, 
to  agree  upon  terms  of  peace.  But  Gov.  Har- 
rison was  too  well  acquainted  with  the  Indian 
character  to  be  deceived  by  such  protestations. 
Selecting  a favorable  spot  for  his  night’s  en- 
campment, he  took  every  precaution  against 
surprise.  His  troops  were  posted  in  a hollow 
square,  und  slept  upon  their  arms.  The 
troops  threw  themselves  upon  the  ground  for 
rest;  but  every  man  had  his  accourtrements 


JOHN  TYLER 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


57 


on,  his  loaded  musket  by  his  side,  and  his 
bayonet  fixed.  The  wakeful  governor,  be- 
tween three  and  four  o’clock  in  the  morning, 
had  risen,  and  was  sitting  in  conversation  with 
his  aids  by  the  embers  of  a waning  fire.  It 
was  a chill,  cloudy  morning  with  a drizzling 
rain.  In  the  darkness,  the  Indians  had  crept 
as  near  as  possible,  and  just  then,  with  a sav- 
age yell,  rushed,  with  all  the  desperation 
which  superstition  and  passion  most  highly 
inflamed  could  give,  upon  the  left  flank  of  the 
little  army.  The  savages  had  been  amply 
provided  with  guns  and  ammunition  by  the 
English.  Their  war-whoop  was  accompanied 
by  a shower  of  bullets.  The  camp-fires  were 
instantly  extinguished,  as  the  light  aided  the 
Indians  in  their  aim.  With  hideous  yells,  the 
Indian  bands  rushed  on,  not  doubting  a speedy 
and  entire  victory.  But  Gen.  Harrison’s 
troops  stood  as  immovable  as  the  rocks  around 
them  until  day  dawned:  they  then  made  a 
simultaneous  charge  with  the  bayonet,  and 
swept  everything  before  them,  and  completely 
routed  the  foe.  Gov.  Harrison  now  had  all 
his  energies  tasked  to  the  utmost.  The  Brit- 
ish, descending  from  the  Canadas,  were  of 
themselves  a very  formidable  force;  but  with 
their  savage  allies,  rushing  like  wolves  from 
the  forest,  searching  out  every  remote  farm 
house,  burning,  plundering,  scalping,  torturing, 
the  wide  frontier  was  plunged  into  a state  of 
consternation  which  even  the  most  vivid  imagi- 
nation can  but  faintly  conceive.  Gen  Hull 
had  made  the  ignominious  surrender  of  his 
forces  at  Detroit.  Under  these  despairing 
circumstances.  Gov.  Harrison  was  appointed 
by  President  Madison  commander-in-chief  of 
the  Northwestern  army,  with  orders  to  retake 
Detroit,  and  to  protect  the  frontiers. 

Harrison  won  the  love  of  his  soldiers  by 
always  sharing  with  them  their  fatigue.  His 
whole  baggage,  while  pursuing  the  foe  up  the 
Thames,  was  carried  in  a valise;  and  his  bed- 


ding consisted  of  a single  blanket  lashed  over 
h's  saedle.  Thirty-five  British  officers,  his 
prisoners  of  war,  supped  with  him  after  the  bat- 
tle. The  only  fare  he  could  give  them  was  beef 
roasted  before  the  fire,  without  bread  or  salt. 

In  i8i6,  Gen.  Harrison  was  chosen  a 
member  of  the  national  house  of  representa- 
tives, to  represent  the  district  of  Ohio.  In 
congress  he  proved  an  active  member;  and 
whenever  he  spoke,  it  was  with  force  of  reason 
and  power  of  eloquence,  which  arrested  the 
attention  of  all  the  members. 

In  1819,  Harrison  was  elected  to  the  sen- 
ate of  Ohio;  and  in  1824,  as  one  of  the  presi- 
dential electors  of  that  state,  he  gave  his  vote 
for  Henry  Clay.  The  same  year  he  was 
chosen  to  the  United  States  senate. 

In  1836,  the  friends  of  Gen.  Harrison 
brought  him  forward  as  a candidate  for  the 
presidency  against  Van  Buren,  but  he  was  de- 
feated. At  the  close  of  Mr.  Van  Buren’s 
term,  he  was  re-nominated  by  his  party,  and 
Harrison  was  unanimously  nominated  by  the 
whigs,  with  John  Tyler  for  the  vice  presidency. 
The  contest  was  very  animated.  Gen.  Jackson 
gave  all  his  influence  to  prevent  Harrison’s 
election;  but  his  triumph  was  signal. 

The  cabinet  which  he  formed,  with  Daniel 
Webster  at  its  head  as  secretary  of  state,  was 
one  of  the  most  brilliant  with  which  any  presi- 
dent had  ever  been  surrounded.  In  the  midst 
of  these  bright  and  joyous  prospects,  Gen. 
Harrison  was  seized  by  a pleurisy-fever,  and 
after  a few  days  of  violent  sickness,  died  on 
the  4th  of  April;  just  one  month  after  his  in- 
auguration as  president  of  the  United  States. 


OHN  TYLER,  the  tenth  president  of 
the  United  States,  was  born  in  Charles 
City  county,  Va.,  March  29,  1790. 

At  the  early  age  of  twelve,  John  entered 
William  and  Mary  college  and  graduated  with 


58 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


much  honor  when  but  seventeen  years  old. 
He  devoted  himself  with  great  assiduity  to  the 
study  of  law,  partly  with  his  father  and  partly 
with  Edmund  Randolph,  one  of  the  most  dis- 
tiguished  lawyers  of  Virginia. 

At  nineteen  years  of  age,  he  commenced 
the  practice  of  law.  His  success  was  rapid 
and  astonishing.  It  is  said  that  three  months 
had  not  elapsed  ere  there  was  scarcely  a case 
on  the  docket  of  the  court  in  which  he  was  not 
retained.  When  but  twenty-one  years  of  age, 
he  was  almost  unanimously  elected  to  a seat  in 
the  state  legislature.  He  connected  himself 
with  the  democratic  party,  and  warmly  ad- 
vocated the  measures  of  Jefferson  and  Madison. 
For  five  successive  years  he  was  elected  to  the 
legislature,  receiving  nearly  the  unanimous 
vote  of  his  county. 

When  but  twenty-si.\  years  of  age,  he  was 
elected  a member  of  congress.  Here  he  acted 
earnestly  and  ably  with  the  democratic  party, 
opposing  a national  bank,  internal  improve- 
ments by  the  general  government,  a protective 
tariff,  and  advocating  a strict  construction  of 
the  constitution,  and  the  most  careful  vigilance 
over  state  rights.  His  labors  in  congress  were 
so  arduous  that  before  the  close  of  his  second 
term  he  found  it  necessary  to  resign  and  retire 
to  his  estate  in  Charles  City  county,  to  recruit 
his  health.  He,  however,  soon  after  consented 
to  take  his  seat  in  the  state  legislature,  where 
his  influence  was  powerful  in  promoting  public 
works  of  great  utility.  He  was  then  chosen, 
by  a very  large  majority  of  votes,  governor  of 
his  native  state.  His  administration  was  sig- 
nally a successful  one,  and  his  popularity 
secured  his  re-election. 

John  Randolph,  a brilliant,  erratic,  half- 
crazed  man,  then  represented  Virginia  in  the 
senate  of  the  United  States.  A portion  of  the 
democratic  party  was  displeased  with  Mr. 
Randolph’s  wayward  course,  and  brought 
forward  John  Tyler  as  his  opponent,  and 


Tyler  was  the  victor.  In  accordance  with  his 
professions,  upon  taking  his  seat  in  the  sen- 
ate, he  joined  the  ranks  of  the  opposition.  He 
opposed  the  tariff;  he  spoke  against  and  voted 
against  the  bank  as  unconstitutional;  he  stren- 
uously opposed  all  restrictions  upon  slavery,  re- 
resisting all  projects  of  internal  improvements 
by  the  general  government,  and  avowed  his 
sympathy  with  Mr.  Calhoun’s  view  of  nullifica- 
tion; he  declared  that  Gen.  Jackson,  by  his  op- 
position to  the  nullifiers,  had  abandoned  the 
principles  of  the  democratic  party.  Such  was 
Mr.  Tyler’s  record  in  congress — a record  in 
perfect  accordance  with  the  principles  which 
he  had  always  avowed. 

Returning  to  Virginia,  he  resumed  the 
practice  of  his  profession.  There  was  a split 
in  the  democratic  party.  His  friends  still  re- 
garded him  as  a true  Jeffersonian,  gave  him  a 
dinner,  and  showered  compliments  upon  him. 
He  had  now  attained  the  age  of  forty-six. 
Soon  after  this  he  removed  to  Williamsburg, 
for  the  better  education  of  his  children;  and 
he  again  took  his  seat  in  the  legislature  of  Vir- 
ginia. 

By  the  southern  whigs,  he  was  sent  to  the 
national  convention  at  Harrisburg  to  nominate 
a president  in  1839.  The  majority  of  votes 
were  given  to  Gen.  Harrison,  a genuine  whig, 
much  to  the  disappointment  of  the  south,  who 
wished  for  Henry  Clay.  To  conciliate  the 
southern  whigs  and  to  secure  their  vote,  the 
convention  then  nominated  John  Tyler  for 
vice  president.  Thus  it  happened  that  a whig 
president,  and,  in  reality,  a democratic  vice 
president  were  chosen. 

In  1841,  Mr.  Tyler  was  inaugurated  vice 
president  of  the  United  States.  In  one  short 
month  from  that  time  Pres.  Harrison,  died  and 
Mr.  Tyler  thus  found  himself,  to  his  own  sur- 
prise and  that  of  the  whole  nation,  an  occu- 
pant of  the  presidential  chair.  This  was  a new 
test  of  the  stability  of  our  institutions,  as  it 


PKESIDE.NTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


59 


was  the  first  time  in  the  history  of  our  country 
that  such  an  event  had  occurred  Mr.  Tyler 
was  at  home  in  Williamsburg  when  he  received 
the  unexpected  tidings  of  the  death  of  Pres. 
Harrison.  He  hastened  to  Washington,  and 
on  the  6th  of  April  was  inaugurated  to  the  high 
and  responsible  office.  Gen.  Harrison  had 
selected  a whig  cabinet  Should  he  retain 
them,  and  thus  surround  himself  with  counsel- 
ors whose  views  were  antagonistic  to  his  own  ? 
or,  on  the  other  hand,  should  he  turn  against 
the  party  which  had  elected  him  and  select  a 
cabinet  in  harmony  with  himself,  and  which 
would  oppose  all  those  \iews  which  the  whigs 
deemed  es^'ential  to  the  public  welfare.^  This 
was  his  fearful  dilemma,  and  so  he  invited  the 
cabinet  which  Pres.  Harrison  had  selected  to 
retain  their  seats. 

The  whigs  carried  through  congress  a bill 
for  the  incorporation  of  a fiscal  bank  of  the 
United  States,  The  president,  after  ten  day’s 
delay,  returned  it  with  his  veto.  He  suggested, 
however,  that  he  would  approve  of  a bill 
drawn  up  upon  such  a plan  as  he  proposed. 
Such  a bill  was  accordingly  prepared,  and 
privatel}^  submitted  to  him  He  gave  it  his 
approval.  It  was  passed  without  alteration, 
and  he  sent  it  back  with  his  veto.  Here  com- 
menced the  open  rupture.  It  is  said  that  Mr. 
Tyler  was  provoked  to  this  measure  by  a pub- 
lished letter  from  the  Hon.  John  M.  Botts,  a 
distinguished  Virginia  whig,  who  severely 
touched  the  pride  of  the  president. 

The  opposition  now  exultingly  received  the 
president  into  their  arms.  The  party  which 
elected  him  denonnced  him  bitterly.  All  the 
members  of  his  cabinet,  excepting  Mr.  Web- 
ster, resigned.  The  whigs  of  congress,  both  the 
senate  and  the  house,  held  a meeting  and  issued 
an  address  to  the  people  of  the  United  States, 
proclaiming  that  all  political  alliances  between 
the  whigs  and  Pres.  Tyler  were  at  an  end. 

Still  the  president  attempted  to  conciliate. 


He  appointed  a new  cabinet  of  distinguished 
whigs  and  conservatives,  carefully  leaving  out 
all  strong  party  men.  Mr.  Webster  soon 
found  it  necessary  to  resign,  forced  out  by  the 
pressure  of  his  whig  friends.  Thus  the  four 
years  of  Mr.  Tyler’s  unfortunate  administra- 
tion passed  sadly  away.  More  and  more, 
however,  he  brought  himself  into  sympathy 
with  his  old  friends,  the  democrats,  until  at 
the  close  of  his  term,  he  gave  his  whole  influ- 
ence to  the  support  of  Mr.  Polk,  the  demo- 
cratic candidate  for  his  successor. 

On  the  4th  of  March,  1845,  he  retired  from 
office,  to  the  regret  of  neither  party,  and 
probably  to  his  own  unspeakable  relief.  His 
first  wife.  Miss  Letitia  Christian,  died  in 
Washington,'  in  1842;  and  in  June,  1844, 
Pres.  Tyler  was  again  married,  at  New  York,  to 
Miss  Julia  Gardiner,  a young  lady  of  many 
personal  and  intellectual  accomplishments. 

The  remainder  of  his  days  Mr.  Tyler  passed 
i mainly  in  retirement  at  his  beautiful  home — 
Sherwood  Forest,  Charles  City  county,  Va. 
A polished  gentleman  in  his  manners,  richly 
furnished  with  information  from  books  and 
experience  in  the  world,  and  possessing  bril- 
liant powers  of  conversation,  his  family  circle 
was  the  scene  of  unusual  attractions.  With 
sufficient  means  for  the  exercise  of  a generous 
hospitality,  he  might  have  enjoyed  a serene 
old  age  with  the  few  friends  who  gathered 
around  him,  were  it  not  for  the  storms  of  civil 
war  which  his  own  principles  and  policy  had 
helped  to  introduce. 

When  the  great  rebellion  rose,  which  the 
state  rights  and  nullifying  doctrines  of  John  C. 
Calhoun  had  inaugurated.  Pres.  Tyler  re- 
nounced his  allegiance  to  the  United  States, 
and  joined  the  confederates.  He  was  chosen 
a member  of  their  congress;  and  while  engaged 
in  active  measures  to  destroy,  by  force  of  arms, 
the  government  over  which  he  had  once  pre- 
' sided,  he  was  taken  sick  and  soon  died. 


CO 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


AMES  KNOX  POLK,  the  eleventh 
president  of  the  United  States,  was 
born  in  Mecklenburg  county,  N.  C. , 
November  2,  1795.  His  parents  were 
Samuel  and  Jane  (Knox)  Polk,  the  former  a 
son  of  Col.  Thomas  Polk,  who  located  at  the 
above  place,  as  one  of  the  first  pioneers,  in 
1/35- 

In  the  year  1806,  with  his  wife  and  chil- 
dren, and  soon  after  followed  by  most  of  the 
members  of  the  Polk  family,  Samuel  Polk  emi- 
grated some  two  or  three  hundred  miles  farther 
west,  to  the  rich  valley  of  the  Duck  river,  Tenn. 
Here,  in  the  midst  of  the  wilderness,  in  a 
region  which  was  subsequently  called  Maury 
county,  they  reared  their  log  huts,  and  estab- 
lished their  homes.  In  the  hard  toil  of  a new 
farm  in  the  wilderness,  James  K.  Polk  spent 
the  early  years  of  his  childhood  and  youth. 
His  father,  adding  the  pursuit  of  a surveyor  to 
that  of  a farmer,  gradually  increased  in  wealth 
until  he  became  one  of  the  leading  men  of  the 
region. 

Very  early  in  life,  James  developed  a taste 
for  reading  and  expressed  the  strongest  desire 
to  obtain  a liberal  education.  His  mother’s 
traininghad  made  him  methodical  in  his  habits, 
had  taught  him  punctuality  and  industry,  and 
had  inspired  him  with  lofty  principles  of 
morality.  His  health  was  frail;  and  his  father, 
fearing  that  he  might  not  be  able  to  endure  a 
sedentary  life,  got  a situation  for  him  behind 
the  counter,  hoping  to  fit  him  for  commercial 
pursuits.  He  remained  in  this  uncongenial 
occupation  but  a few  weeks,  when  at  his 
earnest  solicitation  his  father  removed  him, 
and  made  arrangements  for  him  to  prosecute 
his  studies.  Soon  after  he  sent  him  to  Mur- 
freesboro academy.  In  the  autumn  of  1815  he 
entered  the  sophomore  class  in  the  university 
of  North  Carolina,  at  Chapel  Hill.  He  grad- 
uated in  1818,  with  the  highest  honors,  being 
deemed  the  best  scholar  of  his  class,  both 


in  mathematics  and  classics.  He  was  then 
twenty-three  years  of  age.  Mr.  Polk’s  health 
was  at  this  time  much  impaired  by  the  assi- 
duity with  which  he  had  prosecuted  his  studies. 
After  a short  season  of  relaxation  he  went  to 
Nashville,  Tenn.,  and  entered  the  office  of 
Felix  Grundy,  to  study  law.  Here  Mr.  Polk 
renewed  his  acquaintance  with  Andrew  Jack- 
son,  who  resided  on  his  plantation,  the  Her- 
mitage, bnt  a few  miles  from  Nashville. 

James  K.  Polk  was  a popular  public  speaker, 
and  was  constantly  called  upon  to  address  the 
meetings  of  his  party  friends.  His  skill  as  a 
speaker  was  such  that  he  was  popularly  called 
the  Napoleon  of  the  stump.  He  was  a man 
of  unblemished  morals,  genial  and  courteous 
in  his  bearing,  and  with  that  sympathetic  na- 
ture in  the  joys  and  griefs  of  others  which  ever 
gave  him  troops  of  friends.  In  1823,  Mr. 
Polk  was  elected  to  the  legislature  of  Tennes- 
see. Here  he  gave  his  strong  influence  towards 
the  election  of  his  friend,  Mr.  Jackson,  to  the 
presidency  of  the  United  States. 

In  January,  1824,  Mr.  Polk  married  Miss 
Sarah  Childress,  of  Rutherford  county,  Tenn. 
His  bride  was  altogether  worthy  of  him — a 
lady  of  beauty  and  culture.  In  the  fall  of  1825, 
Mr.  Polk  was  chosen  a member  of  congress. 
The  satisfaction  which  he  gave  to  his  constit- 
uents may  be  inferred  from  the  fact,  that  for 
fourteen  successive  years,  until  1839,  he  was 
continued  in  that  office.  He  then  voluntarily 
withdrew,  only  that  he  might  accept  the 
gubernatorial  chair  of  Tennessee.  In  congress 
he  was  a laborious  member,  a frequent  and 
popular  speaker.  He  was  always  in  his  seat, 
always  courteous;  and  whenever  he  spoke  it 
was  always  to  the  point,  and  without  any  am- 
bitious rethorical  display. 

During  five  sessions  of  congress,  Mr.  Polk 
was  speaker  of  the  house.  Strong  passions 
were  roused,  and  stormy  scenes  were  witness- 
ed; but  Mr.  Polk  performed  his  arduous  duties 


JAMES  K.  POLK. 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


63 


to  a very  general  satisfaction,  and  a unani- 
mous vote  of  thanks  to  him  was  passed  by  the 
house  as  he  withdrew  on  the  4th  of  March, 
1839. 

On  the  14th  of  October,  1839,  took  the 
oath  of  office  as  governor  of  Tennessee  at 
Nashville.  In  1841,  his  term  of  office  ex-  j 
pired,  and  he  was  again  the  candidate  of  the  | 
democratic  party,  but  was  defeated.  On  the  ! 
4th  of  March,  1845,  Mr.  Polk  was  inaugurated  | 
president  of  the  United  States.  The  verdict  > 
of  the  country  in  favor  of  the  annexation  of  i 
Texas  exerted  its  influence  upon  congress;  and  j 
the  last  act  of  the  administration  of  President 
Tyler  was  to  affix  his  signature  to  a joint  res- 
olution of  congress,  passed  on  the  3d  of  March, 
approving  of  the  annexation  of  Texas  to  the 
American  Union.  As  Mexico  still  claimed 
Texas  as  one  of  her  provinces,  the  Mexican 
minister,  Almonte,  immediately  demanded  his 
passports  and  left  the  country,  declaring  the 
act  of  the  annexation  to  be  an  act  hostile  to 
Mexico. 

In  his  message.  President  Polk  urged  that 
Texas  should  immediately,  by  act  of  congress, 
be  received  into  the  Union  on  the  same  foot- 
ing with  the  other  states.  In  the  meantime, 
Gen.  Taylor  was  sent  with  an  army  into  Texas 
to  hold  the  country.  He  was  sent  first  to 
Nueces,  which  the  Mexicans  said  was  the 
western  boundary  of  Texas.  Then  he  was 
sent  nearly  two  hundred  miles  further  west,  to 
the  Rio  G.  ande,  where  he  erected  batteries 
which  commanded  the  Mexican  city  of  Matamo- 
ras,  which  was  situated  on  the  western  banks. 

The  anticipated  collision  soon  took  place,  and 
war  was  declared  against  Mexico  by  President 
Polk.  The  war  was  pushed  forward  by  Mr. 
Polk’s  administration  with  great  vigor.  Gen. 
Taylor,  whose  army  was  first  called  one  of 
“observation,”  then  of  “ occupation,”  then  of 
“ invasion,”  was  sent  sent  forward  to  Monte- 
rey. The  feeble  Mexicans,  in  every  encounter, 


were  hopelessly  and  awfully  slaughtered.  It 
was  by  the  ingenuity  of  Mr.  Polk's  administra- 
tion that  the  w'ar  was  brought  on. 

“ To  the  victors  belong  the  spoils.”  Mex- 
ico was  prostrate  before  us.  Her  capital  was 
in  our  hands.  We  now  consented  to  peace 
upon  the  condition  that  Mexico  should  sur- 
render to  us,  in  addition  to  Texas,  all  of  New 
Mexico,  and  all  of  Upper  and  Lower  Califor- 
nia. This  new  demand  embraced,  exclusive 
of  Texas,  800.000  square  miles.  This  was  an 
extent  of  territory  equal  to  nine  states  of  the 
size  of  New  York.  Thus  slavery  was  securing 
eighteen  majestic  states  to  be  added  to  the 
Union.  In  the  prosecution  of  this  war,  we 
expended  20,000  lives  and  more  than  $100,- 
000,000.  Of  this  more  than  $15,000,000  were 
paid  to  Mexico. 

On  the  3d  of  March,  1849,  Mr.  Polk  re- 
tired from  office,  having  served  one  term. 
The  next  day  was  Sunday.  On  the  5th,  Gen. 
Taylor  was  inaugurated  as  his  successor.  Mr. 
Polk  rode  to  the  capitol  in  the  same  carriage 
with  Gen.  Taylor;  and  the  same  evening,  with 
Mrs.  Polk,  he  commenced  his  return  to  Ten- 
nessee. He  was  then  but  fifty-four  years  of 
age.  He  had  ever  been  strictly  temperate  in 
all  his  habits,  and  his  health  was  good.  With 
an  ample  fortune,  a choice  library,  a cultivated 
mind,  and  domestic  ties  of  the  dearest  na- 
ture, it  seemed  as  though  long  years  of  tran- 
quility and  happiness  were  before  him.  But 
the  cholera — the  fearful  scourge — was  then 
sweeping  up  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi. 
This  he  contracted,  and  died  on  the  1 5th  of 
June,  1849,  in  the  fifty-fourth  year  of  his  age. 


ACH.ARY- TAYLOR,  twelfth  presi- 
dent of  the  United  States,  was  born 
on  the  24th  of  November,  1784,  in 
Orange  county,  Va.  His  father. 
Colonel  Taylor,  was  a Virginian  of  note,  and 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


(H 


a distinguished  patriot  and  soldier  of  the  Revo- 
lution. When  Zachary  was  an  infant,  his 
father,  with  his  wife  and  two  children,  emi- 
grated to  Kentucky,  where  he  settled,  a few 
miles  from  Louisville.  In  this  frontier  home, 
young  Zacnary  could  enjoy  but  few  social  and 
educational  advantages.  When  six  years  of 
age  he  attended  a common  school,  and  was 
then  regarded  as  a bright,  active  boy,  rather 
remarkable  for  bluntness  and  decision  of  char- 
acter. He  was  strong,  fearless  and  self-reli- 
ant, and  manifested  a strong  desire  to  enter 
the  army  to  light  the  Indians  who  were  rav- 
aging the  frontiers. 

In  1808,  his  father  succeeded  in  obtaining 
for  him  the  commission  of  lieutenant  in  the 
United  States  army;  and  he  joined  the  troops 
which  were  stationed  at  New  Orleans  under 
Gen.  Wilkinson.  Soon  after  this  he  married 
Miss  Margaret  Smith,  a young  lady  from  one 
of  the  first  families  of  Maryland. 

Immediately  after  the  declaration  of  war 
with  England,  in  1812,  Capt.  Taylor  (for  he 
had  then  been  promoted  to  that  rank)  was  put 
in  command  of  Fort  Harrison,  on  the  Wa- 
bash, about  fifty  miles  above  Vincennes. 
This  fort  had  been  built  in  the  wilderness  by 
Gen.  Harrison,  on  his  march  to  Tippecanoe. 
It  was  one  of  the  first  points  of  attack  by  the 
Indians,  led  by  Tecumseh.  Its  garrison  con- 
sisted of  a broken  company  of  infantry  num- 
bering fifty  men,  many  of  whom  were  sick. 
Early  in  the  autumn  of  1812,  the  Indians, 
stealthily,  and  in  large  numbers,  moved  upon 
the  fort.  Their  approach  was  first  indicated 
by  the  murder  of  two  soldiers  just  outside  of 
the  stockade.  Capt.  Taylor  made  every  possi- 
ble preparation  to  meet  the  anticipated  as- 
sault. On  the  4th  of  September,  a band  of 
forty  painted  and  plumed  savages  came  to  the 
fort,  waving  a white  Hag,  and  informed  Capt. 
Taylor  that  in  the  morning  their  chief  would 
come  to  have  a talk  with  him.  It  was  evident 


that  their  object  was  merely  to  ascertain  the 
state  of  things  at  the  fort,  and  Capt.  Taylor, 
well  versed  in  the  wiles  of  the  savages,  kept 
them  at  a distance.  The  sun  went  down;  the 
savages  disappeai'ed,  the  garrison  slept  upon 
their  arms.  One  hour  before  midnight  the 
war-whoop  burst  from  a thousand  lips  in  the 
forest  around,  followed  by  the  discharge  of 
musketry,  and  the  rush  of  the  foe.  Every 
man,  sick  and  well,  sprang  to  his  post.  Every 
man  knew  that  defeat  was  not  merely  death, 
but  in  the  case  of  capture,  death  by  the  most 
agonizing  and  prolonged  torture.  The  savages 
succeeded  in  setting  fire  to  one  of  the  block- 
houses. Until  six  o’clock  in  the  morning,  this 
awful  conflict  continued.  The  savages  then, 
baffled  at  every  point,  and  gnashing  their  teeth 
with  rage,  retired.  Capt.  Taylor,  for  this  gal- 
lant defense,  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of 
major  by  brevet. 

Until  the  close  of  the  war.  Major  Taylor 
was  placed  in  such  situations  that  he  saw  but 
little  more  of  active  service.  He  was  sent  far 
away  into  the  depths  of  the  wilderness,  to 
Fort  Crawford,  on  Fox  river,  which  empties 
into  Green  bay.  Gradually  he  rose  to  the 
rank  of  colonel.  In  the  Black-Hawk  war, 
which  resulted  in  the  capture  of  that  renowned 
chieftain.  Col.  Taylor  took  a subordinate  but 
a brave  and  efficient  part.  For  twenty-four 
years  Col.  Taylor  was  engaged  in  the  defense 
of  the  frontiers,  in  scenes  so  remote,  and  in 
employments  so  obscure,  that  his  name  was 
unknown  beyond  the  limits  of  his  own  imme- 
diate acquaintance.  In  the  year  1836,  he  was 
sent  to  Florida  to  compel  the  Seminole  Indians 
to  vacate  that  region  and  retire  beyond  the 
Mississippi,  as  their  chiefs,  by  treaty,  had 
promised  they  should  do.  The  services  ren- 
dered here  secured  Col.  Taylor  the  high  ap- 
preciation of  the  government;  and  as  a reward, 
he  was  elevated  to  the  rank  of  brigadier-gen- 
eral by  brevet;  and  soon  after,  in  May,  1838, 


Z.  TAYLOR 


■.'ill. 


I'RESIDEXTS  OF  THE  UMTED  STAl  ES. 


67 


was  appointed  to  the  chief  command  of  the 
United  States  troops  in  Florida.  After  two 
years  of  such  wearisome  employment,  Gen. 
Taylor  obtained,  at  his  own  request,  a change 
of  command,  and  was  stationed  over  the  de- 
partment of  the  southwest.  This  field  em- 
braced Louisiana,  Mississippi,  Alabama  and 
Georgia.  Establishing  his  headquarters  at 
Fort  Jesup,  in  Louisiana,  he  removed  his 
family^  to  a plantation  which  he  purchased 
near  Baton  Rouge.  Here  he  remained  for 
five  years,  buried,  as  it  were,  from  the  world, 
but  faithfully  discharging  every  duty  imposed 
upon  him. 

fn  1846,  Gen.  Taylor  was  sent  to  guard 
the  land  between  the  Nueces  and  Rio  Grande, 
the  latter  river  being  the  boundary  of  Texas, 
which  was  then  claimed  by' the  United  States. 
Soon  the  war  with  Mexico  was  brought  on, 
and  at  Palo  Alto  and  Resaca  de  la  Palma, 
Gen.  Taylor  won  brilliant  victories  over  the 
Mexicans.  The  rank  of  major-general  by 
brevet  was  then  conferred  upon  Gen.  Taylor, 
and  his  name  was  received  with  enthusiasm 
almost  everywhere  in  the  nation.  Then  came 
the  battles  of  Monterey  and  Buena  Vista,  in 
which  he  won  signal  victories  over  forces  much 
larger  than  he  commanded.  His  careless 
habits  of  dress  and  his  unaffected  simplicityq 
secured  for  Gen.  Taylor  among  his  troops,  the 
sobriquet  of  “Old  Rough  and  Ready.” 

The  tidings  of  the  brilliant  victory  of 
Buena  Vista  spread  the  wildest  enthusiasm 
over  the  country.  The  whig  party  decided  to 
take  advantage  of  this  wonderful  popularity 
in  bringing  forward  the  unpolished,  uncul- 
tered,  honest  soldier  as  their  candidate  for  the 
presidency.  Gen.  Taylor  was  astonished  at 
the  announcement,  and  for  a time  would  not 
listen  to  it;  declaring  that  he  was  not  at  all 
qualified  for  such  an  office.  So  little  interest 
had  he  taken  in  politics  that,  for  forty  years, 
he  had  not  cast  a vote. 


Gen.  Taylor  was  not  an  eloquent  speaker 
nor  a fine  writer.  His  friends  took  possession 
of  him,  and  prepared  such  few  communica- 
tions as  it  was  needful  should  be  presented  to 
the  public.  The  popularity  of  the  successful 
warrior  swept  the  land.  He  was  triumph- 
antly elected  over  two  opposing  candidates — 
Gen.  Cass  and  Ex-Pres.  Martin  Van  Buren. 
Though  he  selected  an  excellent  cabinet,  the 
good  old  man  found  himself  in  a very^  uncon- 
genial position,  and  was,  at  times,  sorely  per- 
plexed and  harassed.  His  mental  sufferings 
were  very  severe,  and  probably  tended  to  has- 
ten his  death.  The  pro-slavery'  party  was- 
pushing  its  claims  with  tireless  energy,  expedi- 
tions were  fitting  out  to  capture  Cuba;  Cali- 
fornia was  pleading  for  admission  to  the 
Union,  while  slavery  stood  at  the  door  to  bar 
her  out.  Gen.  Taylor  found  the  political  con- 
flicts in  Washington  to  be  far  more  trying  to 
the  nerves  than  battles  with  Mexicans  or 
Indians. 

In  the  midst  of  all  these  troubles,  Gen. 
Taylor,  after  he  had  occupied  the  presidential 
chair  but  little  over  a year,  took  cold,  and 
after  a brief  sickness,  of  but  little  over  five 
days,  died  on  the  9th  of  July,  1^50.  His  last 
words  were:  “ I am  not  afraid  to  die.  I am 
ready.  I have  endeavored  to  do  my  duty'.” 
He  died  universally  respectsd  and  beloved. 

Gen.  Scott,  who  was  thoroughly  acquainted 
with  Gen.  Taylor,  gave  the  following  graphic 
and  truthful  description  of  his  character; 
“With  a good  store  of  common  sense,  Gen. 
Tay  lor's  mind  had  not  been  enlarged  and  re- 
freshed by  reading,  or  much  converse  with  the 
world.  Rigidity  of  ideas  was  the  consequence. 
The  frontiers  and  small  military  posts  had 
been  his  home.  Hence  he  was  quite  ignorant 
for  his  rank,  and  quite  bigoted  in  his  igno- 
rance. His  simplicity  was  child-like,  and 
with  innumerable  prejudices,  amusing  and  in- 
corrigible, well  suited  to  the  tender  age. 


G8 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


Thus,  if  a man,  however  respectable,  chanced 
to  wear  a coat  of  an  unusual  color,  or  his  hat 
a little  on  one  side  of  his  head;  or  an  officer 
to  leave  a corner  of  his  handkerchief  dangling 
from  an  outside  pocket — in  any  such  case,  this 
critic  held  the  offender  to  be  a coxcomb  fper- 
haj)s  something  worse),  whom  he  would  not, 
to  use  his  oft  repeated  phrase,  ‘touch  with  a 
pair  of  tongs. 


(D 


ILLARD  FILLMORE,  thirteenth 
president  of  the  United  States,  was 
born  at  Summer  Hill,  Cayuga 
county,  N.  Y. , on  the  7th  of  Janu- 
ary, 1800.  His  father  was  a farmer,  and, 
owing  to  misfortune,  in  humble  circumstances. 
Of  his  mother,  the  daughter  of  Dr.  Abiathar 
Millard,  of  Pittsfield,  Mass.,  it  has  been  said 
that  she  possessed  an  intellect  of  very  high 
order,  united  with  much  personal  loveliness, 
sweetness  of  disposition,  graceful  manners  and 
exquisite  sensibilities.  She  died  in  1831; 
having  lived  to  see  her  son  a young  man  of 
distinguished  promise,  though  she  was  not  per- 
mitted to  witness  the  high  dignity  which  he 
finally  attained. 

In  consequence  of  the  secluded  home  and 
limited  means  of  his  father,  Millard  enjoyed 
but  slender  advantages  for  education  in  his 
early  years.  The  sacred  influences  of  home 
had  taught  him  to  revere  the  Bible,  and  had 
laid  the  foundations  of  an  upright  character. 
When  fourteen  years  of  age  his  father  sent 
him  some  hundred  miles  from  home,  to  the 
then  wilds  of  Livingston  county,  to  learn  the 
trade  of  a clothier.  Near  the  mill  there  was 
a small  village,  where  some  enterprising  man 
had  commenced  the  collection  of  a villagfe 


library.  This  proved  an  inestimable  blessing 
to  young  Fillmore.  His  evenings  were  spent 
in  reading.  Soon  every  leisure  moment  was 


occupied  with  books.  His  thirst  for  knowledge 
became  insatiate,  and  the  selections  which  he 
made  were  continually  more  < levating  and 
instructive.  He  read  history,  biography, 
oratory,  and  thus  gradually  there  was  en- 
kindled in  his  heart  a desire  to  be  something 
more  than  a mere  worker  with  his  hands;  and 
he  was  becoming,  almost  unknown  to  himself, 
a well  informed,  educated  man. 

The  young  clothier  had  now  attained  the 
age  of  nineteen  years,  and  was  of  fine  per- 
sonal appearance  and  of  gentlemanly  demeanor. 
It  so  happened  that  there  was  a gentleman  in 
the  neighborhood  of  ample  pecuniary  means 
and  of  benevolence — Judge  Walter  Wood — 
who  was  struck  with  the  prepossessing  appear- 
ance of  young  Fillmore.  He  made  his 
acquaintance,  and  was  so  much  impressed 
with  his  ability  and  attainments  that  he  ad- 
vised him  to  abandon  his  trade  and  devote 
himself  to  the  study  of  law.  The  young  man 
replied,  that  he  had  no  means  of  his  own,  no 
friends  to  help  him,  and  that  his  previous  edu- 
cation had  been  very  imperfect.  But  Judge 
Wood  had  so  much  confidence  in  him  that  he 
kindly  offered  to  take  him  into  his  own  office, 
and  to  loan  him  such  money  as  he  needed. 
Most  gratefully  the  generous  offer  was  ac- 
cepted. 

In  1823,  when  twenty-three  years  of  age, 
he  was  admitted  to  the  court  of  common  pleas- 
He  then  went  to  the  village  of  Aurora,  and 
commenced  the  practice  of  law.  In  this 
secluded,  peaceful  region,  his  practice  of 
course  was  limited,  and  there  was  no  oppor- 
tunity for  a sudden  rise  in  fortune'or  in  fame. 
Here,  in  the  year  1826,  he  married  a lady  of 
great  moral  worth,  and  one  capable  of  adorn- 
ing any  station  she  might  be  called  to  fill — 
Miss  Abigail  Powers. 

His  elevation  of  character,  his  untiring  in- 
dustry, his  legal  acquirements,  and  his  skill  as 
an  advocate,  gradually  attracted  attention; 


MILLARD  FILLMORE. 


/ 


1 


t. 


■■ll 


v’.'.'  ■■ 

•••• . ■ : •■  • ^ 

,.  • ... 


" ' ■ ■,  ': 
. '■  y-i’  V ; ' ' 


'■  'Vv 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


71 


and  he  was  invited  to  enter  into  partnership 
under  highly  advantageous  circumstances, 
with  an  elder  member  of  the  bar  in  Buffalo. 
Just  before  removing  to  Buffalo,  in  1829,  he 
took  his  seat  in  the  house  of  assembly,  of  the 
state  of  New  York,  as  a representative  from 
Erie  county.  Though  he  had  never  taken  a 
very  active  part  in  politics,  his  vote  and  his 
sympathies  were  with  the-  whig  party.  The 
state  was  then  democratic,  and  he  found  him- 
self in  a helpless  minority  in  the  legislature, 
still  the  testimony  comes  from  all  parties,  that 
his  courtesy,  ability  and  integrity,  won,  to  a 
very  unusual  degree,  the  respect  of  his  asso- 
ciates. 

In  the  autumn  of  1832,  he  was  elected  to 
a seat  in  the  United  States  congress  He  en- 
tered that  troubled  arena  in  some  of  the  most 
tumultuous  hours  of  our  national  history.  The 
great  conflict  respecting  the  national  bank 
and  the  removal  of  the  deposits  was  then 
raging. 

His  term  of  two  years  closed,  and  he  re- 
turned to  his  profession,  which  he  pursued 
with  increasing  reputation  and  success.  After 
a lapse  of  two  years  he  again  became  a candi- 
date for  congress;  was  re-elected,  and  took  his 
seat  in  1837.  His  past  e.xperience  as  a repre- 
sentative gave  him  strength  and  confidence. 
The  first  term  of  service  in  congress  to  any 
man  can  be  but  little  more  than  an  introduction. 
He  was  now  prepared  for  active  duty.  Fill- 
more was  now  a man  of  wide  repute,  and  his 
popularity  filled  the  state,  and  in  the  year 
1847  he  was  elected  comptroller  of  the  state. 

Fillmore  had  attained  the  age  of  forty- 
seven  years.  His  labors  at  the  bar,  in  the 
legislature,  in  congress  and  as  comptroller, 
had  given  him  very  considerable  fame.  The 
whigs  w'ere  casting  about  to  find  suitable  can- 
didates for  president  and  vice-president  at  the 
apdroaching  election.  Far  away,  on  the 
waters  of  the  Rio  Grande,  there  was  a rough 


old  soldier,  who  had  fought  successful  battles 
with  the  Mexicans,  which  had  caused  his 
name  to  be  proclaimed  in  trumpet-tones  all 
over  the  land.  But  it  was  necessary  to  asso- 
ciate with  him,  on  the  same  ticket,  some  man 
of  reputation  as  a statesman.  Under  the  in- 
fluence of  these  considerations,  the  names  of 
Zachary  Taylor  and  Millard  Fillmore  became 
the  rallying  cry  of  the  whigs,  as  their  candi- 
dates for  president  and  vice-president.  The 
whig  ticket  was  signally  triumphant.  On  the 
4th  of  March,  1849,  Gen.  Taylor  was  inaugu- 
rated president,  and  Millard  Fillmore  vice- 
president,  of  the  United  States. 

On  the  9th  of  July,  1850,  Pres.  Taylor, 
but  one  year  and  four  months  after  his  inaugu- 
ration, was  suddenly  taken  sick  and  died.  By 
the  constitution.  vice-Pres.  Fillmore  thus  be- 
came president.  He  appointed  a very  able 
cabinet,  of  which  the  illustrious  Daniel  Web- 
ster was  secretary  of  state. 

Fillmore  had  very  serious  difficulties  to 
contend  with,  since  the  opposition  had  a ma- 
jority in  both  houses.  He  did  everything  in 
his  power  to  conciliate  the  south;  but  the  pro- 
slavery party  in  the  south  felt  the  inadequacy 
of  all  measures  of  transient  conciliation.  The 
population  of  the  free  states  was  so  rapidly  in- 
creasing over  that  of  the  slave  states  that  it 
was  inevitable  that  the  power  of  the  govern- 
ment should  soon  pass  into  the  hands  of  the 
free  states.  The  famous  compromise  meas- 
ures were  adopted  under  Fillmore's  administra- 
tion, and  the  Japan  expedition  was  sent  out. 
On  the  4th  of  March,  1853,  Fillmore,  having 
served  one  term,  retired. 

In  1856,  Fillmore  was  nominated  for  the 
presidency  by  the  “know  nothing”  party,  but 
was  beaten  by  Mr.  Buchanan.  After  that 
Fillmore  lived  in  retirement.  During  the  ter- 
rible conflict  of  civil  war,  he  was  mostly  silent. 
It  was  generally  supposed  that  his  sympathies 
were  rather  with  those  who  were  endeavoring 


PRESIDENT'S  OF  THE  UM'iED  STATES. 


to  overthrow  our  institutions.  He  lived  to  a 
ripe  old  aj^'e,  and  died  in  Buffalo,  N.  Y., 
March  8,  1874. 


BRANKLIN  pierce,  the  fourteenth 
president  of  the  Plnited  States,  was  born 
lU  Hillsborough,  N.  H.,  November  23, 
1804.  F'ranklin  was  a very  bright 
and  handsome  boy,  generous,  warm-hearted 
and  brave.  He  won  alike  the  love  of  old  and 
young.  The  boys  on  the  play  ground  loved 
him.  His  teachers  loved  him.  The  neigh- 
bors looked  upon  him  with  pride  and  affection. 
He  was  by  instinct  a gentleman;  always  speak- 
ing kind  words,  doing  kind  deeds,  with  a 
jieculiar  unstudied  tact  which  taught  him  what 
was  agreeable.  Without  developing  any  pre- 
cocity of  genius,  or  any  unnatural  devotion  to 
books,  he  was  a good  scholar;  in  body,  in 
mind,  in  affections,  a finely  developed  boy. 

When  sixteen  years  of  age,  in  the  year 
1820,  he  entered  Bowdoin  college  at  Bruns- 
wick, Maine.  He  was  one  of  the  most  popu- 
lar young  men  in  the  college.  The  purity  of 
his  moral  character,  the  unvarying  courtesy  of 
his  demeanor,  his  rank  as  a scholar,  and  genial 
nature,  rendered  him  a universal  favorite. 
There  was  something  very  peculiarly  winning 
in  his  address,  and  it  was  evidently  not  in  the 
slightest  degree  studied;  it  was  the  simple  out- 
gushing  of  his  own  magnanimous  and  loving 
nature. 

Upon  graduating,  in  the  year  1824,  Erank- 
lin  Pierce  commenced  the  study  of  law  in  the 
office  of  Judge  W'oodbury,  one  of  the  most 
distinguished  lawyers  of  the  state,  and  a man 
of  great  private  worth.  The  eminent  social 
cjualities  of  the  young  lawyer,  his  father’s 
prominence  as  a public  man,  and  the  brilliant 
political  career  into  which  Judge  Woodbury 
was  entering,  all  tended  to  entice  Mr.  Pierce 
into  the  fascinating,  yet  perilous,  path  of  po- 


litical life.  With  all  the  ardor  of  his  nature 
he  espoused  the  cause  of  Gen.  Jackson  for  the 
presidency.  He  commenced  the  practice  of 
law  in  Hillsborough,  and  was  soon  elected  to 
represent  the  town  in  the  state  legislature. 
Here  he  served  for  four  years.  The  last  two 
years  he  was  chosen  speaker  of  the  house  by  a 
very  large  vote. 

In  1833,  at  the  age  of  twenty-nine,  he  was 
elected  a member  of  congress.  Without  tak- 
ing an  active  part  in  debates,  he  was  faithful 
and  laborious  in  duty,  a d ever  rising  in  the 
estimation  of  those  with  whom  he  was  associ- 
ated. In  1837,  being  then  but  thirty-three 
years  of  age,  he  was  elected  to  the  senate  of 
the  United  States,  taking  his  seat  just  as  Mr. 
Van  Buren  commenced  his  administration. 
He  was  the  youngest  member  in  the  senate. 
In  the  year  1834  he  married  Miss  Jane  Means 
Appleton,  a lady  of  rare  beauty  and  accom- 
plishments, and  one  admirably  fitted  to  adorn 
every  station  with  which  hei  husband  was 
honored.  Of  the  three  sons  who  were  born  to 
them,  all  now  sleep  with  their  parents  in  the 
grave. 

In  the  year  1838,  Mr.  Pierce,  with  grow- 
ing fame  and  incre^asing  business  as  a lawyer, 
took  up  his  residence  in  Concord,  the  capital 
of  New  Hampshire.  President  Polk,  upon  his 
accession  to  office,  appointed  Mr.  Pierce  at- 
torney-general of  the  United  States;  but  the 
offer  was  declined  in  consequence  of  numer- 
ous professional  engagements  at  home  and  the 
precarious  state  of  Mrs.  Pierce’s  health.  He 
also  about  the  same  time  declined  the  nomi- 
nation for  governor  by  the  democratic  party. 
The  war  with  Mexico  called  Mr.  Pierce  to  the 
army.  Receiving  the  appointment  of  briga- 
dier-general, he  embarked  with  a portion  of 
his  troops  at  Newport,  R.  I.,  on  the  27th  of 
May,  1847.  He  took  an  important  part  in 
this  war,  proving  himself  a brave  and  true 
soldier. 


V'''. 

-'V 


i 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


75 


When  Gen.  Pierce  reached  his  home  in 
his  native  state  he  was  received  enthusiastic- 
ally by  the  advocates  of  the  Mexican  war,  and 
coldly  by  its  opponents.  He  resumed  the 
practice  of  his  profession,  very  frequently  tak- 
ing an  active  part  in  politiaal  questions,  giving 
his  cordial  support  to  the  pro-slavery  wing  of 
the  democratic  party.  The  compromise  meas- 
ures met  cordially  with  his  approval;  and  he 
strenuously  advocated  the  enforcement  of  the 
infamous  fugitive-slave  law,  which  so  shocked  | 
the  religious  sensibilities  of  the  north.  He  thus  | 
became  distinguished  as  a “northern  man  with  | 
southern  principles.”  The  strong  partisans  j 
of  slavery  in  the  south  consequently  regarded  ] 
him  as  a man  whom  they  could  safely  trust  in  | 
ofhce  to  carry  out  their  plans. 

On  the  1 2th  of  June,  1852,  the  democratic  j 
convention  met  in  Baltimore  to  nominate  a 
candidate  for  the  presidency.  For  four  days 
they  continued  in  session,  and  in  thirty-five 
ballotings  no  one  had  obtained  a two-thirds 
vote.  Not  a vote  thus  far  had  been  thrown 
for  Gen.  Pierce.  Then  the  Virginia  delega- 
tion brought  forward  his  name.  There  were  { 
fourteen  more  ballotings,  during  which  Gen. 
Pierce  constantly  gained  strength,  until,  at  the 
forty-ninth  ballot,  he  received  282  votes,  and 
all  other  candidates  eleven.  Gen.  Winfield 
Scott  was  the  whig  candidate.  Gen.  Pierce 
was  chosen  with  great  unanimity.  Only  four 
states — Vermont,  Massachusetts,  Kentucky 
and  Tennessee — cast  their  electoral  votes  ! 
against  him.  Gen.  Franklin  Pierce  was  there- 
fore inaugurated  president  of  the  United  States 
on  the  4th  of  March,  1853. 

His  administration  proved  one  of  the  most 
stormy  our  country  had  ever  experienced.  The 
controversy  between  slavery  and  freedom  was 
then  approaching  its  culminating  point.  It 
became  evident  that  there  was  an  “irrepress- 
ible conflict”  between  them,  and  that  the 
nation  could  not  long  exist  “half  slave  and 


half  free.”  President  Pierce,  during  the  whole 
of  his  administraiion,  did  everything  he  could 
to  conciliate  the  south;  but  it  was  all  in  vain. 
The  conflict  every  year  grew  more  and  more 
violent,  and  threats  of  the  dissolution  of  the 
dissolution  of  the  Union  were  borne  to  the 
north  on  every  southern  breeze. 

On  the  4th  of  March,  1857,  President 
Pierce  retired  to  his  home  in  Concord.  Of 
three  children,  two  had  died,  and  his  only  sur- 
viving child  had  been  killed  before  his  eyes  by 
a railroad  accident;  and  his  wife,  one  of  the 
most  estimable  and  accomplished  of  ladies, 
was  rapidly  sinking  in  consumption.  The  hour 
of  dreadful  gloom  soon  came,  and  he  was  left 
alone  in  the  world  without  wife  or  child. 

Such  was  the  condition  of  affairs  when 
Pres  Pierce  approached  the  close  of  his  four 
years’  term  of  office.  The  north  had  become 
thoroughly  alienated  from  him.  The  anti- 
slavery sentiment,  goaded  by  great  outrages, 
had  been  rapidly  increasing;  all  the  intellectual 
ability  and  social  worth  of  Pres.  Pierce  were 
forgotten  in  deep  reprehension  of  his  adminis- 
trative acts.  The  slaveholders  of  the  south, 
also,  unmindful  of  the  fidelity  with  which  he 
had  advocated  those  measures  of  government 
which  they  approved,  and  perhaps,  also,  feel- 
ing that  he  had  rendered  himself  so  unpopular 
as  no  longer  to  be  able  acceptably  to  serve 
them,  ungratefully  dropped  him,  and  nomi- 
nated James  Buchanan  to  succeed  him. 

When  the  terrible  rebellion  broke  forth, 
which  divided  our  countr}^  into  two  parties, 
Mr.  Pierce  remained  steadfast  in  the  principles 
which  he  had  always  cherished,  and  gave  his 
sympathies  to  that  pro-slavery  party  with 
I which  he  had  ever  been  allied.  He  declined 
to  do  anything,  either  by  voice  or  pen,  to 
strengthen  the  hand  of  the  national  govern- 
menr.  He  continued  to  reside  in  Concord 
until  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  in 
October,  1869.  He  was  one  of  the  most  genial 


76 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


and  social  of  men,  an  honored  communicant 
of  the  Episcopal  church,  and  one  of  the  kind- 
est of  neighbors.  Generous  to  a fault,  he  con- 
tributed liberally  for  the  alleviation  of  suffer- 
ing and  want,  and  many  of  his  townspeople 
were  often  gladdened  by  his  material  bounty. 


AMES  BUCHANAN,  the  fifteenth  presi- 
dent of  the  United  States,  was  born  in 
Franklin  county.  Pa.,  on  the  23d  of 
April,  1791.  His  father  was  a native 
of  the  north  of  Ireland;  a poor  man,  who  had 
emigrated  in  1783,  with  little  property  save  his 
own  strong  arms.  Five  years  afterward  he 
married  Elizabeth  Spear,  the  daughter  of  a 
respectable  farmer,  and,  with  his  young  bride, 
plunged  into  the  wilderness,  staked  his  claim, 
reared  his  log  hut,  opened  a clearing  with  his 
ax,  and  settled  down  to  perform  his  obscure 
part  in  the  drama  of  life.  In  this  secluded 
home,  where  James  was  born,  he  remained  for 
eight  years,  enjoying  but  few  social  or  intel- 
lectual advantages.  When  James  was  eight 
years  of  age  his  father  removed  to  the  village 
of  Mercei'sburg,  where  his  son  was  placed  at 
school,  and  commenced  a course  of  study  in 
English,  Latin  and  Greek.  His  progress  was 
rapid,  and  at  the  age  of  fourteen  he  entered 
Dickenson  college,  at  Carlisle.  Here  he  de- 
veloped remarkable  talent,  and  took  his  stand 
among  the  first  scholars  of  the  institution.  His 
application  to  study  was  intense,  and  yet  his 
native  powers  enabled  him  to  master  the  most 
abstruse  subjects  with  facility.  In  the  year 
1809,  he  graduated  with  the  highest  honors  of 
his  class.  He  was  then  eighteen  years  of  age; 
tall  and  graceful,  vigorous  in  health,  fond  of 
athletic  sport,  an  unerring  shot,  and  enlivened 
with  an  exuberant  flow  of  animal  spirits.  He 
immediately  commenced  the  study  of  law  in 
the  city  of  Lancaster,  and  was  admitted  to  the  I 


bar  in  1812,  when  he  was  but  twenty-one 
years  of  age.  Very  rapidly  he  rose  in  his  pro- 
fession, and  at  once  took  undisputed  stand 
with  the  ablest  lawyers  of  the  state.  When 
but  twenty-six  years  of  age,  unaided  by  coun- 
sel, he  successfully  defended  before  the  state 
senate  one  of  the  judges  of  the  state,  who  was 
tried  upon  articles  of  impeachment.  At  the 
age  of  thirty  it  was  generally  admitted  that  he 
stood  at  the  head  of  the  bar. 

In  1820  he  reluctantly  consented  to  run  as 
a candidate  for  congress.  He  was  elected, 
and  for  ten  years  he  remained  a miember  of 
the  lower  house.  During  the  vacations  of 
congress,  he  occasionally  tried  some  important 
case.  In  1831,  he  retired  altogether  from  the 
toils  of  his  profession,  having  acquired  an 
ample  fortune. 

Gen.  Jackson,  upon  his  elevation  to  the 
presidency,  appointed  Mr.  Buchanan  minister 
to  Russia.  The  duties  of  his  mission  he  per- 
formed with  ability,  which  gave  satisfaction  to 
all  parties.  Upon  his  return,  in  1833,  he  was 
elected  to  a seat  in  the  United  States  senate. 
He  there  met,  as  his  associates,  Webster, 
Clay,  Wright  and  Calhoun.  He  advocated 
the  measures  proposed  by  Pres.  Jackson,  of 
making  reprisals  against  France,  to  enforce 
the  payment  of  our  claims  against  that  country; 
and  defended  the  course  of  the  president  in 
his  unprecedented  and  wholesale  removal  from 
office  of  those  who  were  not  supporters  of  his 
administration.  Upon  this  question  he  was 
brought  into  direct  collision  with  Henry  Clay. 
He  also,  with  voice  and  vote,  advocated  ex- 
punging from  the  journal  of  the  senate  the 
vote  of  censure  against  Gen.  Jackson  for  re- 
moving the  deposits.  Earnestly  he  opposed 
the  abolition  of  slavery  in  the  District  of  Co- 
lumbia, and  urged  the  prohibition  of  the  circu- 
lation of  anti-slavery  documents  by  the  United 
States  mails. 

Upon  Mr.  Polk’s  accession  to  the  presi- 


JAMES  BUCHANAN 


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PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


89 


dency,  Mr.  Buchanan  became  secretary  of 
state,  and  as  such  took  his  share  of  the  re- 
sponsibility in  the  conduct  of  the  Mexican  war. 
Mr.  Polk  assumed  that  crossing  the  Nueces 
by  the  American  troops  into  the  disputed  ter- 
ritory was  not  wrong,  but  for  the  Mexicans  to 
cross  the  Rio  Grande  into  that  territory  was  a 
declaration  of  war.  IMr.  Buchanan  identified 
himself  thoroughly  with  the  party  devoted  to 
the  perpetuation  and  extension  of  slavery,  and 
brought  all  the  energies  of  his  mind  to  bear 
against  the  Wilmot  Proviso.  He  gave  his  ap- 
proval of  the  compromise  measures  of  1850, 
which  included  the  fugitive-slave  law.  Mr. 
Pierce,  upon  his  election  to  the  presidency,  hon- 
ored Mr.  Buchanan  with  the  mission  to  England. 

In  the  year  1856,  a national  democratic 
convention  nominated  Mr.  Buchanan  for  the 
presidency.  The  political  conflict  was  one  of 
the  most  severe  in  which  our  country  has  ever 
engaged.  All  the  friends  of  slavery  were  on 
one  side;  all  the  advocates  of  its  restriction 
and  final  abolition,  on  the  other.  Mr.  Fre- 
mont, the  candidate  of  the  enemies  of  slavery, 
received  114  electoral  votes.  Mr.  Buchanan 
received  174,  and  was  elected.  The  popular 
vote  stood  1,341,264,  for  Fremont,  1,838,160 
for  Buchanan.  On  Maixh  4,  1857,  l\fr.  Bu- 
chanan was  inaugurated.  Mr.  Buchanan  w'as 
far  advanced  in  life.  Only  four  years  were 
wanting  to  fill  up  his  three  score  years  and 
ten.  His  own  friends,  those  with  whom  he 
had  been  allied  in  political  principles  and 
action  for  years,  were  seeking  the  destruction 
of  the  government,  that  they  might  rear  upon 
the  ruins  of  our  free  institutions  a nation 
whose  corner  stone  should  be  human  slavery. 
In  this  emergency,  Mr.  Buchanan  was  hope- 
lessly bewildered.  He  could  not,  with  his 
long  avowed  principles,  consistently  oppose 
the  state-rights  party  in  their  assumptions. 
As  president  of  the  United  States,  bound  by 
his  oath  faithfully  to  administer  the  laws,  he 


could  not,  without  perjury  of  the  grossest  kind, 
unite  with  those  endeavoring  to  overthrow  the 
republic.  He  therefore  did  nothing.  Mr. 
Buchanan's  sympathy  with  the  pro-slavery 
party  was  such,  that  he  had  been  willing  to 
offer  them  far  more  than  they  had  ventured  to 
claim.  All  the  south  had  professed  to  ask  of 
the  north  was  non-interference  with  the  sub- 
ject of  slavery.  Mr.  Buchanan  had  been 
ready  to  offer  them  the  active  co-operation  of 
the  government  to  defend  and  extend  the  in- 
stitution. As  the  storm  increased  in  violence, 
the  slave  holders  claiming  the  right  to  secede, 
and  Mr.  Buchanan  avowing  that  congress  had 
no  power  to  prevent  it,  one  of  the  most  piti- 
able exhibitions  of  governmental  imbecility 
was  exhibited  the  w'orld  has  ever  seen.  He 
declared  that  congress  had  no  power  to  enforce 
its  laws  in  any  state  which  had  withdrawn,  or 
which  was  attempting  to  withdraw  from  the 
Union.  This  was  not  the  doctrine  of  Andrew 
Jackson,  when,  wdth  his  hand  upon  his  sword 
hilt, he  exclaimed.  “The  Union  must  and  shall 
be  preserved.” 

South  Carolina  seceded  in  December,  i860, 
nearly  three  months  before  the  inauguration  of 
Pres.  Fincoln.  Mr.  Buchanan  looked  on  in 
listless  despair.  The  rebel  flag  was  raised  in 
Charleston:  Fort  Sumter  was  besieged;  our 
forts,  navy  yards  and  arsenals  were  seized; 
our  depots  of  military  stores  were  plundered; 

I and  our  custom  houses  and  J30st  offices  were 
appropriated  by  the  rebels.  The  energy  of 
the  rebels,  and  the  imbecility  of  our  executive, 
were  alike  marvelous.  The  nation  looked  on 
in  agon}',  waiting  for  the  slow  weeks  to  glide 
away  and  close  the  administration,  so  terrible 
in  its  weakness.  At  length  the  long  looked  for 
hour  of  deliverance  came,  w'hen  Abraham 
Lincoln  was  to  receive  the  scepter. 

The  administration  of  President  Buchanan 
was  certainly  the  most  calamitous  our  country 
has  experienced.  His  best  friends  cannot  re- 


90 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


call  it  with  pleasure.  And  still  more  deplor-  j 
able  it  is  for  his  fame,  that  in  that  dreadful  ! 
conflict  which  rolled  its  billows  of  flame  and  | 
blood  over  our  whole  land,  no  word  came  j 
from  his  lips  to  indicate  his  wish  that  our  ] 
country’s  banner  should  triumph  over  the  flag  | 
of  the  rebellion.  He  died  at  his  Wheatland 
retreat,  June  i,  1868. 


HBRAHAM  LINCOLN,  the  sixteenth 
president  of  the  United  States,  was 
born  in  Hardin  county,  Ky. , Febru- 
ary 12,  i8og.  About  the  year  1780, 
a man  by  the  name  of  Abraham  Lincoln  left 
Virginia  with  his  family  and  moved  into  the 
then  wilds  of  Kentucky.  Only  two  years  after 
this  emigration,  still  a young  man,  while  work- 
ing one  day  in  a field,  he  was  stealthily  ap- 
proached by  an  Indian  and  shot  dead.  His 
widow  was  left  iu  extreme  poverty  with  five 
little  children,  three  boys  and  two  girls. 
Thomas,  the  youngest  of  the  boys,  was  four 
years  of  age  at  his  father's  death.  This 
Thomas  was  the  father  of  Abraham  Lincoln, 
the  president  of  the  United  States,  whose 
name  must  henceforth  forever  be  enrolled  with 
the  most  prominent  in  the  annals  of  our  world. 

When  twenty-eight  years  of  age  Thomas 
Lincoln  built  a log  cabin  of  his  own,  and  mar- 
ried Nancy  Hanks,  the  daughter  of  another 
family  of  poor  Kentucky  emigrants,  who  had 
also  come  from  Virginia.  Their  second  child 
was  Abraham  Lincoln.  The  mother  of  Abra- 
ham was  a noble  woman,  gentle,  loving,  pen- 
sive; created  to  adorn  a palace,  doomed  to 
toil  and  pine,  and  die  in  a hovel.  “All  that  I 
am,  or  hope  to  be,”  exclaims  the  grateful  son, 
“I  owe  to  my  angel  mother.” 

When  Abraham  was  eight  years  of  age,  his 
father  sold  his  cabin  and  small  farm,  and 
moved  to  Indiana,  where  two  years  later  his 
mother  died.  Abraham  soon  became  the 


scribe  of  the  uneducated  community  around 
him.  He  could  not  have  had  a better  school 
than  this  to  teach  him  to  put  thoughts  into 
words.  He  also  became  an  eager  reader.  The 
books  he  could  obtain  were  few;  but  these  he 
read  and  re-read  until  they  wei'e  almost  com- 
mitted to  memory.  As  the  years  rolled  on, 
the  lot  of  this  lowly  family  was  the  usual  lot 
of  humanity.  There  were  joys  and  griefs, 
weddings  and  funerals.  Abraham’s  sister 
I Sarah,  to  whom  he  was  tenderly  attached,  was 
i married  when  a child  of  but  fourteen  years  of 
age,  and  soon  died.  The  family  was  gradually 
scattered.  Thomas  Lincoln  sold  out  his 
squatter’s  claim  in  1830,  and  emigrated  to 
Macon  county.  111.  Abraham  Lincoln  was 
then  twenty-one  years  of  age.  With  vigorous 
hands  he  aided  his  father  in  rearing  another 
log  cabin.  Abraham  worked  diligently  at  this 
until  he  saw  the  family  comfortably  settled, 
and  their  small  lot  of  enclosed  prairie  planted 
with  corn,  when  he  announced  to  his  father 
his  intention  to  leave  home,  and  to  go  out  into 
the  world  and  seek  his  fortune.  Little  did  he 
or  his  friends  imagine  how  brilliant  that 
fortune  was  to  be.  He  saw  the  value  of  educa- 
tion and  was  intensely  earnest  to  improve  his 
mind  to  the  utmost  of  his  power.  He  saw  the 
ruin  which  ardent  spirits  were  causing,  and 
became  strictly  temperate;  refusing  to  allow 
a drop  of  intoxicating  liquor  to  pass  his  lips. 
And  he  had  read  in  God’s  word,  “Thou  shalt 
not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  God  in 
vain;”  and  a profane  expression  he  was  never 
heard  to  utter.  Religion  he  revered.  His 
morals  were  pure,  and  he  was  uncontaminated 
by  a single  vice. 

Young  Abraham  worked  for  a time  as  a 
hired  laborer  among  the  farmers.  Then  he 
went  to  Springfield,  where  he  was  employed  in 
building  a large  flat-boat.  In  this  he  took  a 
herd  of  swine,  floated  them  down  the  Sanga- 
mon to  the  Illinois,  and  thence  by  the  Missis- 


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PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


03 


sippi  to  New  Orleans.  In  this  adventure  his 
employers  were  so  well  pleased,  that  upon  his 
return  they  placed  a store  and  mill  under  his 
care.  In  1832,  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Black 
Hawk  war,  he  enlisted  and  was  chosen  cap- 
tain of  a company.  He  returned  to  Sangamon 
county,  and  although  only  twenty-three  years 
of  age,  was  a candidate  for  the  legislature,  but 
was  defeated.  He  soon  afterward  received 
from  Andrew  Jackson  the  appointment  of  post- 
master of  New  Salem.  His  only  postofhce 
was  his  hat.  All  the  letters  he  received  he 
carried  there  ready  to  deliver  to  those  he 
chanced  to  meet.  He  studied  surveying  and 
soon  made  this  his  business.  In  1834  he 
again  became  a candidate  for  the  legislature, 
and  was  elected.  Mr.  Stuart,  of  Springfield, 
advised  him  to  study  law.  He  walked  from 
New  Salem  to  Springfield,  borrowed  of  Mr. 
Stuart  a load  of  books,  carried  them  back  and 
began  his  legal  studies.  When  the  legislature 
assembled  he  trudged  on  foot  with  his  pack  on 
his  back  100  miles  to  Vandalia,  then  the  cap- 
ital. In  1 836  he  was  re-elected  to  the  legislature. 
Here  it  was  he  first  met  Stephen  A.  Douglas. 
In  1839  he  removed  to  Springfield  and  began 
the  practice  of  law.  His  success  with  the  jury 
was  so  great  that  he  was  soon  engaged  in 
almost  every  noted  case  in  the  circuit. 

In  1854  the  great  discussion  began  between 
Mr.  Lincoln  and  Mr.  Douglas,  on  the  slavery 
question.  In  the  organization  of  the  republi- 
can party  in  Illinois,  in  1856,  he  took  an 
active  part,  and  at  once  became  one  of  the 
leaders  in  that  party.  J^Ir.  Lincoln’s  speeches 
in  opposition  to  Senator  Douglas  in  the  con- 
test in  1858  for  a seat  in  the  senate,  form  a 
most  notable  part  of  his  histoiy.  The  issue 
was  on  the  slavery  question,  and  he  took  the 
broad  ground  of  the  Declaration  of  Independ- 
ence, that  all  men  are  created  equal.  Mr. 
Lincoln  was  defeated  in  this  contest,  but  won 
a far  higher  prize. 


The  great  republican  convention  met  at 
Chicago  on  the  i6th  of  June,  i860.  The  del- 
egates and  strangers  who  crowded  the  city 
amounted  to  25,000.  An  immense  building 
called  “The  Wigwam,”  was  reared  to  accom- 
modate the  convention.  There  were  eleven 
candidates  for  whom  votes  were  cast.  William 
H.  Seward,  a man  whose  fame  as  a statesman 
had  long  filled  the  land,  was  the  most  prom- 
inent. It  was  generally  supposed  he  would  be 
the  nominee.  Abraham  Lincoln,  however, 
received  the  nomination  on  the  third  ballot. 
Little  did  he  then  dream  of  the  weary  years  of 
toil  and  care,  and  the  bloody  death,  to  which 
that  nomination  doomed  him;  and  as  little  did 
he  dream  that  he  was  to  render  services  to  his 
country  which  would  fi.\  upon  him  the  eyes  of 
the  whole  civilized  world,  and  which  would 
give  him  a place  in  the  affections  of  his  coun- 
trymen, second  only,  if  second,  to  that  of 
Washington. 

Election  day  came  and  Mr.  Lincoln  re- 
ceived I 80  electoral  votes  out  of  203  cast,  and 
was,  therefore,  constitutionally  elected  presi- 
dent of  the  United  States.  The  tirade  of 
abuse  that  was  poured  upon  this  good  and 
merciful  man,  especially  by  the  slaveholders, 
was  greater  than  upon  any  other  man  ever 
elected  to  this  high  position.  In  February, 
1861,  Mr.  Lincoln  started  for  Washington, 
stopping  in  all  the  large  cities  on  his  way, 
making  speeches.  The  whole  journey  was 
fraught  with  much  danger.  Many  of  the 
southern  states  had  already  seceded,  and  sev- 
eral attempts  at  assassination  were  afterward 
brought  to  light.  A gang  in  Baltimore  had 
arranged,  upon  his  arrival,  to  “get  up  a row,” 
and  in  the  confusion  to  make  sure  of  his  death 
with  revolvers  and  hand  grenades.  A detect- 
ive unraveled  the  plot.  A secret  and  special 
train  was  provided  to  take  him  from  Harris- 
burg, through  Baltimore,  at  an  unexpected 
hour  of  the  night.  The  train  started  at  half 


94 


PRESIDENTS  OF  TFIE  UNITED  STATES. 


past  ten;  and  to  prevent  any  possible  com- 
munication on  the  part  of  the  secessionists 
with  their  confederate  gang  in  Baltimore,  as 
soon  as  the  train  had  started  the  telegraph 
wires  were  cnt,  Mr.  Lincoln  reached  Wash- 
ington in  safety  and  was  inaugurated,  although 
great  anxiet}’  was  felt  by  all  loyal  people. 

In  the  selection  of  his  cabinet  Mr.  Lincoln 
gave  to  Mr.  Seward  the  department  of  state, 
and  to  other  prominent  opponents  before  the 
convention  he  gave  important  positions. 

During  no  other  administration  have  the 
duties  devolving  upon  the  president  been  so 
manifold,  and  the  responsibilities  so  great,  as 
those  which  fell  to  the  lot  of  Pres.  Lincoln. 
Knowing  this,  and  feeling  his  own  weakness 
and  inability  to  meet,  and  in  his  own  strength 
to  cope  with  the  difficulties,  he  early  learned 
to  seek  Divine  wisdom  and  guidance  in  deter- 
mining his  plans,  and  Divine  comfort  in  all  his 
trials,  both  personal  and  national.  Contrary 
to  his  own  estimate  of  himself,  Mr.  Lincoln 
was  one  of  the  most  courageous  of  men.  He 
went  directly  into  the  rebel  capital  just  as  the 
retreating  foe  was  leaving,  with  no  guard  but  a 
few  sailors.  From  the  time  he  had  left 
Springheld,  in  i86i,  however,  plans  had  been 
made  for  his  assassination,  and  he  at  last  fell 
a victim  to  one  of  them.  April  14,  1865,  he, 
with  Gen.  Grant,  was  urgently  invited  to 
attend  Ford’s  theater.  It  was  announced  that 
they  would  be  present.  Gen.  Grant,  however, 
left  the  city.  Pres.  Lincoln,  feeling,  with  his 
characteristic  kindliness  of  heart,  that  it  would 
be  a disappointment  if  he  should  fail  them, 
very  reluctantly  consented  to  go.  While 
listening  to  the  play  an  actor  by  the  name  of 
John  Wilkes  Booth  entered  the  box  where  the 
president  and  family  were  seated,  and  fired  a 
bullet  into  his  brains.  He  died  the  next  morn- 
ing at  seven  o'clock,  and  now,  if  never  before, 
the  nation  was  plunged  into  the  deepest  mourn- 
ing, and  truly  mourned  the  “country’s  loss.” 


HNDREW  JOHNSON,  seventeenth 
president  of  the  United  States,  was 
born  December  29,  1808,  in  Raleigh, 
N.  C.  When  Andrew  was  five  years 
of  age,  his  father  accidentally  lost  his  life 
while  heroically  endeavoring  to  save  a friend 
from  drowning.  Until  ten  years  of  age,  An- 
drew was  a ragged  boy  about  the  streets,  sup- 
ported by  the  labor  of  his  mother,  who  ob- 
tained her  living  with  her  own  hands.  He 
then,  having  never  attended  a school  one  day, 
and  being  unable  either  to  read  or  write,  was 
apprenticed  to  a tailor  in  his  native  town.  A 
gentleman  was  in  the  habit  of  going  to  the 
tailor’s  shop  occasionally  and  reading  to  the 
boys  at  work  there.  He  often  read  from  the 
speeches  of  distinguished  British  statesmen. 
Andrew,  who  was  endowed  with  a mind  of 
more  than  ordinary  native  ability,  became 
much  interested  in  these  speeches;  his  ambi- 
tion was  roused,  and  he  was  inspired  with  a 
strong  desire  to  learn  to  read.  He  according- 
ly applied  himself  to  the  alphabet,  and,  with 
the  assistance  of  some  of  his  fellow-workmen, 
learned  his  letters.  He  then  called  upon  the 
gentleman  to  borrow  the  book  of  speeches. 
The  owner,  pleased  with  his  zeal,  not  only 
gave  him  the  book,  but  assisted  him  in  learn- 
ing to  combine  the  letters  into  words.  Under 
such  difficulties  he  pressed  onward  laboriously, 
spending  usually  ten  or  twelve  hours  at  work 
in  the  shop,  and  then  robbing  himself  of  rest 
and  recreation  to  devote  such  time  as  he  could 
to  reading. 

He  went  to  Tennessee  in  1826  and  located 
at  Greenville,  where  he  married  a young  lady 
who  possessed  some  education.  Under  her 
instructions  he  learned  to  write  and  cipher. 
He  became  prominent  in  the  village  debating 
society,  and  a favorite  with  the  students  of 
Greenville  college.  In  1828  he  organized  a 
workingman’s  party,  which  elected  him  aider- 
man,  and  in  1830  elected  him  mayor,  which 


ANDREW  JOHNSON 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


97 


position  he  held  three  years.  He  now  began 
to  take  a lively  interest  in  political  affairs, 
identifying  himself  with  the  working  classes  to 
which  he  belonged.  In  1835  he  was  elected 
a member  of  the  house  of  representatives  of 
Tennessee.  He  was  then  just  twenty-seven 
years  of  age.  He  became  a very  active  mem- 
ber of  the  legislature,  gave  his  adhesion  to  the 
democratic  party,  and  in  1840  “ stumped  the 
state,”  advocating  Martin  \’an  Buren’s  claims 
to  the  presidency  in  opposition  to  those  of 
Gen.  Harrison.  In  this  campaign  he  ac- 
quired much  readiness  as  a speaker,  and  ex- 
tended and  increased  his  reputation. 

In  1841  he  was  elected  state  senator;  in 
1843  he  was  elected  a member  of  congress, 
and  by  successive  elections  held  that  important 
post  for  ten  years.  In  1853  he  was  elected 
governor  of  Tennessee,  and  was  re-elected  in 
1855.  In  all  these  responsible  positions  he 
discharged  his  duties  with  distinguished  ability 
and  proved  himiself  the  friend  of  the  working 
classes.  In  1857  Mr.  Johnson  was  elected  a 
United  States  senator. 

Years  before,  in  1845,  he  had  warmly  ad- 
vocated the  annexation  of  Texas,  stating, 
however,  as  his  reason,  that  he  thought 
this  annexation  would  probably  prove 
“to  be  the  gateway  out  of  which  the  sable 
sons  of  Africa  are  to  pass  from  bondage  to 
freedom,  and  become  merged  fn  a population 
congenial  to  themselves.”  In  1850  he  also 
supported  the  compromise  measures,  the  two 
essential  features  of  which  were,  that  the  white 
people  of  the  territories  should  be  permitted 
to  decide  for  themselves  whether  they  would 
enslave  the  colored  people  or  not,  and  that 
the  free  states  of  the  north  should  return  to 
the  south  persons  who  attempted  to  escape 
from  slavery. 

Mr.  Johnson  was  never  ashamed  of  his 
lowly  origin;  on  the  contrary,  he  often  took 
pride  in  avowing  that  he  owed  his  distinction 


to  his  own  exertions.  “Sir,”  said  he  on  the 
floor  of  the  senate,  “I  do  not  forget  that  I 
am  a mechanic;  neither  do  I forget  that  Adam 
was  a tailor  and  sewed  fig  leaves,  and  that  our 
Saviour  was  the  son  of  a carpenter.  ” 

In  the  Charleston-Baltimore  convention  of 
i860,  he  was  the  choice  of  the  Tennessee 
democrats  for  the  presidenc}x  In  1861,  when 
the  purpose  of  the  southern  democracy  became 
apparent,  he  took  a decided  stand  in  favor  of 
the  Union,  and  held  “slavery  must  be  held 
subordinate  to  the  Union  at  whatever  cost.” 
He  returned  to  Tennessee,  and  repeatedly  im- 
periled his  own  life  to  protect  the  Unionists  of 
Tennessee.  Tennessee  having  seceded  from 
the  Union,  President  Lincoln  on  March  4, 
1862,  appointed  him  military  governor  of  the 
state,  and  he  established  the  most  stringent 
military  rule.  His  numerous  proclamations 
attracted  wide  attention.  In  1864  he  was 
elected  vice-president  of  the  United  States,  and 
upon  the  death  of  Mr.  Lincoln,  April  15,  1865, 
became  president.  In  a speech  two  days  later 
he  said:  “The  American  people  must  be 

taught,  if  they  do  not  already  feel,  that  trea- 
son is  a crime  and  must  be  punished;  that  the 
government  will  not  always  bear  with  its  ene- 
mies; that  it  is  stroag  not  only  to  protect,  but 
to  punish.  ■"  The  people  must  under- 
stand that  it  (treason)  is  the  blackest  of  crimes 
and  will  surely  be  punished.”  Yet  his  whole 
administration,  the  history  of  which  is  so  well 
known,  was  in  utter  inconsistency  with,  and 
the  most  violent  opposition  to,  the  principles 
laid  down  in  that  speech. 

In  his  loose  policy  of  reconstruction  and 
general  amnesty  he  was  opposed  by  congress; 
and  he  characterized  congress  as  a new  rebel- 
lion, and  lawlessly  defied  it  in  everything  pos- 
sible to  the  utmost.  In  the  beginning  of  1868, 
on  account  of  “high  crimes  and  misdemean- 
ors,” the  principal  of  which  was  the  removal 
I of  Secretary  Stanton,  in  violation  of  the  Ten- 


98 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


lire  of  Office  act,  articles  of  impeachment 
were  preferred  against  him,  and  the  trial  began 
March  23. 

It  was  very  tedious,  continuing  for  nearly 
three  months.  A test  article  of  the  impeach- 
ment was  at  length  submitted  to  the  court  for 
its  action.  It  was  certain  that  as  the  court 
voted  upon  that  article,  so  would  it  vote  upon 
all.  Thirty-four  voices  pronounced  the  presi- 
dent guilty.  As  a two-thirds  vote  was  neces- 
sary to  his  condemnation,  he  was  pronounced 
acquitted,  notwithstanding  the  great  majority 
against  him.  The  change  of  one  vote  from 
the  not  guilty  side  would  have  sustained  the 
impeachment. 

The  president  for  the  remainder  of  his 
term  was  but  little  regarded.  He  continued, 
though  impotently,  his  conflict  with  congress. 
His  own  party  did  not  think  it  expedient  to 
renominate  him  for  the  presidency.  The  bul- 
let of  the  assassin  introduced  him  to  the  presi- 
dent’s chair.  Notwithstanding  this,  never 
was  there  presented  to  a man  a better  oppor- 
tunity to  immortalize  his  name  and  win  the 
gratitude  of  a nation.  He  failed  utterly.  He 
retired  to  his  home  in  Greenville,  Tenn.,  tak- 
ing no  very  active  part  in  politics  until  1875. 
On  January  26,  after  an  exciting  struggle,  he 
was  chosed  by  the  legislature  of  Tennessee 
United  States  senator  in  the  forty-fourth  con- 
gress, and  took  his  seat  in  that  body  at  the 
special  session  convened  by  President  Grant 
on  the  5th  of  March.  On  the  27th  of  July, 
1875,  the  ex-president  made  a visit  to  his 
daughter's  home,  near  Carter  Station,  Tenn. 
When  he  started  on  his  journey  he  was  appar- 
ently in  his  usual  vigorous  health,  but  on 
reaching  the  residence  of  his  child  the  follow- 
ing day  was  stricken  with  paralysis,  rendering 
him  unconscious.  He  rallied  occasionally,  but 
finally  passed  away  at  2 A.  M.,  July  31,  aged 
sixty-seven  years.  He  was  buried  at  Green- 
ville, on  the  3d  of  August,  1875. 


LYSSES  S.  GRANT,  the  eighteenth 
president  of  the  United  States,  was 
born  on  the  29th  of  April,  1822,  of 
Christian  parents,  in  a humble  home, 
at  Point  Pleasant,  on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio. 
Shortly  after  his  father  moved  to  Georgetown, 
Brown  county,  Ohio.  In  this  remote  frontier 
hamlet,  Ulysses  received  a common  school 
education.  At  the  age  of  seventeen,  in  the 
year  1839,  he  entered  the  Military  academy  at 
West  Point.  Here  he  was  regarded  as  a solid, 
sensible  young  man  of  fair  abilities,  and  of 
sturdy,  honest  character.  He  took  respect- 
able rank  as  a scholar.  In  June,  1843,  he 
graduated,  about  the  middle  in  his  class,  and 
was  sent  as  lieutenant  of  infantry  to  one  of 
the  distant  military  posts  in  the  Missouri  terri- 
tory. Two  years  he  passed  in  these  dreary 
solitudes,  watching  the  vagabond  and  exasper- 
ating Indians. 

The  war  with  Mexico  came.  Lieut.  Grant 
was  sent  with  his  regiment  to  Corpus  Christi. 
His  first  battle  was  at  Palo  Alto.  There  was 
no  chance  here  for  the  exhibition  of  either 
skill  or  heroism,  nor  at  Resaca  de  la  Palma, 
his  second  battle.  At  the  battle  of  Monterey, 
his  third  engagement,  it  is  said  that  he  per- 
formed a signal  service  of  daring  and  skillful 
horsemanship.  His  brigade  had  exhausted  its 
ammunition.  A messenger  must  be  sent  for 
more,  along  a route  exposed  to  the  bullets  of 
the  foe.  Lieut.  Grant,  adopting  an  expedient 
learned  of  the  Indians,  grasped  the  mane  of 
his  horse,  and  hanging  upon  one  side  of  the 
animal,  ran  the  gauntlet  in  entire  safety. 
From  Monterey  he  was  sent,  with  the  Fourth 
infantry,  to  aid  Gen.  Scott,  at  the  siege  of 
Vera  Cruz.  In  preparation  for  the  march  to 
the  city  of  Mexico,  he  was  appointed  quarter- 
master of  his  regiment.  At  the  battle  of 
Molino  del  Rey,  he  was  promoted  to  a first 
lieutenancy,  and  was  brevetted  captain  at 
Chapultepec. 


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PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


101 


At  the  close  of  the  Mexican  war,  Capt. 
Grant  returned  with  his  regiment  to  New 
York,  and  was  again  sent  to  one  of  the  mili- 
tary posts  on  the  frontier.  The  discovery  of 
gold  in  California  causing  an  immense  tide  of 
emigration  to  flow  to  the  Pacific  shores,  Capt. 
Grant  was  sent,  with  a battalion,  to  Fort 
Dallas,  in  Oregon,  for  the  protection  of  the 
interests  of  the  immigrants.  Life  was  weari- 
some in  those  wilds.  Capt.  Grant  resigned 
his  commission  and  returned  to  the  states; 
and  having  married,  entered  upon  the  cultiva- 
of  a small  farm  near  St.  Louis,  Mo.  He  had 
but  little  skill  as  a farmer.  Finding  his  toil 
not  remunerative,  he  turned  to  mercantile 
life,  entering  into  the  leather  business,  with  a 
younger  brother,  at  Galena,  111.  This  was  in 
the  year  i860.  As  the  tidings  of  the  rebels 
firing  on  Fort  Sumter  reached  the  ears  of 
Capt.  Grant  in  his  counting  room,  he  said — 
“Uncle  Sam  has  educated  me  for  the  army; 
though  I have  served  him  through  one  war,  I 
do  not  feel  that  I have  yet  repaid  the  debt.  I 
am  still  ready  to  discharge  my  obligations.  I 
shall  therefore  bcukle  on  my  sword  and  see 
Uncle  Sam  through  this  war,  too.” 

He  went  into  the  streets,  raised  a company 
of  volunteers,  and  led  them,  as  their  captain, 
to  Springfield,  the  capital  of  the  state,  where 
their  services  were  offered  to  Gov.  Yates.  The 
governor,  impressed  by  the  zeal  and  straight- 
forward executive  ability  of  Capt.  Grant,  gave 
him  a desk  in  his  office,  to  assist  in  the  volun- 
teer organization  that  was  being  formed  in  the 
state  in  behalf  of  the  government.  On  the 
15th  of  June,  1861,  Capt.  Grant  received  a 
commission  as  colonel  of  the  Twenty-first 
regiment  of  Illinois  volunteers.  His  merits  as 
a West  Point  graduate,  who  had  served  for 
fifteen  years  in  the  regular  army,  were  such 
that  he  was  soon  promoted  to  the  rank  of 
brigadier  general  and  was  placed  in  command 
at  Cairo.  The  rebels  raised  their  flag  at  Pa- 


ducah, near  the  mouth  of  the  Tennessee  river. 
Scarcely  had  its  folds  appeared  ere  Gen.  Grant 
was  there.  The  rebels  fled.  Their  banner 
fell,  and  the  stars  and  stripes  were  unfurled 
in  its  stead. 

At  Belmont,  a few  days  later,  he  sur- 
prised and  routed  the  rebels,  then  at  Fort 
Henry  won  another  victory.  Then  came  the 
brilliant  fight  at  Fort  Donelson.  The  nation 
was  electrified  by  the  victory,  and  the  brave 
leader  of  the  boys  in  blue  was  immediately 
made  a major  general,  and  the  military  dis- 
trict of  Tennessee  was  assigned  to  him. 

Like  all  great  captains,  Gen.  Grant  knew 
well  how  to  secure  the  results  of  victory.  He 
immediately  pushed  on  to  the  enemy’s  lines. 
Then  came  the  terrible  battles  of  Pittsburg 
Landing,  Corinth,  and  the  siege  of  Vicksburg, 
were  Gen.  Pemberton  made  an  unconditional 
surrender  of  the  city  with  over  30,000  men 
and  172  cannon.  The  fall  of  Vicksburg  was 
by  far  the  most  severe  blow  which  the  rebels 
had  thus  far  encountered,  and  opened  up  the 
Mississippi  from  Cairo  to  the  gulf. 

Gen.  Grant  was  next  ordered  to  co-operate 
with  Gen.  Banks  in  a movement  upon  Texas, 
and  proceeded  to  New  Orleans,  where  he  was 
thi'own  from  his  horse  and  received  severe 
injuries,  from  which  he  was  laid  up  for  months. 
He  then  rushed  to  the  aid  of  Gens.  Rosecrans 
and  Thomas  at  Chattanooga,  and  by  a won- 
derful series  of  strategic  and  technical  measures 
put  the  Union  army  in  fighting  condition. 
Then  followed  the  bloody  battles  of  Chatta- 
nooga, Lookout  Mountain  and  Missionary 
Ridge,  in  which  the  rebels  were  routed  with 
great  loss.  This  won  for  him  unbounded 
praise  in  the  north.  On  the  4th  of  February, 
1864,  congress  revived  the  grade  of  lieutenant 
general,  and  the  rank  was  conferred  on  Gen. 
Grant.  He  repaired  to  Washington  to  re- 
ceive his  credentials  and  enter  upon  the  duties 
of  his  new  office. 


102 


rilESJDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


Gen.  Grant  decided  as  soon  as  he  took 
charge  of  the  army  to  concentrate  the  widely 
dispersed  national  troops  for  an  attack  on 
Richmond,  the  nominal  capital  of  the  rebel- 
lion, and  endeavor  there  to  destroy  the  rebel 
armies  which  would  be  promptly  assembled 
from  all  quarters  for  its  defense.  The  whole 
continent  seemed  to  tremble  under  the  tramp 
of  these  majestic  armies,  rushing  to  the  de- 
cisive battle  field.  Steamers  were  crowded 
with  troops;  railway  trains  were  burdened 
with  closely  packed  thousands  His  plans 
were  comprehensive  and  involved  a series  of 
campaigns,  which  were  executed  with  remark- 
able energy  and  ability,  and  were  consummated 
at  the  surrender  of  Lee,  April  9,  1865. 

The  war  was  ended.  The  Union  was 
saved.  The  almost  unanimous  voice  of  the 
nation  declared  Gen.  Grant  to  be  the  most 
prominent  instrument  in  its  salvation.  The 
eminent  services  he  had  thus  rendered  the 
country  brought  him  conspicuously  forward  as 
the  republican  candidate  for  the  presidential 
chair.  At  the  republican  convention  held  at 
Chicago  May  21,  1868,  he  was  unanimonsly 
nominated  for  the  presidency,  and  at  the 
autumn  election  received  a majority  of  the 
popular  vote,  and  214  out  of  294  electoral 
votes.  The  national  convention  of  the  repub- 
lican party  which  met  at  Philadelphia  on  the 
5th  June,  1872,  placed  Gen.  Grant  in  nomi- 
nation for  a second  term  by  a unanimous  vote. 
The  selection  was  emphatically  indorsed  by 
the  people  five  months  later,  292  electoral 
votes  being  cast  for  him. 

Socn  after  the  close  of  his  second  term, 
Gen.  Grant  started  upon  his  famous  trip 
around  the  world.  He  visited  almost  every 
country  of  the  civilized  world,  and  was  every 
where  received  with  such  ovations  and  demon- 
strations of  respect  and  honor,  private  as  well 
as  public  and  official,  as  were  never  before 
bestowed  upon  any  citizen  of  the  United  States. 


He  was  the  most  prominent  candidate 
before  the  republican  national  convention  in 
1880  for  a renomination  for  president.  He 
went  to  New  York  and  embarked  in  the 
brokerage  business  under  the  firm  name  of 
Grant  & Ward.  The  latter  proved  a villain, 
wrecked  Grant’s  fortune,  and  for  larceny  was 
sent  to  the  penitentiaiy.  The  general  was 
attacked  with  cancer  in  the  throat,  but  suffered 
in  his  stoic  like  manner,  never  complaining. 
He  was  re-instated  general  of  the  army  and 
retired  by  congress.  The  cancer  soon  finished 
its  deadly  work,  and  July  23,  1885,  the  nation 
went  in  mourning  over  the  death  of  the  illus- 
trious general. 


UTHERFORD  B.  HAYES,  the  nine- 
teenth president  of  the  United  States, 
was  born  in  Delaware,  Ohio,  October 
4,  1822,  almost  three  months  after 
the  death  of  his  father,  Rutherford  Hayes. 
His  ancestr3^on  both  the  paternal  and  mater- 
nal sides,  was  of  the  most  honorable  character. 
It  can  be  traced,  it  is  said,  as  far  back  as 
1280,  when  Hayes  and  Rutherford  were  two 
Scottish  chieftains,  fighting  side  by  side  with 
Baliol,  William  Wallace  and  Robert  Bruce. 
Both  families  belonged  to  the  nobility,  owned 
extensive  estates,  and  had  a large  following. 
Misfortune  overtaking  the  family,  George 
Hayes  left  Scotland  in  1680,  and  settled  in 
Windsor,  Conn.  His  son  George  was  born 
in  Windsor,  and  remained  there  during  his 
life.  Daniel  Hayes,  son  of  the  latter,  married 
Sarah  Lee,  and  lived  from  the  time  of  his 
marriage  until  his  death  in  Simsbury,  Conn. 
Ezekiel,  son  of  Daniel,  was  born  in  1724,  and 
was  a manufacturer  of  scythes  at  Bradford, 
Conn.  Rutherford  Hayes,  son  of  Ezekiel  and 
grandfather  of  President  Hayes,  was  born  in 
New  Haven,  in  August,  1756.  He  was  a 


RUTHERFORD  B.  HAYES, 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


105 


farmer,  blacksmith  and  tavern-keeper.  He 
emigrated  to  Vermont  at  an  unknown  date, 
settling  in  Brattleboro,  where  he  established  a 
hotel.  Here  his  son,  Rutherford  Hayes  the 
father  of  President  Hayes,  was  born.  He  was 
married,  in  September,  1813,  to  Sophia  Bir- 
chard, of  Wilmington,  Vt.,  whose  ancestors 
emigrated  thither  from  Connecticut,  they  hav- 
ing been  among  the  wealthiest  and  best  fami- 
lies of  Norwich.  Her  ancestry  on  the  male 
side  are  traced  back  to  1635,  to  John  Bir- 
chard, one  of  the  principal  founders  of  Nor- 
wich. Both  of  her  grandfathers  were  soldiers 
in  the  Revolutionary  war. 

The  father  of  President  Hayes  was  an  in- 
dustrious, frugal  and  open-hearted  man.  He 
was  of  a mechanical  turn,  and  could  mend  a 
plow,  knit  a stocking,  or  do  almost  any- 
thing else  that  he  chose  to  undertake.  He 
was  a member  of  the  church,  active  in  all  the 
benevolent  enterprises  of  the  town,  and  con- 
ducted his  business  on  Christian  principles. 
After  the  close  of  the  war  of  1812,  for  reasons 
inexplicable  to  his  neighbors,  he  resolved  to 
emigrate  to  Ohio. 

The  journey  from  Vermont  to  Ohio  in  that 
day,  when  there  were  no  canals,  steamers,  nor 
railways,  was  a very  serious  affair.  A tour  of 
inspection  was  first  made,  occupying  four 
months.  Mr.  Hayes  determined  to  move  to 
Delaware,  where  the  family  arrived  in  1817. 
He  died  July  22,  1822,  a victim  of  malarial 
fever,  less  than  three  months  before  the  birth 
of  the  son,  of  whom  we  now  write.  Mrs. 
Hayes,  in  her  sore  bereavement,  found  the 
support  she  so  much  needed  in  her  brother 
Sardis,  who  had  been  a member  of  the  house- 
hold from  the  day  of  its  departure  from  Ver- 
mont, and  in  an  orphan  girl  whom  she  had 
adopted  some  time  before  as  an  act  of  charity. 

Mrs.  Hayes  at  this  period  was  very  weak, 
and  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  so  feeble  at 
birth  that  he  was  not  expected  to  live  beyond 


a month  or  two  at  most.  As  the  months 
went  by  he  grew  weaker  and  weaker,  so  that 
the  neighbors  were  in  the  habit  of  inquiring 
from  time  to  time  “if  Mrs.  Hayes’  baby  died 
last  night."  On  one  occasion  a neighbor,  who 
was  on  familiar  terms  with  the  family,  after 
alluding  to  the  boy’s  big  head,  and  the  moth- 
er’s assiduous  care  of  him,  said  in  a bantering 
way,  “That’s  right!  Stick  to  him.  You  have 
got  him  along  so  far,  and  I shouldn't  wonder 
if  he  would  really  come  to  something  yet.’’ 

“You  need  not  laugh,"  said  Mrs.  Hayes. 
“You  wait  and  see.  You  can't  tell  but  I 
shall  make  him  president  of  the  United  States 
yet.”  The  boy  lived,  in  spite  of  the  universal 
predictions  of  his  speedy  death;  and  when,  in 
1825,  his  older  brother  was  drowned,  he  be- 
came, if  possible,  still  dearer  to  his  mother. 

The  boy  was  seven  years  old  before  he 
went  to  school.  His  education,  however,  was 
not  neglected.  He  probably  learned  as  much 
from  his  mother  and  sister  as  he  would  have 
done  at  school.  His  sports  were  almost  wholly 
within  doors,  his  playmates  being  his  sister 
and  her  associates.  His  uncle  Sardis  Birchard 
took  the  deepest  interest  in  his  education;  and 
as  the  boy’s  health  had  improved,  and  he  was 
making  good  progress  in  his  studies,  he  pro- 
posed to  send  him  to  college.  His  preparation 
commenced  with  a tutor  at  home;  but  he  was 
afterwards  sent  for  one  year  to  a professor  in 
the  Wesleyan  university,  in  Middletown,  Conn. 
He  entered  Kenyon  college  in  1838,  at  the 
age  of  sixteen,  and  was  graduated  at  the  head 
of  his  class  in  1 842. 

Immediately  after  his  graduation  he  began 
the  study  of  law  in  the  office  of  Thomas  Spar- 
row, Esq.,  in  Columbus.  Finding  his  oppor- 
tunities for  study  in  Columbus  somewhat 
limited,  he  determined  to  enter  the  law  school 
at  Cambridge,  Mass.,  where  he  remained  two 
years.  In  1845,  after  graduating  at  the  law 
school,  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  at  Marietta, 


lOG 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


Ohio,  and  shortly  afterward  went  into  practice 
as  an  attorney-at-law  with  Ralph  P.  Buck- 
land,  of  Fremont.  Here  he  remained  three 
3'ears,  acciuiring  but  a limited  practice,  and 
apparently  unambitious  of  distinction  in  his 
profession. 

fn  1849  he  moved  to  Cincinnati,  where  his 
ambition  found  a new  stimulus.  Two  events, 
occurring  at  this  period,  had  a powerful  influ- 
ence upon  his  subsequent  life.  One  of  these 
was  his  marriage  with  Miss  Lucy  Ware  Webb, 
daughter  of  Dr.  James  Webb,  of  Chilicothe; 
the  other  was  his  introduction  to  the  Cincin- 
nati Literary  club,  a bod^'  embracing  among 
its  members  such  men  as  Chief  Justice  Salmon 
P.  Chase,  Gen.  John  Pope,  Gov.  Edward  P'. 
Noyes,  and  many  others  hardly  less  distin- 
guished in  after  life.  The  marriage  was  a 
fortunate  one  in  every  respect,  as  everybody 
knows.  Not  one  of  all  the  wives  of  our  presi- 
dents was  more  universally  admired,  rever- 
onced  and  beloved  than  was  Mrs.  Hayes,  and 
no  one  did  more  than  she  to  reflect  honor 
uj)on  American  womanhood.  The  Literary 
club  brought  Mr.  Hayes  into  constant  associa- 
tion with  young  men  of  high  character  and 
noble  aims,  and  lured  him  to  display  the 
qualities  so  long  hidden  b}'  his  bashfulness  and 
modesty. 

In  1856  he  was  nominated  to  the  office  of 
judge  of  the  court  of  common  pleas;  but  he 
declined  to  accept  the  nomination.  Two 
years  later,  the  office  of  city  solicitor  becoming 
vacant,  the  city  council  elected  him  for  the 
une.xpired  term. 

In  1861,  when  the  rebellion  broke  out,  he 
was  at  the  zenith  of  his  professional  life.  His 
rank  at  the  bar  was  among  the  first.  But  the 
news  of  the  attack  on  Fort  Sumter  found  him 
eager  to  take  up  arms  for  the  defense  of  his 
country. 

His  military  record  was  bright  and  illus- 
trious. In  October,  1861,  he  was  made 


lieutenant-colonel,  and  in  August,  1862,  pro- 
moted colonel  of  the  Seventy-ninth  Ohio  regi- 
ment, but  he  refused  to  leave  his  old  comrades 
and  go  among  strangers.  Subsequently,  how- 
ever, he  was  made  colonel  of  his  old  regiment. 
At  the  battle  of  South  Mountain  he  received  a 
wound,  and  while  faint  and  bleeding  displayed 
courage  and  fortitude  that  won  admiration 
from  all. 

Col.  Hayes  was  detached  from  his  regiment, 
after  his  recovery,  to  act  as  brigadier-general, 
and  placed  in  command  of  the  celebrated 
Kanawha  division,  and  for  gallant  and  meri- 
torious services  in  the  battles  of  Winchester, 
Fisher’s  Hill  and  Cedar  Creek,  he  was  pro- 
moted brigadier-general.  He  was  also  brevet- 
ted  major-general,  “for  gallant  and  distin- 
guished services  during  the  campaigns  of  1864, 
in  West  Virginia.”  In  the  course  of  his 
arduous  services,  four  horses  were  shot  from 
under  him,  and  he  was  wounded  four  times. 

In  1864,  Gen.  Hayes  was  elected  to  con- 
gress, from  the  Second  Ohio  district,  which 
had  long  been  democratic.  He  was  not  pres- 
ent during  the  campaign,  and  after  his  elec- 
tion was  importuned  to  resign  his  commission 
in  the  army;  but  he  finally  declared,  “I  shall 
never  come  to  Washington  until  I can  come 
by  the  way  of  Richmond.”  He  was  re-elected 
in  1866. 

In  1867,  Gen.  Hayes  was  elected  governor 
of  Ohio,  over  Hon.  Allen  G.  Thurman,  a popu- 
lar democrat.  In  1869  was  re-elected  over 
George  H.  Pendleton.  He  was  elected  gov- 
ernor for  the  third  term  in  1875. 

In  1876  he  was  the  standard  bearer  of  the 
republican  party  in  the  presidential  contest, 
and  after  a hard,  long  contest  was  chosen 
president,  and  was  inaugarated  Monday,  March 
5.  1875- 

He  served  one  full  term  of  four  years,  then 
retired  to  his  peaceful  home,  where  he  expired 
January  17,  1893. 


Mr 


J.  A.  GARFIELD 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


109 


AMES  A.  GARFIELD,  twentieth  pres- 
ident of  the  United  States,  was  born 
November  19,  1831,  in  the  woods  of 
Orange,  Cuyahoga  county,  Ohio.  His 
parents  were  Abram  and  Eliza  (Ballou)  Gar- 
field, both  of  New  England  ancestry  and  from 
families  well  known  in  the  early  history  of  that 
section  of  our  country,  but  had  moved  to  the 
Western  Reserve,  in  Ohio,  early  in  its  settle- 
ment. 

The  house  in  which  James  A.  was  born 
was  about  20x30  feet,  built  of  logs,  with  the 
spaces  between  the  logs  filled  with  clay.  His 
father  was  a hard  working  farmer,  and  he  soon 
had  his  fields  cleared,  an  orchard  planted,  and 
a log  barn'  built.  The  household  comprised 
the  father  and  mother  and  their  four  children — 
Mehetabel,  Thomas,  Mary  and  James.  In 
May,  1823,  the  father,  from  a cold  contracted 
in  helping  to  put  out  a forest  fire,  died.  At 
this  time  James  was  about  eighteen  months 
old,  and  Thomas  about  ten  years  old.  He 
now  lives  in  Michigan,  and  the  two  sisters  live 
in  Solon,  Ohio,  near  their  birthplace. 

The  early  educational  advantages  young 
Garfield  enjoyed  were  very  limited,  yet  he 
made  the  most  of  them.  He  labored  at  farm 
work  for  others,  did  capenter  work,  chopped 
wood,  or  did  anything  that  would  bring  in  a 
few  dollars.  Nor  was  Gen.  Garfield  ever 
ashamed  of  his  orign,  and  he  never  forgot  the 
friends  of  his  struggling  childhood,  youth  and 
manhood,  neither  did  they  ever  forget  him. 
When  in  the  highest  seats  of  honor,  the 
humblest  friend  of  his  boyhood  was  as  kindly 
greeted  as  ever. 

The  highest  ambition  of  young  Garfield 
until  he  was  about  sixteen  years  old  was  to  be 
a captain  of  a vessel  on  Lake  Erie.  He  was 
anxious  to  go  aboard  a vessel,  which  his 
mother  strongly  opposed.  She  finally  con- 
sented to  his  going  to  Cleveland,  with  the 
understanding,  however,  that  he  should  try  to 


obtain  some  other  kind  of  employment.  He 
walked  all  the  way  to  Cleveland.  After 
making  many  applications  for  work,  and  try- 
ing to  get  aboard  a lake  vessel,  and  not  meet- 
ing with  success,  he  engaged  as  a driver  for 
his  cousin,  Amos  Letcher,  on  the  Ohio  & Penn- 
sylvania canal.  He  remained  at  this  work 
but  a short  time  when  he  went  home,  and 
attended  the  seminary  at  Chester  for  about 
three  years,  when'  he  entered  Hiram  and  the 
Eclectic  institute,  teaching  a few  terms  of 
school  in  the  meantime,  and  doing  other  work. 
This  school  was  started  by  the  Disciples  of 
Christ  in  1850,  of  which  church  he  was  then 
a member.  He  became  janitor  and  bell-ringer 
in  order  to  help  pay  his  way.  He  then  be- 
came both  teacher  and  pupil.  In  the  fall  of 
1854,  he  entered  Williams  college,  from  which 
he  graduated  in  1856,  taking  one  of  the  high- 
est honors  of  his  class.  He  afterwards  re- 
turned to  Hiram  college  as  its  president.  Dr. 
Noah  Porter,  president  of  Yale  college,  says  of 
him  in  reference  to  his  religion: 

‘ 'President  Garfield  was  more  than  a man 
of  strong  moral  and  religious  convictions.  His 
whole  history,  from  boyhood  to  the  last, 
shows  that  duty  to  man  and  to  God,  and  de- 
votion to  Christ  and  life  and  faith  and  spiritual 
commission  were  controlling  springs  of  his 
being,  and  to  a more  than  usual  degree.” 

Mr.  Garfield  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Lucretia  Rudolph,  November  ii,  1858, 
who  proved  herself  worthy  as  the  wife  of  one 
whom  all  the  world  loved  and  mourned.  To 
them  were  born  seven  children,  five  of  whom 
are  still  living,  four  boys  and  one  girl. 

Mr.  Garfield  made  his  first  political 
speeches  in  1856,  in  Hiram  and  the  neighbor- 
ing villages,  and  three  years  later  he  began  to 
speak  at  county  mass  meetings,  and  became 
the  favorite  speaker  wherever  he  was.  Dur- 
ing this  year  he  was  elected  to  the  Ohio 
senate.  He  also  began  to  study  law  at  Cleve- 


no 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


land,  and  in  1861  was  admitted  to  the  bar. 
The  great  rebellion  broke  out  in  the  early  part 
of  this  year,  and  Mr.  Garfield  at  once  resolved 
to  fight  as  he  had  talked,  and  enlisted  to  de- 
fend the  old  flag.  He  received  his  commission 
as  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  Forty-second  reg- 
iment of  Ohio  volunteer  infantry,  August  14, 
186 1,  He  was  immediately  put  into  active 
ser\dce,  and  before  he  had  ever  seen  a gun 
fired  in  action,  was  placed  in  command  of  four 
regiments  of  infantry  and  eight  companies  of 
cavalry,  charged  with  the  work  of  driving  out 
of  his  native  state  the  officer  (Humphrey  Mar- 
shall) reputed  to  be  the  ablest  of  those,  not 
educated  to  war,  whom  Kentucky  had  given  to 
the  rebellion.  This  work  was  bravely  and 
speedily  accomplished,  although  against  great 
odds.  President  Lincoln,  on  his  success  com- 
missioned him  brigadier-general,  January  10, 
1862;  and  as  “he  had  been  the  youngest  man 
in  the  Ohio  senate  two  years  before,  so  now 
he  was  the  youngest  general  in  the  army.” 
He  was  with  Gen.  Buell's  army  at  Shiloh,  in 
its  operations  around  Gorinth  and  its  march 
through  Alabama.  He  was  then  detailed  as  a 
member  of  the  general  court-martial  for  the 
trial  of  Fitz-John  Porter.  He  was  then 
ordered  to  report  to  Gen.  Rosecrans,  and  was 
assigned  to  the  chief  of  staff.  The  military 
history  of  Gen.  Garfield  closed  with  his  brill- 
iant services  at  Chickamauga,  where  he  won 
the  stars  of  the  major-general. 

Without  an  effort  on  his  part  Gen.  Garfield 
was  elected  to  congress  in  the  fall  of  1862 
from  the  Nineteenth  district  of  Ohio.  This 
section  of  Ohio  had  been  represented  in  con- 
gress for  sixty  years  mainly  by  two  men — 
Elisha  Whittlesey  and  Joshua  R.  Giddings.  It 
was  not  without  a struggle  that  he  resigned 
his  place  in  the  army.  At  the  time  he  entered 
congress  he  was  the  youngest  member  in  that 
body.  There  he  remained  by  successive  re- 
elections  until  he  was  elected  pi'esident  in  1880. 


Of  his  labors  in  congress  Senator  Hoar  says: 
“Since  the  year  1864  you  cannot  think  of 
a question  which  has  been  debated  in  congress, 
or  discussed  before  a tribunal  of  the  American 
people,  in  regard  to  which  you  will  not  find, 
if  you  wish  instruction,  the  argument  on  one 
side  stated,  in  almost  every  instance,  better 
than  by  anybody  else,  in  some  speech  made  in 
the  house  of  representatives  or  on  the  hustings 
by  Mr.  Garfield.” 

Upon  January  14,  1880,  Gen.  Garfield  was 
elected  to  the  United  States  senate,  and  on 
the  8th  of  June,  of  the  same  year,  was  nom- 
inated as  the  candidate  of  his  party  for  presi- 
dent at  the  great  Ghicago  convention.  He  was 
elected  in  the  following  November,  and  on 
March  4,  1881,  was  inaugurated.  Probably 
no  administration  ever  opened  its  existence 
under  brighter  auspices  than  that  of  President 
Garfield,  and  every  day  it  grew  in  favor  with 
the  people,  and  by  the  first  of  July  he  had 
completed  all  the  initiatory  and  preliminary 
work  of  his  administration  and  was  preparing 
to  lea\e  the  city  to  meet  his  friends  at  Will- 
iams college.  While  on  his  way  and  at  the 
depot,  in  company  with  Secretary  Blaine,  a 
man  stepped  behind  him,  drew  a revolver,  and 
fired  directly  at  his  back.  The  president 
tottered  and  fell,  and  as  he  did  so  the  assassin 
fired  a second  shot,  the  bullet  cutting  the  left 
coat  sleeve  of  his  victim,  but  inflicting  no 
further  injury.  For  eighty  days,  all  during 
the  hot  months  of  July  and  August,  he  lingered 
and  suffered.  He,  however,  remained  master 
of  himself  till  the  last,  and  by  his  magnificent 
bearing  was  teaching  the  country  and  the 
world  the  noblest  of  human  lessons — how  to 
live  grandly  in  the  very  clutch  of  death.  He 
passed  serenely  away  September  19,  1883,  at 
Elberon,  N.  J.,  on  the  seashore,  where  he  had 
been  taken  shortly  previous.  The  murderer 
was  tried,  found  guilty  and  executed,  in  one 
year  after  he  committed  the  foul  deed. 


f : 


■T 


C.  A.  ARTHUR 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


118 


a HESTER  A.  ARTHUR,  twenty-first 
president  of  the  United  States,  was 
born  in  Eranklin  county,  Vermont, 
on  the  5th  of  October,  1830,  and  is 
the  oldest  of  a family  of  two  sons  and  five 
daughters.  His  father  was  the  Rev.  Dr. 
William  Arthur,  a Baptist  clergyman,  who 
emigrated  to  this  country  from  the  county 
Antrim,  I reland,  in  his  eighteenth  year,  and 
died  in  1875,  Newtonville,  near  Albany,  N. 
Y.,  after  a long  and  successful  ministry. 

Young  Arthur  was  educated  at  Union  col- 
lege, Schenectady,  N.  Y. , where  he  excelled 
in  all  his  studies.  After  his  graduation,  he 
taught  school  in  YYrmont  for  two  years,  and 
at  the  expiration  of  that  time  went  to  New 
York,  with  $500  in  his  pocket,  and  entered 
the  office  of  ex-Judge  E.  D.  Culver  as  student. 
After  being  admitted  to  the  bar  he  formed  a 
partnership  with  his  intimate  friend  and  room- 
mate, Henry  D.  Gardiner,  with  the  intention 
of  practicidg  in  the  west,  and  for  three  months 
they  roamed  about  in  the  western  states  in 
search  of  an  eligible  site,  but  in  the  end  re- 
turned to  New  York,  where  they  entered  upon 
a successful  career  almost  from  the  start. 
Gen.  Arthur  soon  afterward  married  the  daugh- 
ter of  Lieut.  Herndon,  of  the  United  States 
navy,  who  was  lost  at  sea.  Congress  voted  a 
gold  medal  to  his  .widow  in  recognition  of  the 
bravery  he  displayed  on  that  occasion.  Mrs. 
Arthur  died  shortly  before  Mr.  Arthur’s  nomi- 
nation to  the  vice  presidency,  leaving  two 
children. 

Gen.  Arthur  obtained  considerable  legal 
celebrity  in  his  first  great  case,  the  famous 
Lemmon  suit,  brought  to  recover  possession  of 
eight  slaves  who  had  been  declared  free  by 
Judge  Paine,  of  the  superior  court  of  New 
York  city.  It  was  in  1852  that  Jonathan 
Lemmon,  of  Virginia,  went  to  New  York  with 
his  slaves,  intending  to  ship  them  to  Texas, 
when  they  were  discovered  and  freed.  The 


judge  decided  that  they  could  not  be  held  by 
the  owner  under  the  Eugitive  Slave  law.  A 
howl  of  rage  went  up  from  the  south,  and  the 
Virginia  legislature  authorized  the  attorney 
general  of  that  state  to  assist  in  an  appeal. 
William  M.  Evarts  and  Chester  A.  Arthur 
were  employed  to  represent  the  people,  and 
they  won  their  case,  which  then  went  to  the 
supreme  court  of  the  United  States.  Charles 
O’Conor  here  espoused  the  cause  of  the  slave 
holders,  but  he  too,  was  beaten  by  Messrs. 
Evarts  and  Arthur,  and  a long  step  was  taken 
toward  the  emancipation  of  the  black  race. 

Another  great  service  was  rendered  by 
Gen.  Arthur  in  the  same  cause  in  1856.  Liz- 
zie Jennings,  a respectable  colored  woman, 
was  put  off  a Eourth  avenue  car  with  violence 
after  she  had  paid  her  fare.  Gen.  Arthur  sued 
on  her  behalf,  and  secured  a verdict  of  $500 
damages.  The  next  day  the  company  issued 
an  order  to  admit  colored  persons  to  ride  on 
their  cars,  and  the  other  car  companies  quickly 
followed  their  example.  Before  that  the  Sixth 
avenue  company  ran  a few  special  cars  for  col- 
ored persons  and  the  other  lines  refused  to  let 
them  ride  at  all. 

Gen.  Arthur  was  a delegate  to  the  conven- 
tion at  Saratoga  that  founded  the  republican 
party.  Previous  to  the  war  he  was  judge-ad- 
vocate of  the  Second  brigade  of  the  state  of 
New  York,  and  Governor  Morgan,  of  that 
state,  appointed  him  engineer-in-chief  of  his 
staff.  In  1861,  he  was  made  inspector  gen- 
eral, and  soon  afterward  became  quartermas- 
ter-general. In  each  of  these  offices  he  ren- 
dered great  service  to  the  government  during 
the  war.  At  the  end  of  Gov.  Morgan’s  term 
he  resumed  the  practice  of  the  law,  forming  a 
partnership  with  Mr.  Ransom,  and  then  Mr. 
Phelps,  the  district  attorney  of  New  York, 
was  added  to  the  firm.  The  legal  practice  of 
this  well  known  firm  was  very  large  and  lucra- 
tive; each  of  the  gentlemen  composing  it  was 


114 


PRESIDENTS  OF  TPIE  UNITED  STATES. 


an  able  lawyei',  and  possessed  a splendid  local 
reputation,  if  not  indeed  one  of  national 
extent. 

Arthur  was  appointed  collector  of  the  port 
of  New  York  by  President  Grant,  November 
2 1,  1872,  to  succeed  Thomas  Murphy,  and 
held  the  office  until  July  20,  1878,  when  he 
was  succeeded  by  Collector  Merritt.  Mr. 
.Arthur  was  nominated  on  the  presidential 
ticket,  with  Gen.  James  A.  Garfield,  at  the 
famous  national  republican  convention  held  at 
Chicago  in  June,  1880.  This  was  perhaps  the 
greatest  political  convention  that  ever  assem- 
bled on  the  continent.  It  was  composed  of 
the  leading  politicians  of  the  republican  party, 
all  able  men,  and  all  stood  firm  and  fought 
vigorously  and  with  signal  tenacity  for  their 
respective  candidates  that  were  before  the 
convention  for  the  nomination.  F'inally  Gen. 
Garfield  received  the  nomination  for  president 
and  Gen.  Arthur  for  vice-president.  The 
campaign  which  followed  was  one  of  the  most 
animated  known  in  the  history  of  our  country. 
Gen.  Hancock,  the  standard-bearer  of  the 
democratic  party,  was  a popular  man,  and  his 
part}^  made  a valiant  fight  for  his  election. 

Finally  the  election  came  and  the  coun- 
try’s choice  was  Garfield  and  Arthur.  They 
were  inaugurated  Alarch  4,  1881,  as  president 
and  vice-president.  A few  months  only  had 
passed  ere  the  newly  chosen  president  was  the 
victim  of  the  assassin’s  bullet.  The  remarka- 
ble patience  that  Garfield  manifested  during 
those  hours  and  weeks,  and  even  months,  of 
the  most  terrible  suffering  man  has  often  been 
called  upon  to  endure,  was  seemingly  more 
than  human.  It  was  certainly  God-like. 
During  all  this  period  of  deepest  anxiety  Mr. 
.Arthur’s  every  move  was  watched,  and  be  it 
said  to  his  credit,  that  his  every  action  dis- 
played only  an  earnest  desire  that  the  suffer- 
ing Garfield  might  recover,  to  serve  the  re- 
mainder of  the  term  he  had  so  auspiciously 


begun.  Not  a selfish  feeling  was  manifested 
in  deed  or  look  of  this  man,  even  though  the 
most  honored  position  in  the  world  was  at  any 
moment  likely  to  fall  to  him. 

At  last  God  in  his  mercy  relieved  President 
Garfield  from  further  suffering.  Then  it  be- 
came the  duty  of  the  vice  president  to  assume 
the  responsibilities  of  the  high  office,  and  he 
took  the  oath  in  New  A^ork,  September  20, 
1881.  The  position  was  an  embarrassing  one 
to  him,  made  doubly  so  from  the  facts  that  all 
eyes  were  on  him,  anxious  to  know  what  he 
would  do,  w'hat  policy  he  would  pursue,  and 
whom  he  would  select  as  advisers.  The  duties 
of  the  office  had  been  greatly  neglected  during 
the  president’s  long  illness,  and  m^any  import- 
ant measures  were  to  be  immediately  decided 
by  him;  and  still  farther  to  embarrass  him  he 
did  not  fail  to  realize  under  what  circumstances 
he  became  president,  and  knew  the  feelings  of 
many  on  this  point.  Under  these  trying  cir- 
cumstances President  Arthur  took  the  reins  of 
the  government  in  his  own  hands;  and,  as  em- 
barrassing as  was  the  condition  of  affairs,  he 
happily  surprised  the  nation,  acting  so  wisely 
that  but  few  criticised  his  administration.  He 
served  until  the  close  of  his  administration, 
March  4,  1885,  and  was  a popular  candidate 
before  his  party  for  a second  term.  His  name 
was  ably  presented  before  the  convention  at 
Chicago,  and  was  received  with  great  favor, 
and  doubtless  but  for  the  personal  popularity 
of  one  of  the  opposing  candidates,  he  would 
have  been  selected  as  the  standard-bearer  of 
his  party  for  another  campaign.  He  retired 
to  private  life  carrying  with  him  the  best 
wishes  of  the  American  people,  whom  he  had 
served  in  a manner  satisfactory  to  them  and 
with  credit  to  himself.  Although  not  a man 
of  the  transcendent  ability  possessed  by  the 
lamented  Garfield,  Mr.  Arthur  w^as  able  for 
the  emergency  he  was  so  unexpectedly  called 
to  fill,  and  was  a worthy  successor  to  his  chief. 


GROVER  CLEVELAND. 


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PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


117 


TEPHEN  GROVER  CLEVELAND, 
the  twenty-second  and  twenty-fourth 
president  of  the  United  States,  was 
born  in  1837,  in  the  obscure  town  of 
Caldwell,  Essex  county,  N.  J.,  and  in  a little 
two-and-a-half  story  white  house  which  is  still 
standing,  characteristically  to  mark  the  hum- 
ble birth-place  of  one  of  America’s  great  men 
in  striking  contrast  with  the  old  world,  where 
all  men  high  in  office  must  be  high  in  origin 
and  born  in  the  cradle  of  wealth.  When  three 
years  of  age,  his  father,  who  w'as  a Presbyte- 
rian minister  with  a large  family  and  a small 
salary,  moved  by  way  of  the  Hudson  river  and 
Erie  canal  to  Fayetteville  in  search  of  an  in- 
creased income  and  a larger  field  of  work. 
Fayetteville  was  then  the  most  straggling  of 
country  villages,  about  five  miles  from  Pompey 
Hill,  where  Gov.  Seymour  was  born.  At  ihe 
last  mentioned  place  young  Grover  commenced 
going  to  school  in  the  “good  old-fashioned 
way,”  and  presumably  distinguished  himself 
after  the  manner  of  all  village  boys  in  doing 
the  things  he  ought  not  to  do.  Such  is  the 
distinguishing  trait  of  all  village  geniuses  and 
independent  thinkers.  When  he  arrived  at 
the  age  of  fourteen  years  he  had  outgrown  the 
capacity  of  the  village  school  and  expressed  a 
most  emphatic  desire  to  be  sent  to  an  acad- 
emy. To  this  his  father  decidedly  objected. 
Academies  in  those  days  cost  money;  besides, 
his  father  wanted  him  to  become  self-support- 
ing by  the  quickest  possible  means,  and  this 
at  that  time  in  Fayetteville  seemed  to  be  a 
position  in  a country  store,  where  his  father 
with  the  large  family  on  his  hands  had  consid- 
erable influence.  Grover  was  to  be  paid  $50 
for  his  services  the  first  year,  and  if  he  proved 
trustworthy  he  was  to  receive  $100  the  second 
year.  Here  the  lad  commenced  his  career  as 
salesman,  and  in  two  years  he  had  earned  so 
good  a reputation  for  trustworthiness  that  his 
employers  desired  to  retain  him  longer. 


But  instead  of  remaining  with  this  firm  in 
Fayetteville,  he  went  with  the  family  in  their 
removal  to  Clinton,  where  he  had  an  oppor- 
tunity of  attending  a high  school.  Here  he 
industriously  pursued  his  studies  until  the 
family  removed  with  him  to  a point  on  Black 
river  known  as  the  Holland  Patent,  a village 
of  500  or  600  people,  fifteen  miles  north  of 
Utica,  N.  Y.  At  this  place  his  father  died, 
after  preaching  but  three  Sundays.  This 
event  broke  up  the  family,  and  Grover  set  out 
for  New  York  city  to  accept,  at  a small  salary, 
the  position  of  “under-teacher”  in  an  asylum 
for  the  blind.  He  taught  faithfully  for  two 
years,  and  although  he  obtained  a good  repu- 
tation in  this  capacit}q  he  concluded  that 
teaching  was  not  his  calling  for  life,  and,  re- 
versing the  traditional  order,  he  left  the  city  to 
seek  his  fortune,  instead  of  going  to  a city. 
He  first  thought  of  going  to  Cleveland,  Ohio, 
as  there  was  some  charm  in  that  name  for  him; 
but  before  proceeding  to  that  place  he  went  to 
Buffalo  to  ask  the  advice  of  his  uncle,  Lewis 
F.  Allan,  a noted  stock  breeder  of  that  place. 
After  a long  consultation,  his  uncle  offered 
him  a place  temporarily  as  assistant  herdkeeper 
at  $50  a year,  while  he  could  “look  around." 
One  day  afterwards  he  boldly  walked  into  the 
office  of  Rogers,  Bowers  & Rogers  of  Buffalo, 
and  told  them  w'hat  he  wanted  A number  of 
young  men  were  already  engaged  in  the  office, 
but  Grover's  persistency  won,  and  he  was  fin- 
ally permitted  to  come  as  an  office  boy  and 
have  the  use  of  the  law'  library  for  the  nomi- 
nal sum  of  $3  or  $4  a week.  Out  of  this  he 
had  to  pay  for  his  board  and  w'ashing.  The 
walk  to  and  from  his  uncle’s  w'as  a long  and 
rugged  one;  and,  although  the  first  winter  was 
a memorably  severe  one,  yet  he  was  neverthe- 
less prompt  and  regular.  On  the  first  day  of 
his  service  there,  his  senior  employer  threw 
dewm  a copy  of  Blackstone  before  him  with  a 
bang  that  made  the  dust  fly,  saying,  “That’s 


118 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


where  they  all  begin.”  A titter  ran  around 
the  little  circle  of  clerks  and  students,  as  they 
thought  that  was  enough  to  scare  young  Gro- 
ver out  of  his  plans;  but  in  due  time  he  mas- 
tered that  cumbersome  volume.  Then,  as 
ever  afterward,  however,  Mr.  Cleveland  exhib- 
ited a talent  for  executiveness  rather  than  for 
chasing  principles  through  all  their  metaphysi- 
cal possibilities.  “ Let  us  quit  talking  and  go 
and  do  it,”  was  practically  his  motto. 

The  first  public  office  to  which  Mr.  Cleve- 
land was  elected  was  that  of  sheriff  of  Erie 
county,  N.  Y.,  in  which  Buffalo  is  situated; 
and  in  such  capacity  it  fell  to  his  duty  to  in- 
flict capital  punishment  upon  two  criminals. 
In  1 88 1 he  was  elected  mayor  of  the  city  of 
Buffalo  on  the  democratic  ticket,  with  especial 
reference  to  the  bringing  about  certain  reforms 
in  the  administration  of  the  municipal  affairs 
of  that  city.  In  this  office,  as  well  as  that  of 
sheriff,  his  performance  of  duty  has  generally 
been  considered  fair,  with  possibly  a few  ex- 
ceptions, which  were  ferreted  out  and  magni- 
fied during  the  last  presidential  campaign.  As 
a specimen  of  his  plain  language  in  a veto 
message,  we  quote  from  one  vetoing  an  iniqui- 
tous street,  cleaning  contract:  “This  is  a time 
for  plain  speech,  and  my  objection  to  your 
action  shall  be  plainly  stated.  I regard  it  as 
the  culmination  of  a most  bare-faced,  impu- 
dent and  shameless  scheme  to  betray  the  in- 
terests of  the  peojde  and  to  worse  than  squan- 
der the  people's  money.”  The  New  York  Sun 
afterward  very  highly  commended  Mr.  Cleve- 
land's administration  as  mayor  of  Buffalo,  and 
thereupon  recommended  him  for  governor  of 
the  Empire  state.  To  the  latter  office  he  was 
elected  in  1882,  and  his  administration  of  the 
affairs  of  state  was  generally  satisfactory.  The 
mistakes  he  made,  if  any,  were  made  very 
public  throughout  the  nation  after  he  was  nomi- 
nated for  president  of  the  United  States.  Eor 
this  high  office  he  was  nominated  July  ii. 


1884,  by  the  national  democratic  convention 
at  Chicago,  when  other  competitors  were 
Thomas  F.  Bayard,  Roswell  P.  Flower,  Thomas 
A.  Hendricks,  Benjamin  F.  Butler,  Allen  G. 
Thurman,  etc. ; and  he  was  elected  by  the 
people  by  a majority  of  about  a thousand  over 
the  brilliant  and  long-tried  James  G.  Blaine. 
President  Cleveland  resigned  his  office  as  gov- 
ernor of  New  York  in  January,  1885,  in  order 
to  prepare  for  his  duties  as  the  chief  executive 
of  the  United  States,  in  which  capacity  his  term 
commenced  at  noon  on  the  4th  of  March,  1885. 
For  his  cabinet  officers  he  selected  the  follow- 
ing gentlemen:  For  secretary  of  state,  Thomas 
F.  Bayard,  of  Delaware;  secretary  of  the 
treasury,  Daniel  Manning,  of  New  York;  sec- 
retary of  war,  William  C.  Endicott,  of  Massa- 
chusetts; secretary  of  the  navy,  William  C. 
Whitney,  of  New  York;  secretary  of  the  inte- 
rior, L.  O.  C.  Lamar,  of  Mississippi;  post- 
master-general,  Win.  F.  Vilas,  of  Wisconsin; 
attorney-general,  A.  H.  Garland,  of  Arkansas. 

In  November,  1892,  Mr.  Cleveland  was  re- 
elected to  the  presidency  by  the  democratic 
party,  the  candidate  of  the  republican  party 
being  their  ex-chief,  Benjamin  Harrison,  a 
sketch  of  whom  follows  this.  The  popular 
vote  on  this  occasion  stood:  Cleveland,  5.556,- 
562;  Harrison,  5,162,874;  the  electoral  vote 
was  277  for  Cleveland,  and  145  for  Harrison. 
During  the  early  part  of  his  first  administra- 
tion, Mr.  Cleveland  was  married  to  Miss 
Frances  Folsom  of  Buffalo,  N.  Y. , and  in  Oc- 
tober, 1891,  a daughter,  Ruth,  came  to  bless 
the  union,  and  later  a second  daughter  was 
born.  The  first  act  of  Mr.  Cleveland,  on  tak- 
ing his  seat  for  his  second  term,  was  to  convene 
congress  in  extra  session  for  the  purpose  of  re- 
pealing the  Sherman  silver  bill,  and  accordingly 
that  body  met  September  4,  1893,  and  both 
houses  being  democratic,  the  bill,  in  accord- 
ance with  the  recommendation  of  the  presi- 
dent, was  unconditionally  repealed. 


B.  HARRISON 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


121 


ENJAMIN  HARRISON,  the  twenty- 
third  president,  is  the  descendant  of 
one  of  the  historical  families  of  this 
country.  The  head  of  the  family 
was  a Major  General  Harrison,  one  of  Oliver 
Cromwell’s  trusted  followers  and  fighters.  In 
the  zenith  of  Cromwell’s  power  it  became  the 
duty  of  this  Harrison  to  participate  in  the 
trial  of  Charles  I,  and  afterward  to  sign  the 
death  warrant  of  the  king.  He  subsequently 
paid  for  this  with  his  life,  being  hung  October 
13,  1660.  His  descendants  came  to  America, 
and  the  next  of  the  family  that  appears  in  his- 
tory is  Benjamin  Harrison,  of  Virginia,  great- 
grandfather of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  and 
after  whom  he  was  named.  Benjamin  Har- 
rison was  a member  of  the  continental  con- 
gress during  the  years  1774-5-6,  and  was  one 
of  the  original  signers  of  the  Declaration  of 
Independence.  He  was  three  times  elected 
governor  of  Virginia. 

Gen.  William  Henry  Harrison,  the  son  of 
the  distinguished  patriot  of  the  Revolution, 
after  a successful  career  as  a soldier  during  the 
war  of  1812,  and  with  a clean  record  as  gov- 
ernor of  the  Northwestern  territory,  was 
elected  president  of  the  United  States  in  1840. 
His  career  was  cut  short  by  death  in  one 
month  after  his  inauguration. 

President  Benjamin  Harrison  was  born  at 
North  Bend,  Hamilton  county,  Ohio,  August 
20,  1833.  His  life  up  to  the  time  of  his  grad- 
uation by  the  Miami  university,  at  Oxford, 
Ohio,  was  the  uneventful  one  of  a country  lad 
of  a family  of  small  means.  His  father  was 
able  to  give  him  a good  education,  and  nothing 
more.  He  became  engaged  while  at  college 
to  the  daughter  of  Dr.  Scott,  principal  of  a 
female  school  at  Oxford.  After  graduating, 
he  determined  to  enter  upon  the  study  of  the 
law.  He  went  to  Cincinnati  and  there  read 
law  for  two  years.  At  the  expiration  of  that 
time  young  Harrison  received  the  only  inher- 


itance of  his  life;  his  aunt,  dying,  left  him  a 
lot  valued  at  $800.  He  regarded  this  legacy 
as  a fortune,  and  decided  to  get  married  at 
once,  take  this  money  and  go  to  some  eastern 
town  and  begin  the  practice  of  law.  He  sold 
his  lot,  and  with  the  money  in  his  pocket,  he 
started  out  with  his  young  wife  to  fight  for  a 
place  in  the  world.  He  decided  to  go  to 
Indianapolis,  which  was  even  at  that  time  a 
town  of  promise.  He  met  with  slight  encour- 
agement at  first,  making  scarcely  anything  the 
first  year.  He  worked  diligently,  applying 
himself  closely  to  his  calling,  built  up  an  ex- 
tensive practice  and  took  a leading  rank  in  the 
legal  profession.  He  is  the  f ather  of  two 
children. 

In  i860  Mr.  Harrison  was  nominated  for 
the  position  of  supreme  court  reporter,  and 
then  began  his  experience  as  a stump  speaker. 
He  canvassed  the  state  thoroughly,  and  was 
elected  by  a handsome  majority.  In  1862  he 
raised  the  Seventeenth  Indiana  infantry,  and 
was  chosen  its  colonel.  His  regiment  was 
composed  of  the  rawest  of  material,  but  Col. 
Harrison  employed  all  his  time  at  first  master- 
ing military  tactics  and  drilling  his  men;  when 
he  therefore  came  to  move  toward  the  east 
with  Sherman  his  regiment  was  one  of  the 
best  drilled  and  organized  in  the  arm)'.  At 
Resaca  he  especially  distinguished  himself, 
and  for  his  braverp  at  Peachtree  Creek  he  was 
made  a brigadier  general,  Gen.  Hooker  speak- 
ing of  him  in  the  most  complimentary  terms. 

During  the  absence  of  Gen.  Harrison  in 
the  field  the  supreme  court  declared  the  office 
of  the  supreme  court  reporter  vacant,  and 
another  person  was  elected  to  the  position. 
From  the  time  of  leaving  Indiana  with  his 
regiment  until  the  fall  of  1864  he  had  taken 
no  leave  of  absence,  but  having  been  nomi- 
nated that  year  for  the  same  office,  he  got  a 
thirty-day  leave  of  absence,  and  during  that 
time  made  a brilliant  canvass  of  the  state,  and 


122 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


was  elected  for  another  term.  He  then  started 
to  rejoin  Sherman,  but  on  the  way  was 
stricken  down  with  scarlet  fever,  and  after  a 
most  trying  siege  made  his  way  to  the  front  in 
time  to  participate  in  the  closing  incidents  of 
the  war. 

In  1868  Gen.  Harrison  declined  a re-elec- 
tion as  reporter,  and  resumed  the  practice  of 
law.  In  1876  he  was  a candidate  for  governor. 
Although  defeated,  the  brilliant  campaign  he 
made  won  for  him  a national  reputation,  and 
he  was  much  sought,  especially  in  the  east,  to 
make  speeches.  In  1880,  as  usual,  he  took 
an  active  part  in  the  campaign,  and  was 
elected  to  the  United  States  senate.  Here  he 
served  six  years,  and  was  known  as  one  of  the 
ablest  men,  best  lawyers  and  strongest  de- 
baters in  that  body.  With  the  expiration  of 
his  senatorial  term  he  returned  to  the  practice 
of  his  profession,  becoming  the  head  of  one  of 
the  strongest  firms  in  the  state  of  Indiana. 

The  political  campaign  of  1888  was  one  of 
the  most  memorable  in  the  history  of  our  coun- 
try. The  convention,  which  assembled  in 
Chicago  in  June  and  named  Mr.  Harrison  as 
the  chief  standard  bearer  of  the  republican 
party,  was  great  in  every  particular,  and  on 
this  account,  and  the  attitude  it  assumed  upon 
the  vital  questions  of  the  day,  chief  among 
which  was  the  tariff,  awoke  a deep  interest  in 
the  campaign  throughout  the  nation.  Shortly 
after  the  nomination  delegations  began  to  visit 
Mr.  Harrison  at  Indianapolis,  his  home.  This 
movement  became  popular,  and  from  all  sec- 
tions of  the  country  societies,  clubs  and  dele- 


gations journeyed  thither  to  pay  their  respects 
to  the  distinguished  statesman.  The  popu- 
larity of  these  was  greatly  increased  on  ac- 
count of  the  remarkable  speeches  made  by 
Mr.  Harrison.  He  spoke  daily  all  through  the 
summer  and  autumn  to  these  visiting  delega- 
tions, and  so  varied,  masterly  and  eloquent 
were  his  speeches  that  they  at  once  placed 
him  in  the  foremost  rank  of  American  orators 
and  statesmen.  On  account  of  his  eloquence 
as  a speaker  and  his  his  power  as  a debater, 
he  was  called  upon  at  an  uncommonly  early 
age  to  take  part  in  the  discussion  of  the  great 
questions  that  then  began  to  agitate  the  coun- 
try. He  was  an  uncompromising  anti-slavery 
man,  and  was  matched  against  some  of  the 
most  eminent  democratic  speakers  of  his  state. 
No  man  who  felt  the  touch  of  his  blade  de- 
sired to  be  pitted  with  him  again.  With  all 
his  eloquence  as  an  orator  he  never  spoke  for 
oratorical  effect,  but  his  words  always  went 
like  bullets  to  the  mark.  He  is  purely  Ameri- 
can in  his  ideas  and  is  a splendid  type  of  the 
American  statesman.  Gifted  with  quick  per- 
ception, a logical  mind  and  a ready  tongue,  he 
is  one  of  the  most  distinguished  impromptu 
speakers  in  the  nation.  Original  in  thought, 
precise  in  logic,  terse  in  statement,  yet  withal 
faultless  in  eloquence,  he  is  recognized  as  the 
sound  statesman  and  brilliant  orator  of  the 
day.  His  term  of  office  as  president  of  the 
United  States  expired  on  March  4,  1893,  when 
he  surrendei'ed  the  high  .position  to  Stephen 
Grover  Cleveland,  allusion  to  which  fact  is 
made  on  a preceding  page. 


GOVERNORS  OF  INDIANA 

. . . AND  . . . 


REPRESENTATIVE  MEN. 


GOVERNORS  OF  INDIANA  AND  REPRESENTATIVE  MEN. 


HRTHUR  ST.  CLAIR,  one  of  the  most 
noted  characters  of  our  early  colonial 
days,  was  a native  of  Scotland,  being 
born  at  Edinburg,  in  1735.  Becom- 
ing a surgeon  in  the  British  army,  he  subse- 
quently crossed  the  Atlantic  with  his  regiment 
and  thenceforward  was  identified  with  the 
history  of  this  country  until  the  day  of  his 
death.  Serving  as  a lieutenant  with  Wolfe  in 
the  memorable  campaign  against  Quebec,  St. 
Clair  won  sufficient  reputation  to  obtain  ap- 
pointment as  commander  of  Fort  Ligonier,  Pa. , 
where  a large  tract  of  land  was  granted  to  him. 
During  the  Revolutionary  war  he  espoused  the 
colonial  cause,  and  before  its  close  had  risen 
to  the  rank  of  major  general.  In  1785  he  was 
elected  a delegate  to  the  Continental  congress 
and  afterward  became  its  president.  After  the 
passage  of  the  ordinance  of  1787,  St.  Clair 
was  appointed  first  military  governor  of  the 
Northwest  territory,  with  headquarters  at  Fort 
Washington,  now  Cincinnati.  In  1791  he 
undertook  an  expedition  against  the  north- 
western Indians,  which  resulted  in  the  great 
disaster  known  in  western  history  as  “St. 
Clair’s  defeat.”  On  November  4 the  Indians 
surprised  and  routed  his  whole  force  of  about 
1,400  regulars  and  militia,  in  what  is  now 
Darke  county,  Ohio,  killing  over  900  men  and 
capturing  his  artillery  and  camp  equipage. 


Gen.  St.  Clair  held  the  office  of  territorial 
governor  until  1802,  when  he  was  removed  by 
President  Jefferson.  He  returned  to  Figonier, 
Pa.,  poor,  aged  and  infirm.  The  state  granted 
him  an  annuity  which  enabled  him  to  pass  the 
last  years  of  his  life  in  comfort.  He  died  near 
Greensburgh,  Pa.,  August  31,  1818,  leaving  a 
family  of  one  son  and  three  daughters. 


r^IFLIAM  HENRY  HARRISON,  first 
(territorial)  governor  of  Indiana,  and 
ninth  President  of  the  United  States, 
was  a native  of  Virginia,  born  in 
the  town  of  Berkeley,  Charles  City  county, 
February  9,  1773,  [See  presidential  sketch.] 


HOMAS  POSEY,  the  last  governor  of 
Indiana  territory,  was  born  near  Alex- 
andria, Va. , on  the  9th  day  of  July, 
1750.  His  educational  training  was 
limited,  being  confined  to  the  branches  taught 
in  the  different  schools  of  those  days.  In 
■ 1774  he  took  part  in  the  expedition  originated 
by  Gov.  Dunmore,  of  Virginia,  against  the 
Indians,  and  was  present  at  the  battle  of 
Mount  Pleasant.  At  the  close  of  the  war  Mr. 


128 


GOVERNORS  OF  INDIANA 


Posey  went  back  to  his  home  in  Virginia,  but 
did  not  long  pursue  his  peaceful  vocations, 
being  called  upon,  the  following  year,  to  take 
the  part  of  the  colonies  in  their  struggle  for 
liberty  against  the  mother  country.  He  par- 
ticipated in  the  battle  of  Bemis  Heights,  as 
captain  in  Col.  Morgan’s  command;  in  1779 
was  colonel  of  the  Eleventh  Virginia  regiment, 
and  afterward  commanded  a battery  under 
Gen.  Wayne.  He  bore  a gallant  part  in  the 
storming  of  Stony  Point,  was  at  the  capitula- 
tion of  Cornwallis  at  Yorktown,  and  continued 
in  the  service  some  time  after  peace  was 
declared  In  1793,  he  was  appointed  brigadier 
general  in  the  army  of  the  Northwest,  and, 
being  pleased  with  the  appearance  of  the 
country,  settled  in  Kentucky  not  long  after. 
In  that  state  he  was  a member  of  the  state 
senate,  being  president  of  the  body  from 
November  4,  1805,  to  November  3,  1806,  per- 
forming the  duties  of  lieutenant  governor  at 
the  same  time.  He  removed  to  Louisiana  in 
1812,  and  afterward  represented  the  state  in 
the  senate  of  the  United  States.  While  a 
resident  of  Louisiana  he  was  appointed  gov- 
ernor of  Indiana  territory,  by  President  Mad- 
ison, and  in  May,  1813,  he  moved  to  Vin- 
cennes, and  entered  upon  the  discharge  of  his 
official  duties.  When  his  term  as  governor 
expired  by  reason  of  the  admission  of  Indiana 
into  the  Union,  Col.  Posey  was  appointed 
Indian  agent  for  Illinois  territory,  with  head- 
quarters at  Shawneetown,  where  his  death 
occurred  March  19,  1818. 


ONATHAN  JENNINGS,  the  first  gov- 
ernor of  Indiana,  was  born  in  Hunter- 
don county,  N.  in  the  year  1784. 
His  father,  a Presbyterian  clergyman, 
moved  to  Pennsylvania  shortly  after  Johna- 


than’s birth,  in  which  state  the  future  gov- 
ernor received  his  early  educational  training 
and  grew  to  manhood.  He  early  began  train- 
ing himself  for  the  legal  profession,  but  before 
his  admission  to  the  bar  he  left  Pennsylvania 
and  located  at  Jeffersonville,  Ind. , where  he 
completed  his  preparatory  study  of  the  law, 
and  became  a practitioner  in  the  courts  of 
that  and  other  towns  iir  the  territory.  He 
was  subsequently  made  clerk  in  the  territorial 
legislature,  and  while  discharging  the  duties 
of  that  position  became  a candidate  for  con- 
gress, against  Thomas  Randolph,  attorney 
general  of  the  territory.  The  contest  between 
the  two  was  exciting  and  bitter,  the  principal 
question  at  issue  being  slavery,  which  Mr. 
Randolph  opposed,  while  his  competitor  was 
a firm  believer  in  the  divine  right  of  the  insti- 
tution. Jennings  was  elected  by  a small 
majority.  He  was  re-elected  in  1811,  over 
Walter  Taylor,  and  in  1813  was  chosen  the 
third  time,  his  competitor  in  the  last  race 
being  Judge  Sparks,  a very  worthy  and  popular 
man.  Early  in  1816,  Mr.  Jennings  reported  a 
bill  to  congress,  enabling  the  people  of  the 
territory  to  take  the  necessary  steps  to  convert 
it  into  a state.  Delegates  to  a convention  to 
form  a state  constitution  were  elected  in  May, 
1816,  Mr.  Jennings  being  chosen  one  from,  the 
county  of  Clark.  He  was  honored  by  being 
chosen  to  preside  over  this  convention,  and  in 
the  election  which  followed  he  was  elected 
governor  of  the  new  state  by  a majority  of 
1,277  votes  over  his  competitor.  Gov.  Posey. 
In  this  office  he  served  six  years,  also  acting 
as  Indian  commissioner  in  1818  by  appoint- 
ment of  President  Monroe.  At  the  close  of 
his  term  as  governor,  he  was  elected  as  repre- 
sentative in  congress,  and  was  chosen  for  four 
terms  in  succession.  He  was  nearly  always 
in  public  life  and  filled  his  places  acceptably. 
He  died  near  Charleston,  July  26,  1834. 


AND  REPRESENTATIVE  MEN. 


129 


ATLIFF  BOON,  who  became  gov- 
ernor of  Indiana  upon  the  resignation 
of  Jonathan  Jennings,  September  12, 
1822,  was  born  in  the  state  of  Georgia 
January  18,  1781.  When  he  was  young  his 
father  emigrated  to  Kentucky,  settling  in  War- 
ren county.  Ratliff  Boon  learned  the  gun- 
smith trade  in  Danville,  Ky. , and  in  1809 
came  to  Indiana  and  settled  on  the  present 
site  of  Boonville,  in  what  is  now  Warrfck 
county.  In  the  organi2ation  of  this  county 
he  took  a prominent  part,  was  elected  its  first 
treasurer,  in  the  session  of  1816—17  he  was  a 
member  of  the  house  of  representatives,  and 
in  1818  was  elected  to  the  state  senate.  In 
1819  he  was  elected  lieutenant  governor  on 
the  ticket  with  Jonathan  Jennings,  whom  he 
succeed,  as  stated  above.  He  was  re-elected 
to  the  office  of  lieutenant  governor  in  1822, 
but  resigned  that  office  in  1824,  to  become  a 
candidate  for  congress,  to  which  he  was  elected 
in  August  of  the  same  year.  He  was  re-elected 
in  1829-1831-1833-1835  and  1837,  serving 
most  of  the  time  as  chairman  of  the  com- 
mittee of  public  lands.  In  1836  he  was  a 
candidate  for  United  States  senator,  but  was 
defeated  by  Oliver  H.  Smith.  His  congres- 
sional career  ended  March,  1839,  and  a few 
months  afterward  he  removed  to  Missouri, 
settling  in  Pike  county.  In  that  state  Gov. 
Boon  became  active  in  public  affairs,  and  was 
one  of  the  leading  men  of  the  state.  Placing 
himself  in  antagonism  to  Col.  Thomas  H. 
Benton,  who  then  controlled  the  politics  of 
Missouri,  he  incurred  the  latter’s  deadly 
enmity.  He  again  became  a candidate  for 
congress  in  1844,  but  his  death  on  November 
20th  of  that  year  put  an  end  to  his  earthly 
career.  Mr.  Boon  was  a pioneer  of  two  states 
and  left  the  impress  of  his  character  upon 
both. 


ILLIAM  HENDRICKS,  governor  of 
Indiana  from  1822  to  1825,  was 
born  at  Ligonier,  Westmoreland 
county.  Pa.,  in  1783.  His  parents 
were  Abraham  and  Ann  (Jamison)  Hendricks, 
descendants  from  old  families  of  New  Jersey. 
William  Hendricks  was  educated  at  Cannons- 
burg.  Pa.,  and  shortly  after  his  graduation,  in 
1810,  went  to  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  where  he 
studied  law  in  the  office  of  Mr.  Carry,  sup- 
porting himself  in  the  meantime  by  teaching 
school.  In  1814  he  removed  to  Indiana,  and 
located  at  Madison,  which  continued  to  be  his 
home  during  the  rest  of  his  life.  He  began 
the  practice  of  law  at  Madison,  where  he  was 
also  identified  with  journalism  for  some  time, 
and  shortly  after  his  removal  to  the  state  he 
was  made  secretary  of  the  territorial  legisla- 
ture at  Vincennes.  In  June,  1816,  he  was 
appointed  secretary  of  the  constitutional  con- 
vention, and  in  August  of  the  same  year  was 
elected  as  the  first  and  sole  representative  to 
congress  from  the  newly  created  state,  serving 
three  successive  terms.  He  discharged  the 
duties  of  his  high  position  with  so  much 
acceptability  that  at  the  end  of  his  third  term, 
1822,  he  was  elected  governor  of  the  state 
without  opposition.  Before  the  expiration  of 
his  term  as  governor,  the  legislature  elected 
him  a senator  of  the  United  States,  and  on 
February  12,  1825,  he  filed  his  resignation  as 
governor.  In  1831  he  was  re-elected,  and  at 
the  expiration  of  this  term,  in  1837,  he  retired 
to  private  life  and  never  afterward  took  upon 
himself  the  cares  of  public  office.  In  1840 
he  was  one  of  the  state  electors  on  the  Van 
Buren  ticket,  and  it  was  during  the  campaign 
of  that  year  that  he  contracted  a disease  from 
which  he  suffered  the  remainder  of  his  life. 
Gov.  Hendricks  was  a man  of  imposing  ap- 
pearance. He  was  six  feet  in  height,  hand- 


130 


GOVERNORS  OF  INDIANA 


some  in  face  and  figure,  and  had  a ruddy  com- 
plexion. He  was  easy  in  manner,  genial  and 
kind  in  disposition,  and  was  a man  who  at- 
tracted the  attention  of  all  and  won  the  warm 
friendship  of  many.  He  was  brought  up  in 
the  Presbyterian  faith,  early  united  with  that 
church,  and  lived  a consistent,  earnest,  Chris- 
tian life.  The  Indiana  Gazette  of  1850  has 
the  following  mention  of  him:  “Gov.  Hen- 

dricks was  for  many  years  by  far  the  most 
popular  man  in  the  state.  He  had  been  its 
sole  representative  in  congress  for  six  years, 
elected  on  each  occasion  by  large  majorities, 
and  no  member  of  that  body,  probably,  was 
more  attentive  to  the  interests  of  the  state  he 
represented,  or  more  industrious  in  arranging 
all  the  private  or  local  business  intrusted  to 
him.  He  left  no  letter  unanswered,  no  public 
office  or  document  did  he  fail  to  visit  or 
examine  on  request;  with  personal  manners 
very  engaging,  he  long  retained  his  popu- 
larity.” He  died  May  16,  1850. 


AMES  BROWN  RAY.  governor  of  Indi- 
ana, was  born  in  Jefferson  county,  Ky., 
February  19,  1 7 9 p Early  in  life  he 
went  to  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  after 
studying  law  in  that  city  he  was  admitted  to 
the  the  bar.  He  began  the  practice  at  Brook- 
ville,  Ind. , where  he  soon  ranked  among  the 
ablest  and  most  influential  of  an  able  and 
ambitious  bar. 

In  1822  he  was  elected  to  the  legislature. 
On  the  30th  of  January,  1824,  Lieut.  Gov.  Rat- 
liff Boon  resigned  his  office,  and  Mr.  Ray  was 
elected  president  pro  tempore  of  the  senate, 
and  presided  during  the  remainder  of  the  ses- 
sion. He  was  governor  of  the  state  from  1825 
to  1831,  and  during  this  time  was  appointed 
United  States  commissioner  with  Lewis  Cass 
and  John  Tipton,  to  negotiate  a treaty  with 


the  Miami  and  Pottawatomie  Indians.  The 
constitution  of  the  state  prevented  the  gov- 
ernor from  holding  an  office  under  the  United 
States  government,  in  consequence  of  which 
he  became  involved  in  a controversy.  He 
remembered  the  difficulty  Jonathan  Jennings 
had  encountered  under  like  circumstances,  and 
sought  to  avoid  trouble  by  acting  without  a 
regular  commission,  but  his  precaution  did  not 
save  him  from  trouble.  Through  his  exertions 
the  Indians  gave  land  to  aid  in  building  a road 
from  Lake  Michigan  to  the  Ohio  river.  Gov. 
Ray  was  active  in  promoting  railroad  concen- 
tration in  Indianapolis,  and  took  an  active 
part  in  the  internal  improvement  of  the  state. 
At  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  office  he 
resumed  the  practice  of  law,  and  in  1837  was 
candidate  for  congress  in  the  Indianapolis  dis- 
trict, but  was  defeafed  by  a large  majority. 
This  want  of  appreciation  by  the  public  soured 
him,  and  in  later  years  he  became  very  eccen- 
tric. In  1848,  while  at  Cincinnati,  he  was 
taken  with  the  cholera,  which  terminated  in 
his  death,  August  4,  of  that  year.  In  person 
Gov.  Ray,  in  his  younger  days,  was  very  pre- 
possessing He  was  tall  and  straight,  with  a 
body  well  proportioned.  He  wore  his  hair 
long  and  tied  in  a queue.  His  forehead  was 
broad  and  high,  and  his  features  denoted  intel- 
ligence of  high  order.  For  many  years  he  was 
a leading  man  of  Indiana,  and  no  full  history 
of  the  state  can  be  written  without  a mention 
of  his  name. 


OAH  NOBLE,  fourth  governor  of 
Indiana,  was  born  in  Clark  county, 
Va. , January  15,  1794.  When  a 

small  boy  he  was  taken  by  his  parents 
to  Kentucky,  in  which  state  he  grew  to  man- 
hood. About  the  time  Indiana  was  admitted 
into  the  Union,  Mr.  Noble  came  to  the  state 


AND  REPRESENTATIVE  MEN. 


131 


and  located  at  Brookville,  where,  a few  years 
later,  he  was  elected  sheriff  of  Franklin  county. 
In  1824  he  was  chosen  a representative  to  the 
state  legislature  from  Franklin  county,  in 
which  body  he  soon  became  quite  popular  and 
gained  a state  reputation.  In  1826  he  was 
appointed  receiver  of  public  moneys  to  suc- 
ceed his  brother,  Lazarus  Noble,  who  died 
while  moving  the  office  from  Brookville  to 
Indianapolis,  in  which  capacity  he  continued 
with  great  acceptability  until  his  removal,  in 
1829,  by  President  Jackson.  In  1830  he  was 
appointed  one  of  the  commissioners  to  locate 
and  lay  out  the  Michigan  road.  In  1831  he 
was  a candidate  for  governor,  and  although  a 
whig,  and  the  democracy  had  a large  majority 
in  the  state,  he  was  elected  by  a majority  of 
2,791.  This  was  remarkable,  for  Milton  Stapp, 
also  a whig,  was  a candidate,  and  polled  4,422 
votes.  In  I834  Gov.  Noble  was  a candidate 
for  re-election,  when  he  was  also  successful, 
defeating  his  competitor,  James  G.  Reed,  by 
7,662  votes.  In  1839,  after  his  gubernatorial 
term  had  expired,  he  was  elected  a member  of 
the  board  of  internal  improvements.  In  1841 
he  was  chosen  a fund  commissioner,  and  the 
same  year  was  offered  by  the  president  of  the 
United  States  the  office  of  general  land  com- 
missioner, which  he  declined.  Gov.  Noble 
died  at  his  home,  near  Indianapolis,  February 
8,  1844.  Gov.  Noble  had  a laudable  ambition 
to  go  to  the  United  States  senate,  and  in  1836 
was  a candidate  to  succeed  William  Hen- 
dricks, but  was  defeated  by  Oliver  H.  Smith. 
In  1839  he  was  again  a candidate  to  succeed 
Gen.  John  Tipton,  but  was  defeated  by  Albert 
S.  White  on  the  thirty-sixth  ballot.  Oliver  H. 
Smith  says  that  Gov.  Noble  “was  one  of  the 
most  popular  men  with  the  masses  of  the  state. 
His  person  was  tall  and  slim,  and  his  consti- 
tution delicate,  his  smile  winning,  his  voice 
feeble,  and  the  pressure  of  his  hand  irresisti- 
ble. He  spoke  plainly  and  well,  but  made  no 


pretense  to  oratory.  As  governor  he  was  very 
popular,  and  his  social  entertainments  will 
long  be  remembered.” 


AVID  WALLACE,  governor  of  Indi- 
ana from  1837  to  1840,  was  a native 
of  Mifflin  county.  Pa.,  born  April  24, 
1799.  He  removed  with  his  father 
to  Brookville,  Ind.,  when  quite  young,  and  in 
early  manhood  began  the  study  of  law  in  the 
office  of  Miles  Eggleston,  a distinguished  jurist 
of  that  day.  In  1823  he  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  and  soon  obtained  a large  practice.  He 
served  in  the  legislature  from  1828  to  1830, 
and  in  1831  was  elected  lieutenant  governor 
of  Indiana,  and  re-elected  in  1834.  In  1837 
he  was  elected  governor  over  John  Dumont, 
an  able  and  distinguished  lawyer,  who  lived  at 
Vevay,  on  the  southern  border  of  the  state. 
During  his  periods  of  service  as  legislator  and 
lieutenant  governor,  he  was  active  as  an  advo- 
cate of  internal  improvements  and  in  estab- 
lishing a school  system,  and  he  was  elected 
governor  upon  those  issues. 

In  1841  he  was  elected  to  congress  from 
the  Indianapolis  district,  defeating  Col.  Nathan 
B.  Palmer.  As  a member  of  the  committee 
on  commerce,  he  gave  the  casting  vote  in  favor 
an  appropi'iation  to  develop  Col.  S.  T.  B. 
Morse’s  magnetic  telegraph,  which  vote  had 
great  weight  in  defeating  him  for  re-election  in 
1843.  At  the  expiration  of  his  term  in  con- 
gress he  resumed  the  practice  of  law,  which  he 
continued  uninterruptedly  until  1850,  when  he 
was  elected  a delegate  to  the  constitutional 
convention  from  the  county  of  Marion.  In 
1856  he  was  elected  judge  of  the  court  of  com- 
mon pleas,  which  position  he  held  until  his 
death,  on  the  4th  of  September,  1859.  Gov. 
Wallace  was  twice  married.  His  first  wife  was 
a daughter  of  John  Test,  and  his  second  a 


132 


GOVERNORS  OF  INDIANA 


daughter  of  John  H.  Sanders.  The  latter  still 
lives  and  is  prominent  in  reformatory  and 
religions  work.  When  a young  man,  Gov. 
Wallace  had  a well  proportioned  body,  but  in 
his  later  years  its  symmetry  was  marred  by  an 
undue  amount  of  flesh.  He  had  black  hair, 
dark  eyes,  and  a ruddy  complexion.  He  was 
cultured  and  well  bred,  his  address  was  good 
and  his  manners  unexceptionable.  He  was  a 
laborious  and  impartial  jurist,  a painstaking 
executive,  and  as  an  orator  had  few  equals  in 
the  nation. 


AMUEL  BIGGER,  who  succeeded 
David  Wallace  as  governor  of  Indi- 
ana, was  born  in  Warren  county, 
Ohio,  March  20,  1802,  and  was  the 
eldest  son  of  John  Bigger,  a western  pioneer, 
and  for  many  years  a member  of  the  Ohio  leg- 
islature. He  was  prepared  for  college  in  his 
own  neighborhood,  graduated  with  honors  from 
the  university  at  Athens,  and  afterward  began 
the  study  of  law.  In  1829  he  removed  to  Lib- 
erty, Ind,,  where  he  was  duly  admitted  to  the 
bar,  and  soon  secured  a lucrative  practice.  He 
remained  at  Liberty  but  a shoid  time,  remov- 
ing thence  to  Rushville,  where  his  public  life 
began  in  1834  as  representative  of  Rush  coun- 
ty in  the  state  legislature.  He  was  re-elected 
in  1835,  and  shortly  after  the  expiration  of  his 
term  was  chosen  judge  of  the  eastern  circuit, 
a position  for  which  he  proved  himself  ably 
qualified,  and  which  he  held  in  an  acceptable 
manner  for  many  years.  In  1840  he  was  nomi- 
nated for  governor  by  the  whig  state  conven- 
tion, and  after  an  exciting  race  was  elected, 
defeating  Gen.  Tilghman  A.  Howard.  He  was 
a candidate  for  re-election  in  1843,  but  was 
defeated  by  James  Whitcomb.  After  the  ex- 
piration of  his  gubernatorial  term.  Gov.  Big- 
ger moved  to  Fort  Wayne,  Ind.,  and  resumed 
the  practice  of  law,  which  he  continued  until 


his  death,  September  9,  1845.  “Gov.  Bigger 
possessed  talents  of  a high  order,  rather  sub- 
stantial than  brilliant.  His  judgment  was 
remarkably  sound,  dispassionate  and  discrimi- 
nating. and  it  was  this  chiefly  that  made  him 
eminently  a leader  in  every  circle  in  which  he 
moved,  whether  in  political  life,  at  the  bar,  or 
society  at  large.”  He  was  a man  of  fine  form 
and  presence  He  was  six  feet  two  inches  in 
height  and  weighed  240  pounds.  His  hair  was 
black,  his  eyes  a blue  hazel,  and  his  complex- 
ion dark.  The  expression  of  his  face  was  kind 
and  benignant,  and  denoted  goodness  of  heart. 
He  was  a patriotic  citizen,  an  incorruptible 
judge,  and  an  executive  officer  of  very  respec- 
table ability. 


AMES  WHITCOMB  was  born  near 
Windsor,  Vt.,  December  i,  1795.  His 
father  removed  to  Ohio,  and  settled 
near  Cincinnati,  when  James  was  quite 
young,  and  it  was  there  upon  a farm  that  the 
youthful  years  of  the  future  governor  and 
senator  were  passed.  He  received  a classical 
education  at  Transylvania  university,  subse- 
quently studied  law,  and  in  March,  1822,  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  Lexington,  Fayette 
county,  Ky.  Two  years  later  he  came  to  Indi- 
ana and  located  at  Bloomington,  where  he  soon 
became  known  as  an  able  advocate  and  suc- 
cessful practitioner.  In  1826  he. was  appointed 
prosecuting  attorney  of  his  circuit,  and  in  the 
discharge  of  the  duties  of  this  office  traveled 
over  a large  scope  of  country  and  became 
acquainted  with  many  leading  men  of  the  state. 
In  1830  and  1836  he  was  elected  to  the  state 
senate,  where  he  did  much  to  stay  the  progress 
of  the  internal  improvement  fever  which  was 
then  at  its  highest  point.  In  October,  1836, 
President  Jackson  appointed  Mr.  Whitcomb 
commissioner  of  the  general  land  office,  to 


AND  REPRESENTATIVE  MEN. 


133 


which  he  was  reappointed  by  President  Van 
Buren,  and  served  as  such  until  the  expiration 
of  the  latter’s  term  of  office.  Early  in  1841 
he  returned  to  Indiana  and  resumed  the  prac- 
tice of  law  in  Terre  Haute,  where  he  soon 
acquired  a lar^e  and  lucrative  business.  He 
was  at  that  time  one  of  the  best  known  and 
most  popular  members  of  his  party,  and  at  the 
democratic  state  convention  of  1843,  he  was 
nominated  for  governor  of  the  state.  His  op- 
ponent was  Samuel  Bigger,  whom  he  defeated 
by  a majority  of  2,013  votes.  Three  years 
afterward  he  was  re-elected,  beating  Joseph  G. 
Marshall,  the  whig  candidate,  by  3,958  votes. 
When  he  became  governor  he  found  the  state 
loaded  down  with  debt,  upon  which  no  inter- 
est had  been  paid  for  years,  but  when  he  left 
the  office  the  debt  was  adjusted  and  the  state’s 
credit  restored.  He  also,  by  his  efforts,  crea- 
ted a public  sentiment  that  demanded  the 
establishment  of  benevolent  and  reformatory 
institutions,  and  he  awakened  the  people  to 
the  importance  of  establishing  common  schools 
and  providing  a fund  for  their  maintenance. 
During  his  term  of  office  he  raised  five  reg- 
iments of  infantry  that  represented  the  state 
in  the  war  wfth  Mexico.  The  legislature  of 
1849  elected  Gov.  Whitcomb  to  the  senate  of 
the  United  States,  for  which  high  position  he 
was  well  qualified  by  talent,  by  education  and 
by  experience.  Owing  to  feeble  health  he 
was  unable  to  discharge  his  senatorial  duties 
as  he  wished,  and  he  died  from  a painful  dis- 
ease when  he  had  served  little  more  than  half 
the  term.  In  1843  he  wrote  a pamphlet 
entitled,  “Facts  for  the  People,”  the  most 
effective  treatise  against  protective  tariff  ever 
known.  As  a lawyer,  Mr.  Whitcomb  ranked 
among  the  ablest  in  the  country,  and  as  gov- 
ernor will  always  be  remembered  as  one  of  the 
ablest  of  the  distinguished  men  who  have 
occupied  that  position.  Gov.  Whitcomb  was 
compactly  and  strongly  built;  he  was  some- 


what above  the  average  size  of  man;  he  had  a 
dark  complexion  and  black  hair.  His  features 
were  good  and  expressive,  and  his  manners  the 
most  elegant.  He  was  a talented  and  an 
honest  man,  and  when  the  roll  of  Indiana’s 
great  men  is  made  up,  among  the  first  in  the 
list  will  be  the  name  of  Whitcomb. 


ARIS  C.  DUNNING  was  born  in  Guil- 
ford county,  N.  C. , in  March,  1806, 
but  emigrated  to  Indiana  with  his 
mother  and  elder  brother,  and  located 
at  Bloomington  in  1823.  He  studied  law  and 
was  admitted  to  practice  about  1830.  In  1833 
he  was  elected  to  represent  Monroe  county  in 
the  state  legislature,  and  was  three  times 
re-elected.  In  1836  he  was  elected  to  the 
state  senate  from  Monroe  and  Brown  counties, 
and  remained  there  until  1840,  when  he  vol- 
untarily retired.  He  was  chosen  as  a demo- 
cratic presidential  elector  in  1844,  and  during 
the  campaign  exhibited  extraordinary  energy 
and  ability  as  a public  speaker.  In  1 846  he 
was  elected  lieutenant  governor  on  the  demo- 
cratic ticket,  and  when  Gov.  Whitcomb  was 
elected  to  the  United  States  senate,  Mr.  Dun- 
ning succeeded  him  as  governor.  After  his 
retirement  in  1850,  he  practiced  his  profession 
for  many  years,  having  meantime  declined  a 
nomination  for  congress.  In  i860  he  was  a 
delegate  to  the  Charleston  and  Baltimore 
national  conventions,  where  he  distinguished 
himself  as  an  earhest  advocate  of  Stephen  A. 
Douglas,  and  subsequently  worked  assiduously 
for  that  statesman’s  election  to  the  presidency. 
At  the  breaking  out  of  the  rebellion  in  1861, 
Mr.  Dunning  identified  himself  with  the  Union 
cause,  and  throughout  the  war  rendered  val- 
iant aid  to  the  country.  In  1861  he  was 
elected  to  the  state  senate  without  distinction 
of  party.  Subsequently  he  was  elected  twice 
as  president  of  the  senate.  Goveror  Dunning 


134 


GOVERNORS  OF  INDIANA 


was  twice  married,  first  to  Miss  Sarah  Alex- 
ander, and  the  second  time  to  Mrs.  Ellen  D. 
Ashford.  Ex-Gov.  Dunning  takes  high  rank 
as  one  of  the  self-made  men  of  Indiana,  and 
he  filled  the  many  positions  of  honor  and  trust 
conferred  upon  him  with  great  credit  to  him- 
self and  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  the  cit- 
izens of  Indiana. 


OSEPH  A.  WRIGHT,  for  seven  years 
governor  of  Indiana,  was  born  in  Wash- 
ington, Pa,  April  17,  1810.  In  1819 
his  family  moved  to  Bloomington, 
Ind.,  where  he  and  his  two  brothers  assisted 
their  father  at  work  in  a brickyard,  and  in  the 
brick  business  generally.  In  1822  his  father- 
died  and  he,  then  fourteen  years  of  age,  hav- 
ing but  little  if  any  aid  from  others,  was  left 
entirely  upon  his  own  resources.  He  attended 
school,  and  college  about  two  years,  and  while 
at  college  was  janitor,  rang  the  bell  and  took 
care  of  the  buildings.  It  is  said  that  what 
little  pocket  money  he  had  was  made  by  gath- 
ering walnuts  and  hickory  nuts  in  the  fall  and 
selling  them  to  students  in  the  winter.  He 
subsequently  studied  law  with  Craven  P.  Hes- 
ter, of  Bloomington,  and  began  the  practice  of 
his  profession,  in  1829,  at  Rockville,  Park 
county,  where  he  met  with  good  success  from 
the  start.  In  1833  he  was  elected  to  the  state 
legislature,  and  in  1840,  the  year  of  the  Har- 
rison political  tornado,  was  chosen  a member 
of  the  state  senate.  He  was  also  elected  dis- 
trict attorney  for  two  terms  in  1836  and  1837, 
and  later  was  appointed  by  President  Polk 
United  States  commissioner  to  Texas.  In 
1 843  he  was  elected  to  congress  from  the 
Seventh  district,  over  Edward  McGaughey,  by 
three  majority,  and  served  until  Polk  was  in- 
augurated, March  4,  1845.  1849  he  was 

elected  governor  of  Indiana,  under  the  old 
constitution,  and  in  1852  was  re-elected  by 


over  20,000  majority,  and  served  until  1857. 
In  the  summer  of  the  latter  year  he  was 
appointed  minister  to  Prussia,  by  James 
Buchanan,  and  as  such  served  until  1861.  In 
1862  he  was  appointed  by  Gov.  Morton  United 
States  senator,  and  sat  in  the  senate  until  the 
next  January.  *He  was  appointed  commis- 
sioner to  the  Hamburg  exposition  in  1863, 
and  in  1865  went  again  to  Prussia  as  United 
States  minister,  and  remained  there  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  at  Berlin  March  ii, 
1 867.  Gov.  Wright  will  be  best  remembered 
as  governor  of  Indiana,  his  services  in  the 
general  assembly,  aenate  and  congress  being 
too  brief  for  him  to  make  much  impression  in 
any  of  those  bodies. 

As  governor,  he  was  an  important  factor 
in  shaping  legislation  and  molding  public 
opinion.  He  was  an  orthodox  democrat  of 
the  straightest  sect,  stood  high  in  the  councils 
of  his  party,  and  contested  with  Jesse  D. 
Bright  for  the  leadership,  but  without  success. 
He  was  strong  with  the  people  but  weak  with 
the  leaders.  In  personal  appearance  Gov. 
Wright  was  tall  and  raw-boned.  He  had  a 
large  head  and  an  unusually  high  forehead. 
His  hair  was  light  and  thin  his  eyes  blue,  and 
his  nose  and  mouth  large  and  prominent.  He 
was  an  effective  speaker,  mainly  on  account 
of  his  earnestness  and  simplicity.  While  not 
the  greatest  man  in  the  state,  he  was  one  of 
the  most  influential;  and  to  his  honor  be  it 
said,  his  influence  was  exercised  for  the  public 
good.  Economy  and  honesty  in  public  life, 
and  morality  and  religion  in  private  station, 
had  in  him  an  advocate  and  an  examplar. 


HSHBEL  parsons  WIELARD  was 
born  October  31,  1820,  at  Vernon, 
Oneida  county,  N.  Y, , the  son  of 
Col.  Erastus  Willard,  at  one  time 
sheriff  of  Onedia  county.  He  pursued  his  pre- 


AND  REPRESENTATIVE  MEN. 


135 


paratory  studies  in  the  Oneida  Liberal  insti- 
tute, and  when  eighteen  years  of  age  entered 
Hamilton  college  in  the  class  of  1842.  After 
graduating  from  that  institution  he  studied 
law  for  some  time  with  Judge  Baker,  of  his 
uative  county,  and  later  emigrated  to  Michi- 
gan, locating  in  the  town  of  Marshall,  where 
he  remained  for  over  a year.  He  then  made 
a trip  to  Texas  on  horseback,  and  on  his 
return  stopped  at  Carrollton,  Ky.,  and  there 
taught  school.  After  this  he  taught  for  some 
time  at  Louisville,  but  subsequently  left  the 
school  room  for  the  political  arena.  In  the 
contest  for  the  presidency  in  1844,  between 
Clay  and  Polk,  young  Willard  began  stumping 
for  the  latter,  and  during  the  campaign  made 
a speech  in  New  Albany,  Ind.,  which  made 
such  a favorable  impression  that  many  of  the 
first  men  of  the  town  solicited  him  to  come 
and  settle  among  them.  He  soon  afterward 
located  in  New  Albany  which  place  remained 
his  home  nntil  his  death.  He  at  once  opened 
a law  office,  but  was  compelled  to  encounter  a 
very  able  bar,  in  consequence  of  which  his 
practice  for  some  time  was  by  no  means  lucra- 
tive. The  first  office  he  held  was  that  of  com- 
mon councilman.  He  took  pride  in  the  place 
and  won  the  good  opinion  of  the  people  irre- 
spective of  party.  In  1850  he  was  elected  to 
the  state  legislature,  and  from  that  time  until 
his  death  he  occupied  a conspicuous  place  in 
the  public  mind.  Such  was  his  career  in  the 
legislature  that  when  the  democratic  conven- 
tion of  1852  convened  the  delegates  were  met 
by  an  overwhelming  public  sentiment  demand- 
ing the  nomination  of  Willard  for  lieutenant 
governor.  The  demand  was  recognized  and 
the  nomination  made.  He  filled  this  office 
until  1856,  when  he  was  elected  governor, 
after  a very  bitter  and  exciting  political  con- 
test. In  the  summer  of  i860  his  health  gave 
way,  and  he  went  to  Minnesota  in  quest  of 
health,  which  he  did  not  find,  but  died  there 


on  October  4th  of  that  year.  Gov.  Willard 
was  the  first  governor  of  Indiana  to  die  in 
office.  The  people,  without  respect  to  party, 
paid  homage  to  his  remains,  and  a general 
feeling  of  the  most  profound  sorrow  was  felt 
at  his  untimely  taking  off.  “In  person  Gov. 
Willard  was  very  preposessing.  His  head  and 
face  were  cast  in  finest  molds,  his  eyes  were 
blue,  his  hair  auburn,  and  his  complexion 
florid.  A more  magnetic  and  attractive  man 
could  nowhere  be  found,  and  had  he  lived  to 
the  allotted  age  of  mankind  he  must  have 
reached  still  higher  honors.” 


HBRAM  ADAMS  HAMMOND,  who 
succeeded  to  the  governorship  on  the 
death  of  A.  P.  Willard,  by  virtue  of 
his  office  of  lieutenant  governor,  was 
a native  of  Vermont,  born  in  the  town  of 
Brattleboro,  March  21,  1814.  He  came  to 
Indiana  when  six  years  of  age,  and  was  raised 
near  Brookville,  where  he  began  the  study  of 
law  in  the  office  of  John  Ryman,  a lawyer  of 
note  in  that  town.  He  was'admittedto  the  bar 
in  1835,  moved  to  Columbus,  Bartholomew 
county,  in  1840,  where  he  was  afterward 
chosen  prosecuting  attorney,  an  office  which 
he  filled  with  more  than  ordinary  ability.  In 
1846  he  became  a resident  of  Indianapolis, 
and  the  following  year  removed  to  Cincinnati, 
Ohio.  He  returned  to  Indianapolis  in  1849, 
and  in  1850  was  chosen  first  judge  of  the  com- 
mon pleas  court  of  Marion  county.  In  1852 
he  emigrated  to  California,  and  for  some  time 
practiced  his  profession  in  San  Francisco. 
He  soon  returned  to  his  adopted  state,  loca- 
ting in  Terre  Haute,  where  he  resided  until 
his  election  as  lieutenant  governor  in  1852. 
He  made  a most  excellent  presiding  officer  of 
the  senate,  his  rulings  being  so  fair  and  his 
decisions  so  just  that  even  his  political  oppo- 


im 


GOVERNORS  OF  INDIANA 


nents  bestowed  encomiums  upon  him.  On 
the  death  of  Gov.  Willard,  in  i860,  Mr.  Ham- 
mond became  governor,  and  as  such  served 
with  dignity  until  the  inauguration  of  Gov. 
Lane,  in  January,  1861.  Gov.  A.  A.  Hammond 
was  not  a showy  man,  but  he  was  an  able 
one.  He  possessed  an  analytic  and  logical 
mind,  and  was  remarkably  clear  in  stating  his 
positions  when  drawing  conclusions.  When 
in  his  prime  he  was  a fine  specimen  of  physi- 
cal manhood.  He  was  of  medium  height, 
compactly  built,  and  of  dark  complexion. 
His  head  was  large  and  well  shaped,  while  the 
expression  of  his  countenance  was  mild  and 
gentle.  Frank  in  manners,  honorable  in  his 
dealings,  and  dignified  in  his  deportment,  he 
commanded  the  esteem  of  all  with  whom  he 
came  in  contact. 


aONRAD  BAKER,  governor  of  Indiana 
from  1 867  to  1873,  was  born  in 
Franklin  county,  Penn.,  February  12, 
1817.  He  was  educated  at  the  Penn- 
sylvania college,  Gettysburg,  and  read  law  at 
the  office  of  Stevens  & Smyser,  and  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  the  spring  of  1839,  ^.t 
Gettysburg,  where  he  had  a lucrative  practice 
for  two  years.  He  came  to  Indiana  in  1841, 
and  settled  at  Evansville,  where  he  practiced 
his  profession  until  after  the  commencement 
of  the  rebellion.  He  was  elected  to  the  lower 
house  of  the  general  assembly  of  Indiana  in 
1845,  served  one  session,  elected  judge  of 
the  district  composed  of  the  counties  of  Van- 
derburg  and  Warrick,  in  1852,  in  which  capac- 
ity he  served  about  one  year,  when  he  re- 
signed. In  1856  he  was  nominated  for 
lieutenant  governor  by  the  republican  party 
without  his  knowledge,  on  the  ticket  with 
Oliver  P.  Morton.  They  were  defeated  by 
Willard  and  Hammond.  In  1861  Mr.  Baker 


was  commissioned  colonel  of  the  First  cavalry 
regiment  of  Indiana  volunteers,  which  he  or- 
ganized, and  with  which  he  served  until  Sep- 
tember, 1864,  in  which  year  he  was  elected 
lieutenant  governor.  In  1865  Gov.  Morton 
convened  the  general  assembly  in  special  ses- 
sion, and  immediately  after  delivering  his 
message,  started  for  Europe  in  quest  of  health, 
leaving  Col.  Baker  in  charge  of  the  executive 
department  of  the  state  government.  Gov. 
Morton  was  absent  five  months,  during  which 
time  the  duties  of  the  executive  office  were 
performed  by  Lieut.  Gov.  Baker.  In  Febru- 
ary, 1867,  Gov,  Morton  was  elected  to  the 
senate  of  the  United  States,  in  consequence  of 
which  the  duties  of  governor  devolved  upon 
Mr.  Baker.  He  was  unanimously  nominated 
by  the  republican  convention  of  1868,  for 
governor,  and  was  elected  over  Thomas  A. 
Hendricks,  by  a majority  of  961  votes.  He 
served  as  governor  with  ability  and  dignity, 
until  the  inauguration  of  Mr.  Hendricks  in 
1873,  since  which  time  he  has  been  engaged 
in  the  practice  of  law  in  Indianapolis,  being  a 
member  of  one  of  the  strongest  and  most 
widely  known  firms  in  the  state. 


OLIVER  PERRY  MORTON,  Indiana’s 
great  war  governor  and  United  States 
senator,  was  born  in  Saulsbury, 
Wayne  county,  Ind.,  August  4,  1823. 
The  family  name  was  originally  Throckmorton, 
and  was  so  written  by  the  grandfather,  who 
emigrated  from  England  about  the  beginning 
of  the  Revolutionary  war  and  settled  in  New 
Jersey.  Gov.  Morton’s  father  was  James  T. 
Morton,  a native  of  New  Jersey,  who  moved 
in  an  early  day  to  Wayne  county,  Ind.,  where 
he  married  the  mother  of  Oliver  P. , whose 
maiden  name  was  Sarah  Miller.  Of  the  early 
life  of  Gov.  Morton  but  little  is  known. 
When  a boy  he  attended  the  academy  of  Prof. 


AND  REPRESENTATIVE  MEN. 


137 


Hoshour,  at  Centerville,  but  owing  to  the 
poverty  of  the  family,  he  was  taken  from 
school,  and  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  with  an  older 
brother,  began  learning  the  hatter’s  trade. 
After  working  at  his  trade  a few  years,  he  de- 
termined to  fit  himself  for  the  legal  profession, 
and  with  this  object  in  view  he  entered  the 
Miami  university  in  1843,  where  he  pursued 
his  studies  vigorously  for  a period  of  two 
years.  While  in  college  he  earned  the  repu- 
tation of  being  the  best  debater  in  the  institu- 
tion, and  it  was  here  that  he  developed  those 
powers  of  ready  analysis  and  argument  which 
made  him  so  celebrated  in  after  life.  He  be- 
gan his  professional  reading  in  the  office  of 
Judge  Newman,  of  Centerville,  and  after  his 
admission  to  the  bar  was  not  long  in  rising  to 
an  eminent  place  among  the  successful  law- 
yers of  Indiana.  In  1852  he  was  elected  cir- 
cuit judge,  but  resigned  at  the  end  of  one 
year  and  afterward  increased  his  knowledge 
of  the  profession  by  an  attendance  at  a Cin- 
cinnati law  school.  On  resuming  the  prac- 
tice the  number  of  his  friends  and  legal  cases 
rapidly  increased,  and  his  reputation  soon  ex- 
tended beyond  the  limits  of  his  own  state.  As 
a lawyer  he  possessed  the  faculty  of  selecting 
the  salient  points  of  a case  and  getting  at  the 
heart  of  a legal  question.  His  mind  was 
massive  and  logical,  and  he  could  apply  great 
principles  to  given  cases,  discard  non-essen- 
tials and  reach  decisive  points.  Mr.  Morton’s 
political  career  was  of  such  a brilliant  char- 
acter that  his  great  achievements  in  the  arena 
of  statesmanship,  his  wonderful  power  as  an 
organizer,  won  for  him  a recognition  from  the 
strongest  opponents,  and  faith  in  his  powers, 
and  the  lasting  fealty  and  admiration  of  thous- 
ands of  friends  until  he  reached  the  highest 
point  among  the  great  American  statesmen. 

Up  to  his  thirty-first  year,  Mr.  Morton 
was  a democrat.  The  county  in  which  he 
lived  was  largely  whig,  thus  virtually  preclud- 


ing him  from  holding  elective  offices.  He 
was  opposed  to  the  extension  of  slavery,  how- 
ever, and  upon  the  organization  of  the  repub- 
lican party  he  entered  the  movement,  and  in 
1856  was  one  of  the  three  delegates  from 
Indiana  to  the  Pittsburgh  convention. 

His  prominence  was  such  that  in  1856  he 
was  unanimously  nominated  by  the  new  party 
for  governor  of  Indiana,  against  Ashbel  P.  Wil- 
lard, an  able  and  brilliant  speaker,  the  superior 
of  Mr.  Morton  as  an  orator,  but  his  inferior  as 
a logician  and  debater.  These  two  distin- 
guished men  canvassed  the  state  together,  and 
drew  immense  crowds.  The  speeches  of  Wil- 
lard were  florid,  eloquent  and  spirit-stirring, 
while  Mr.  Morton’s  style  was  earnest,  convinc- 
ing and  forcible.  He  never  appealed  to  men's 
passions,  but  always  to  their  intellect  and  rea- 
son, and  whether  in  attack  or  defense,  proved 
himself  a ready,  powerful  debater.  Although 
beaten  at  the  polls,  he  came  out  of  the  contest 
with  his  popularity  increased,  and  with  the 
reputation  of  being  one  of  the  ablest  public 
men  in  the  state.  In  i860  he  was  nominated 
for  lieutenant  governor  on  the  ticket  with  Hon. 
Henry  S.  Lane,  with  the  understanding  that  if 
successful  he  should  go  to  the  senate,  and  Mr. 
Morton  become  governor.  He  made  a vigor- 
ous canvass,  and  the  result  of  the  election  was 
a republican  success,  which  placed  Mr.  Lane 
in  the  senate  and  Mr.  Morton  in  the  guberna- 
torial chair.  From  the  day  of  his  inauguration 
Mr.  Morton  gave  evidence  of  possessing  extra- 
ordinary executive  ability.  It  was  while  filling 
this  term  as  governor  that  he  did  his  best  pub- 
lic work  and  created  for  himself  a fame  as 
lasting  as  that  of  his  state.  A great  civil  war 
was  breaking  out  when  he  became  governor, 
and  few  so  well  comprehended  what  would  be 
its  magnitude  as  he.  He  was  one  of  the  first 
to  forsee  the  coming  storm  of  battle  and  most 
active  in  his  preparations  to  meet  it.  Perceiv- 
ing the  danger  of  a dilatory  policy,  he  visited 


138 


GOVERNORS  OF  INDIANA 


Washington  soon  after  the  inauguration  of 
Pi'esident  Lincoln,  to  advise  vigorous  action 
and  to  give  assurance  of  Indiana’s  support  to 
such  a policy.  He  commenced  preparing  for 
the  forthcoming  conflict,  and  when  Sumter 
was  fired  on,  April  12,  1861,  he  was  neither 
surprised  nor  appalled.  Three  days  after  the 
attack.  President  Lincoln  called  for  75,000 
men  to  put  down  the  rebellion,  and  the  same 
day  Gov.  Morton  sent  him  the  following 
telegram  : 

“ Indi.\napoijs,  April  15,  1801. 

“ To  Abraham  Lincoln,  President  of  the  United 
State.s  : On  behalf  of  the  state  of  Indiana,  I tender 

3’on,  for  the  defense  of  the  nation,  and  to  uphold  the 
authority  of  the  g-overnnient,  10,000  men. 

“ Oi.ivER  P.  Morton, 

“ Governor  of  Indiana.” 

In  seven  days  from  the  date  of  this  offer 
over  three  times  the  number  of  men  required 
to  fill  Indiana’s  quota  of  the  president’s  call 
offered  their  services  to  the  country.  Never 
in  the  world’s  history  did  the  people  of  a state 
respond  more  cheerfully  and  more  enthusias- 
tically to  the  call  of  duty,  than  did  the  people 
of  Indiana  in  1861.  This  record  of  the  state, 
which  Mr.  Morton  was  instrumental  in  plan- 
ning, reflects  imperishable  honor  on  his  name, 
and  from  that  time  forth  he  was  known  through- 
out the  nation  as  the  “Great  War  Governor.” 
During  the  entire  period  of  the  war  he  per- 
formed an  incredible  amount  of  labor,  coun- 
seling the  president,  encouraging  the  people, 
organizing  regiments,  hurrying  troops  to  the 
field,  forwarding  stores,  and  inspiring  all  with 
the  enthusiasm  of  his  own  earnestness.  His 
labors  for  the  relief  of  the  soldiers  and  their 
dependent  and  needy  families  were  held  up  as 
matters  of  emulation  by  the  governors  of  other 
states,  and  the  result  of  his  efforts  seconded  by 
the  people  was  that  during  the  war  over 
$600,000  of  moneys  and  supplies  were  col- 
lected and  conveyed  to  Indiana  soldiers  in 
camp,  field,  hospital  and  prison.  The  limits 


of  a sketch  like  this  forbid  a detailed  account 
of  Gov.  Morton’s  public  acts.  He  displayed 
extraordinary  industry  and  ability,  and  in  his 
efforts  in  behalf  of  the  soldier  justly  earned 
the  title  of  “The  Soldiers’  Friend.”  The 
legislature  of  1862  was  not  in  accord  with  the 
political  views  of  Gov.  Morton,  and  it  refused 
to  receive  his  message,  and  in  other  ways 
treated  him  with  want  of  consideration  and 
respect.  It  was  on  the  point  of  taking  from 
him  the  command  of  the  militia,  when  the 
republican  members  withdrew,  leaving  both 
houses  without  a quorum.  In  order  to  carry 
on  the  state  government  and  pay  the  state 
bonds  he  obtained  advances  from  banks  and 
and  county  boards,  and  appointed  a bureau 
of  finance,  which  for  two  years  made  all  dis- 
bursements of  the  state,  amounting  to  more 
than  $ 1 , 000, 000.  During  this  period  he  refused 
to  summon  the  legislature,  and  the  supreme 
court  condemned  his  arbitrary  course,  but  the 
people  subsequently  applauded  his  action.  By 
assuming  great  responsibilities  he  kept  the  ma- 
chinery of  the  state  in  motion  and  preserved 
the  financial  credit  of  the  commonwealth  by 
securing  advances  through  an  eastern  banking 
house  to  pay  the  interest  on  the  public  debt. 
In  1864  he  was  again  nominated  lor  governor 
against  Hon.  Joseph  E.  McDonald,  whom  he 
defeated  by  an  overwhelming  majority.  These 
two  distinguished  men  made  a joint  canvass 
of  the  state,  and  passed  through  it  with  the 
utmost  good  feeling. 

In  1865  Gov.  Morton  received  a partial 
paralytic  stroke,  affecting  the  lower  part  of 
the  body,  so  that  he  never  walked  afterward 
without  the  use  of  canes.  His  mind,  how- 
ever, was  in  no  wise  affected  by  the  shock, 
but  continued  to  grow  stronger  while  he  lived. 
In  January,  1867,  he  was  elected  to  the  United 
States  senate,  and  immediately  thereafter  re- 
signed the  governorship  to  Conrad  Baker,  who 
served  the  remainder  of  the  gubernatorial 


AND  REPRESENTATIVE  MEN. 


189 


term.  In  1873  he  was  re-elected  to  the  senate 
and  continued  a leading  member  of  that  body 
while  he  lived.  In  the  senate  he  ranked 
among  the  ablest  members,  was  chairman  of 
the  committee  on  privileges  and  elections, 
was  the  acknowledged  leader  of  the  republi- 
cans, and  for  several  years  exercised  a deter- 
mining influence  over  the  course  of  the  party. 
He  labored  zealously  to  secure  the  passage  of 
the  fifteenth  amendment,  was  active  in  the 
impeachment  proceedings  against  Andrew 
Johnson,  and  was  the  trusted  adviser  of  the 
republicans  of  the  south.  In  the  national 
republican  convention  of  1876  he  received 
next  to  the  highest  number  of  ballots  for  the 
presidential  nomination,  and  in  1877  was  a 
member  of  the  celebrated  electoral  commis- 
sion. In  1870  President  Grant  offered  Sen- 
ator Morton  the  English  mission,  which  was 
declined.  After  visiting  Oregon  in  the  spring 
of  1877,  as  chairman  of  a committee  to  inves- 
tigate the  election  of  Senator  Grover,  of  that 
state,  he  suffered  another  stroke  of  paralysis, 
which  terminated  in  his  death,  November  ist, 
of  the  same  year.  The  death  of  no  man,  with 
the  exception  of  President  Lincoln,  ever  cre- 
ated so  much  grief  in  Indiana  as  did  that  of 
Senator  Morton,  and  he  was  mourned  almost 
as  much  throughout  the  entire  nation.  On 
the  17th  of  the  next  January,  Mr.  McDonald 
offered  in  the  senate  a series  of  resolutions  in 
relation  to  Senator  Morton’s  death,  which  were 
unanimously  adopted.  In  speaking  on  these 
resolutions,  Mr.  McDonald  said:  “Naturally 

combative  and  aggressive,  intensely  in  earnest 
in  his  undertakings,  and  intolerant  in  regard 
to  those  who  differed  with  him,  it  is  not 
strange  that  while  he  held  together  his  friends 
and  followers  with  hooks  of  steel,  he  caused 
many,  whose  patriotism  and  love  of  country 
were  as  sincere  and  unquestioned  as  his  own, 
to  place  themseles  in  political  hostility  to  him. 
That  Oliver  P.  Morton  was  a great  man  is 


conceded  by  all.  In  regard  to  his  qualities  as 
a statesman,  men  do  differ  now  and  always 
will.  But  that  he  was  a great  partisan  leader 
— the  greatest  of  his  day  and  generation — will 
hardly  be  questioned,  and  his  place  in  that 
particular  held  will  not,  perhaps,  be  soon  sup- 
plied.” Senator  Burnside  said:  “ Morton  was 

a great  man.  His  judgment  was  good,  his 
power  of  research  was  great,  his  integrity  was 
high,  his  patriotism  was  lofty,  his  love  of 
family  and  friends  unlimited;  his  courage 
indomitable.”  The  following  is  from  Senator 
Edmonds:  “ He  was  a man  of  strong  passions 

and  great  talents,  and  as  a consequence  a 
devoted  partisan.  In  the  field  in  which  his 
patriotism  was  exerted  it  may  be  said  of  him, 
as  it  was  of  the  Knights  of  St.  John,  in  the 
holy  wars,  ‘ In  the  fore  front  of  every  battle 
was  seen  his  burnished  mail  and  in  the  gloomy 
rear  of  every  retreat  was  heard  his  voice  of 
constancy  and  courage.’”  The  closing  speech 
upon  the  adoption  of  the  resolutions  was  made 
by  his  successor,  D.  W.  Voorhees,  who  used 
the  following:  “ Senator  Morton  was  without 

doubt  a very  remarkable  man.  His  force  of 
character  cannot  be  over  estimated  His  will 
power  was  simply  tremendous.  He  threw 
himself  into  all  his  undertakings  with  that 
fixedness  of  purpose  and  disregard  of  obstacles 
which  are  always  the  best  guarantees  of 
success.  This  was  true  of  him  whether  en- 
gaged in  a lawsuit,  organizing  troops  during 
the  war,  conducting  a political  campaign,  or  a 
debate  in  the  senate.  The  same  daring, 
aggressive  policy  characterized  his  conduct 
everywhere.  ” 


ENRY  SMITH  LANE,  for  two  days 
governor  of  Indiana,  was  born  Eeb- 
ruary  24,  1 8 1 1 , in  Montgomery  county, 
Ky.  He  secured  a good  practical 
education,  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  com- 


140 


GOVERNORS  OF  INDIANA 


menced  the  study  of  law.  Soon  after  attain- 
ing his  majority  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar, 
and  in  1835  came  to  Indiana  and  located  at 
Crawfordsville,  where  he  soon  obtained  a good 
legal  ju'actice.  His  winning  manners  made 
him  very  popular  with  the  people,  and  in  1837 
he  was  elected  to  represent  Montgomery  county 
in  the  state  legislature.  In  1840  he  was  a 
candidate  for  congress  against  Edward  A.  Han- 
negan,  whom  he  defeated  by  1,500  votes.  He 
was  re-elected  the  next  year  over  John  Bryce, 
and  as  a national  representative  ranked  with 
the  ablest  of  his  colleagues.  He  took  an 
active  part  in  the  presidential  campaign  of 
I 8.44,  and  made  a brilliant  canvass  throughout 
Indiana  for  his  favorite  candidate,  Henry  Clay. 
On  the  breaking  out  of  the  Mexican  war,  Mr. 
Lane  at  once  organized  a company,  was 
chosen  captain,  and  later  became  a major  and 
lieutenant  colonel  of  the  regiment,  and  fol- 
lowed its  fortunes  until  mustered  out  of  the 
service. 

In  1858,  Col.  Lane  was  elected  to  the 
United  States  senate,  but,  owing  to  opposition 
on  the  part  of  democratic  senators,  he  did  not 
take  his  seat.  February  27,  i860,  he  was 

nominated  by  acclamation  for  governor,  and 
was  elected  over  Hon.  Thomas  A.  Hendricks 
by  a majority  of  about  10,000  votes.  Two 
days  after  the  delivery  of  his  first  message. 
Gov.  Lane  was  elected  to  the  senate  of  the 
United  States.  He  at  once  resigned  the  gov- 
ernorship, the  shortest  term  in  that  office  on 
record  in  Indiana.  In  the  senate,  Mr.  Lane 
did  not  attain  any  great  distinction,  as  it  was 
not  the  place  for  the  exercise  of  his  pecular 
talents  as  an  orator,  which  were  better  suited 
to  the  hustings  than  to  a dignified  legislative 
body.  When  Col.  Lane’s  senatorial  term  ex- 
pired, he  returned  to  his  home  in  Crawfords- 
ville, and  never  afterward  held  public  office 
except  the  appointment  of  Indian  commis- 
sioner, by  President  Grant.  He  was  chosen 


president  of  the  first  national  convention  that 
assembled  in  1856,  and  nominated  John  C. 
Fremont.  It  is  worthy  of  note  that  every 
nomination  ever  conferred  upon  him  was  by 
acclamation  and  without  opposition  in  his 
party.  In  person.  Col.  Lane  was  tall,  slender 
and  somewhat  stoop  shouldered.  His  face 
was  thin  and  wore  a kindly  expression.  In 
his  later  days,  the  long  beard  he  wore  was 
white  as  snow.  He  moved  quickly,  and  his 
bearing  was  that  of  a cultured  man.  He  de- 
parted this  life  at  his  home  in  Crawfordsville, 
on  the  1 8th  day  of  June,  1881. 


HOMAS  A.  HENDRICKS  was  the 
son  of  Maj.  John  Hendricks,  and  the 
grandson  of  Abraham  Hendricks,  a 
decendant  of  the  Huguenots,  who 
emigrated  to  New  Jersey  and  thence  to  Penn- 
sylvania, prior  to  the  Revolution.  Abraham 
Hendricks  was  a man  of  remarkable  force  of 
character.  He  was  elected  to  the  Pennsyl- 
vania assembly  first  in  1792,  and  served  four 
terms,  the  last  ending  in  1798.  William  Hen- 
dricks, second  governor  of  Indiana,  preceded 
his  brother  John  in  moving  to  this  state  from 
Ohio,  and  had  gained  much  notoriety  as  a tal- 
ented and  public  man  when  Major  John  finally 
concluded  to  risk  his  fortune  in  the  wilds  of 
the  new  west.  John  Hendricks,  prior  to  1829, 
resided  with  his  family  at  Zanesville,  Ohio. 
His  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Jane 
Thompson,  and  a niece,  were  the  only  mem- 
bers of  the  Thompson  family  who  emigrated 
west,  the  others  remaining  in  Pennsylvania 
and  other  eastern  states,  where  some  of  them 
gained  enviable  reputations  in  iaw,  medicine, 
politics  and  ministry.  Shortly  after  their 
marriage  John  Hendricks  and  wife  moved  to 
Muskingum.  Ohio,  where  they  lived  for  some 
time  in  a rude  log  house,  one  story,  one  room. 


AND  REPRESENTATIVE  MEN. 


141 


one  door  and  two  windows,  built  of  round  logs 
and  chinked  and  daubed  after  the  pioneer 
fashion.  In  this  little  domicile  were  born  two 
sons,  Abraham  and  Thomas  A.  The  last 
named,  Thomas  A.,  was  born  September  7, 
1819.,  The  next  year,  1820,  lured  by  the 
brilliant  career  of  William  Hendricks,  hereto- 
fore spoken  of,  Maj.  John  Hendricks,  with  his 
little  family,  removed  to  Madison,  Ind.,  then 
the  metropolis  of  the  state.  Two  years  later 
the  family  removed  to  Shelby  county,  at  that 
time  a wilderness,  and  settled  on  the  present 
site  of  Shelbyville.  Here  the  father  com- 
menced to  erect  a house  and  carve  a career 
for  their  hopeful  son,  then  scarcely  three  years 
of  age.  A dwelling  was  soon  constructed, 
trees  felled,  and  a farm  opened,  and  the 
Hendricks  house  early  became  a favorite  stop- 
ping place  for  all  who  saw  fit  to  accept  its  hos- 
pitalities. The  future  vice  president  received 
his  early  educational  training  in  the  schools  of 
Shelbyville,  and  among  his  first  teachers  was 
the  wife  of  Rev.  Eliphalet  Kent,  a lady  of  ex- 
cellent culture,  line  education,  graceful,  and 
nobly  consecrated  to  the  Master,  to  whom  Mr. 
Hendricks  was  largely  indebted  for  much  of 
his  training  and  success.  Having  completed 
his  course  in  the  common  schools,  he  entered 
Hanover  college  in  1836,  where  he  remained 
for  the  greater  part  of  the  time  until  1841. 
On  leaving  college  he  returned  to  Shelbyville, 
and  commenced  the  study  of  law  in  the  office 
of  Stephen  Major,  then  a young  lawyer  of 
brilliant  attainments  and  considerable  tact  and 
experience.  In  1843  Mr.  Hendricks  went  to 
Chambersburg,  Penn. , where  he  entered  the 
law  school,  in  which  Alexander  was  instructor, 
a man  of  distinguished  ability,  extensive  learn- 
ing, and  much  experience  as  judge  of  the  six- 
teenth judicial  district  of  that  state.  After 
eight  months’  arduous  work  in  this  institution, 
he  returned  to  Shelbyville,  passed  an  exam- 
ination, and  was  the  same  year  admitted  to  the 


bar.  His  first  case  was  before  Squire  Lee, 
his  opponent  being  Nathan  Powell,  a young 
acquaintance,  who  had  opened  up  an  office 
about  the  same  time.  The  case  was  a trivial 
one,  yet  the  young  attorneys  worked  hard  and 
I with  the  vim  of  old  practitioners  for  their  re- 
1 spective  clients.  Mr.  Hendricks  won,  and 
I after  complimenting  MP  Powell  upon  his  ef- 
; fort,  he  gracefully  served  the  apples  which  had 
! been  generously  furnished  by  an  enthusiastic 
! spectator.  Thus  started  the  young  advocate 
I who  was  destined  to  become  one  of  the  na- 
! tion's  greatest  and  most  beloved  statesmen. 
In  1843,  he  formed  the  acquaintance  of  Miss 
Eliza  Morgan,  who  was  the  daughter  of  a 
widow,  living  at  North  Bend,  and  two  years 
later,  September  26.  1845,  the  two  were 

united  in  the  bonds  of  wedlock, 
j So  soon  as  Mr.  Hendricks  emerged  from 
! boyhood,  his  success  as  a lawyer  and  public 
I man  was  assured.  Having  established  an 
I office  in  Shelbyville,  he  gained  in  a short  time 
I a fair  competence,  and  soon  became  one  of 
the  leading  attorneys  of  the  place.  As  an 
advocate  he  had  few  equals,  and  as  a safe 
counselor  none  surpassed  him  at  the  Shelby 
county  bar.  In  the  year  1848  Mr.  Hendricks 
was  nominated  for  the  lower  house  of  the  gen- 
eral assembly,  was  elected  after  a brilliant 
canvass,  and  served  his  term  with  marked  dis- 
tinction. In  1850  he  was  chosen  a delegate 
to  the  state  constitutional  convention,  in  the 
deliberations  of  which  he  took  an  active  part, 
having  served  on  two  very  important  commit- 
tees, and  won  distinction  by  a brilliant  speech 
upon  the  resolution  relative  to  the  abolition  of 
the  grand  jury  system.  The  following  year 
was  the  beginning  of  Mr.  Hendricks’  career  in 
national  politics.  He  was  nominated  for  con- 
gress at  Indianapolis,  May  16,  1851,  over 

several  other  candidates,  made  a vigorous 
canvass,  and  was  elected  by  a decided  majority 
over  Col.  James  P.  Rush,  the  whig  candidate. 


142 


GOVERNORS  OF  INDIANA 


In  congress  he  progressed  with  signal  ability, 
and  was  called  to  act  on  some  of  the  most 
important  committees,  and  soon  won  a national 
reputation.  Scarce  had  congress  adjourned 
when  he  was  required  to  make  another  cam- 
paign, for  the  constitution  had  transferred  the 
congressional  elections  to  even  years,  and  the 
month  to  October.  The  whig  candidate,  John 
H.  Bradley,  of  Indianapolis,  was  a brilliant 
man  and  a public  speaker  of  rare  attainments, 
whom  Mr.  Hendricks  defeated  by  a largely 
increased  majority.  In  1854,  when  the  north- 
ern whigs  were  in  a chaotic  condition,  pro- 
slavery, anti-slavery,  free-soilers,  abolitionists, 
know-nothings  and  democrats  commingling  in 
a storm  of  confusion  a “fusion"  state  and 
congressional  ticket  was  formed  for  the  oc- 
casion. Opposed  to  Mr.  Hendricks  was  Lucian 
Barbour,  a talented  lawyer  of  Indianapolis, 
who  exerted  himself  to  combine  all  the  oppo- 
nents of  democracy.  Mr.  Hendricks  made  a 
vigorous  and  manly  contest,  but  was  defeated, 
after  which  he  retired  to  his  profession  and  his 
home  at  Shelby ville.  In  1855  he  was  ap- 
pointed by  President  Pierce  general  land  com- 
missioner, in  which  capacity  he  served  nearly 
four  years,  and  i860  was  nominated  for  gov- 
ernor of  Indiana  against  Henry  S.  Lane. 
After  a brilliant  and  able  canvass,  during 
which  the  two  competitors  spoke  together  in 
nearly  every  county  of  the  state,  defeat  again 
came  to  Mr.  Hendricks.  In  the  same  year  he 
moved  to  Indianapolis,  where  he  lived  until 
his  death.  In  January,  1863,  he  was  elected 
to  the  United  States  senate,  which  position 
he  held  for  six  years.  In  1872  he  was  again 
nominated  for  governor,  his  opponent  being 
Gen.  Thomas  Brown,  a man  of  ability  and 
enviable  reputation.  This  campaign  was 
peculiar  in  one  particular.  The  republicans 
had  infused  the  crusaders  with  the  idea  that 
they  were  the  salvation  of  their  cause,  while 
the  democracy  opposed  all  sumptuary  laws. 


Yet  Mr.  Hendricks  went  before  the  people  as 
a temperance  man — opposed  to  prohibition, 
but  willing  to  sign  any  constitutional  legisla- 
tion looking  toward  the  amelioration  of  crime 
and  the  advancement  of  temperance.  He  was 
elected  and  kept  his  pledges  to  the  letter.  He 
always  kept  his  pledges  inviolate,  and  ever 
remained  true  to  his  friends.  He  had  a high 
sense  of  duty,  and  a spirit  of  philanthropy 
pervaded  his  whole  nature.  In  1876  he  was 
nominated  for  the  vice  presidency  on  the  dem- 
ocratic ticket  with  Samuel  J.  Tilden,  of  New 
York,  and  of  this  election  it  was  claimed  they 
were  flagrantly  defrauded  by  returning  boards 
and  the  electoral  commission.  In  1880  the 
name  of  Thomas  A.  Hendricks  was  placed  in 
nomination  for  the  presidency  at  Cincinnati, 
by  Indiana,  and  his  nomination  was  strongly 
urged  in  the  convention.  In  1884  he  was  a 
delegate  to  the  Chicago  convention,  and  as 
chairman  of  the  Indiana  delegation  presented 
in  htting  terms  and  masterly  manner  the  name 
of  Joseph  E.  McDonald  for  the  presidency. 
After  the  latter  had  positively  refused  to 
accept  the  second  place  on  the  ticket,  Mr. 
Hendricks  was  unanimously  chosen,  and  the 
successful  ticket  for  1884,  the  first  in  twenty- 
five  years,  became  Grover  Cleveland  and 
Thomas  A.  Hendricks.  But  few  greater  calam- 
ities ever  befell  the  people  than  the  death  of 
Vice  President  Hendricks,  which  occurred  on 
the  25th  day  of  November,  1885,  at  his  home 
in  Indianapolis,  of  heart  disease.  Mr.  Hen- 
dricks was  one  of  the  nation’s  greatest  men; 
deep,  broad-minded,  diplomatic  and,  above  all, 
a true  man.  His  acts  and  speeches  in  con- 
gress, both  in  the  house  and  senate,  his  defense 
of  what  he  conceived  to  be  right,  his  labors 
for  the  poor,  the  oppressed  and  the  wronged 
of  every  class  in  this  and  other  countries,  were 
of  great  interest  to  his  people  and  worthy  of 
emulation  by  all.  His  devotion  to  his  party, 
his  candor  and  honesty  of  purpose,  his  noble 


AND  REPRESENTATIVE  MEN. 


143 


ambition  to  serve  the  people  faithfully,  his 
philanthropy  and  universal  love  of  mankind, 
all  combined  to  make  him  one  of  the  noblest 
of  men.  Strong  in  his  convictions,  yet  court- 
eous to  opponents;  great  in  intellect,  yet 
approachable  by  the  humblest  of  men;  high  in 
position,  he  met  every  man  as  his  equal; 
independent  in  thought,  self-reliant  in  prin- 
ciple, and  rich  in  pleasant  greeting  to  all  whom 
he  met;  though  dead,  he  yet  lives  in  the  hearts 
of  the  people,  and  his  noble  characteristics 
stand  out  in  bold  relief  as  beacon  lights  to 
guide  and  direct  generations  yet  to  be. 


AMES  D.  WILLIAMS  was  born  in 
Pickaw'ay  county,  Ohio,  January  i6, 
1808,  and  moved  with  his  parents  to 
Indiana  in  1818,  settling  near  the 
town  of  Vincennes,  Knox  county.  He  grew 
to  manhood  there,  and  upon  the  death  of  his 
father,  in  1828,  the  support  of  the  family  de- 
volved on  him.  He  received  a limited  educa- 
tion in  the  pioneer  log  school-house,  but,  by 
mingling  with  the  best  people  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, he  obtained  a sound  practical  knowledge 
of  men  and  things,  which,  in  a great  measure, 
compensated  for  his  early  dehciency  in  liter- 
ary studies,  so  that  when,  on  reaching  his  ma- 
jority, he  was  unusally  well  versed  for  one  in 
his  circumstances.  He  was  reared  a farmer, 
and  naturally  chose  agriculture  for  his  life 
work,  and  followed  it  with  much  more  than 
ordinary  success,  until  the  close  of  his  long 
and  useful  life.  Gov.  Williams  entered  public 
life  , in  1839,  as  justice  of  the  peace,  the  duties 
of  which  he  discharged  in  an  eminently  satis- 
factory manner  for  a period  of  four  years,  re- 
signing in  1843.  In  the  latter  year  he  was 
elected  to  the  lower  house  of  the  state  legisla- 
ture, and  from  that  time  until  his  election  to 
the  national  congress,  in  1874,  he  was  almost 


continuously  identified  with  the  legislative 
service  of  the  state.  Few  men  in  Indiana 
have  been  so  long  in  the  public  service,  and 
few  have  been  identified  with  more  popular 
legislative  measures  than  he.  It  is  to  him 
that  the  widows  of  Indiana  are  indebted  for 
the  law  which  allows  them  to  hold,  without 
administration,  the  estates  of  their  deceased 
husbands,  when  they  do  not  exceed  $300  in 
value.  He  was  the  author  of  the  law  which 
distributed  the  sinking  fund  among  the  coun- 
ties of  the  state,  and  to  him  are  the  people 
largely  indebted  for  the  establishment  of  the 
state  board  of  agriculture,  an  institution  that 
has  done  much  to  foster  and  develop  the  agri- 
cultural interests  of  Indiana.  He  was  a dele- 
gate to  the  national  democratic  convention  at 
Baltimore  in  1872,  and  in  1873  was  the  nom- 
inee for  United  States  senator  against  Oliver 
P.  Morton,  but  the  party  being  in  the  minor- 
ity, he  was  defeated.  He  served  in  the 
national  house  of  representatives  from  Decem- 
ber, 1875,  December,  1876,  when  he  re- 
signed, having  been  elected  governor  in  the 
latter  year.  The  campaign  of  1876  was  a 
memorable  one,  during  which  the  opposition, 
both  speakers  and  press,  ridicnled  the  demo- 
cratic nominee  for  governor,  making  sport  of 
his  homespun  clothes  ond  plain  appearance, 
but  the  democracy  seized  upon  his  peculiari- 
ties and  made  them  the  watchwords  of  victory. 
Gov.  Williams,  or  Blue  Jeans,  as  his  friends 
were  pleased  to  call  him,  was  a man  of  the 
strictest  integrity,  and  was  known  as  a careful, 
painstaking  executive  entering  into  the  minu- 
test details  of  his  office.  He  was  self-willed 
and  self-reliant,  and  probably  consulted  fewer 
persons  about  his  official  duties  than  any  of 
his  predecessors.  In  personal  appearance. 
Gov.  Williams  was  over  six  feet  high,  remark- 
ably straight,  had  large  hands  and  feet,  high 
cheek  bones,  long  sharp  nose,  gray  eyes,  and 
a well  formed  head,  covered  profusely  with 


GOVERNORS  OF  INDIANA 


U\ 


black  hair.  He  was  courteous  in  his  inter- 
course with  others,  a good  conversationalist, 
and  possessed  in  a very  marked  degree  shrewd- 
ness and  force  of  character.  He  died  in  the 
year  i8<So. 


HLBERT  G.  PORTER.— Among  the 
self-made  men  of  Indiana,  none 
stand  higher  or  have  a more  note- 
worthy career  than  the  distinguished 
gentleman  whose  name  heads  this  sketch.  Al- 
bert G.  Porter  was  born  in  Lawrenceburg,  Ind. , 
April  20,  1824.  He  graduated  at  Asbury  uni- 
versity in  1843,  studied  law,  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  in  1845,  and  began  to  practice  in 
Indianapolis,  where  he  was  councilman  and  | 
corporation  attorney.  In  1853  he  was  ap-  j 
pointed  reporter  of  the  supreme  court  of  Indi- 
ana, and  was  subsequently  elected  to  the  same  i 
position  by  a very  large  majority  of  the  voters  ' 
of  the  state.  He  was  elected  to  congi'ess 
from  the  Indianapolis  district  in  1858,  on  the 
republican  ticket,  overcoming  an  adverse 
democratic  majority  of  800,  which  he  con- 
verted into  a majority  for  himself  of  1,000. 
Two  years  subsequently,  he  was  re-elected  by 
a smaller  majority.  On  March  5,  1878,  he 
was  appointed  first  comptroller  of  the  United 
States  treasury,  which  position  he  hlled  with 
distinguished  ability  until  called  therefrom  to 
become  a candidate  for  governor  of  Indiana  on 
the  republican  ticket.  He  resigned,  and  en- 
tered into  the  campaign  of  1880,  which  will 
ever  be  memorable  in  the  history  of  the  state. 
After  a canvess  of  remarkable  bitterness  and 
e.xcitement,  in  which  every  inch  of  ground 
was  stubbornly  contested,  Mr.  Porter  was 
elected  governor  by  a handsome  majority.  He 
held  the  office  from  1881  to  1884,  his  adminis- 
tration being  regarded  by  friend  and  foe,  alike, 
as  on  of  the  ablest  in  the  history  of  the  state. 


Mr.  Porter  has  for  many  years  ranked  as  one 
of  the  ablest  and  most  successful  lawyers  in 
Indiana,  and  his  “ Decisions  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  Indiana  ” (5  vols.,  1853-6),  are  re- 
garded as  among  the  best  of  their  kind  in  the 
state.  Besides  his  talent  in  politics  and  law, 
Mr.  Porter  enjoys  a literary  reputation  of  no 
mean  rank,  attained  chiefly  from  his  law  writ- 
ings and  lectures.  He  is  especially  good 
authority  on  matters  relating  to  pioneer  his- 
tory in  the  west,  and  has  in  preparation  a 
history  of  Indiana,  which  will  undoubtedly 
rank  as  a classic  in  that  line  of  literature.  At 
this  writing  (September,  1890),  Mr.  Porter 
occupies  the  position  of  United  States  minister 
to  Rome,  which  high  honor  was  conferred 
upon  him  by  his  friend.  President  Harrison. 


ISAAC  P.  GRAY  is  a native  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, having  been  born  near  Downing- 
town,  in  Chester  county,  October  18, 
1828.  His  father,  John  Gray,  moved 
to  Ohio  and  settled  near  Urbana,  when  Isaac 
was  almost  eight  years  old.  Within  a short 
time  thereafter  his  parents  removed  to  near 
Dayton,  Ohio,  but  did  not  long  remain  there, 
when  they  moved  to  New  Madison,  Darke 
county,  Ohio,  where  young  Gray  grew  to  man- 
hood and  became  proprietor  of  a dry  goods 
store.  He  married  Eliza  Jaqua,  a few  years 
his  junior,  and  the  daughter  of  Judson  and 

Jaqua,  whoresided  about  two  miles  from 

New  Madison,  in  a neighborhood  (which  had 
a postofhce)  called  Yankee  town.  Gray’s 
parents  are  of  Quaker  descent,  but  they  never 
adhered  to  the  society  Their  ancestors  came 
over  with  William  Penn  and  took  a prominent 
part  in  early  colonial  times.  On  November 
30,  1855,  Isaac  P.  located  at  Union  City,  Ind., 
his  family  then  consisting  of  his  wife  and  two 
baby  boys,  Pierre  and  Bayard  S.  From  the 


AND  REPRESENTATIVE  MEN. 


145 


time  of  his  arrival  he  became  one  of  the  lead- 
ing citizens  of  the  then  small  town.  He  was 
always  active,  energetic  and  progressive,  and 
no  work  or  enterprise  in  the  town  was  consid- 
ered without  his  advice  and  counsel,  and  in 
many  cases  financial  co-operation.  He  always 
bore  a prominent  part  in  all  public  matters  and 
was  depended  upon  to  speak  for  the  interests 
of  the  place. 

He  was  engaged  in  the  dry  goods  business 
for  a while  after  he  came  to  Union  City,  then 
in  the  banking  business,  finally  drifting  into 
the  law,  where  by  reason  of  his  pleasant 
speech,  excellent  judgment  of  human  nature 
and  the  happy  faculty  of  condensing  and  mak- 
ing plain  his  thought,  he  became  a successful 
advocate. 

After  a few  years  of  practice  in  the  law, 
however,  the  civil  war  came  on,  and  Gray,  j 
being  a strong  unionist,  was  appointed  colonel  | 
of  the  Fourth  Indiana  cavalry,  which  position 
he  held  from  September  4,  1862,  to  February 
II,  1864.  He  also  raised  and  organized  the 
147th  regiment  Indiana  volunteers,  mustered 
in  March  13,  1865,  Col.  Peden  ; mustered  out 
August  4,  1865.  He  was  also  colonel  of  the 
105th  Indiana  (minute  men).  Served  five 
days  —July  12-17,  1863.  At  the  close  of  the 
war  he  became  a banker,  organizing  with  Hon. 

N.  Cadwallader,  the  Citizens’  bank,  of  which 
he  is  a prominent  stockholder  and  vice  presi- 
dent. In  1866  he  was  candidate  of  the  anti- 
Julian  wing  of  the  republican  party  for  con- 
gress. Entered  the  law  in  1868,  and  was 
state  senator  of  Randolph  county  in  1868-72, 
on  the  republican  ticket,  of  which  body  he 
took  position  as  a leading  member.  In  1870, 
he  was  appointed  by  Presidont  Grant  consul  to 
St.  Thomas,  West  Indies,  and  confirmed  by 
the  senate,  but  declined.  In  1 872  he  was  ap- 
pointed a delegate  at  large  for  the  state  of 
Indiana  to  the  national  liberal  republican  con- 
vention at  Cincinnati,  and,  by  that  conven- 


tion, was  made  the  member,  for  the  state  of 
Indiana  of  the  liberal  republican  national  ex- 
ecutive committee. 

Dissatisfied  with  the  administration  of  Gen. 
Grant,  he  joined  the  Greeley  liberal  move- 
ment in  1872,  and  from  that  time  on  acted 
with  the  democrats.  In  1876  the  democratic 
state  convention  nominated  him  by  acclama- 
tion for  lieutenant  governor,  and  he  was  elected 
to  that  office  in  October,  1876.  In  1880  he 
was  a candidate  for  governor  before  the  demo- 
cratic state  convention,  and  lost  the  nomina- 
tion by  four  votes,  but  was  named  -by  accla- 
mation a second  time  fgr  lieutenant  governor. 
In  the  general  democratic  defeat  incurred  in 
October,  1880,  Col.  Gray  shared  the  catas- 
trophe. But,  by  the  death  of  Gov.  J.  B.  Wil- 
liams, in  November,  1880,  Lieut.  Gov.  Gray 
was  promoted  to  the  position  of  governor  of 
Indiana,  which  honor  he  sustained  with  appro- 
priate dignity,  addressing  the  legislature  in 
perhaps  the  most  voluminous  message  ever 
presented  by  any  occupant  of  the  gubernatorial 
I chair  to  any  legislative  body.  In  1884  he 
received  the  democratic  nomination  for  gov- 
ernor, to  which  position  he  was  triumphantly 
elected  in  the  fall  of  that  year,  and  for  four 
years  served  in  a manner  so  satisfactory  to 
his  partisan  friends  that  he  became  the  recog- 
nized leader  of  the  democratic  party  in  Indi- 
ana, and  it  has  always  been  insisted  by  his 
supporters  that  his  name,  on  the  ticket  with 
Cleveland,  in  1888,  would  have  that  year 
secured  the  presidency  of  the  United  States  to 
the  democratic  party.  In  the  spring  of  1894 
Mr.  Gray  was  appointed  by  the  Cleveland 
administration  United  States  minister  to  the 
republic  of  Mexico. 

Isaac  Pusey  Gray  is  a man  about  five  feet 
ten  inches  high,  well  proportioned  and  stands 
erect,  with  a semi-military  carriage,  and 
weighs  about  180  pounds;  his  hair  was  black 
and  curly,  but  is  now  somewhat  tinged  with 


GOVERNORS  OF  INDIANA 


14() 


gray;  bold,  prominent  forehead,  a fnll,  frank, 
plump  and  florid  face,  strongly  indicative  of  a 
high  order  of  intelligence,  and  light  blue  eyes, 
beaming  with  good  nature.  His  face  is  un- 
adorned except  with  small  chin  whiskers. 
Suave  of  address  and  of  kind  disposition.  He 
is  always  cordial  and  pleasant  with  strangers 
and  extremely  sociable  among  his  friends  and 
acquaintances.  He  enjoys  the  society  of  his 
friends.  Perhaps  one  of  the  elements  of  his 
great  popularity  and  steadfast  hold  upon  his 
friends,  is  his  freedom  from  any  aristocratic 
reserve,  and  yet  no  one  has  a keener  sense  of 
the  demands  of  true  dignity;  a man  of  great 
decision  and  firmness,  yet  always  respectful  of 
others’  feelings.  The  home  Gray  left  in  Union 
City  was  and  is  to-day  one  of  its  finest  resi- 
dences, a spacious  brick  dwelling  located  on  a 
large  plat  of  ground.  He  has  built  and  owned 
some  of  the  best  residence  properties  in  the 
city.  He  took  great  pride  in  his  house,  which 
was  nicely  furnished  and  supplied  with  a fine 
library,  where  he  and  his  wife,  who  were 
great  readers,  gratified  their  literary  tastes. 

Mrs.  Gray  is  a blonde  of  medium  height, 
with  gray  eyes,  well  defined  features,  clear 
complexion,  good  figure,  easy  and  graceful 
carriage.  She  is  regarded  as  a fine  looking 
lady,  whose  years  rest  upon  her  with  becom- 
ing grace  and  dignity.  By  descent  she  comes 
from  an  honorable  French  family,  whose 
ancestors  at  an  early  date  settled  in  New 
England  and  New  York. 

His  son  Pierre,  the  elder,  graduated  at  the 
Indiana  State  university  in  1874,  and  his 
younger  son,  Bayard  S.,  graduated  at  De 
Pauw  univei'sity  in  1876.  Pierre  followed  his 
graduation  by  a course  of  law,  and  has  ever 
since  practiced  his  chosen  profession,  except 
while  he  acted  as  private  secretary  to  his  father 
as  governor,  1885-1889.  He  is  now  associ- 
ated with  his  father,  in  the  practice,  at  Indian- 
apolis. Pierre  was  married,  about  ten  years 


ago,  to  Miss  Kate  Alma  McDonald  of  Union 
City;  they  have  no  children.  Bayard  S., 
after  returning  from  his  alma  mater,  studied 
in  his  father’s  law  office,  but  soon  thereafter 
took  up  journalism,  in  which  he  made  a brill- 
iant success  He  has  however  abandoned 
that  field  and  located  in  Chicago,  where  he  is 
again  at  the  law.  Like  his  father,  Bayard  S. 
has  a taste  for  politics,  and  being  a fluent 
speaker,  with  an  unlimited  vocabulary,  he  has 
taken  a more  or  less  active  part  in  politics 
since  his  majority.  Since  his  removal  to  Chi- 
cago he  has  achieved  considerable  prominence 
and  is  now  regarded  as  one  of  their  public 
speakers. 


HLVIN  P.  HOVEY.— This  gentleman, 
who  was  elected  governor  of  Indiana 
in  1888,  has  had  a notable  career, 
both  civil  and  military.  He  was 
born  in  1821,  in  Posey  county,  Ind. , where  he 
has  spent  his  whole  life.  After  a common 
school  education,  he  studied  law  and  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  Mt.  Vernon  bar  in  1843,  where 
he  has  practiced  with  success.  The  civil  posi- 
tions he  held  previous  to  the  war  were  those 
of  delegate  to  the  constitutional  convention  of 
1850;  judge  of  the  third  judicial  circuit  of  Indi- 
ana from  1851  to  1854,  and  judge  of  the  su- 
preme court  of  Indiana.  From  185610  1858 
he  served  as  United  States  district  attorney 
for  the  state.  During  the  civil  war  he  entered 
the  national  service  as  colonel  of  the  Twenty- 
fourth  Indiana  volunteers,  in  July,  1861.  He 
was  promoted  brigadier-general  of  volunteers 
on  April  28,  1862,  and  breveted  major-general 
for  meritorious  and  distinguished  services  in 
July,  1864.  He  was  in  command  of  the  east- 
ern district  of  Arkansas  in  1863,  and  of  the 
district  of  Indiana  in  1864-1865.  Gen.  Grant, 
in  his  official  reports,  awards  to  Gen.  Hovey 


AND  REPRESENTATIVE  MEN. 


147 


the  honor  of  the  key  battle  of  the  Vicksburg 
campaign,  that  of  Champion’s  Hill.  This  is 
no  small  praise;  also,  it  is  remembered  that 
military  critics,  in  view  of  the  vast  conse- 
quences that  flowed  therefrom,  have  ranked 
Champion’s  Hill  as  one  of  the  five  decisive 
battles  of  the  civil  war,  and  second  in  impor- 
tance to  Gettysburg  alone.  Gen.  Hovey  re- 
signed his  commission  on  October  i8,  1865, 
and  was  appointed  minister  to  Peru,  which 
office  he  held  until  1870.  In  1886  he  was 
nominated  for  congress  by  the  republicans  in 
the  Evansville  district,  which  theretofore  had 
steadily  given  a large  democratic  majority. 
Gen.  Hovey’s  personal  popularity  and-military 
prestige  overcame  this,  and  he  was  elected  by 
a small  majority.  In  congress,  he  attracted 
attention  by  his  earnestness  in  advocating 
more  liberal  pension  laws,  and  every  measure 
for  the  benefit  of  the  ex-Union  soldiers. 
Largely  to  this  fact  was  due  his  nomination 
for  the  governorship  of  Indiana,  by  the  repub- 
lican party  in  1888,  the  soldier  element  of  the 
state  being  a very  important  factor  in  securing 
his  nomination,  and  his  subsequent  election. 
In  his  social  relations,  Gov.  Hovey  has  always 
been  very  popular,  and  his  family  circle  is  one 
of  the  happiest  in  the  state.  Though  a strong 
partisan,  he  is  never  abusive  or  vindictive,  and 
at  every  trial  of  strength  at  the  polls,  he  has 
received  strong  support  from  many  personal 
friends  in  the  ranks  of  the  opposite  party. 


IRA  J.  CHASE  was  born  in  Clarkson, 
Monroe  county,  N.  Y. , December  7, 
1834.  His  father,  Benjamin  Chase, 
moved  into  Orleans  count3q  where  most 
of  Ira’s  years  were  spent  up  to  the  age  twenty. 
After  leaving  the  public  school  of  that  day, 
he  attended  the  Milan  (Ohio)  seminary  and 
Medina  academy.  At  twenty  he  accompanied 


his  father  to  Illinois,  driving  a team  much  of 
the  time  alone  through  Michigan  and  Indiana, 
landing  in  Chicago  in  the  spring  of  1855. 
Farming,  merchandising  and  school  teaching 
filled  up  the  time  until  the  war  broke  out.  In 
1857  he  united  with  the  Christian  church. 
March  24,  1859,  he  married  Miss  Rhoda  J. 
Castle,  of  Cook  county.  In  1861  he  was  the 
first  man  to  enlist  in  the  town  of  Barrington, 
111.  He  assisted  in  raising  a company  of  men 
and  was  unanimously  elected  first  lieutenant. 
The  enlistments  were  so  numerous  that  the 
government  could  not  accept  them  all,  and 
the  organization  disbanded,  a part  going  into 
company  C,  Nineteenth  Illinois,  June  17,  1861, 
of  which  Chase  was  made  sergeant.  This 
regiment  saw  hard  and  continuous  service  from 
the  start,  being  always  on  the  move,  serving 
in  Missouri,  Kentucky  and  Tennessee  the  first 
year  of  the  war.  While  in  camp  at  Elizabeth- 
town, Ky. , he  heard  the  news  of  the  birth  of 
his  second  child.  He  was  appointed  drill  ser- 
geant and  placed  on  special  dut}",  owing  to 
poor  health.  In  this  capacity  the  Eighteenth 
O.  V.  I.  officers  invited  him  to  aid  in  drilling 
their  men,  as  they  were  fresh  from  the  farms 
of  their  state.  A petition,  signed  by  Col. 

Stanley,  Lieut.  Col.  Grim,  for  years  chief 
justice  of  Iowa,  and  Major  C.  H.  Grosvenor, 
famous  as  a soldier  and  statesman,  was  pre- 
sented to  the  field  officers  of  the  Nineteenth 
Illinois,  asking  for  his  transfer  to  a lieutenancy 
in  the  Eighteenth  Ohio.  This  was  endorsed 
by  Gen.  J.  B.  Turchin,  brigade  commander, 
and  by  Maj.  Gen.  O.  M.  Mitchell,  division 
commander,  but  denied  by  Maj.  Gen.  Buell, 
department  commander.  Our  soldier  was  in 
the  seige  of  Nashville,  1862:  was  discharged 
and  returned  home  from  Nashville  in  1863, 
and  entered  into  business,  but  sold  out,  owing 
to  a long  and  very  serious  illness  of  his  wife 
that  left  her  blind  and  lame  for  years.  He 
prepared  himself  for  the  ministery  and  became 


148 


GOVERNORS  OF  INDIANA 


pastor  of  the  Christian  church  in  Mishawaka 
in  1867,  and  has  served  at  LaPorte,  Wabash 
and  Danville.  For  a period  of  time  he  la- 
bored in  Pittsburgh  and  Peoria.  He  has  been 
prominent  in  G.  A.  K.  circles,  was  twice  de- 
partment chaplain  and  once  department  com- 
mander. In  1886,  while  in  California,  he  was  | 
nominated  for  congress  by  the  fifth  district,  j 
Upon  his  return  he  accepted  and  made  his  * 
first  political  campaign.  Col.  C.  C.  Matson  had  j 
received  his  fourth  nomination.  His  average  ■ 
majority  for  the  three  terms  previous  had  been 
about  1,800.  In  1886  it  was  532.  In  1888 
Mr.  Chase  was  spoken  of  for  governor,  and 
though  there  was  no  activity  manifested  re- 
ceived a handsome  vote  Gen.  Hovey  was 
nominated  and  private  Chase  was  nominated 
for  lieutenant  governor  by  acclamation.  He 
served  two  terms  as  presiding  officer  of  the 
senate. 

On  the  death  of  Gen.  Hovey  he  served  the 
state  as  governor  from  November  24,  1891,  to 
January  8,  1893.  At  the  state  convention 
called  by  the  republicans  to  nominate  state 
officers.  Gov.  Chase  was  nominated  by  accla- 
mation to  succeed  himself.  He  entered  into 
the  campaign  with  all  the  earnestness  of  his 
nature,  and  everywhere  it  has  been  said  that 
no  man  ever  fought  a harder  fight. 


aLAUDE  MATTHEWS,  who  at  this 
time  fills  most  acceptably  the  office 
of  governor  of  Indiana,  was  born  in 
Bethel,  Bath  county,  Ky. , December 
14,  1845.  His  father,  Thomas  A.  Matthews, 
was  a farmer,  and  also  for  a time  a commis- 
sion merchant  at  Maysville.  His  paternal 
grandfather,  Capt.  George  Matthews,  com- 
manded a company  of  soldiers  at  the  battle  of 
the  River  Thames,  in  the  war  of  1812. 
Through  his  mother,  Eliza  (Fletcher)  Mat- 


thews, Mr.  Matthews  traces  his  origin  to 
one  of  the  most  worthy  names  in  the  common- 
wealth, and  his  maternal  grandfather,  Jefferson 
Fletcher,  represented  the  Bath  district  in  the 
national  house  of  representatives  in  the  days 
Henry  Clay.  Young  Matthews  attended  such 
schools  as  the  county  of  his  nativity  afforded 
until  his  fifteenth  year,  then  removed  to  Mason 
county,  Ky.,  his  father  having  purchased  a 
farm  near  Maysville.  Here  the  schools  were 
of  a better  class,  and  he  availed  himself  of 
their  advantages  by  riding  six  miles  each  way 
daily.  In  1863  he  entered  Center  college, 
Danville,  Ky. , where  he  graduated  in  June, 
1867.  January  i,  1868,  he  married  Miss 
Martha  Renick  Whitcomb,  only  daughter  of 
James  Whitcomb,  one  of  the  honored  gov- 
ernors of  this  state,  from  1 843  to  1 849.  The 
marriage  took  place  in  Ross  county,  Ohio, 
where  Mrs.  Matthews  is  connected  on  her 
mother’s  side  with  the  Renicks,  well  known  for 
their  wealth  and  public  spirit.  The  young 
people  moved  to  Vermillion  county,  Ind. , in 
1 869,  where  Mr.  Matthews  settled  down  to 
the  occupation  he  had  chosen  for  his  life  work, 
the  useful  and  honest  calling  of  farming.  His 
capacity  for  public  affairs,  and  the  evidence  he 
gave  of  sensible  ideas  as  to  public  needs,  led 
to  his  selection  by  the  democrats  of  Vermillion 
county,  in  1877,  as  their  candidate  for  repre- 
sentative in  the  legislature.  That  he  was  well 
appreciated  by  his  neighbors  was  shown  by 
some  five  hundred  republicans  of  his  county 
voting  for  him,  and  he  had  the  honor  of  being 
the  first  democrat  elected  from  that  county  of 
heavy  adverse  majorities.  His  record  in  the 
legislature  was  a fine  one,  and  in  1880  he  had 
a strong  following  for  lieutenant  governor.  In 
1882  Mr.  Matthews  was  a candidate  for  state 
senator  in  his  district,  and  cut  down  the 
republican  majority  of  900  to  300.  In  August, 
1890,  he  was  nominated  by  the  democrats  for 
secretary  of  the  state  and  triumphantly  elected 


AND  REPRESENTATIVE  MEN. 


149 


at  the  ensuing  election,  his  plurality  reaching 
the  astonishing  and  almost  unparalleled  figure 
of  20,000,  in  round  numbers.  His  conduct  of 
the  office  of  secretary  of  state  was  so  satisfac- 
tory to  the  people,  that  he  was  called  upon  to 
head  the  democratic  state  ticket  in  1892. 
Although  being  a candidate  before  the  state 
convention  for  renomination  as  secretary  of 
state,  he  was  nominated  candidate  for  gov- 
ernor, and  in  the  following  November  elected 
to  that  office  by  a plurality  of  nearly  7,000, 
leading  the  state  ticket  by  several  hundred 
votes,  and  higher  than  the  average  upon  the 
electoral  vote.  He  was  inaugurated  governor 
January  9,  1893,  and  is  now,  with  the  same 
earnestness  and  conscientious  regard  of  public 
duty,  performing  the  work  of  that  office.  Gov. 
Matthews,  while  faithfully  attending  to  his 
duties  as  a state  officer,  still  keeps  up  his 
interest  in  farming  and  the  class  of  workers  to 
which  he  belongs.  He  has  done  much  in  the 
way  of  improving  the  breeds  of  cattle  and 
domestic  animals  by  importing  valuable  speci- 
mens, and  was  the  founder  of  the  Short  Horn 
Breeders’  association  of  Indiana,  the  first  asso- 
ciation of  the  kind  ever  organized  in  the 
United  States.  He  was  also  originator  of  the 
American  Short  Horn  association  of  the  United 
States  and  Canada.  While  his  business  is 
that  of  farming,  he  is,  nevertheless,  a fluent 
speaker,  and  withal  a man  of  fine  address  and 
genial  manners.  Mr.  Matthews  has  three 
children;  the  eldest,  Mary,  is  the  wife  of  Sen- 
ator Cortez  Ewing,  of  Greensburg;  Renick 
Seymour  Matthews,  who,  after  a course 
in  the  Rose  Polytechnic  institute,  is  fitting 
himself  in  electrical  engineering,  and  Miss 
Helen,  a school  girl,  aged  fifteen.  Mr.  Mat- 
thews is  a man  of  positive  character  and 
strong  intellect,  and  no  man  is  more  loyal  in 
his  citizenship,  more  faithful  in  his  friendship, 
more  devoted  in  his  home  life,  or  more  worth}^ 
the  regard  of  his  fellow  men. 


w’ALLER  TAYLOR,  one  of  the  first 
Mm  i senators  from  Indiana,  after  her 
admission  as  a state,  was  born  in 
Lunenburg  county  Va. , before 
1786,  and  died  there  before  1826.  He  re- 
ceived a common  school  education,  studied 
law,  served  one  or  twm  terms  in  the  Virginia 
legislature  as  a representative  from  Lunenburg 
county.  In  1805  he  settled  in  Vincennes, 
Ind.,  having  been  appointed  a township  judge. 
He  served  as  aid  de  camp  to  Gen.  William  H. 
Harrison  at  the  battle  of  Tippecanoe,  and  in 
the  war  of  1812-15.  On  the  admission  of  In- 
diana as  a state,  he  was  elected  United  States 
senator,  and  at  the  close  of  his  term  was  re- 
elected, serving  from  December  12,  1816,  un- 
til March  3,  1825.  He  w'as  a man  of  fine  lit- 
erary attainments  and  a prominent  political 
leader  of  his  day. 


AMES  NOBLE  was  the  son  of  Thomas 
T.  Noble,  who  moved  from  Virginia  to 
Rentucky,  near  the  close  of  the  eight- 
eenth century  ■ James  Noble  grew  to 
manhood  in  Kentucky,  and  after  his  marriage, 
which  was  consummated  before  he  had  at- 
tained his  majority,  began  the  study  of  law  in 
the  office  of  Mr.  Southgate,  of  Covington. 
After  finishing  his  legal  studies  and  being  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar,  he  removed  to  Brookville, 
Ind.,  and  commenced  the  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession, and  soon  became  known  as  one  of  the 
most  successful  lawyers  and  most  eloquent  ad- 
vocates of  the  Whitewater  country.  When 
Indiana  became  a state  Mr.  Noble  represented 
Lranklin  county  in  the  constitutional  conven- 
tion, in  which  he  was  chairman  of  the  legisla- 
tive and  judiciary  committees.  In  August, 
1810,  he  was  elected  a member  of  the  first 
legislature  under  the  state  government,  which 
met  at  Corydon,  November,  1816,  and  ad- 


150 


GOVERNORS  OF  INDIANA 


journed  January,  ,1817.  November  8,  1816, 

the  general  assembly,  by  a joint  vote,  elected 
James  Noble  and  Waller  Taylor  to  represent 
Indiana  in  the  senate  of  the  United  States. 
“ In  the  senate  Gen.  Noble  had  for  associates 
the  ablest  men  the  country  has  yet  produced. 
He  was  not  dwarfed  by  their  stature,  but 
maintained  a respectable  standing  among 
them.”  He  remained  in  the  senate  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  February  26,  1831. 

Mr.  Noble  was  a large,  well  proportioned  man 
of  fine  address  and  bearing.  He  was  a good 
law3'er  and  as  a speaker  was  very  effective  be- 
fore a jury  or  promiscuous  assembly.  Person- 
ally he  was  quite  popular  and  his  warm  heart 
and  generous  nature  made  him  the  idol  of  the 
people  of  his  section  of  the  state. 


EN.  JOHN  TIPTON  was  born  in 
Sevier  count}q  Tenn.,  August  14, 
1786,  and  was  the  son  of  Joshua 
Tipton,  a native  of  Maryland,  a man 
who  possessed  great  positiveness  of  character, 
with  keen  preceptions  and  uncommon  execu- 
tive ability.  These  peculiarities  induced  him 
to  remove  from  his  native  state  and  settle  in  a 
home  further  west,  where  he  afterward  became 
a leader  in  the  defense  of  the  frontier  against 
tne  hostile  Indians.  He  was  murdered  by  the 
savages  on  the  i8th  of  April,  1793.  Left  thus 
early  in  life  in  the  midst  of  a frontier  settle- 
ment, surrounded  by  the  perils  incident  there- 
to, the  son,  inheriting  the  sagacity  and  self-re- 
liance of  his  father,  soon  began  to  develop 
that  positive  energy  of  character  which  dis- 
tinguished his  after  life.  In  the  fall  of  1807, 
with  his  mother  and  two  sisters  and  a half- 
brother,  he  removed  to  Indiana  territory  and 
settled  near  Bringley’s  Ferry,  on  the  Ohio  river, 
where  he  purchased  a homestead  of  fifty  acres, 
which  he  paid  for  out  of  his  scanty  earnings, 


making  rails  at  fifty  cents  a hundred.  These 
early  experiences  laid  the  foundation  of 
his  future  success  in  life.  June,  1809,  he  en- 
listed in  a company  recruited  in  his  neighbor- 
hood, which  was  soon  afterward  ordered  to 
the  frontier  for  the  protection  of  the  settle- 
ments. September,  1811,  the  company  en- 
tered the  campaign  which  terminated  in  the 
battle  of  Tippecanoe.  Early  in  that  memor- 
able engagement  all  his  superior  officers  were 
killed,  and  he  was  promoted  to  the  captaincy, 
when  the  conflict  was  at  its  height.  Subse- 
quently he  rose,  by  regular  gradation,  to  the 
rank  of  brigadier  general.  At  the  first  elec- 
tion under  the  state  constitution,  he  was 
chosen  sheriff  of  Harrison  county,  which  po- 
sition he  filled  two  terms,  and  in  1819  was 
elected  to  represent  this  county  in  the  state 
legislature.  While  a member  of  that  body  he 
served  on  the  committee  to  select  a site  for 
the  location  of  the  state  capital,  which  selec- 
tion was  made  in  June,  1820,  and  approved 
January,  1821.  He  was  re-elected  in  1821, 
and  at  the  following  session  was  chosen  one  of 
the  commissioners  to  locate  the  boundary  line 
between  the  states  of  Indiana  and  Illinois.  In 
March,  1823,  he  was  appointed  by  Pres.  Mon- 
roe general  agent  for  the  Pottawatomie  and 
Miami  Indians  on  the  upper  Wabash  and  Tip- 
pecanoe rivers,  and  immediately  thereafter 
moved  to  Ft.  Wayne,  the  seat  of  the  agency. 
At  his  instance  the  agency  was  removed  from 
Ft.  Wayne  to  Logansport,.  in  the  spring  of 
1828,  where  he  continued  to  discharge  the 
functions  of  his  trust  with  fidelity  and  success. 
At  the  session  of  the  legislature,  December, 
1831,  he  was  elected  United  States  senator 
from  Indiana,  to  fill  the  vacancy  occasioned 
by  the  death  of  Hon.  James  Noble,  and  was 
re-elected  at  the  session  of  1832-33,  for  a full 
term  of  six  years.  While  a member  of  that 
distinguished  body,  he  was  noted  for  the 
soundness  of  his  judgement  and  the  independ- 


AND  REPRESENTATIVE  MEN. 


151 


ence  of  his  actions  on  all  questions  involving 
the  interests  of  the  state  or  general  govern- 
ment. He  opposed  the  views  of  President 
Jackson  in  reference  to  the  re-charter  of  the 
United  States  bank,  and  recognized  no  party 
in  determining  the  line  of  duty,  always  acting 
from  motives  of  public  right.  As  a civilian 
and  citizen,  he  was  alike  successful  in  direct- 
ing and  executing,  to  the  extent  of  his  power, 
whatever  purpose  his  conscience  approved  or 
his  judgment  dictated.  x\fter  locating  in 
Logansport  he  directed  his  energies  toward 
the  development  of  the  natural  resources  of 
that  town  and  surrounding  country,  and  to 
him  more  than  to  any  other  man  is  due  the 
credit  of  supplying  the  settlements  with  grist 
and  saw-mills  and  other  improvements,  and 
for  taking  the  initial  step  which  led  to  the  or- 
ganization of  the  Eel  river  seminary,  at  that 
time  one  of  the  best  known  educational  insti- 
tutions of  northern  Indiana.  He  was  also  pro- 
prietor of  four  additions  to  the  town  of  Lo- 
gansport, and  was  interested  with  IMr.  Carter 
in  the  plan  and  location  of  the  original  plat 
thereof.  Mr.  Tipton  was  twice  married,  the 
first  time  to  Miss  Shields,  who  died  within  two 
years  after  their  marriage.  The  second  time 
was  in  April,  1825,  to  Matilda,  daughter  of 
Capt.  Spier  Spencer,  who  was  killed  at  the 
battle  of  Tippecanoe.  The  second  Mrs.  Tip- 
ton  died  in  the  spring  of  1839,  about  the  close 
of  her  husband’s  senatorial  career.  Gen.  Tip- 
ton  closed  an  honorable  life  on  the  morning 
of  April  5,  1839,  in  the  full  meridian  of  his 
usefulness,  and  received  the  last  sad  honors  of 
his  masonic  brethern  on  Sunday,  April  7, 

1839- 

■■■■BBasaeeesBaBBSBca 

OBERT  HANNA  was  born  in  Laur- 
ens district,  S.  C. , April  6,  1786, 
and  removed  with  his  parents  to- 
Indiana  in  an  early  day,  settling  in 
Brookville  as  long  ago  as  1802.  He  was 


elected  sheriff  of  the  eastern  district  of  Indiana 
in  1809,  and  held  the  position  until  the  organ- 
ization of  the  state  government.  He  was 
afterward  appointed  register  of  the  land  office, 
and  removed  to  Indianapolis  in  1825.  In 
1831  he  was  appointed  United  States  senator, 
to  fill  the  unexpired  term  caused  by  the  death 
of  James  Noble,  and  served  with  credit  in  that 
capacity  from  December,  of  the  above  year, 
until  January  3,  1832,  when  his  successor  took 
his  seat.  He  was  afterward  elected  a member 
of  the  state  senate,  but  suffered  defeat,  when 
making  the  race  for  re-election.  He  was  acci- 
dentally killed  b}'  a railroad  train  while  walk- 
ing on  the  track  at  Indianapolis,  November  19, 
1859. 

■■■aBBaaaDaoBSBBaBaaB 

OLIVER  HAMPTON  SMITH,  congress- 
man and  senator,  was  born  on 
Smith’s  island,  near  Trenton,  N.  J., 
October  23,  1794.  He  attended 

school  near  his  home  at  intervals  until  1813, 
at  which  time,  owing  to  the  death  of  his 
father,  he  was  thrown  upon  his  own  resources. 
He  afterward  found  employment  in  a woolen 
mill  in  Pennsylvania,  and,  on  attaining  his 
majority,  received  $1,500  from  his  father's 
estate,  which  he  soon  lost  in  an  unfortunate 
business  investment.  Mr.  Smith  came  to  In- 
diana in  1817,  and  settled  at  Rising  Sun,  Ohio 
county,  but,  in  a short  time,  moved  to 
Lawrenceburg,  and  began  the  study  of  law. 
In  March,  1820,  he  was  licensed  to  practice, 
and  soon  afterward  removed  to  ^Vrsailles,  Ripley 
county,  where  he  opened  an  office,  but,  be- 
coming dissatisfied  with  the  location,  in  a few 
months  he  located  at  Connersville,  thence  in 
1839  moved  to  the  state  capital.  In  x\ugust, 
1822,  he  was  elected  to  the  legislature  from 
Ea3'ette  coimt\%  and  while  a member  of  that 
bod\-  served  as  chairman  of  the  judiciary  com- 
mittee, an  important  position,  and  one  usually 


152 


GOVERNORS  OF  INDIANA 


given  to  the  ablest  lawyer  of  the  body.  In 
1824  he  was  appointed  prosecutor  of  the  third 
judicial  district,  and  in  1826,  became  a candi- 
date for  congress  against  Hon.  John  Test,  who 
had  represented  the  district  for  three  full  terms. 
He  made  a vigorous  canvass,  and  defeated  his 
popular  competitor  by  1,500  majority.  Mr. 
Smith  served  with  distriction  in  congress,  and 
was  ever  attentive  and  industrious  in  his  pub- 
lic duties.  In  December,  1836,  he  was  a can- 
didate for  United  States  senator,  his  competi- 
tors being  Noah  Noble,  William  Hendricks  and 
Ratliff  Boon.  He  was  elected  on  the  ninth 
ballot.  In  the  senate,  Mr.  Smith  was  chair- 
man of  the  committee  on  public  lands,  and 
took  great  pride  in  the  place,  which  he  filled 
with  distinguished  ability.  In  1842  he  was  a 
candidate  for  re-election,  but  was  defeated  by 
Edward  A.  Hannegan;  in  March,  1843,  his 
senatorial  services  terminated.  Soon  after  his 
return  home,  his  attention  was  directed  to 
railroads,  and  Indianapolis  is  mainly  indebted 
to  him  for  the  building  of  the  Indianapolis  & 
Bellfonte  road,  now  known  as  the  “Bee  Line.” 
In  1857  he  commenced  writing  a series  of 
sketches  for  the  Indianapolis  Journal  on  early 
times  in  Indiana,  which  attracted  much  atten- 
tion, and  which  were  afterward  brought  out  in 
book  form.  This  volume  is  valuable  as  a rec- 
ord of  early  Indiana  times,  and  contains 
much  information  not  otherwise  noted.  Mr. 
Smith  died  March  19,  1859.  As  a political 
speaker,  he  exhibited  much  the  same  qualities 
and  powers  of  mastery  that  he  did  as  a forensic 
speaker,  but  he  was  less  successful  on  the 
stump,  because  argument  and  close  reasoning, 
which  were  his  mode  of  dealing  with  political 
questions,  were  not  as  popular  as  anecdotal 
and  declamatory  style.  “As  a lawyer,  Mr. 
Smith  was  ever  true  to  the  interest  of  his  client, 
and  in  the  prosecution  of  his  cases  in  court,  he 
displayed  much  zeal  and  earnestness.  He  was 
an  honest  opponent,  and  very  liberal  in  his 


practice,  and  yet  very  capable,  and  sometimes 
ready  to  seize  upon  the  weakness  or  oversight 
on  an  adversary.  His  career  at  the  bar  was  a 
successful  one,  and  he  well  merited  the  high 
tribute  paid  to  his  memory  at  the  time  of  his 
death.”  “In  person,  Mr.  Smith  was  five  feet 
ten  inches  in  height  and  weighed  about  180 
pounds.  He  was  broad  chested,  and  large 
from  the  waist  up.  His  eyes  were  dark,  his 
hair  was  black  and  stood  up  upon  his  head. 
He  had  large  shaggy  eyebrows,  and  the  general 
contour  of  his  features  denoted  energy,  pluck 
and  endurance.  His  place  is  in  the  front  rank 
of  the  great  men  of  Indiana.” 


Hebert  S.  white,  one  of  the  most 

scholarly  of  Indiana’s  distinguished 
men,  was  born  in  Blooming  Grove, 
N.  Y.,  October  24,  1803.  He  gradu- 
ated from  Union  college,  that  state,  in  1822, 
in  the  same  class  with  Hon.  William  H.  Sew- 
ard, and  after  studying  law  for  some  time  at 
Newburg,  was  licensed  to  practice  his  profes- 
sion in  1825.  Soon  -after  this,  he  came  to 
Indiana  and  located  at  Rushville,  thence,  one 
year  later,  moved  to  Paoli  and  subsequently 
took  up  his  permanent  abode  in  Lafayette. 
In  1830  and  1831  he  was  assistant  clerk  of 
the  Indiana  house  of  representatives,  and 
served  as  clerk  of  the  same  from  1832  to  1835. 
In  1833  he  was  candidate  for  congress  against 
Edward  A.  Hannegan,  by  whom  he  was  de- 
feated. “He  had  neither  the  brilliancy  nor 
the  eloquence  of  Mr.  Hannegan,  but  was  the 
superior  of  that  erratic  man  in  education,  cul- 
ture and  in  most  of  the  qualities  which  go  to 
make  up  the  successful  man.”  In  1837  he 
was  more  successful,  having  been  elected  to 
congress  by  an  overwhelming  majority  over 
Nathan  Jackson.  The  year  previous,  he  was 
on  the  whig  electoral  ticket,  and  in  the  elec- 


AND  REPRESENTATIVE  MEN. 


153 


toral  college  cast  his  vote  for  William  Henry 
Harrison.  In  1839  he  was  elected  to  succeed 
Gen.  John  Tipton  in  the  United  States  sen- 
ate, the  struggle  having  been  an  animated  one, 
requiring  thirty-six  ballots  divided  among  Mr. 
White,  Noah  Noble  and  Col.  Thomas  H. 
Blake.  He  entered  the  senate  a young  man, 
but  his  training  eminently  fitted  him  for  the 
duties  of  that  distinguished  body,  in  the  delib- 
erations of  which  he  bore  an  active  part.  He 
strenuously  opposed  the  annexation  of  Texas, 
as  he  did  every  measure  which  was  calculated 
to  extend  the  area  of  slavery.  “He  was  of  a 
conservative  temperament,  and  usually  voted 
with  the  moderate  men  of  his  party,  but  he 
was  conscientiously  an  'anti-slavery  man  and 
always  acted  with  those  who  strove  to  confine 
slavery  to  the  territory  it  then  polluted.”  He 
was  active  in  securing  grants  of  land  to  aid  in 
the  extension  of  the  Wabash  & Erie  canal, 
and  took  a prominent  part  in  shaping  legislation 
to  promote  other  internal  improvements.  On 
the  expiration  of  his  term,  Mr.  White  resumed 
the  practice  of  law,  but  soon  abandoned  the 
profession  and  entered  actively  into  the  busi- 
ness of  railroad  building.  He  was  president 
of  the  Indianapolis  & Lafayette  railroad  from 
its  organization  until  1856,  and  during  a part 
of  that  time  was  at  the  head  of  the  Wabash 
& Western  railway.  In  i860  he  was  again 
called  into  public  life  as  a member  of  congress, 
where  his  thorough  knowledge  of  political  and 
state  affairs  soon  enabled  him  to  take  high 
rank.  He  was  made  chairman  of  a select  com- 
mittee, raised  to  consider  the  question  of  com- 
pensated emancipation,  and  also  reported  a 
bill  appropriating  $ 1 80,000,000  to  pay  loyal 
men  for  their  slaves,  and  $20,000,000  to  aid 
in  the  colonization  of  freedmen.  His  con- 
gressional career  was  eminently  honorable,  but 
he  failed  of  a renomination,  mainly  on  account 
of  his  action  in  regard  to  the  emancipation 
question.  In  January,  1 864,  he  was  appointed 


by  President  Lincoln  United  States  judge  for 
the  district  of  Indiana,  to  fill  the  vacancy 
caused  by  the  death  of  Hon.  Caleb  B.  Smith. 
He  soon  adapted  himself  to  his  new  position, 
and  had  he  lived,  would  have  proved  a worthy 
successor  of  his  eminent  predecessor.  His 
term  was  cut  short  by  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred on  the  4th  day  of  September,  1864. 
“Mr.  White  had  but  little  in  common  with  the 
typical  western  pioneer,  and  it  is  therefore 
somewhat  strange  that  he  should  have  reached 
the  eminence  he  did.  He  never  sunk  his  man- 
hood nor  lowered  his  self-respect,  by  trying  to 
get  down  to  the  level  of  every  man  that  ap- 
proached him.  He  was  in  no  sense  a dema- 
gogue, and  never  sought  to  curry  favor  by 
pretending  to  be  what  he  was  not.  He  was 
always  dignified  and  always  a gentleman.”  In 
personal  appearance,  Mr.  White  was  below 
the  medium  height,  quite  spare  and  had  a nar- 
row visage  with  a prominent  Roman  nose. 
Physically  he  was  weak,  but  intellectually 
ranked  with  the  strong  men  of  the  state  and 
nation.  “■He  was  one  of  the  first  men  of  the 
Wabash  country,  and  of  the  state,  and  his 
name  will  not  be  forgotten  while  learning  and 
scholarship  are  chesished  and  honor  and  pat- 
riotism revered.” 


G^DWARD  A.  HANNEGAN  was  a na- 
tive of  Ohio,  but  in  early  life  moved 
to  Kentucky,  and  settled  at  Lexing- 
ton, where  he  grew  to  manhood.  He 
received  a liberal  education,  and  after  several 
years  spent  in  the  study  of  law,  was  admitted 
to  practice  at  the  Lexington  bar  at  the  early 
age  of  twenty-three.  Not  long  after  this  he 
settled  at  Covington,  Ind.,  where  he  opened 
an  office  and  practiced  his  profession  with  flat- 
tering success  for  a number  of  years.  He 
soon  entered  the  political  arena  and  ere  long 


154 


GOVERNORS  OF  INDIANA 


was  honored  by  an  election  to  the  state  legis- 
tnre,  in  the  deliberations  of  which  he  soon 
took  an  active  and  brilliant  part.  His  career 
in  the  legislature  bi'ought  him  into  prominent 
notice,  and  in  January,  1833,  he  was  elected 
to  the  congress  of  the  United  States,  defeating 
Albert  S.  White,  afterward  his  colleague  in  the 
senate.  lu  1840  he  was  again  a candidate  for 
congress,  but  after  a very  exciting  contest  was 
defeated  by  Hon.  Henry  S.  Lane,  afterward 
governor  and  United  States  senator.  In  1842, 
much  to  the  surprise  of  every  one,  Mr.  Han- 
negan  was  elected  United  States  senator,  de- 
feating Oliver  H.  Smith  and  Tilghman  A. 
Howard  on  the  sixth  ballot  He  took  his  seat 
in  the  senate  on  the  4th  of  December,  1843, 
and  served  until  March  4,  i 849,  during  which 
time  he  made  several  speeches  which  attract- 
ed the  attention  of  the  country.  While  a 
member  of  that  body  his  votes  were  always  in 
accord  with  his  party.  In  March,  1849,  Presi- 
dent Polk  nominated  him  for  minister  to  Prus- 
sia, but  being  unfit  for  diplomacy  by  nature 
and  habit  it  is  no  w'onder  that  his  career  at 
Berlin  added  nothing  to  the  character  of  the 
government  he  represented.  He  was  recalled 
the  next  Januaiy,  and  with  that  recall  the  pub- 
lic life  of  the  brilliant  but  erratic  statesman 
ended.  He  returned  to  his  home  at  Coving- 
ton, and  the  next  year  was  defeated  in  a race 
for  the  legislature,  which  he  took  much  to 
heart  and  which  served  to  drive  him  further 
into  the  convivial  habits  which  ultimately 
proved  his  ruin.  The  habit  of  drink  con- 
tinued to  grow  upon  him  until  in  a fit  of 
drunken  frenzy  he  took  the  life  of  one  whom 
he  dearly  loved — his  brother-in-law,  Capt. 
Duncan.  The  two  had  been  drinking  deeply 
and  angry  words  passed  between  them.  Mr. 
Hannegan  finally  w'ent  into  a separate  apart- 
ment, but  was  followed  by  Capt.  Duncan,  who 
applied  some  bitter  epithets  to  him  and 
slapped  him  in  the  face.  Upon  this  Mr.  Han- 


negan seized  a dagger  and  buried  it  to  the 
hilt  in  Duncan's  body,  the  effect  of  which  was 
death  the  following  day.  He  was  not  indicted 
and  tried  for  this  killing,  the  universal  senti- 
ment of  the  people  being  in  his  favor.  He  re- 
moved to  St.  Louis,  in  1857,  and  on  the  25th 
of  January,  1859,  he  died  in  that  city.  Mr. 
Hannegan  was  warm  in  his  friendships  and 
had  a large  personal  following.  His  manners 
were  elegant,  and  he  was  ardent,  impulsive 
and  undaunted,  thinking,  acting  and  speaking 
with  the  utmost  freedom.  In  person  he  was 
below  the  medium  height,  firmly  and  compact- 
ly built,  but  in  after  years  became  quite  cor- 
pulent. He  was  a charming  companion,  and 
as  an  orator  was  more  eloquent  than  logical. 
“He  was  not  a profound  man  nor  a great 
scholar,  but  what  he  lacked  in  pi'ofundity  he 
made  up  in  brilliancy,  and  his  deficiency  in 
scholarship  was  largely  compensated  for  by 
his  quick  wn  and  fertile  imagination,  and  his 
power  to  express  himself  in  the  choicest  lan- 
guage. He  was  of  Irish  descent,  and  inherited 
many  of  the  characteristics  of  that  warm- 
hearted, impulsive  race.” 


ESSE  D.  BRIGHT,  for  twenty  years  a 
leading  politician  of  Indiana,  was -born 
in  Norwich,  N.  Y. , December  18,  1812, 
and  came  to  this  state  when  a boy,  lo- 
cating with  his  parents  at  .Madison,  where  he 
grew  to  manhood’s  estate.  He  received  an 
academic  education,  and  after  a preparatory 
course  of  reading  was  admitted  to  the  bar, 
where  his  talents  soon  won  for  him  a conspic- 
uous place  among  the  successful  lawyers  of 
Indiana.  He  was  not  profound  in  the  philos- 
ophy of  jurisprudence,  but,  being  a fluent 
speaker  and  quite  popular  with  the  people,  he 
succeeded  in  gaining  a lucrative  practice,  which 
extended  throughout  the  counties  of  the  lower 


AND  REPRESENTATIVE  MEN. 


155 


Wabash  and  elsewhere.  He  was  elected 
judge  of  probate  in  Jefferson  county,  and  sub- 
sequently received  the  appointment  of  United 
States  marshal  for  Indiana,  and  it  was  while 
holding  the  latter  office  that  he  laid  the  found- 
ation of  his  political  career.  In  the  forties, 
he  made  the  race  for  the  state  senate  against 
Williamson  Dunn  and  Shadrack  Wilber,  whom 
he  defeated,  and  in  that  body  was  soon  recog- 
nized as  the  le'ader  of  the  party.  In  fact,  he 
was  a born  leader  of  men,  and  always  stood 
at  the  fore-front  of  the  line.  In  1843  he  was 
lieutenant  governor  on  the  ticket  with  James 
Whitcomb,  and  such  was  the  ability  he  dis- 
played in  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  that 
position,  that  the  senators  and  representatives, 
with  all  of  whom  he  sustained  relations  of  the 
warmest  friendship,  afterward  elected  him  to 
the  senate  of  the  United  States.  At  this  time 
he  was  barely  eligible  to  a seat  in  the  senate, 
on  account  of  his  age,  being  the  youngest  man 
ever  elected  to  that  distinguished  bod}\  In 
1850,  he  was  a candidate  for  re-election 
against  Hon.  Robert  Dale  Owen,  who  subse- 
quently withdrew  from  the  contest,  thus  mak- 
ing Mr.  Bright’s  election  without  opposition. 
In  1856,  his  term  having  expired,  he  again 
sought  a re-election,  which  was  granted  him 
after  a memorable  contest  which  was  decided 
by  the  United  States  senate,  in  a strictly  party 
vote.  In  the  senate,  Mr.  Bright  ranked  high 
as  a committee  worker,  and  enjoyed  great  per- 
sonal popularity.  Such  was  his  standing  that 
on  the  death  of  Vice  President  King,  in  1853, 
he  was  elected  president  pro  tempore  of  the 
senate,  which  he  filled  with  ability  until  the 
inauguration  of  John  C.  Breckinridge,  in  1857. 
In  the  latter  year,  when  forming  his  cabinet. 
President  Buchanan  offered  Mr.  Bright  the 
secretaryship  of  state,  which  position  he  saw 
fit  to  decline.  He  continued  a senator  until 
1862,  when  he  was  expelled  for  disloyalty,  by 
a vote  of  thirty-two  to  fourteen.  The  princi- 


pal proof  of  his  crime  was  in  recommending  to 
Jefferson  Davis,  in  March,  1861,  Thomas  Lin- 
coln, of  Texas,  a person  desirous  of  furnishing- 
arms  to  the  confederacy.  Mr.  Blight  organized 
and  led  the  Breckinridge  party  in  Indiana  in 
i860,  and  in  stumping  for  the  brilliant  young 
Kentuckian  gave  the  movement  all  the  force 
and  vitality  it  had  in  this  state.  He  left  Indi- 
ana soon  after  the  legislature  of  1863  refused 
to  return  him  to  the  United  States  senate,  and 
took  up  his  residence  in  Kentucky,  in  the  legis- 
lature of  which  state, he  subsequently  served 
two  terms.  In  1874,  he  removed  to  Balti- 
more, in  which  city  he  died  on  the  20th  of 
May,  1875,  of  organic  disease  of  the  heart. 
Mr.  Bright  had  a splendid  physique,  and 
weighed  about  200  pounds.  He  had  a good 
head  and  a good  face,  but  was  imperious  in 
manner  and  brooked  no  opposition  from  either 
friend  or  foe.  ‘ ‘He  was  the  Danton  of  Indiana 
democrac}',  and  was  both  loved  and  feared  by 
his  followers.” 


OHN  PETTIT  was  born  at  Sackett’s 
Harbor,  N.  Y. , July  24,  1807,  and 
died  in  Lafayette,  Ind.,  June  17,  1877. 
After  receiving  a classical  education 
and  studying  law,  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
in  1838,  and  commenced  the  practice  of  his 
profession  at  Lafayette,  Ind  He  soon  became 
active  in  state  politics,  was  in  the  legislature 
two  terms  and  served  as  United  States  district 
attorney.  He  was  elected  to  congress  as  a 
democrat  in  1842,  re-elected  to  the  next  con- 
gress and  served  with  distinguished  ability  in 
that  body  from  December  4,  1843,  to  March 
3,  1849.  He  was  a democratic  elector  in 
1852,  and  in  January,  1853,  was  chosen 
United  States  senator  to  fill  the  unexpired 
term  occasioned  by  the  death  of  James  Whit- 
comb, serving  as  such  until  klarch  3,  1855, 


15G 


GOVERNORS  OF  INDIANA 


(luring-  which  time  he  earned  the  reputation  of 
an  able  and  painstaking  legislator.  In  1859 
he  was  appointed,  by  James  Buchanan,  chief 
justice  of  Kansas,  and  in  1870  was  elected 
supreme  judge  of  Indiana  He  was  a delegate 
to  the  Chicago  democratic  convention  in  1864, 
and  as  a political  leader  wielded  a strong  in- 
tluence  in  Indiana  in  a number  of  state  and  I 
national  contests.  He  was  renominated  for 
supreme  judge  in  1876,  but  owing  to  scandals 
connected  with  the  court,  which  excited  popu- 
lar indignation,  he  was  forced  off  the  ticket, 
and  the  name  of  Judge  Perkins  substituted. 


a H ARLES  W.  CATHCART,  of  whose 
public  and  private  history  but  little  is 
now  known,  was  born  on  the  island 
of  Madeira,  in  1809.  He  received  a 
liberal  education  and  early  in  life  shipped  as  a 
sailor,  and  after  a number  of  years  spent  on 
the  sea  located,  in  1831,  at  La  Porte,  Ind.  , 
where  he  engaged  in  farming.  He  served  sev- 
eral years  as  land  surveyor,  was  a representa- 
tive in  the  legislature,  and  in  1845  was  an 
elector  on  the  democratic  ticket.  He  was 
elected  to  the  congress  of  the  United  States  in 
1845-47,  re-elected  the  latter  year  to  serve 
until  1849,  and  was  afterward  appointed  to 
hll  the  unexpired  term  occasioned  by  the 
death  of  James  Whitcomb.  He  served  as 
senator  from  December  6,  1852,  to  March  3, 
1853,  and  at  the  expiration  of  his  term  re- 
turned to  La  Porte  county,  where  his  death 
subsequently  occurred. 


RAH  AM  N.  FITCH  was  born  in  Le 
Roy,  Genesee  county,  N.  Y. , on  the 
5th  of  December,  1810,  and  is  said 
to  have  been  the  first  white  child 
born  in  that  town.  His  grandfather  was  a 


soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  his 
father,  a soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  was 
wounded  at  the  battle  of  Queenstown.  Mr. 
Fitch  received  a liberal  education,  and  in 
early  life  chose  the  medical  profession  for  a 
life  work,  and  completed  a course  of  study  in 
the  same  in  the  college  of  physicians  and  sur- 
geons of  western  New  York.  He  came  to 
Indiana  in  1834,  and  settled  at  Logansport, 
where  his  successful  career  soon*  won  for  him 
the  reputation  of  one  of  the  most  skillful  sur- 
geons and  thorough  practitioners  in  the  west. 
In  1844  he  accepted  a professorship  in  Rush 
Medical  college,  at  Chicago,  and  occupied  the 
chair  of  theory  and  practice  during  the  years 
I 844-47.  Though  not  naturally  a politician, 
Dr.  Fitch,  from  force  of  circumstances,  was 
drawn  into  the  arena  of  politics,  where  his 
commanding  talents  and  energy  marked  him 
as  the  people’s  choice.  In  1836  and  again  in 
1839,  he  was  chosen  to  represent  Cass  county 
in  the  state  legislature.  Subsequently,  at  the 
election  in  August,  1847,  he  was  chosen  to 
represent  his  district  in  the  lower  house  of 
congress,  holding  that  responsible  position 
until  1852.  During  his  membership  he  was 
active  and  efficient  in  the  discharge  of  his 
duties,  earning  the  reputation  of  a good  legis- 
lator. His  legislative  capacity  was  further 
tested  by  an  experience  in  the  senate  of  the 
United  States,  commencing  in  1 860-61.  The 
honorable  distinction  acquired  in  subordinate 
legislative  positions  was  not  dimmed  by  his 
senatorial  experience,  and  he  left  that  distin- 
guished body  with  a record  of  which  posterity 
need  not  be  ashamed.  Although  a democrat 
in  political  affiliations,  he  always  esteemed 
principals  above  mere  partisanship  and  was 
not  slow  to  manifest  disapprobation  when  his 
party  seemed  disposed  to  pursue  a course  of 
policy  in  antagonism  to  his,  better  judgment. 
In  the  triangular  contest  for  the  presidency 
between  Mr.  Lincoln,  Mr.  Douglas  and  Mr. 


AND  REPRESENTATIVE  MEN. 


157 


Breckinridge,  he  gave  his  undivided  support 
to  the  last  named  gentleman,  influenced  there- 
to by  a belief  that  his  election  would  prevent 
the  threatening  civil  war.  Again,  when  his 
party  rallied  to  the  support  of  Mr.  Greeley,  he 
manifested  his  dissent  by  supporting  Mr. 
O’Conor  for  the  presidency.  When  the  war 
came  on,  he  raised  a regiment,  the  Forty-sixth 
Indiana,  and  at  its  head  entered  the  federal 
service.  He  did  brilliant  service  in  several 
campaigns,  but  owing  to  an  injury  received  by 
the  falling  of  his  horse,  >was  compelled  to  leave 
the  service  before  the  expiration  of  the  war. 
Since  the  close  of  the  war,  he  has  continued 
to  practice  his  profession,  not  interfering  in 
political  affairs  except  to  preserve  the  integ- 
rity of  his  inherent  ideas  with  the  vigor  of  his 
palmier  days,  opposing  whatever  he  conceives 
to  be  wrong  in  civil  and  political  affairs.  In 
personal  appearance.  Dr.  Fitch  is  a remarkable 
specimen  of  physical  manhood,  having  a well 
knit  frame  and  a courtly  dignity  which 
bespeaks  the  polished  gentleman.  In  his 
prime  he  appeared  a knight  among  men,  and 
while  a member  of  the  United  States  senate 
is  said  to  have  been  the  finest  looking  man  in 
that  body. 


AVID  TURPIE  was  born  in'  Hamil- 
ton county,  Ohio,  in  1829,  graduated 
at  Kenyon  college,  studied  law,  and 
began  practice  at  Logansport,  Ind. , 
in  1 849.  He  was  a member  of  the  legislature 
in  1852,  was  appointed  judge  of  the  court  of 
common  pleas  in  1854,  and  of  the  circuit  court 
in  1856,  which  post  he  resigned.  He  was 
again  a member  of  the  state  house  of  repre- 
sentatives in  1856,  and  was  elected  to  the 
United  States  senate  from  Indiana,  as  a dem- 
ocrat, in  place  of  Jesse  D.  Bright,  who  had 
been  expelled,  serving  from  January  22  to 
March  3,  1863.  Nearly  twenty-four  years 


afterward  he  was  again  called  on  by  his  party 
to  represent  them  in  the  senate,  to  which 
body  he  was  elected  by  the  Indiana  legislature, 
at  the  session  of  1886-7,  after  a memorable 
struggle.  His  opponent  was  Benjamin  Harri- 
son, afterward  elected  president,  and  he  was 
defeated  by  the  votes  of  one  or  two  independ- 
ents in  the  legislature,  whe  held  the  balance 
of  power  between  the  two  great  parties,  which 
were  almost  equally  divided  in  voting  strength 
among  the  members.  Mr.  Turpie  enjoys  the 
reputation  of  being  one  of  the  ablest  constitu- 
tional lawyers  in  Indiana,  and  is  also  graded 
high  as  a man  of  literary  attainments. 


ANIEL  D.  PRATT  was  born  at  Pal- 
ermo, Maine,  October  24,  1813,  and 
died  at  Logansport,  Ind.,  June  17, 
1877.  His  father  was  a physician 
and  the  son  of  David  Pratt,  a revolutionary 
soldier,  of  Berkshire  county,  Mass.  Mr. 
Pratt’s  early  years  were  years  of  excessive  toil, 
necessitated  by  the  circumstances  of  his  fath- 
er’s family.  His  early  education  was  acquired 
in  the  district  schools  of  Madison  county,  N. 
Y.,  and  in  1825  he  entered  the  seminary  at 
Cazenovia,  that  state,  and  two  years  later 
entered  Hamilton  college,  from  which  he 
graduated  in  1831.  He  was  a natural  orator, 
and  as  a classical  scholar  was  rarely  e.xcelled. 
Immediately  after  graduating  he  accepted  a 
professorship  in  Madison  university,  and  with 
the  means  thus  earned  began  the  study  of  law. 
In  the  spring  of  1832,  he  decided  to  move 
west.  Accordingly  he  set  out  for  Cincinnati, 
making  a part  of  the  journey  on  foot,  and  later 
made  his  way  to  Rising  Sun,  Ind.,  where  he 
taught  a term  of  school.  Subsequently  he  en- 
tered the  law  office  of  Calvin  Eletcher,  at 
Indianapolis,  and  in  1836  located  in  Logans- 
port, at  that  time  a mere  opening  in  the 


158 


GOVERNORS  OF  INDIANA 


wilderness.  The  bright  promises  of  his  early 
youth  were  soon  fully  realized,  for  no  sooner 
was  he  admitted  to  the  bar  than  he  rapidly 
rose  in  his  profession,  and  in  a few  years  the 
fame  of  the  eloquent  young  advocate  resounded 
throughout  northern  Indiana.  He  was  one 
who  never  courted  notoriety,  but  he  made 
himself  a necessity  in  the  held  of  action,  and 
it  was  often  a race  between  litigants  to  see 
who  could  reach  his  office  hrst.  At  the  time 
of  his  election  to  the  United  States  senate  in 
1869,  he  was  recognized  as  the  ablest  lawyer 
in  northern  Indiana,  and  his  fame  was  not 
conhned  to  this  state  alone,  but  extended 
throughout  the  western  country.  For  twenty- 
hve  years  he  was  without  a rival  in  northern 
Indiana,  before  a jury.  Gov.  Hendricks  and 
Sec.  Thompson  divided  the  palm  with  him  in 
the  south  and  west  parts  of  the  state.  His 
eminent  merits  wei'e  recognized,  and  in  1 847 
he  was  nominated  for  congress,  but  was  de- 
feated by  Charles  Cathcart.  In  1848,  he  was 
one  of  the  presidential  electors,  and  in  1851- 
53  was  elected  to  the  legislature,  and  soon  be- 
came the  leader  in  the  house.  In  1 860  he 
was  secretary  of  the  national  convention  at 
Chicago,  which  nominated  Abraham  Lincoln 
for  the  presidency,  and  attracted  great  atten- 
tion by  his  eloquence  and  commanding  pres- 
ence. During  the  war  Mr.  Pratt  was  a zeal- 
ous and  patriotic  advocate  of  the  Union  cause. 
In  1863  he  received  the  unanimous  vote  of  his 
party,  then  in  the  minority,  for  United  States 
senator,  and  in  1 868  was  elected  to  congress 
by  a handsome  majority.  In  1868  the  legisla- 
ture, without  solicitation  on  his  part,  promoted 
him  to  the  United  States  senate.  It  was  un- 
fortunate that  he  entered  that  body  so  late  in 
life,  as  he  was  then  fifty-six  years  of  age,  and 
with  the  exception  of  two  terms  in  the  state 
legislature  was  without  public  training.  The 
artificial  restraint  thrown  around  him  in  the 
national  capital  disgusted  him,  and  interfered 


with  his  splendid  oratorical  powers.  As  it 
was,  however,  he  was  recognized  as  one  of  the 
ablest  men  of  that  body  during  the  period  of 
his  service,  and  although  he  made  but  few 
speeches,  those  he  delivered  were  sound,  log- 
ical and  comprehensive.  P'or  six  years  he  was 
a member  of  both  claim  and  pension  com- 
mittees, and  for  two  years  was  chairman  of 
the  pension  committee.  Millions  of  dollars 
were  allowed  and  dis-allowed  on  his  recom- 
mendation. So  conscientious  was  he  that 
Wendell  Phillips  once  remarked  that  “Pratt  is 
the  most  absolutely  honest  man  I ever  knew.” 
Upon  the  expiration  of  his  term  as  senator,  at 
the  solicitation  of  Pres.  Grant  he  took  charge 
of  the  internal  revenue  department.  In  1876, 
the  republicans  urged  Mr.  Pratt  to  become  a 
candidate  for  governor  of  the  state,  but  he  de- 
clined. Personally  Mr.  Pratt  was  one  of  the 
most  cheerful  and  genial  of  men,  and  in  his 
social  life,  and  all  his  associations,  shed  an  in- 
fluence around  him  which  was  like  sunshine. 
Although  he  never  sought  literary  honors,  his 
talents  could  not  be  unappreciated,  and  in 
1872  Hamilton  college  conferred  upon  him 
the  honorary  degree  of  LL.  D.  In  appear- 
ance he  was  above  the  average  height,  being 
over  six  feet  and  correspondingly  portly.  His 
presence  was  dignified  and  he  moved  among 
men  as  one  born  to  command.  In  his  death 
the  nation  lost  one  of  its  faithful  public  serv- 
ants, the  state  a great  man,  the  legal  profes- 
sion one  of  its  ablest  members  and  the  com- 
munity one  of  its  best  citizens. 


OSEPH  E.  McDonald  was  born  in 
Butler  county,  Ohio,  August  29,  1819, 
the  son  of  John  McDonald,  a native  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  of  Scotch  descent. 
Maternally,  Mr.  McDonald  is  descended  from 
Erench  Huguenot  ancestry.  His  mother, 


AND  REPRESENTATIVE  MEN. 


159 


Eleanor  (Piatt)  McDonald,  was  a native  of 
Pennsylvania  and  a woman  of  superior  order 
of  intellect.  Seven  years  after  the  death  of 
John  McDonald  she  married  John  Kerr,  who 
moved  with  his  family  to  Montgomery  county, 
Ind.,  in  the  fall  of  1826.  Joseph  McDonald 
was  seven  years  of  age  when  the  family  moved 
to  Indiana,  and  until  his  twelfth  year  he  lived 
upon  the  home  farm.  In  his  twelfth  year  he 
became  an  apprentice  at  the  saddler's  trade  in 
Lafa5^ette,  in  which  capacity  he  served  out 
five  years,  studying  law  in  the  meantime,  for 
which  he  early  manifested  a decided  taste.  At 
the  age  of  eighteen  he  entered  Wabash  col- 
lege, began  the  study  of  the  higher  branches, 
supporting  himself  mainly  by  plying  his  trade 
when  it  was  possible  for  him  to  do  so.  He 
afterward  became  a student  in  the  Asbury 
university,  and  in  1 842  began  the  systematic 
study  of  law  at  Lafayette,  Ind.,  in  the  office 
of  Zebulon  Beard,  one  of  the  leading  lawyers 
of  the  state.  He  was  nominated  for  the  office 
of  prosecuting  attorney  before  his  admission  to 
the  bar,  and  was  elected  to  that  position  over 
one  of  the  prominent  law}’ers  of  Lafayette. 
He  was  re-elected  prosecutor,  and  discharged 
the  duties  of  that  office  for  a period  of  four 
years.  In  the  fall  of  1847,  he  moved  to 
Crawfordsville,  which  place  was  his  home 
until  1859.  In  1849  he  was  elected  from  the 
old  eighth  district  and  to  the  twenty-first  con- 
gress, and  served  one  term,  and  in  1856  was 
elected  attorney  general  of  Indiana,  being  the 
first  chosen  to  this  office  by  the  people.  He 
was  re-elected  in  1858,  and  served  two  terms. 
In  1864  he  was  nominated  for  governor  of 
Indiana  by  the  democratic  state  convention, 
and  made  a joint  canvass  with  Oliver  P.  Mor- 
ton, the  republican  nominee.  At  the  election 
he  received  6,000  more  votes  for  governor 
than  the  state  ticket  did  in  1862,  but  Mr. 
Morton  was  elected  by  nearly  20,000  votes. 
Throughout  his  entire  life  he  has  strictly 


adhered  to  his  resolution  to  follow  the  law  and 
make  a success  of  the  profession,  and  as  a 
lawyer  he  has  for  years  ranked  among  the 
most  successful  and  profound  in  the  nation. 
He  was  elected  to  the  United  States  senate 
for  six  years,  to  succeed  David  D.  Pratt,  and 
entered  upon  the  duties  of  that  position  March 
5,  1875.  While  a member  of  that  body  he 
was  chairman  of  the  committee  on  public 
lands,  a member  of  the  judiciary  committee, 
took  a conspicuous  part  in  the  debates  on 
finance,  and  ranked  as  one  of  the  ablest  law- 
yers in  that  body  of  distinguished  men.  He 
served  with  distinction  until  1881,  since  which 
time  he  has  given  his  attention  principally  to 
the  practice  of  of  his  profession,  though  taking 
an  active  part  in  political  affairs,  being  one  of 
the  recognized  leaders  of  the  democracy 'in  the 
United  States.  He  made  the  principal  argu- 
ment for  the  objectors  in  the  count  of  the 
electoral  vote  of  Louisiana  before  the  electoral 
commission  appointed  to  determine  the  result 
of  the  presidential  election  in  1876.  In  the 
national  democratic  convention,  held  in  Chi- 
cago in  1884,  Mr.  McDonald's  name  was  pre- 
sented as  a candidate  for  the  presidential 
nomination,  and  he  had  a strong  following  in 
the  delegation  from  a number  of  states.  He 
is  and  always  has  been  a representative  demo- 
crat of  the  Jeffersonian  school,  and  believes 
that  the  true  idea  of  democracy  is  to  preserve, 
unimpaired,  all  the  rights  reserved  to  the 
states  respectively,  and  to  the  people,  without 
infringing  upon  any  of  the  powers  delegated  to 
the  general  government  by  the  constitution. 
“He  believes  in  the  virtue  of  the  people,  and 
in  their  ability  and  purpose  to  maintain  their 
institutions  inviolate  against  the  assaults  of 
designing  men.”  “As  an  orator,  both  at  the 
bar  and  on  the  hustings,  he  is  cool,  logical  and 
forcible,  and  as  a citizen,  he  has  the  confi- 
dence and  respect  of  all  who  know  him, 
regardless  of  political  creeds.”  “His  views 


1G() 


GOVERNORS  OF  INDIANA 


are  broad  and  comprehensive  on  all  questions 
of  public  interest,  and  his  steadfastness  of  pur- 
pose, his  honest  desire  of  accomplishing  what 
is  best  for  the  people,  have  given  him  a home 
in  their  hearts  and  won  for  him  the  greatest 
honors  they  had  to  bestow.” 


ANIEL  W.  VOOKHEES  was  born 
in  Butler  county,  Ohio,  September 
26,  1827,  and  was  brought  to  Indiana 
l)y  his  parents  when  two  months  old. 
The  family  settled  in  Fountain  county,  where 
Mr.  Voorhees  grew  to  manhood  on  a farm 
about  ten  miles  from  the  town  of  Covington. 
His  father,  Stephen  Voorhees,  was  a native  of 
Mercer  county,  Ky. , and  a descendant  of  an 
old  Holland  family,  many  representatives  of 
which  were  among  the  early  settlers  of  the 
eastern  states  in  the  time  of  the  colonies.  His 
mother  was  Rachel  (Elliot)  Voorhees,  born  in 
Maryland  of  Irish  ancestry,  and  married 
Stecihen  Voorhees  in  the  year  1821.  The  early 
farm  experience  of  Mr.  Voorhees  proved  of 
great  value  to  him  in  after  life,  and  served  to 
bind  him  in  ties  of  sympathy  with  the  com- 
mon people.  He  graduated  from  the  Asbury, 
now  UePauw,  university,  at  Greencastle,  in 
1 849,  and  soon  afterward  entered  the  law  ofhee 
of  Eane  & Wilson,  Crawfordsville,  and  on 
his  admission  to  the  bar,  began  the  practice  of 
his  profession  at  Covington,  Fountain  county, 
where  he  soon  effected  a co-partnership  with 
Hon.  E.  A.  Hannegan  in  1852.  In  June,  1853, 
Mr.  Voorhees  was  appointed  by  Gov.  Wright 
prosecuting  attorney  of  the  circuit  court,  in 
which  position  he  soon  established  a hne  repu- 
tation as  a criminal  lawyer.  In  1856  he  was 
nominated  by  acclamation  democratic  candi- 
date for  congress,  but  was  defeated  by  230 
majority  in  a district  previously  republican  by 
2,600.  In  1857  he  removed  to  Terre  Haute, 


and  the  following  year  was  appointed  United 
States  district  attorney  for  the  state  of  Indi- 
ana by  President  Buchanan.  He  was  elected 
to  congress  in  i860  and  1862,  and  in  1864  was 
again  a successful  candidate,  but  in  the  last 
election  his  majority  of  634  votes  was  contested 
by  his  competitor,  Henry  D.  Washburn,  who 
obtained  the  seat.  He  was  again  elected  in 
1868,  re-elected  in  1870,  but  in  1872  was  de- 
feated by  Hon.  Morton  C.  Hunter.  In  1859 
Mr.  Voorhees  was  retained  as  counsel  to  defend 
Col.  Cook,  who  was  arrested  with  John  Brown 
as  an  accomplice  of  the  latter  in  the  celebrated 
Harper’s  Ferry  raid,  and  his  speech  at  the 
trial  was  one  of  the  greatest  ever  delivered 
before  an  American  jury,  and  it  gained  him  a 
national  reputation.  It  was  listened  to  with 
rapt  attention  by  a vast  audience,  and  was 
afterward  published  all  over  the  country,  and 
in  Europe  in  several  different  languages.  Mr. 
Voorhees  was  appointed  November  6,  1877,  to 
succeed  Gov.  Morton  in  the  United  States 
senate,  and  has  served  by  successive  re-elec- 
tions in  that  distinguished  body  until  the  pres- 
ent time.  From  his  entrance  into  public  life 
he  has  occupied  a conspicuous  place  in  the 
eyes  of  the  public,  and  at  the  bar,  on  the  stump 
or  in  the  halls  of  national  legislation,  he  has 
been  a man  of  mark.  His  powers  as  a parlia- 
mentary orator  and  a statesman  are  a portion 
of  the  history  of  the  nation,  and  as  a party 
leader  few  if  any  have  exercised  as  great  an 
influence  upon  the  people  of  Indiana  as  he. 
“From  the  sobriquet  of  the  Tall  Sycamore  of 
the  Wabash,  so  often  applied  to  him,  it  will  be 
inferred  that  he  is  of  tall  stature,  which  is  the 
case,  as  he  is  over  six  feet  in  height  and  weighs 
over  200  pounds.  He  carries  himself  erect, 
and  his  commanding  presence  and  dignified 
bearing  make  him  a conspicuous  figure  in  the 
senate  chamber.”  During  his  term  of  service 
in  the  senate  he  has  been  assiduous  in  his 
attention  to  the  public  needs.  He  is  always 


AND  REPRESENTATIVE  MEN. 


161 


present  and  allows  no  measure  of  his  political 
opponents  to  pass  without  the  severest  scru- 
tiny, and  with  him  vigilance  is  the  price  of 
liberty. 


R.  DAVID  J.  JORDAN. — The  above 
named  gentleman  is  one  of  the  most 
prominent  of  that  coterie  of  scientific 
writers  who  have  done  so  much  to 
attract  attention  to  the  ph^-sical  resources  of 
Indiana.  For  many  years  Prof.  Jordan  has 
been  president  of  the  state  university.  He 
was  educated  at  Cornell  university,  and  after- 
ward studied  biology  under  the  famous  Agassiz, 
in  his  celebrated  summer  school,  Penikese  is- 
land. Coming  west,  Jordan  taught  his  spec- 
ialty in  the  university  of  Wisconsin,  Indianapo- 
lis high  school,  Butler  university  and  finally  the 
Indiana  university,  of  which  his  talents  even- 
tually made  him  president.  Prof.  Jordan  de- 
voted most  of  his  attention  for  many  years  to 
the  study  of  the  habits  and  classification  of  the 
fishes  of  North  America.  On  this  subject  he 
has  published  over  200  papers,  besides  a large 
work  which  has  become  a standard  authority 
on  ichthyology.  In  enthusiastic  pursuit  of  his 
favorite  study.  Dr.  Jordan  made  a fine  and 
extensive  collection  of  nearly  ten  thousand 
specimens  of  fishes,  reptiles  and  birds,  but  un- 
fortunately these  were  all  destroyed  by  a dis- 
astrous fire  in  1883.  With  characteristic 
energy  he  set  to  work  to  repair  the  damage, 
and  soon  had  a better  collection  than  ever. 
He  has  been  a voluminous  writer  on  scientific 
subjects;  the  greater  part  being  devoted  to  his 
specialty,  the  fishes  of  the  western  states.  He 
has  gathered  around  him,  at  Bloomington,  a 
school  of  students  who  have  grown  up  under 
his  care,  imbibed  his  tastes,  and  greatly  assist- 
ed him  in  his  scientific  researches.  The  re- 
sult of  their  conjoint  labors  and  writings  has 
been  to  make  the  state  university  the  center 


and  authority  on  subjects  relating  to  biological 
work. 


ROF.  JOHN  COLLETT,  the  most 
distinguished  of  Indiana  geologists, 
is  a native  of  this  state,  having  been 
born  in  Vermillion  county  in  1828  and 
graduated  at  Wabash  college  in  1847.  He 
has  taken  an  active  part  in  politics,  having 
been  state  senator,  state  house  commissioner, 
state  statistician  and  state  geologist.  But  his 
chief  fame  and  his  chief  claim  upon  the  grati- 
tude of  his  state,  are  based  upon  his  work  as  a 
scientist.  Prof.  Collett's  life  has  been  studi- 
ous, useful  to  the  geology  of  Indiana,  and  has 
done  more  than  any  other  person  to  make 
known  the  natural  resources  of  the  state,  es- 
pecially to  advertise  to  the  world  the  value  of 
its  coal  measures  and  stone  quarries.  Chiefly 
through  his  efforts,  the  building  stone  of  In- 
diana has  been  introduced  to  commei'ce,  and 
is  now  used  extensively  for  the  construction  of 
public  buildings  in  all  parts  of  the  Union.  He 
proved  its  superiority  by  a series  of  tests. 
From  1880  to  1884,  he  was  state  geologist, 
and  for  many  years  previously  had  served  as 
an  assistant  in  that  office,  to  which  he  contri- 
buted his  most  earnest  labor  and  the  riches  of 
his  well  stored  mind.  In  1884,  he  published 
the  first  and  best  geological  map  of  the  state 
ever  issued,  and  has  written  voluminously  on 
all  subjects  relating  to  the  geology  of  the  state. 
There  is  not  a county  he  has  not  visited  and 
studied,  nor  one  with  those  geological  history, 
dating  far  back  into  the  dim  twilight  of  the 
pre-historic  periods,  he  is  not  so  familiar  as  to 
be  able  to  trace  and  read  like  an  open  book. 
Prof.  Collett  belongs  to  that  useful  class  of 
citizens  which,  while  not  obtaining  the  passing 
applause  and  glittering  fame  that  is  conferred 
upon  the  politician  in  high  office,  confer  more 
lasting  benefits  upon  mankind  and  are  of  more 


GOVERNORS  OF  INDIANA 


k;2 


actual  value  to  a state  than  all  its  politicians 
put  top^cther.  Indiana  needs  more  John  Col- 
letts and  fewer  “statesman”  of  the  Col.  Mul- 
berry vSellers  and  Senator  Dillvvorthy  type. 


AURICE  THOMPSON.— There  is 
no  more  picturesque  personality  in 
the  Hoosier  state  than  the  poet, 
naturalist,  essayist,  story  writer  and 
publicist,  whose  name  heads  this  sketch.  A 
native  of  the  south,  he  possesses  the  frank- 
ness, ardor,  geniality  of  disposition  and  fervent 
feelings  so  characteristic  of  the  warm  latitudes. 
His  home,  however,  since  the  war  has  been  in 
Indiana,  with  whose  institutions  and  people  he 
has  become  thoroughly  identified.  Mr. 
Thompson’s  tastes  are  literary  and  his  occupa- 
tion and  fame  lie  in  that  direction,  but  occa- 
sionally he  takes  an  excursive  iiight  into  poli- 
tics, more  by  way  of  diversion  than  otherwise. 
He  has  served  one  or  two  terms  as  member  of 
the  lower  house  of  the  legislature,  and  one 
term  also  as  state  geologist  by  appointment  of 
Gov.  Gray.  He  prefers,  however,  to  wander 
over  the  fields  and  woodlands,  watching  the 
habits  of  birds,  and  studying  nature  in  all  her 
varying  moods.  On  these  snbjects  he  writes 
most  entertainingly  in  stories,  in  poems,  and 
in  magazine  essa}^s.  He  is  a born  naturalist 
and  is  never  so  happy  as  when  studying  the  in- 
teresting fiora  and  fauna  of  his  adopted  state. 
He  views  nature  with  the  eye  of  an  artist,  and 
describes  her  charms  with  the  heart  of  a poet. 
One  of  his  books  covering  these  subjects,  en- 
titled “Sylvan  Secrets,”  is  as  charming  as  an 
Arabian  tale.  “The  Red-head  Family”  is  a 
bird  sketch  of  the  most  delightful  description, 
in  which  the  imaginings  of  a poet,  and  the 
word  painting  of  an  artist  are  mingled  with, 
and  give  color  to,  ornithological  information  of 
the  most  exact  kind  because  gathered  by  a 


student  of  nature  in  actual  contact  with  what 
he  describes.  Bird  song,  nest  building,  bird 
anatomy,  the  loves,  hates,  trials  and  habits  of 
the  songsters  of  the  grove,  are  themes  which 
this  poet-natnralist  has  enriched  with  the  ap- 
preciation of  a Thoreau,  and  the  descriptive 
powers  of  a Goldsmith.  One  of  his  articles,  a 
gem  of  its  kind,  describes  the  habits  of  the 
mockidg-bird  in  his  native  southern  haunts. 
Mr.  Thompson  says,  what  is  not  generally 
known,  that  the  mocker  sometimes  sings  as  it 
dies,  after  the  manner  of  the  skylark,  and  he 
dwells  at  length,  on  one  of  these  “descending 
songs,”  which  the  mocker  poured  forth  as  he 
buttered  on  ecstatic  wing  from  branch  to 
branch,  and  finally,  by  slow  degrees,  to  the 
earth,  where  he  fell  exhausted  with  the  efforts 
to  produce  his  own  exquisite  melody.  Mr. 
Thompson  is  a voluminous  magazine  writer 
and  covers  a wide  variety  of  topics  with  un- 
flagging ability.  He  is  a conspicuous  member 
of  that  galaxy  of  literary  stars  who  have  shed 
such  luster  upon  Indiana  since  the  war  period, 
and  contributed  so  much  to  give  her  high  rank 
in  the  world  of  letters. 


AMES  WHITCOMB  RILEY.— Some 
fifteen  or  twenty  years  ago  there 
commenced  to  appear  in  various  pa- 
pers of  Indiana  poems  in  dialect,  re- 
lating to  homely  phases  of  human  life  and 
touching  on  those  domestic  topics  that  are 
common  to  every  fireside.  At  first  they  only 
attracted  the  attention  of  a few,  but  by  de- 
grees their  fame  spread  as  they  were  more  and 
more  appreciated,  and  people  began  to  en- 
quire the  author  of  such  pieces  as  “The  Old 
Swimmin’  Hole,”  “When  the  Frost  is  on  the 
Punkin  and  the  Fodder’s  in  the  Shock,”  “The 
Flying  Islands”  and  other  gems,  the  charac- 
teristics of  which  were  a gentle  humor,  always 


AND  REPRESENTATIVE  MEN. 


163 


accompanied  by  a rich  vein  of  tenderest 
pathos.  Usually  these  poems  purported  to  be 
written  by  “Mr.  Johnson,  of  Boone,”  or  some 
other  bucolic  individual  unknown  to  fame. 
Most  of  them  were  published  in  the  various 
newspapers  edited  by  the  late  George  C. 
Harding,  himself  a universal  genius  of  the 
first  water,  and  always  in  sympathy  with  ris- 
ing literary  talent,  which  he  did  more  than 
any  other  newspaper  proprietor  of  the  state 
to  foster  and  develop.  By  degress  it  leaked 
out  that  the  author  of  the  popular  dialect 
poems  was  none  other  than  James  Whitcomb 
Riley,  a young  man  of  Hancock  county,  who 
from  the  rude  life  of  a farmer  boy  found  him- 
self drifting  irresistibly  into  rhyme,  like  the 
noted  Mr.  Wegg.  In  the  course  of  time,  Mr. 
Riley's  fugitive  pieces  were  collected  and 
published  in  a volume,  which  was  succeeded, 
at  intervals,  by  others  of  a similar  tenor,  all 
of  which  were  were  warmly  welcomed  and 
generally  read  by  lovers  of  that  kind  of  verse 
which  deals  with  lowly  human  nature,  and  as 
it  comes  from  the  heart  of  the  writer,  goes  di- 
rectly to  the  hearts  of  the  readers.  Soon  Mr. 
Riley  had  a state  reputation  and  was  wel- 
comed everywhere  wuth  affection  as  the  typi- 
cal “Hoosier  Poet.”  It  w'as  not  until  the 
national  meeting  of  authors  in  New  York,  in 
the  winter  of  1886-87,  Riley’s  fame 

spread  across  the  state  lines  and  extended  to 
boundaries  that  are  touched  by  the  twm  great 
oceans.  The  select  critics  of  literature  in  the 
east  fell  easy  victims  to  his  genial  personal 
address  and  platform  ability,  and  w'hen  the 
meeting  adjourned,  Mr.  Riley  was,  by  general 
consent,  placed  high  up  on  the  temple  of  fame 
alongside  of  the  most  popular  American  poets. 
After  that,  he  figured  conspicuously  on  the 
lecture  platform  as  a reciter  of  his  poems, 
and  has  been  much  sought  after  for  concert 
and  lyceum  work.  Mr.  Riley  is  a distinctive 
Hoosier  product  and  his  poems  are  rich  with 


the  flavor  of  the  soil  from  which  their  author 
sprang.  He  has  done  much  to  give  Indiana  high 
rank  in  the  literary  world,  and  for  this,  as  well 
as  for  the  intrinsic  merits  of  his  compositions, 
enjoys  a warm  place  in  the  hearts  of  his  fellow 
citizens  of  the  Hoosier  state. 


EWIS  WALLACE.— Though  a sol- 
dier of  distinction  in  tw'o  w^ars,  it  is 
not  as  a military  man  that  Gen.  Wal- 
lace has  achieved  his  principal  fame. 
It  has  been  rather  with  the  pen  than  the 
swmrd  he  has  conquered,  and  no  Indianian  has 
carved  his  name  so  high  on  the  literary  temple 
as  the  distinguished  subject  of  this  sketch.  A 
son  of  Gov.  David  Wallace,  he  was  born  in 
Brookville,  Ind.,  on  the  lOth  of  April,  1827. 
He  received  a common  school  education  and 
W'as  studying  lawwhen  the  Mexican  w'ar  roused 
him  from  his  reveries.  He  served  in  that  war 
with  credit  as  a first  lieutenant,  and  at  its  close 
resumed  his  profession,  which  he  practiced 
chiefly  in  the  cities  of  Covington  and  Craw- 
fordsville,  Ind.  He  served  a term  of  four 
years  in  the  state  senate,  but  never  took  kindly 
to  politics.  At  the  breaking  out  of  the  civil 
W'ar,  he  w'as  appointed  adjutant  general  of  In- 
diana, soon  after  becoming  colonel  of  the 
Eleventh  Indiana  volunteers,  with  which  he 
served  in  West  Virginia,  participating  in  the 
capture  of  Romney  and  the  ejection  of  the 
enemy  from  Harper's  Ferry.  He  became  a 
brigadier  general  of  volunteers  in  the  fall  of 
1861,  led  a division  at  the  capture  of  Fort 
Donelson,  and  displayed  such  ability  as  to 
receive  a major  general's  commission  in  the 
follow'ing  spring.  He  participated  conspicu- 
ously in  the  fated  field  of  Shiloh.  In  1864  he 
W'as  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  middle 
department,  w'ith  headquarters  at  Baltimore, 
Md.  With  5,800  men,  he  marched  to  the 


IfU 


GOVERNORS  OF  INDIANA 


banks  of  the  Monocacy,  and  there  offered  bat- 
tle to  the  overwhelming  forces  of  Gen.  Jubal 
A.  Earlv,  who,  with  28,000  men,  was  march- 
ing triumphantly  upon  the  national  capital. 
On  the  afternoon  of  the  9th  of  July,  hard  by 
the  railroad  bridge  that  spans  the  Monocacy, 
near  Frederick,  Md. , was  fought  one  of  the 
bloodiest  engagements  of  the  war,  in  propor- 
tion to  the  number  engaged.  Gen.  Wallace 
was  entrenched  behind  stone  fences  that 
stretched  along  the  heights  near  the  bridge  and 
at  right  angles  with  the  river.  McGausland’s 
cavalr)-,  which  led  the  vanguard  of  Early’s 
army,  crossed  the  stream  and  made  a vigorous 
assault  upon  Wallace’s  lines,  but,  after  a very 
spirited  and  bloody  engagement,  they  were 
forced  to  retreat,  but  took  up  and  held  a posi- 
tion in  the  rear.  Soon  thereafter  a long  line 
of  infantry  were  seen  fording  the  Monocacy, 
and  filing  right  under  cover  of  hills  and  trees 
to  a position  in  front  of  Gen.  Wallace’s  center. 
These  troops  were  the  famous  “Stonewall 
brigade,”  formerly  made  immortal  by  Jackson, 
but  now  consolidated  with  other  seasoned  vet- 
erans into  a division  commanded  by  Major 
Gen.  John  C.  Breckinridge.  They  deployed 
and  were  ordered  to  advance  directly  to  the 
assault  of  Gen.  Wallace’s  main  position.  The 
onset  was  furious  and  the  fatalities  on  both 
sides  many  hundreds  in  a few  minutes.  The 
Union  troops  resisted  stubbornly,  but  were 
finally  forced  to  give  way,  and  the  hundreds  of 
dead  bodies  observable  on  the  field  after  the 
fight  showed  how  bravely  they  had  endeavored 
to  stem  the  tide  of  invasion.  Though  defeated, 
Gen.  Wallace  and  his  troops  had  accomplished 
the  important  duty  of  delaying  Early  until 
reinforcements  could  reach  Washington. 

Gen.  Wallace  was  second  member  of  the 
court  that  tried  the  assassins  of  Lincoln  and 
president  of  that  which  convicted  Wirz  of  the 
Andersonville  prison  horrors.  In  1878  Gen. 
Wallace  was  governor  of  Utah  and  served 


from  1881  to  ’85  as  minister  to  Turkey.  He 
has  lectured  extensively  and  is  one  of  the  most 
popular  of  the  platform  speakers  of  the  day. 
His  chief  fame,  however,  rests  upon  his 
authorship  of  the  religio-historical  novel, 
“Ben  Hur;  a Tale  of  the  Ghrist,”  of  which 
over  290,000  have  been  sold  without  diminu- 
tion in  the  demand.  It  has  already  become 
an  American  classic,  and  takes  front  rank 
among  the  imaginative  works  of  the  world. 
Other  popular  works  by  Gen.  Wallace  are, 
“The  Fair  God,”  a story  of  the  conquest  of 
Mexico,  “Life  of  Benjamin  Harrison”  and 
“The  Boyhood  of  Christ.”  No  other  Indian- 
ian  has  done  so  much  to  give  his  state  high 
rank  in  the  field  of  polite  literature. 


CHUYLER  COLFAX,  statesman,  and 
vice  president  of  the  United  States, 
was  born  in  the  city  of  New  York, 
March  23,  1823.  His  grandfather, 
Gen.  William  Colfax,  was  a native  of  Con- 
necticut, and  served  with  distinction  in  the 
war  of  American  independence.  His  father 
died  before  his  son’s  birth,  as  did  also  a sister, 
and  thus  he  became  the  only  child  of  his  wid- 
owed mother.  The  early  years  of  Mr.  Colfax 
were  spent  in  his  native  city,  where  he  attend- 
ed the  public  schools  and  afterward  became 
clerk  in  a store.  In  1836  he  came  to  Indiana, 
and  located  at  New  Carlisle,  'St.  Joseph  coun- 
ty, where  he  again  entered  a store  as  clerk, 
and  in  1841  he  became  a resident  of  South 
Bend,  in  which  city  he  subsequently  received 
tne  appointment  of  deputy  auditor.  In  1 842 
he  was  active  in  organizing  a temperance  soci- 
ety at  South  Bend,  and  continued  a total 
abstainer  throughout  his  life.  At  this  time  he 
reported  the  proceedings  of  the  state  senate 
for  the  Indianapolis  Journal,  and  in  1844 
entered  the  political  arena  as  a public  speaker 


AND  REPRESENTATIVE  MEN. 


169 


for  Henry  Clay.  In  1845  he  became  editor 
and  proprietor  of  the  St.  Joseph  Valley  Reg- 
ister, of  which  he  was  also  founder,  and  he 
continued  its  publication  for  a period  of  eight- 
een years.  He  was  secretary  of  the  Chicago 
harbor  and  river  convention  in  1847,  in 
1848  was  elected  secretary  of  the  national 
whig  convention,  at  Baltimore,  which  nomin- 
ated Gen.  Zachary  Taylor  for  the  presidency. 
He  was  a member  of  the  Indiana  constitution- 
al convention  of  1850,  and  in  1851  received 
the  whig  nomination  for  congress.  His  oppo- 
nent was  Hon.  Graham  N.  Fitch,  an  able  pol- 
itician and  and  a fine  speaker,  with  whom  he 
engaged  in  a joint  canvass,  during  which  the 
two  men  traveled  over  1,000  miles  and  held 
over  seventy  discussions.  The  district  was 
strongly  democratic,  yet  Mr.  Colfax  was 
defeated  by  only  200  votes.  In  1852  he  was 
a delegate  to  the  national  convention  which 
nominated  Gen.  Scott  for  the  presidency,  and 
in  1854  was  elected  to  the  Thirty-fourth  con- 
gress by  the  memorable  majority  of  1,776 
votes,  although  the  same  district  in  previous 
years  gave  a democratic  majority  of  1,200.  In 
1858  he  was  again  triumphantly  elected  to 
congress,  and  served  as  a member  of  that  body 
by  successive  elections  until  1 869.  He  was 
elected  speaker  of  the  house  in  December, 
1863,  and  on  April  8th,  of  the  following  year, 
he  descended  from  the  chair  to  move  the 
expulsion  of  Mr.  Long,  of  Ohio,  who  had 
made  a speech  favoring  the  recognition  of  the 
southern  confederacy.  The  resolution  was 
afterward  changed  to  one  of  censure,  and  Mr. 
Colfax’s  action  was  generally  sustained  by 
Union  men.  On  the  convening  of  the  Thirty- 
ninth  congress,  Mr.  Colfax  was  again  elected 
speaker  by  1 39  votes,  his  opponent,  Mr. 
Brooks,  of  New  York,  receiving  but  thirty-six. 
March  4,  1867,  he  was  for  the  third  time 

chosen  speaker,  and  his  skill  as  a presiding 
officer,  often  shown  under  very  trying  circum- 


stances, gained  the  applause  of  both  friends 
and  political  opponents.  In  May,  1868,  the 
republican  national  convention  at  Chicago 
nominated  him  on  the  first  ballot  for  vice  pres- 
ident, Gen.  Grant  being  the  presidential  nom- 
inee, and  the  ticket  having  been  successful,  he 
took  his  seat  as  president  of  the  senate  March 
4,  1869.  In  August,  1871,  the  president 

offered  him  the  position  of  secretary  of  state 
for  the  remainder  of  his  term,  but  he  declined. 
In  1872  he  was  prominently  mentioned  as  a 
presidential  candidate,  and  the  same  year  he 
refused  the  editorship  of  the  New  York  Trib- 
une. “In  1873,  Mr.  Colfax  was  implicated  in 
the  charges  of  corruption  brought  against 
members  of  congress  who  had  received  shares 
in  the  credit  mobilier  of  America.  The  house 
committee  reported  that  there  was  no  ground 
for  his  impeachment,  as  the  alleged  offense,  if 
committed  at  all,  was  committed  before  he 
became  vice  president.”  “He  denied  the 
truth  of  the  charges  and  his  friends  have 
always  regarded  his  character  as  irreproacha- 
ble.” His  latter  years  were  spent  mostly  in 
retirement  at  his  home  in  South  Bend,  and  in 
delivering  public  lectures,  which  he  frequently 
did,  before  large  audiences.  The  most  popu- 
lar of  his  lectures  was  that  on  “Lincoln  and 
Garfield.”  He  died  at  Mankota,  Minn.,  Jan- 
uary 13,  1885. 


OBERT  DALE  OWEN  was  the  son 
of  Robert  J.  Owen,  a celebrated 
English  reformer,  who  was  born  in 
1771  and  died  1858.  He  was  born 
near  Glasgow,  Scotland,  November  7,  1801, 
and  after  receiving  a liberal  education  in  his 
native  country,  came  to  the  United  States  in 
1823  and  settled  at  New  Harmony,  Posey 
county,  Ind.  In  1828,  in  partnership  with 
Mrs.  P'rances  Wright,  he  began  the  publica- 


170 


GOVERNORS  OF  INDIANA 


tion  of  a paper  called  the  Free  Enquirer, 
which  made  its  periodical  visits  about  three 
years.  He  was  three  times  elected  to  the 
Indiana  legislature,  and  in  1843  was  elected  to 
congress,  in  which  body  he  served  until  1847, 
having  been  re-elected  in  1845.  When  in 
congress  he  took  a pi'ominent  part  in  the  set- 
tlement of  the  northwestern  boundary  dispute, 
and  was  largely  instrumental  in  establishing 
the  Smithsonian  institute  at  Washington,  of 
which  he  became  one  of  the  regents,  and 
served  on  the  building  committee.  He  was  a 
delegate  to  the  constitutional  convention  in 
1850,  and  no  one  bore  a more  prominent  part 
in  the  deliberations  of  that  body  than  he.  In 
1853  he  was  appointed  charge  d’  affaires  at 
Naples,  and  in  1855  was  minister  at  Naples, 
holding  the  position  until  until  1858.  During 
the  civil  war  he  was  a firm  supporter  of  the 
Union,  and  one  of  the  first  to  advocate  the 
emancipation  of  the  slaves.  Mr.  Owen  was  a 
firm  believer  in  the  doctrines  of  spiritualism, 
and  was  fearless  in  his  advocacy  of  the  same. 
He  inherited  the  communistic  notions  of  his 
father,  who  had  failed  in  numerous  attempts 
to  carry  the  system  into  practical  operation, 
and  he  also  signally  failed  in  his  attempts  to 
accomplish  a similar  purpose.  His  scholastic 
attainments  were  of  the  highest  order,  and  he 
possessed  a mind  well  stored  with  general 
knowledge.  He  was  indeed  a man  of  tran- 
scendent ability  and  may  justly  be  regarded  as 
one  the  greatest,  as  well  as  one  of  the  best, 
men  Indiana  has  ever  claimed.  He  contribut- 
ed largely  to  the  literature  of  his  day,  and  the 
following  is  a partial  list  of  his  best  know 
works:  “Moral  Physiology,”  “Discussion 

with  Original  Bachelor  on  the  Personalit}^  of 
God,  and  the  Authenticity  of  the  Bible,” 
“Hints  on  Public  Architecture,”  “Footfalls 
on  the  Boundaries  of  Another  World,”  “The 
Wrong  of  Slavery  and  tne  Right  of  Emancipa- 
tion,” “Beyond  the  Breakers,”  a novel. 


“The  Debatable  Land  Between  this  World 
and  the  Next,”  “Treading  My  Way,”  an  au- 
tobiography. Mr.  Owen  departed  this  life  at 
Lake  George,  N.  Y.,  January  24,  1877,  aged 
seventy-six  years. 


ICHARD  W.  THOMPSON,  ex-sec- 
retary  of  the  navy,  is  a native  of  Vir- 
ginia, born  in  Culpeper  county,  June 
9,1809.  In  the  fall  of  1831  he  emi- 
grated to  Indiana,  and  taught  school  in  the 
town  of  Bedford,  afterward  establishing  the 
Lawrence  county  seminary,  which  he  con- 
ducted about  one  year.  Abandoning  school 
work  he  embarked  in  the  mercantile  business 
in  Lawrence  county,  and  while  thus  engaged 
began  the  study  of  law.  He  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  in  1834,  and  the  same  year  he  was 
elected  a member  of  the  Indiana  legislature, 
in  which  body  he  not  only  displayed  great 
ability  and  foresight,  but  was  also  instrumen- 
tal in  shaping  much  important  legislation.  In 
1838  he  was  returned  to  the  house,  and  the 
following  year  was  chosen  state  senator,  of 
which  he  was  president  pro  tempore  on  the 
occasion  of  the  resignation  of  Lieut.  Gov. 
Wallace.  In  1841  he  was  elected  to  the 
United  States  congi'ess  over  Hon.  John  W. 
Davis,  but  declined  a renomination  to  the 
same  position,  and  in  1 843  removed  to  Terre 
Haute,  in  which  city  he  has  since  resided. 
He  was  a presidential  elector  on  the  Harrison 
ticket  in  1840,  zealously  supporting  Gen.  Har- 
rison in  public  speeches,  and  by  his  pen,  and 
was  a defeated  candidate  for  elector  on  the 
Clay  ticket  in  1844.  In  1847  he  was  again 
elected  to  congress  by  the  whig  party,  and  be- 
came prominent  in  national  legislation  during 
his  term,  but  at  its  expiration  retired  from 
public  life.  In  1849  he  was  appointed  United 
States  minister  to  Austria,  by  Gen.  Taylor, 


AND  REPRESENTATIVE  MEN, 


171 


but  declined  to  accept  the  honor,  and  was  also 
tendered  several  other  appointments  by  the 
general  government,  all  of  which  he  saw  ht  to 
refuse.  During  the  war  for  the  Union  he  was 
active  and  rendered  valuable  service  to  his 
country,  was  commandant  of  Camp  Dick 
Thompson,  near  Terre  Haute,  and  also  served 
as  provost  marshal  of  the  district.  He  was 
again  a presidential  elector  on  the  republican 
ticket  in  1 864,  and  a delegate  to  the  national 
conventions  of  that  party  in  1878,  and  1876, 
in  the  latter  of  which  he  nominated  Oliver  P. 
Morton  for  the  presidency.  In  1867-69  he 
was  judge  of  the  eighteenth  circuit  of  the  state, 
and  on  March  12,  1 877,  he  entered  Pres. 
Hayes’  cabinet,  as  secretary  of  the  navy.  He 
served  nearly^'through  the  administration,  but 
resigned  the  position  in  1881,  to  become  chair- 
man of  the  American  committee  of  the  Pana- 
ma Canal  company.  Mr.  Thompson  has 
written  many  political  platforms,  and  obtained 
a reputation  for  his  ability  in  formulating 
party  principles.  He  is  an  eloquent  and  effec- 
tive speaker,  and  a man  of  benevolence  and 
unassuming  manners. 


aOL.  FRANCIS  VIGO,  whose  name  is 
prominently  identified  with  the  early 
history  of  Indiana,  was  born  in  the 
kingdom  of  Sardinia  in  1 740,  and 
died  at  Vincennes,  Ind.,  in  1836.  Until  1778 
he  was  a resident  of  the  Spanish  port  of  St. 
Louis,  where,  as  an  Indian  trader,  he  acquired 
the  title  of  the  “Spanish  Merchant.”  He  re- 
moved to  Vincennes  a short  time  previous  to 
its  capture  by  Gen.  George  Rogers  Clark, 
whom  he  was  instrumental  in  assisting,  for 
which  he  was  afterward  arrested  by  the  British 
as  a spy.  In  the  Illinois  campaigns  of  1778 
and  1779,  Col.  Vigo  rendered  valuable  service 


to  the  army  of  Clark  by  advancing  large  sums 
of  money  for  food  and  clothing.  Through  his 
patriotism  and  self-sacrifice,  he  served  the 
army  and  gave  victory  to  the  cause  of  the  col- 
onies of  the  west.  He  was  made  commandant 
of  the  militia  of  Vincennes  in  1 790,  and  in 
1810  was  one  of  Gen.  Harrison's  confidential 
messengers  to  the  Indians.  His  name  will 
ever  be  associated  with  the  early  history  of 
the  Wabash  valley. 


OHN  W.  DAVIS,  one  of  Indiana's  most 
noted  men,  was  born  in  Cumberland 
count}’,  Penn.,  July  17,  1799,  and 

died  in  1859.  He  was  well  educated 
and  graduated  in  medicine  at  Baltimore  in 
1821,  shortly  afterward  removing  to  Carlisle, 
Ind.  He  was  soon  embarked  on  a political 
career  and  graduated  for  the  purpose  in  that 
universal  and  popular  school,  the  state  legis- 
lature. He  served  several  years  in  that  body, 
and  was  chosen  speaker  of  the  house  in  1832. 
In  1834  he  was  appointed  a commissioner  to 
negotiate  a treaty  with  the  Indians.  He  was 
elected  to  congress  by  the  democrats,  and 
served  from  December  7,  1835,  mrtil  March  3, 
1837.  ■\''as  re-elected,  and  again  served  from 
1839  until  1841,  and  from  1843  till  1847. 
During  his  last  term  he  was  speaker  o!  the 
house  of  representatives,  having  been  elected 
on  December  i,  1845.  He  was  United  States 
commissioner  to  China  in  1843—50,  and  gov- 
ernor of  Oregon  in  1853-54.  He  presided  over 
the  convention  held  at  Baltimore  in  1852,  that 
nominated  Franklin  Pierce  for  the  presidency. 
iMr.  Davis  was  a strong  man  and  a party  leader 
of  long  continued  popularity  and  well  recog- 
nized ability.  He  was  also  a decided  feature 
of  the  list  of  self-made  Indiana  publicists. 


DELAWARE  COUNTY, 


INDIAISIA. 


THOS.  SHARP. 


MATHEW  McCORMiCK. 


M.  A.  CUNNINGHAM. 


^ILLIAM  ABBOTT,  a retired  farmer 
and  prominent  citizen  of  Centre 


m 

township,  Delaware  county.  Inch, 

was  born  in  Warren  county,  Ohio, 
December  15,  1833,  son  of  James  and  Rose 
(Keenan)  Abbott.  James  Abbott  was  born 
where  the  city  of  Cincinnati  now  stands,  Feb- 
ruary 27,  1794.  He  was  a son  of  Aaron  Ab- 
bott, of  English  extraction,  who  was  born  near 
Boston,  Mass.,  but  reared  in  Warren  county, 
Ohio.  Shortly  after  the  removal  of  the  family 
to  that  county  the  colony  was  attacked  with 
cholera,  and  Mr.  Abbott  was  one  of  the  few 
who  survived  the  scourge.  Soon  after  the 
birth  of  his  son,  James,  he  died,  and  all  pre- 
vious records  of  the  family  were  lost.  James 
Abbott  was  reared  in  AVarren  county,  and 
there  learned  the  trade  of  cabinet  maker. 
While  yet  a minor  he  enlisted  in  the  war  of 
1812,  and  in  1813  was  in  one  of  the  vessels  on 
Lake  Erie  during  the  battle  between  Commo- 
dore Perry  of  the  Lawrence  and  the  British 
fleet.  His  service  did  not  extend  over  very 
many  months,  and  after  his  return  home  he 
located  at  Lebanon,  Ohio,  where  he  worked 
at  his  trade,  remaining  here  until  his  marriage 
June  19,  1823.  After  this  event  he  removed 
to  Miami  county,  Ohio,  where  he  engaged  in 


farming  for  about  twelve  years,  when  he  re- 
moved, in  1847,  to  Indiana  and  became  one  of 
the  early  pioneers  of  Delaware  county.  He 
purchased  a fine  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres,  located  about  one  mile  east  of  Granville, 
in  Niles  township,  and  there  remained  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  October  14,  1874. 
His  wife  died  April  16,  1881,  and  both  were 
laid  side  by  side  in  the  Granville  cemetery, 
where  a modest  stone  marks  their  last  resting 
place.  Mr.  Abbott  was  a successful  business 
man  and  became  possessed  of  considerable 
property.  Both  he  and  his  wife  were  mem- 
bers for  many  years  of  the  Free  Will  Baptist 
church.  In  his  early  days  he  was  a whig,  but 
upon  the  birth  of  the  republican  party  he  joined 
that  and  supported  its  principles  through  life. 
He  became  the  father  of  seven  children;  Aaron, 
who  died  in  1862;  John  K. , a resident  of 
Miami  county,  Ohio  ; Ellen,  deceased  ; William  ; 
James  D.,  a resident  of  Delaware  county: 
George,  a resident  o!  Albany,  this  county,  and 
Sarah  E.,  wife  of  Amos  Wilson,  of  Henry 
county,  Ind. 

William  Abbott  was  born  on  the  farm  in 
Warren  county,  Ohio,  and,  like  all  farmer 
lads  of  that  time,  was  early  in  life  inured  to 
hard  labor.  While  still  young  he  learned  the 


J7G 


MUNCIE  CITY 


trade  of  carpenter,  and  when  there  was  no 
work  to  be  performed  on  the  farm  he  busied 
himself  working  at  his  trade.  His  educational 
advantages  were  very  limited,  and  at  the  age 
of  eighteen  years  he  began  life  for  himself,  en- 
gaging in  farming  and  working  at  the  carpen- 
ter trade.  For  several  years  he  rented  land, 
bnt  in  1866  he  bought  eighty  acres  in  Niles 
township,  this  county.  At  the  age  of  twelve 
years  he  had  accompanied  his  father  to  Dela- 
ware county.  After  purchasing  his  farm  he 
engaged  in  work  upon  it  for  some  years,  but 
in  the  fall  of  1872  he  moved  into  Muncie, 
where  he  conducted  a private  restaurant  and 
hotel,  which  is  now  known  as  the  Abbott 
house  and  is  managed  by  a Mr.  Braun  of  the 
the  same  place.  In  1879  Tvir.  Abbott  retired 
from  this  business,  and  two  years  later  con- 
nected himself  with  the  Citizens’  National  bank 
as  director,  which  position  he  still  holds. 
After  leaving  the  hotel  Mr.  Abbott  was  ap- 
pointed courtroom  bailiff,  serving  as  such  for 
seven  years.  He  has  a beautiful  home  of 
eight  acres  at  Riverside,  one  of  the  most  valu- 
able pieces  of  property  in  the  neighborhood. 
June  I,  1856,  Mr.  Abbott  was  married,  in 
Delaware  county,  to  Miss  Frances  M.  Adset, 
born  in  Warren  county,  Ohio,  daughter  of  J. 
and  Mary  Adset.  Four  children  have  been 
born  of  this  marriage;  Josephine,  deceased; 
Marion;  John  C.,  an  official  in  the  bank,  and 
an  infant,  deceased.  Mr.  Abbott  enlisted  in 
the  service  of  his  country,  February  8,  1865, 
in  company  B,  One  Hundred  Forty-seventh 
Indiana  volunteer  infantry,  for  one  year,  and 
served  until  July  i,  1865,  at  Cumberlan,  Md., 
but  was  not  called  upon  for  active  duty. 

Politically  Mr.  Abbott  affiliates  with  the 
republican  party  and  has  served  as  a justice  of 
the  peace  in  Niles  township  for  eight  years. 
Mrs.  Abbott  is  a member  of  the  Methodist 
church,  and  the  famil}  occupies  a position  of 
the  greatest  respectibility  and  prominence. 


HARLES  E.  ADAMSON  has  become 
well  known  to  all  the  principal  busi- 
ness houses  throughout  the  country 
as  a patent  attorney  and  the  owner 
and  patentee  of  the  “Adamson  Process  Imita- 
tion Typewriting,”  wnich  is  much  in  use  in  the 
large  cities  for  a certain  class  of  printing.  Mr. 
Adamson  was  born  in  Howard  county,  Ind., 
Aug.  25,  1861,  and  is  a son  of  Edom  Adam- 
son, a native  of  Indiana,  whose  birth  occurred 
in  the  township  of  Mt.  Pleasant,  Delaware 
county,  in  the  year  eighteen  hundred  and  thir- 
ty-five. The  father  of  Edom  Adamson  was 
Andrew  Jackson  Adamson,  who  is  remembered 
as  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Delaware  county  and 
a prominent  factor  in  the  early  developement 
of  the  section  in  which  he  resided.  When  a 
young  man,  Edom  Adamson  located  in  How- 
ard county,  and  there  married  Miss  Lydia 
Timmons,  and  engaged  in  agricultural  pur- 
suits. Subsequently,  in  1872,  he  removed  to 
Iowa,  where  he  followed  his  chosen  calling 
until  1878,  when  he  returned  to  Howard  coun- 
ty, wnere  his  death  occurred  in  1884.  Edom 
Adamson  was  one  of  the  brave  men  who  left 
family  and  fireside  and  offered  their  lives  upon 
the  altar  of  their  country  during  the  dark  peri- 
od of  the  great  civil  war.  In  1861  he  enlisted  in 
company  A,  One  Hundred  and  Thirtieth  Indi- 
ana volunteer  infantry,  with  which  he  served 
until  the  cessation  of  hostilities,  and  with 
which  he  took  part  in  a number  of  bloody  bat- 
tles and  campaigns.  Eor  many  years  he  was 
a prominent  member  of  the  Christian  church, 
and  he  bore  the  reputation  of  a Christian  gen- 
tleman against  whose  character  no  breath  of 
suspicion  was  known  to  have  been  uttered.  Of 
the  five  children  born  to  Edom  and  Lydia 
Adamson  two  daughters  and  one  son  are 
deceased,  and  two  sons,  Charles  E.  and 
Andrew  Gilmore,  reside  in  Muncie. 

Charles  E.  Adamson  accompanied  his  par- 
ents to  Iowa  when  nine  years  of  age  and 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


177 


received  his  principal  education  in  the  schools 
of  that  state.  Upon  the  return  of  the  family 
to  Howard  county,  he  came  to  Muncie,  and  in 
the  spring  of  1883  established  his  present  busi- 
ness, that  of  a general  practice  in  the  law  per- 
taining to  patents  and  the  obtaining  of  patents. 
In  this  department  of  the  legal  profession  he  is 
considered  an  authnrity  and  very  successful, 
and  such  has  been  the  growth  of  his  extensive 
business  that  at  this  time  he  requires  the 
assistance  of  a large  number  of  clerks  in  the 
Muncie  office,  and  in  his  branch  offices  in 
Washington  and  Chicago.  Mr.  Adamson  is  a 
broad-minded,  keen  business  man,  and  his  suc- 
cess for  one  so  young  in  years  has  been  much 
beyond  the  ordinary.  He  has  been  identified 
with  a number  of  the  leading  enterprises  of 
Muncie,  was  a charter  member  of  the  first 
board  of  trade  of  the  city  and  one  of  the  first 
gas  well  companies.  He  also  subscribed  to  the 
Citizens’  Enterprise  company.  Fraternally  he 
belongs  to  Muncie  lodge,  I.  O.  O.  F.  In  1881 
Mr.  Adamson  and  Miss  Fouisa  E.  Polk  (daugh- 
ter of  Dr.  Robert  Polk,  an  old  and  respected 
citizen  of  Centre  township,  Delaware  county), 
were  united  in  marriage,  and  one  daughter, 
Anna  Feo,  has  been  born  to  their  union.  Re- 
ligiously Mr.  Adamson  subscribes  to  the  Uni- 
versalist  creed. 


ONATHAN  P.  ADAMSON,  deceased, 
was  one  of  the  energetic,  enterprising 
and  sagacious  merchants  of  Muncie  in 
her  palmy  days.  A son  of  Jonathan 
and  Ruth  (Williams)  Adamson,  he  was  born 
near  Economy,  W^ayne  county,  Ind.,  Decem- 
ber 16,  1818,  and  until  forty-five  years  old 
lived  on  his  native  farm.  He  was  largely  self- 
educated,  but  his  acquired  knowledge  excelled 
in  its  extent  that  of  many  who  had  had  more 
extended  advantages  for  securing  school 
advantages.  After  having  passed  nearly  a half 


century  in  the  pursuit  of  agriculture,  he  dis- 
posed of  his  eighty  acre  farm  in  Wayne  coun- 
t3^  and  about  May  i,  1865,  or  three  weeks 
after  the  surrender  of  Gen.  R.  E.  Fee,  at 
Appomattox  C.  H.,  Va.  (April  9,  1865),  Mr. 
Adamson  came  to  Muncie,  Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  and  engaged  in  mercantile  trade,  going, 
first,  into  the  grocery  business,  having  for  his 
partner  his  nephew,  B.  R.  Adamson;  he  then 
changed  to  the  dry  goods  trade,  with  Mr. 
Hammer  for  his  partner;  later  he  resumed  the 
traffic  in  groceries,  with  James  N.  Cropper  as 
partner,  and  still  later  with  Riley  Jones,  with 
whom  he  remained  associated  until  within  two 
weeks  of  his  death,  June  17,  1890,  when  he 

sold  out.  He  met  with  great  success  as  a 
merchant,  especially  with  farmers,  as  he  was 
genial  and  sociable,  and  well  posted  in  farm- 
ing topics,  as  was  quite  natural,  from  his  long 
personal  experience  in  agriculture.  He  was 
of  a religious  turn  of  mind,  but  it  was  not 
until  1862  that  he  was  baptized.  In  that  year 
he  united  with  the  church  in  Jacksonburg, 
Wayne  county,  and  on  coming  to  Muncie,  he 
and  wife  became  prime  movers  in  organizing 
the  First  Christian  church,  in  which  he  at  once 
became  an  elder  and  faithfully  filled  the  posi- 
tion until  the  end.  In  politics  he  was  a pro- 
nounced partisan  but  never  an  office  seeker, 
yet  for  nine  years,  as  a matter  of  duty  to  his 
fellow  citizens,  he  filled  the  office  of  justice  of 
the  peace  in  Wayne  county.  He  was  first  a 
free  soiler,  then  a republican,  and  was  lastly 
an  ardent  prohibitionist. 

November  22,  1838,  Mr.  Adamson  was 

most  happily  united  in  marriage  to  his  now 
venerable  life  companion,  Emily  ISIacy,  daugh- 
ter of  Reuben  and  Fucinda  (Petty)  Macy. 
This  lady  is  also  a native  of  Wayne  county, 
Ind.,  and  was  born  in  1822.  There  were  no 
children  born  to  their  union,  but  they  reared 
to  useful  maturity  two  girls  and  one  boy,  viz: 
Fucinda  Hammer  (a  niece  of  Mrs.  Adamson), 


178 


MUNCIE  CITY 


now  the  wife  of  Thomas  McCulloch,  a fanner 
of  Delaware  county;  John  Adamson,  a nephew, 
who  fell  in  the  defense  of  the  Union,  and  last- 
ly, they  adopted  Nettie  Adamson,  at  the  age 
of  three  years,  whom  they  educated  in  the  best 
institutions  of  learning  in  the  city,  and  who 
was  married  to  William  Fadely,  of  Muncie. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Adamson,  up  to  the  time  of  his 
demise,  had  been  companions  over  fifty-two 
years,  and  November  22,  1888,  celebrated  the 
golden  anniversary  of  their  wedding.  “ G.  W. 
T.,”  writing  at  Union  City  on  the  melancholy 
occasion  of  the  death  of  Mr.  Adamson,  for 
publication  in  one  of  the  daily  journals,  makes, 
among  others,  the  following  appropriate  re- 
marks; 

‘ ‘Jonathan  P.  Adamson  was  born  and  raised 
in  Wayne  county,  Ind.  In  1861  he  heard  the 
writer  of  this  preach  the  primitive  gosple,  the 
first  among  our  people  he  ever  heard.  After 
this  he  heard  others  of  our  preachers.  1862 
he  was  baptized  on  a profession  of  faith  in  the 
Christ,  and  to  the  day  of  his  death  he  lived  a 
faithful  Christian.  He  died  on  June  17,  1890, 
at  the  age  of  seventy-one  years,  six  month  and 
one  day.  I had  been  intimately  acquainted 
with  him  for  twenty-nine  years.  In  the  year 
1865  he  removed  to  Muncie,  Delaware  county, 
Ind. , and  became  closely  allied  to  the  cause 
there,  and  thi'ough  his  personal  efforts,  as 
much,  or  more  than  any  other,  was  due  the 
planting  of  our  cause  in  that  city.  He  was  an 
officer  in  the  church  in  Muncie  from  its  organ- 
ization till  his  death.  He  was  an  upright 
citizen;  as  a business  man,  energetic  and  ap- 
preciated by  all;  outspoken  on  all  leading 
questions,  favoring  what  he  conceived  to  be 
right  and  against  the  wrong.  The  only 

question  with  him  was:  Is  it  right If  so,  he 
did  it.  He  had  been  afflicted  for  a number  of 
years  with  catarrhal  trouble,  and  was  confined 
to  his  room  about  five  months.  The  writer 
talked  with  him  often  about  the  future.  He 


was  willing  and  ready  to  depart  and  be  with 
Christ.  He  was  one  of  the  noble  men  of  earth, 
a known  quantity.  His  word  was  as  good  as 
his  bond.  He  never  betrayed  a friend  or 
truckled  to  any  schemes.  I think  he  would 
have  died  rather  than  consent  to  a wrong. 
He  was  one  who  enlisted  during  the  war,  and 
he  was  always  on  duty,  never  having  a fur- 
lough. May  our  kind  father  raise  up  some 
one  to  take  his  place  in  the  church.  The 
writer  spoke  to  a large  concourse  of  friends 
and  neighbors,  who  had  gathered  to  pay  a 
tribute  of  respect  to  him,  from  Rev.  xlv  13, 
after  which  at  the  close  of  a beautiful  day,  as 
the  sun  was  low  in  the  west,  we  laid  him  in 
the  beautiful  cemetery  at  Muncie,  to  rest  until 
Jesus  shall  call  him  to  his  final  reward.  For 
his  faithful  companion  who  walked  side  by 
side  with  hinr  in  all  his  efforts  to  do  good  for 
nearly  fifty-two  years,  we  pray  the  consola- 
tions of  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God. 
‘Rest,  brother,  rest,  till  Jesus  calls,  and  we 
shall  meet  again.’”  G.  W.  T. 


O'* APT.  EDWIN  C.  ANTHONY,  the 
son  of  one  of  Muncie’s  greatest  bene- 
factors as  well  as  one  of  her  earliest 
settlers,  was  born  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
May  29,  1818.  In  order  to  fully  show  his  in- 
timate relationship  with  the  growth  of  Muncie, 
it  is  necessary  to  revert  somewhat  liberally  to 
the  career  of  his  father.  Dr.  Samuel  P.  An- 
thony, who  was  born  December  2,  1792,  in 
Lynchburg,,  Va. , and  at  the  age  of  twenty 
years,  removed  with  his  father  to  Ohio.  Dur- 
ing the  war  of  1812,  he  served  as  a teamster 
in  the  United  States  army,  and  after  the  close 
of  the  war  (in  1814),  went  to  Cincinnati, 
Ohio,  where  he  and  his  father  started  the  first 
tobacco  manufacturing  establishment  west  of 
the  Alleghany  mountains,  and  conducted  a 


DR.  S.  P.  ANTHONY 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


181 


very  successful  tobacco  and  general  merchan- 
dise trade  for  several  years.  While  at  Cin- 
cinnati he  studied  medicine,  and  after  com- 
pleting his  medical  education,  removed  to 
Clinton  county,  Ohio,  where  he  was  engaged 
for  three  years  in  the  practice  of  his  profession. 
At  the  end  of  that  time  he  removed  to  Cedar- 
ville,  in  that  state,  where  he  was  engaged  in 
the  practice  for  an  equal  length  of  time.  He 
then  located  at  Muncie,  Ind.,  in  1831,  where 
he  spent  the  residue  of  his  life,  practising  med- 
icine and  selling  merchandise.  He  invested 
largely  in  real  estate,  purchasing  thousands  of 
acres  in  this  and  adjoining  counties,  and,  by 
close  attention  to  business,  amassed  a large 
fortune,  which,  at  the  time  of  his  death,  was 
variously  estimated  at  from  $250,000  to  $500,- 
000.  He  opened  a general  merchandise  store 
at  Muncie,  shortly  after  his  arrival  here,  and 
for  more  that  forty  years  was  identified  with 
that  branch  of  the  public  interests  of  the 
town.  He  practised  medicine  for  more  than 
twenty-five  years,  and,  during  that  time,  es- 
tablished a fine  reputation  as  a successful 
physician.  He  was  active  in  all  public  enter- 
prises which  seemed  to  him  calculated  to  pro- 
mote the  interests  of  this  city,  and  county. 
When  the  Bellefontaine  & Indianapolis  rail- 
road was  advocated,  he  at  once  enlisted  to 
help  the  project  along,  by  taking  stock  to  the 
amount  of  several  thousand  dollars,  and  per- 
sonally soliciting  subscriptions  to  the  road. 
He  served  as  one  of  the  directors  of  this  road, 
and,  later,  was  elected  president,  in  which 
capacity  he  served  about  a year.  He  then  re- 
signed and  was  succeeded  by  Hon.  John 
Brough,  of  Ohio,  and  again  became  director. 
He  was  president  of  the  Fort  Wayne  & South- 
ern railway,  and  a director  of  the  Lafayette, 
Muncie  & Bloomington  railway. 

He  was  active  in  the  affairs  of  Muncie  to 
the  very  last,  and  even  on  the  day  preceding 
his  death,  he  transacted  his  business  as  usual, 


and  at  evening,  repaired  to  the  residence  of 
his  son,  with  whom  he  was  living.  He  felt  no 
premonitions  of  what  was  to  come  until  late 
in  the  night,  when  he  was  seized  with  violent 
pains,  which  culminated  in  paralysis,  and,  at 
I o’clock  on  Saturday  morning,  July  22,  1876, 
he  died.  He  was  twice  married — first  in  1 8 1 7, 
to  Miss  Narcissa  Haines,  who  died  in  May, 
1858,  leaving  one  son — Edwin  C.  ; In  1859 
he  married  Miss  Emily  V.  Vannaman,  who 
now  resides  in  Muncie. 

Capt.  Edwin  C.  Anthony,  the  son  of  Dr. 
Samuel  P.  and  Narcissa  (Haines)  Anthony, 
attained  distinguishment  equal  to  that  of  his 
father,  but  chiefly  as  a merchant  and  a pro- 
moter of  the  interests  of  Muncie.  After  hav- 
ing been  fully  educated  at  Richmond,  Ind. , he 
entered  the  store  of  his  father  at  IMuncie,  and 
then  became  his  partner  and  so  continued 
until  the  war  of  the  rebellion  burst  forth. 
Then  Edwin  C.  Anthony  valiantly  went  to  the 
front,  raising  a company  of  cavalry  that  was 
assigned  to  the  army  or  the  Cumberland,  and 
of  which  he  was  commissioned  captain.  In 
the  winter  of  1861-62  he-had  an  arm  broken, 
his  health  altogether  ruined  and  he  was  com- 
pelled to  resign  his  commission  and  returned  to 
Muncie,  where,  after  he  recovered  his  health,  he 
entered  the  dry  goods  business  in  which  he 
continued  until  his  father’s  death,  when  he, 
somewhat  exhausted,  sought  relief  by  passing 
the  winters  for  nearly  ten  years  at  the  south. 
In  Florida,  during  these  ten  closing  years  of 
his  life,  he  became  greatly  interested  in  land 
on  which  were  developed  phosphate  mines, 
that  were  discovered  in  Marion  county,  that 
state,  in  1889.  This  interest,  the  care  of  his 
realty  and  care  of  his  live  stock  at  ‘ ‘Six  Miles,  ” 
where  he  had  extensive  livestock  farms,  occu- 
pied his  attention  during  the  last  decade  of  his 
life,  which  ended  at  his  farm  in  Florida,  known 
as  Anthony,  June  7,  1884,  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
six  years. 


182 


MUNCIE  CITY 


The  marriage  of  Capt,  Anthony  took  place 
on  the  30th  day  of  September,  1849,  Miss 
Rebecca  G.  \hinnaman,  daughter  of  Joseph 
and  Elizabeth  (Campbell)  \'annaman,  at  that 
time  residents  of  Centerville,  Wayne  comity, 
Ind.  The  parents  were  from  Philadelphia, 
but  Mrs.  Anthony  was  born  in  Ohio,  during  a 
temporary  stay  of  the  parents  in  that  state  on 
their  journey  to  Indiana.  To  the  marriage  of 
Capt.  Edwin  C.  and  Rebecca  G.  Anthony  were 
born  six  children,  viz;  Florence  Virginia,  wife 
of  Henderson  Swain,  fruit  grower  of  Anthony, 
Fla.;  Samuel  P. , who  is  still  interested  in  the 
management  of  the  immense  phosphat  indus- 
try established  at  Ocala,  Fla.;  Edwin  C. , Jr., 
who  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-eight;  Ella, 
who  was  the  wife  of  George  Gamble,  of  Mnn- 
cie,  but  who  died  at  the  early  age  of  twenty- 
five  years;  Charles  H.,  whose  sketch  is  given 
more  in  detail  in  close  connection  with  this, 
and  Addie  Anthony,  the  deceased  wife  of 
Frank  Robinson.  Mrs.  Rebecca  G.  Anthony 
still  lives  on  the  old  homestead,  in  Muncie,  an 
honored  and  respected  lady,  whose  many  acts 
of  charity,  indeed,  command  the  respect 
bestowed  upon  her.  To  her,  the  sight  of  suf- 
fering on  the  part  of  others  is  something  not 
to  be  borne,  and  her  willing  heart  and  ready 
purse  in  some  way  find  a means  of  affording 
instant  relief.  Quick  in  her  response  to  every 
cry  of  distress  or  every  call  of  charity,  she  has 
won  the  gratitude  of  hundreds  of  hearts  in 
Muncie,  and  will  hold  it  until  the  uttermost 
end. 


aHARLES  H.  ANTHONY,  real  estate 
dealer  and  capitalist  of  Muncie,  Ind., 
is  a son  of  E.  C.  and  Rebecca  G. 
Anthony,  of  whom  mention  is  made 
elsewhere,  and  was  born  in  Muncie  May  10, 
1858.  Muncie,  also,  gave  his  earlier  education, 
which  was  supplemented  with  a two  years’ 


course  at  the  Ghester  (Pa.)  Military  college. 
In  1877,  having  become  interested  in  business 
with  his  father,  he  visited  Florida  and  made 
investments  in  lands,  and  in  1880  planted  a 
sixty-acre  orange  grove,  which  he  brought  to 
full  fruition  and  five  years  later  sold  to  an 
English  syndicate.  His  land  investments  in 
Florida  were  greatly  increased,  and  he  now 
owns  a large  number  of  acres,  containing  beds 
or  the  most  valuable  phosphates,  which  he 
mines  and  ships  for  fertilizers  to  European 
markets  for  use  on  impoverished  soils.  But 
his  active  mind  is  not  content  alone  with  the 
handling  of  real  estate  in  Florida.  The  in- 
dustrial interests  of  Muncie  and  development 
also  claim  much  of  his  attention.  He  is  presi- 
dent of  the  Economy  Go-operative  Gas  com- 
pany, of  which  he  was  the  principal  organizer, 
and  a member  of  the  Citizens’  Enterprise  com- 
pany, is  likewise  a stockholder  in  the  Delaware 
county  National  bank,  and  his  handling  of 
real  estate  in  the  city,  as  dealer  and  agent,  is 
something  immense.  In  1880  he  and  his 
mother  sold  in  the  city  and  environs  over  420 
acres  of  land,  now  known  as  the  Muncie 
Land  company’s  Addition,  the  Gray  Addi- 
tion, and  the  Anthony  Park  Addition. 
In  1887,  Mr.  Anthony  erected  the  superb 
building  known  as  the  Anthony  block  on  the 
northwest  corner  of  Walnut  and  Jackson 
streets,  which  has  not  its  equal  in  the  state. 
The  development  of  natural  gas  has  always 
been  a matter  of  peculiar  interest  to  him,  in- 
asmuch as  in  that  great  product  he  foresaw  a 
source  of  wealth  unequaled  by  any  other  than 
his  native  city.  He  was  among  the  first  to 
become  financially  interested  in  drilling  in  the 
Muncie  field,  and  has  not  yet  relinquished  the 
concern  he  has  felt  in  this  great  factor  of 
Muncie’s  prosperity.  In  1884  he  became  a 
partner  in  the  extensive  real  estate  firm  of 
Heath,  Lenon  & Anthony,  so  well  known  in 
the  city  and  throughout  the  county. 


;r 


4- 


EDWIN  C.  ANTHONY. 


REBECCA  G.  ANTHONY. 


1 


^ V * 


c 


’ 1*' 

/ 


>1 


I 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


187 


Fraternally  he  is  a member  of  Delaware 
lodge,  No.'  46,  F.  & A.  M.,  and  the  Mimcie 
commandery  and  chapter,  and  also  of  the  B. 
P.  O.  E.,  and  the  I.  O.  R.  M.  In  politics  he 
is  a republican.  His  marriage  took  place 
February  10,  1887,  to  Miss  Harriet  B. 

Mitchell,  daughter  of  Dr.  Harvey  Mitchell,  and 
this  union  has  been  blessed  with  the  birth  of 
one  child,  Harvey  M.  Anthony,  now  four  years 
old. 


AVID  R.  ARMITAGE,  M.  D.,  was 
for  many  years  a distinguished  phy- 
sician and  surgeon  of  Muncie  and 
occupied  the  front  rank  among  the 
successful  medical  men  of  central  Indiana.  Dr. 
Armitage  was  born  near  Portsmouth,  Ohio, 
October  22,  1831.  When  he  was  eight  years 
of  age  his  parents  and  grandparents  removed 
to  the  wilds  of  Delaware  county,  Ind. , and 
settled  the  farm  about  three  miles  southwest 
of  the  city  of  Muncie,  on  what  is  now  the  Mid- 
dletown turnpike,  where  the  grandparents,  the 
doctor’s  father  and  mother,  and  lastly  the  doc- 
tor himself,  resided  until  their  respective 
deaths.  Mr.  Armitage  availed  himself  of  the 
best  education  possible  as  he  grew  to  manhood, 
and  for  several  years  was  engaged  in  teaching, 
in  which  profession  he  acquired  an  enviable 
reputation.  He  early  evinced  a decided  pref- 
erence for  the  medical  profession,  and,  after 
the  death  of  his  first  wife,  began  to  study  the 
same  in  the  office  of  Dr.  Samuel  V.  Jump,  at 
New  Burlington,  Ind.,  under  the  able  instruc- 
tion of  whom  he  made  rapid  and  commendable 
progress.  He  completed  his  professional  edu- 
cation by  a thorough  course  in  the  Michigan 
university,  Ann  Arbor,  and  also  the  Ohio 
Medical  college,  of  Cincinnati,  graduating  from 
both  of  these  well  known  institutions,  after 
which  he  began  the  practice  of  his  chosen  call- 
ing at  Chesterfield,  Ind.,  where  his  ability  won 
for  him  much  more  than  a local  reputation. 


While  at  Chesterfield  he  became  acquainted 
with  Miss  Clara  E.  Sharpe,  a very  estimable 
lady,  who  subsequently  became  his  wife.  Miss 
Sharpe  was  born  in  South  Salem,  Ross  county, 
Ohio.  April  27,  1840,  and  is  a daughter  of 
Robert  and  Ann  (Davis)  Sharpe,  natives  of 
Ohio,  who  moved  from  Ross  and  Union 
counties,  Ohio,  in  1851.  In  the  latter  county 
Robert  Sharpe  served  as  sheriff  four  years,  but 
in  1883  moved  to  Kansas,  where  he  died  in 
June,  1892,  his  wife,  however,  having  pre- 
ceded him  to  the  grave  in  Union  county,  Ohio, 
in  1863.  They  were  the  parents  of  four  chil- 
dren, viz:  Matilda  ; William,  killed  in  the 
army;  Russell,  of  Middletown,  Ind.,  and 
Clara  B.,  wife  of  Dr.  Armitage.  The  parents 
of  these  were  devout  members  of  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  church,  of  which  the  father  had 
been  appointed  a class  leader  by  Adam  Poe, 
an  essential  factor  in  that  religious  body. 
To  the  union  of  Dr.  Armitage  and  Miss  Sharpe 
was  born  one  child,  Nellie  M.,  Eebruary  7, 
1869,  now  the  wife  of  Charles  B.  Fudge,  to 
whom  she  was  married  June  14,  1892,  Mr. 

Fudge  is  a son  of  John  S.  Fudge  (whose  sketch 
appears  elsewhere  In  the  volume),  and  was 
born  in  Xenia,  Ohio,  September  24,  1863. 

He  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  and 
remained  at  home  until  twenty  years  of  age, 
when  he  engaged  as  a clerk  in  a clothing  store 
at  Albany,  Ind.,  where  he  remained  two  years, 
and  then  came  to  Muncie,  and  entered  the 
employ  of  Bliss  & Keller,  clothiers,  etc. , and 
is  now  their  genial  and  obliging  foreman.  To 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fudge  has  been  born  one  child 
— Mildred  Marie — May  10,  1893.  Mr.  Fudge 
is  in  politics  a republican.  Fraternally,  he  is 
an  Odd  Fellow,  and  a member  of  Muncie 
lodge.  No.  74,  and  of  Canton  Muncie,  No.  4, 
Patriarchs  Militant. 

After  his  marriage.  Dr.  Armitage  moved  to 
his  farm  southwest  of  Muncie,  where,  during 
the  many  years  that  remained  of  his  life,  he 


188 


MUNCIE  CITY 


devoted  his  attention  to  agricnltural  pursuits 
in  connection  with  the  practice  of  his  profes- 
sion. As  a physician,  Dr.  Armitage  was  suc- 
ce.ssful  in  all  the  term  implies,  and  no  man  in 
the  community,  where  he  was  raised  and 
lived  so  long,  enjoyed  a greater  degree  of 
popularity  of  the  people.  He  was  indeed  the 
friend  of  the  common  people,  and  to  him  it 
seemed  a special  pleasure  to  relieve  the  suffer- 
ings of  the  aged  with  whom  he  had  been  asso- 
ciated from  his  early  boyhood.  He  was  a 
public-spirited  man,  and  took  an  active  and 
prominent  part  in  all  enterprises  having  for 
their  object  the  moral  and  material  welfare  of 
the  community  and  county.  In  religion  he 
was  an  earnest  member  of  the  Methodist 
church,  and,  as  such,  did  much  to  the  growth 
of  that  denomination  in  Delaware  and  other 
counties.  He  was  also  member  of  Delaware 
lodge.  No.  146,  Free  and  Accepted  Masons, 
and  of  Muncie  Commandary,  No.  18,  Knights 
Templar  and  was  a chartered  member  of  Rich- 
woods  lodge,  No.  499,  Knights  of  Honor.  In 
a business  sense,  the  doctor  exercised  prudence 
and  forethought,  and  during  his  life  accumlat- 
ed  a comfortable  competence  for  his  wife  and 
daughter,  both  of  whom  live  in  Muncie  at  this 
time.  He  died  suddenly  at  his  home  August 
21,  1891,  at  the  age  of  sixty  years,  and  left, 
as  his  choicest  legacy  to  his  family,  a name 
against  which  no  breath  of  suspicion  was  ever 
known  to  have  been  uttered.  He  was 
mourned  by  all  who  knew  him,  and  in  his 
death  Delaware  county  lost  one  of  its  most 
successful  physicians  and  high  minded  philan- 
thropic citizens. 


HGAGE  ARRASMITH,  the  leading 
photographer  of  Muncie,  Ind.,  was 
born  near  Eaton,  Preble  county, 
Ohio,  Eebruary  17,  1859,  son  of  R 
B.  and  M.  J.  (Lewis)  Arrasmith,  the  former  a 


native  of  Ohio  and  the  latter  of  Kentucky, 
who  were  married  in  Putnam  county,  Ind  , in 
1848,  and  moved_  to  Preble  county,  Ohio,  in 
the  same  year.  In  i860  Mr.  Arrasmith,  Sr., 
changed  his  residence  to  Miami  county,  Ind. , 
where  he  engaged  in  farming  until  1880 
Since  1880  he  has  led  a retired  life,  engaging 
a tenant  to  work  his  farm.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Arrasmith,  Sr.,  were  Universalists  in  religious 
convictions  and  in  this  belief  Mrs.  Arrasmith 
died  July  21,  1886,  her  remains  being  laid  to 
rest  in  Miami  county,  Ind.  They  were  the 
parents  of  seven  children,  as  follows:  Emma 

L. , wife  of  John  Parks,  Peru,  Ind.  ; Willie  and 
Alonzo,  deceased;  Horace  E. , of  White  county, 
Ind.  ; Mary,  wife  of  C.  Strode,  of  Miami 
county,  Ind.  ; A.  Gage  and  L Josephine,  wife 
of  S.  A.  Holt,  of  London,  Ohio. 

A.  G.  Arrasmith  was  reared  on  the  home 
farm  and  when  but  eighteen  years  of  age  en- 
gaged, as  an  apprentice  for  two  years,  with 
J.  Wharton  of  Wabash,  Ind.,  in  a photograph 
gallery.  Eor  the  three  following  years  he 
studied  as  a portrait  artist  and  became 
thoroughly  competent  to  undertake  all  classes 
of  fine  art  work.  Until  1886  he  led  a roving 
life,  traveling  through  many  states,  mostly  en- 
gaged in  the  practice  of  his  chosen  profession. 
Finally,  deciding  to  locate,  he  selected  Muncie 
as  his  place  of  residence,  and  purchased  the 
gallery  he  is  now  in,  and  equipments,  and  has 
since  been  recognized  as  the  leading  photog- 
rapher of  Delaware  county,  Ind.  Mr.  Arra- 
smith’s  success  has  been  very  marked  and  is 
due  to  the  excellent  quality  of  the  work  and 
to  his  faithfulness  in  the  smallest  detail.  He 
began  with  very  limited  capital,  but  by  his 
energy,  the  excellence  of  his  work  and  his 
courteous  manner,  has  placed  his  studio  in  the 
front  rank  and  has  made  it  popular  with  all 
classes. 

February  i,  1888,  Mr.  Arrasmith  married 
Miss  Ida  M.  Miller,  of  Hartford  City,  Ind., 


♦ 


i 


4 


i 


DAVID  R.  ARMITAGE,  M.  D. 


MRS.  CLARA  E.  ARMITAGE. 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


193 


who  was  born  April  ii,  1862,  a daughter  of 
Samuel  and  Margaret  (Brue)  Miller.  One 
child  has  been  born  to  this  union,  a son, 
Glenn.  Politically  Mr.  Arrasmith  is  a repub- 
lican, and  socially  he  is  connected  with  I.  O. 
O.  F.  lodge  No.  74,  and  also  of  the  Twa  Twa 
tribe  of  Red  Men. 


ENRY  B.  ATHEY  was  born  in  Hardy 
county,  a part  of  what  is  now  the 
county  of  Grant,  in  the  state  of  Vir- 
ginia, on  the  27th  day  of  September, 
1853.  His  father,  Daniel  Lewis  Athey,  was  a 
native  of  New  York,  but  early  accompanied 
his  parents  to  Virginia,  and  from  early  boy- 
hood was  engaged  in  driving  cattle  to  the 
eastern  markets,  principally  to  Philadelphia 
and  New  York  city,  before  the  days  of  rail- 
roads. He  married  Lavina  C.  R.  Smith, 
daughter  of  Henry  Smith,  Esq.,  of  Virginia, 
and  became  the  father  of  eleven  children,  six 
girls  and  five  boys,  nine  of  whom  are  living  at 
this  time,  Henry  B.  being  the  eldest  son.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Athey  left  Virginia  in  1855,  emigrat- 
ing to  Illinois  and  settling  in  the  county  of 
Piatt  when  that  part  of  the  state  was  almost 
wholly  unimproved.  Mr.  Athey  is  now  living 
in  Fanner  City,  Dewitt  county.  Ilk,  practical- 
ly retired  from  active  life.  He  has  followed 
agriculture,  in  which  he  has  met  with  reason- 
able success,  is  independent  in  his  political 
views,  and  for  a number  of  years  has  been  an 
active  member  of  the  Methodist  church.  He 
is  essentially  a self-made  man,  his  sole  capital 
on  reaching  his  new  home  in  the  west  amount- 
ing to  but  $5,  from  which  insignificant  begin- 
ning he  succeeded,  by  his  unaided  efforts,  in 
acquiring  a comfortable  competence. 

At  the  age  of  two  years,  Henry  B.  Athey 
was  taken  by  his  parents  to  Illinois,  in  which 
state  he  grew  to  manhood  on  a farm,  and  early 


became  accustomed  to  the  hard  work  incident 
to  that  useful  occupation.  His  early  educa- 
tional training,  owing  to  circumstances  over 
which  he  had  no  control,  was  sadly  neglected, 
and  his  attendance  at  school  was  limited  to 
about  eighteen  months,  divided  among  several 
years.  His  first  school  experience  was  in  a 
little  frame  smokehouse  upon  his  father’s  farm, 
and  the  teacher,  by  no  means  a classical 
scholar,  received  his  pay  by  the  subscriptions 
of  his  patrons.  Possessing  an  inquiring  mind, 
Mr.  Athey  was  aiot  content  to  remain  in  igno- 
rance of  books,  and  by  wide  reading  and  self- 
culture, together  with  a practical  education 
acquired  from  contact  with  business  men  in 
various  capacities,  he  has  since  become  a well 
informed  man. 

At  the  age  of  twenty  he  left  the  parental 
roof  and  began  life  for  himself  as  a farm  labor- 
er, and  later  found  employment  in  a lumber 
yard,  in  which  he  subsequently  purchased  an 
interest.  He  continued  in  the  lumber  business 
for  a period  of  seven  years,  selling  out  at  the 
end  of  that  time  and  accepting  a position  as 
traveling  salesman  for  the  Champion  Machine 
company,  of  Springfield,  Ohio,  in  which  ca- 
pacity he  continued  until  1889.  While  trav- 
eling for  this  firm,  Mr  Athey  in  June,  1883, 
located  in  Muncie  and  for  some  time  thereafter 
kept  books  for  R.  H.  Mong.  Subsequently  he 
became  manager  of  the  Muncie  Foundry  and 
Machine  company,  in  which  he  now  owns  a 
one-fifth  interest,  but  he  still  looks  after  the 
business  of  the  establishment,  which  owes 
much  of  its  present  success  to  his  careful  fore- 
sight. 

March  27,  1878,  Mr.  Athey  was  married  to 
Miss  Ella  L.  Green,  daughter  of  George  W. 
and  Nancy  (Fleming)  Green,  who  has  borne 
him  one  child,  a daughter,  Georgia  G.  Athey, 
born  December  24,  1879.  Mrs.  Athey  was 
born  September  24,  1854  on  Walnut  street 

this  city.  In  politics  Mr.  Athey  is  a democrat, 


194 


MUNCIE  CITY 


and  as  such  wields  an  influence  for  his  party 
in  Muncie  and  Delaware  county.  He  served 
in  the  village  council  of  Alansfield,  111.,  for  four 
years  ; acted  as  treasurer  or  tax  collector  for 
some  time  in  the  county  of  Piatt,  that  state, 
and  for  one  year  served  as  village  clerk  and 
afterward  as  trustee  for  the  village  of  Mans- 
flekl.  Air.  Athey  is  not  identified  with  any 
church  or  religious  order — being  quite  liberal 
in  his  views  concerning  all  movements  having 
for  their  object  the  welfare  of  his  fellow-men. 
He  is  progressive,  takes  aii' active  interest  in 
the  material  developement  of  Muncie,  and  is 
deserving  of  mention  with  its  representative 
citizens. 


OLIVER  E.  BALDWIN,  one  of  the 
leading  grocers  of  Muncie,  is  a native 
of  Wayne  county,  Ind.,  and  dates  his 
birth  from  the  30th  day  of  September, 
1830.  His  father,  Elias  Baldwin,  a North 
Carolinian,  was  brought  to  Indiana  when  a 
mere  child,  and  in  early  manhood  worked  at 
the  tanner's  trade  in  Wayne  county,  later  en- 
gaging in  agricultural  pursuits,  which  he  con- 
tinued to  follow  until  his  death,  in  January, 
1892.  P'inancially,  Ivlias  Baldwin  was  more 
than  ordinarily  successful,  and  he  was  fortunate 
in  accumulating  a comfortable  portion  of  this 
world's  goods.  He  was  a member  of  the  So- 
ciety of  Eriends,  a republican  in  his  political 
affiliations,  and  in  every  relation  of  life  proved 
himself  to  be  a high  minded,  an  honorable  man, 
and  a true  type  of  the  courteous  Christian  gen- 
tleman. His  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was 
Lydia  Hough,  was  a daughter  of  William 
Hough,  a prominent  citizen  of  Wayne  county, 
and  she  became  the  mother  of  six  children, 
namely:  Ella,  Emma,  Alice,  Oliver  E., 

Charles  and  Mary,  all  living  but  the  first 
named,  who  died  in  1 890. 


Oliver  E.  Baldwin  remained  under  the 
parental  roof  until  his  eighteenth  year,  assist- 
ing his  father  on  the  farm  and  attending  the 
country  schools  at  intervals  in  the  meantime. 
His  first  practical  experience  in  life  was  as  a 
clerk  in  a drug  store  at  P'ountain  City,  where 
he  remained  two  years,  at  the  end  of  which 
time  he  accepted  a position  as  salesman  in  a 
grocery  house  at  the  same  place,  continuing  in 
the  later  capacity  for  a period  of  about  eight- 
een months.  In  1884  he  came  to  Muncie  and 
accepted  a position  in  the  wholesale  grocery 
house  of  Jos.  A.  Goddard,  in  whose  employ 
he  continued  until  the  latter  part  of  1887, 
from  which  date  until  1889  he  was  similarly 
employed  with  James  N.  Cropper,  one  of  the 
leading  grocery  dealers  of  Muncie.  In  the 
latter  year,  Mr.  Baldwin  purchased  an  interest 
in  the  grocery  house  of  A.  B.  Phillips  on  Main 
street,  and  the  firm  of  Phillips  & Baldwin  con- 
tinued until  1891,  when  Mr.  Baldwin  became 
sole  proprietor.  He  has  since  conducted  the 
business  with  success  and  financial  profit,  his 
patronage  having  constantly  increased  until, 
at  this  time,  he  is  recognized  as  one  of  the 
leading  dealers  in  general  groceries  in  the  city. 
Mr.  Baldwin  possesses  superior  business  quali- 
fications and  by  judicious  management  has 
built  up  a large  and  remunerative  trade.  He 
has  accumulated  a competence  of  worldly  ef- 
fects, enjoys  the  prosperity  acquired  by  years 
of  industry,  and  occupies  a deservedly  con- 
spicuous place  among  the  -successful  commer- 
cial men  of  Delaware  county.  Socially  he  is 
very  popular,  and  fraternally  he  is  prominent- 
ly identified  with  the  Improved  Order  of  Red 
Men,  belonging  to  Muncie  tribe.  No.  144. 
A republican  in  politics,  he  has  never  been  an 
office  seeker.  He  is  a birth  right  member  of 
the  Society  of  Friends,  and  his  daily  life  and 
conversation  are  practical  exemplifications  of 
the  pure  precepts  of  that  simple  but  sublime 
faith. 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


195 


Mr.  Baldwin  was  married  in  the  year  1882 
to  Miss  Sadie  E.  Lister,  daughter  of  John  and 
Judith  Lister,  of  Randolph  county,  to  which 
union  two  children,  Earl  L.  and  Clarence  W. , 
have  been  born,  both  living.  Mrs.  Baldwin  is 
a respected  member  of  the  same  religious  or- 
der to  which  her  husband  belongs. 


ETER  H.  D.  BANDEY,  late  promi- 
nent manufacturer  of  Muncie,  was 
born  in  Westminster,  London,  Eng- 
land, on  the  27th  of  February,  1837. 
He  came  to  the  United  States  at  the  age  of 
eighteen  years,  and  settled  in  Iowa,  where  a 
brother  who  had  preceded  him  resided  ; later, 
he  located  at  Indianapolis,  where  he  remained 
for  a limited  period,  and  about  the  year  1858 
came  to  Muncie,  Ind. , where  for  some  time  he 
was  employed  as  a laborer  in  a saw  mill.  Sub- 
sequently, he  purchased  an  interest  in  the 
mill,  which,  under  the  firm  name  of  Matthews, 
Ryan  & Bandey,  did  a very  successful  business 
for  some  time,  the  name  afterwards  changing 
to  Matthews  & Bandey.  Eventually,  Mr. 
Bandey  became  sole  proprietor  of  the  mill, 
which,  under  his  efficfent  management,  con- 
tinued to  do  an  increasing  business  until  it  be- 
came necessary  to  enlarge  its  capacity  in  order 
to  meet  the  demands  of  trade  ; accordingly, 
new  and  improved  appliances  were  added 
from  time  to  time,  including  a full  set  of 
machinery  for  planing  lumber,  and  the  estab- 
lishment soon  became  one  of  the  leading 
manufacturing  enterprises  of  Muncie.  Under 
the  name  of  The  Bandey  Planing  mill  it  was 
operated  with  the  most  gratifying  success  until 
Mr.  Bandey’s  death,  since  which  time  it  has 
been  under  the  able  management  of  T.  J. 
Zook  with  Miss  Maud  Bandey  as  assistant, 
and  is  still  one  of  the  firmly  established  and 
financially  successful  manufacturing  establish- 
ments of  Delaware  county. 


Mr.  Bandey  took  an  active  interest  in  the 
material  prosperity  of  the  city  of  his  adoption, 
and  as  a business  man  he  was  straightforward, 
upright  and  honorable  ; as  a citizen,  he  was 
highly  regarded  in  business  and  social  circles, 
and  he  enjoyed  the  respect  and  confidence  of 
the  community  in  an  eminent  degree.  He 
never  desired  nor  sought  for  political  honor  or 
office,  although  he  filled  several  positions  of 
trust  and  responsibility  with  the  most  com- 
mendable fidelity.  In  early  life  he  was  not 
favored  with  any  peculiar  advantages  and  his 
success  was  entirely  due  to  the  indomitable 
will  and  energy  which  he  displayed  in  all  his 
undertakings.  In  1868  Mr.  Bandey  was  mar- 
ried in  Muncie  to  Miss  Mary  E.  Zook  of 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  daughter  of  John  A.  and 
Anna  M.  Zook,  who  moved  west  when  Mrs. 
Bandey  was  a mere  child.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Bandey  were  born  five  children,  two  of  whom, 
Maud  and  Charline,  are  living  at  this  time. 
For  his  standing  as  a representative  business 
man  as  well  as  for  his  strict  integrity  and 
nobility  of  character  Mr.  Bandey  was  held  in 
the  highest  esteem  by  the  people  of  Muncie, 
and  his  death,  which  occurred  on  the  21st  day 
of  April,  1882,  was  universall}  regretted  by 
all  classes.  Of  his  character  and  standing  in 
the  community,  the  subjoined  extracts  from 
the  press  of  Muncie  upon  the  occasion  of  his 
demise  furnish  a good  and  correct  expression, 
as  they  do  also  of  his  life  and  career  while  a 
resident  of  this  city. 

‘ ‘Mr.  Bandey  was  a zealous  member  of  the 
Masonic  order  for  many  years  and  was  an  of- 
ficer in  the  Masonic  council  at  the  time  of  his 
death.  He  united  with  the  Universalist 
church  in  1870  and  was  a faithful  attendant 
at  the  services  at  the  church  until  disease  pre- 
vented further  attendance.  Several  times 
was  Mr.  Bandey  elected  to  represent  his  ward 
in  th'e  council,  and  that  he  filled  the  office 
conscientiously  and  well  is  a fact  well  known 


196 


MUNCIE  CITY 


to  all  who  are  acquainted  with  his  history. 
In  business  he  was  comparatively  successful, 
and  leaves  property  sufficient  to  keep  his  fam- 
ily in  comfortable  circumstances  if  properly 
managed.  As  a mechanic  Mr.  Bandey  was 
without  a superior  in  his  line,  and  he  leaves 
numerous  monuments  to  attest  his  architectur- 
al skill  in  many  of  the  fine  buildings  that  had 
been  erected  under  his  supervision  in  this  city 
and  county  during  the  quarter  of  a century 
that  he  was  a resident  among  us.  Mr.  Ban- 
dey, like  all  other  men,  had  his  faults,  but 
they  were  few.  He  was  a man  of  firm  con- 
victions and  did  not  hesitate  to  express  his 
opinions  whenever  the  occasion  required.  He 
was  a man  of  principle,  and  honesty  was  one 
of  the  component  parts  of  his  composition. 
He  never  made  a promise  that  he  thought  he 
could  not  fulfill.  His  word  he  considered  as 
good  as  his  obligation.  It  has  been  said  that 
‘when  a good  man  dies  the  people  mourn.’ 
In  the  death  of  Mr.  Bandey  we  have  lost  a 
good  man,  an  honest  and  upright  and  a patri- 
otic citizen  and  we  mourn  his  loss  as  such.” 
Mrs.  Bandey,  a lady  of  many  noble  quali- 
ties of  mind  and  heart  and  a true  helpmeet  to 
her  husband  through  his  many  struggles  and 
successes,  departed  this  life  on  the  i ith  day 
of  January,  1892,  aged  forty-five  years.  As 
already  stated  the  elder  daughter,  Maud  Ban- 
dey, is  assistant  manager  of  the  planing  mill, 
and  in  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  that  posi- 
tion she  displays  business  qualifications  of  a 
very  high  order. 


AMES  M.  BARNES  was  born  in  Mun- 
cie,  October  25,  1 85 5,  a son  of  William 
and  Eveline  (Wachtell)  Barnes,  who 
became  citizens  of  Delaware  county  in 
1837.  Wm.  Barnes  was,  by  occupation,  a 
cabinet  maker  and  carpenter  and  followed  this 


trade  all  of  his  life,  until  his  death,  July  17, 

1 890.  He  was  considered  the  finest  mechanic 
in  Muncie,  he  being  the  last  of  his  family. 
His  widow  still  makes  her  home  in  this  city.  1 
Both  were  members  of  the  Presbyterian’ 
church.  Politically  he  was  a democrat,  a man 
of  strict  views  and  always  ready  to  uphold  his 
church  or  party.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wm.  Barnes 
were  the  parents  of  seven  children,  as  follows: 
Millie  J. , Calista  A. , Ella,  James  M. , John  W. , 
Bertha  and  Bessie. 

James  M.  Barnes  received  a good  educa- 
tion, and,  at  the  age  of  twenty-one,  began  to 
learn  the  trade  of  photographer,  entering  a 
gallery  first  in  Muncie,  and  then  working  at 
various  places,  learning  all  of  the  newest  and 
most  approved  methods,  until  1890,  at  which 
time  he  permanently  located  in  this  city  at  his 
present  stand,  and  has  since  that  time  carried 
on  a very  successful  business.  He  has  dis- 
played much  talent  in  his  line,  turning  out 
some  very  superior  and  satisfactory  work  and 
bids  fair  to  become  known  in  a much  larger 
territory,  in  the  near  future.  Mr.  Barnes  has 
the  manner  of  a successful  business  man,  being 
courteous  and  pleasant  to  all,  thus  making  his 
gallery  a desirable  one  in  every  way.  Erater- 
nally  Mr.  Barnes  has  connected  himself  with 
the  order  of  Knights  of  Pythias,  uniform  rank, 
in  which  he  is  an  active’  and  interested  mem- 
ber. Mr.  Barnes  was  married  May  3,  1893, 
in  Muncie,  to  Mattie  E.  Suber,  born'  October 
25,  i860,  in  Delaware  county,  daughter  of 
Robert  P.  and  Hanna  Suber,  also  natives  of 
this  county. 


ERRY  N.  BARR,  the  eminent  horse- 
man of  Muncie,  Ind. , was  born  at 
Wheeling,  Delaware  ’ county,  Ind., 
October  29,  1857,  and  is  a son  of 
Arnold  and  Emily  (Heath)  Barr.  The  father 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


197 


died  when  Perry  was  but  six  years  of  age,  and 
when  seven  years  old  his  mother  moved  to 
Muncie  with  her  three  children.  Here  Perry 
attended  school  until  twelve,  when  he  lost  his 
mother  also,  and  was  thus  left  to  shift  for 
himself  in  the  vide  world.  For  about  five 
years  he  worked  in  a grocery,  and  at  the  age 
of  seventeen  went  to  learn  the  carriage  trim- 
ming business  with  Cook  & Kinsley,  remain- 
ing with  them  two  years,  when  he  went  to 
Bellefontaine,  Ohio,  where  he  completed  his 
apprenticeship.  He  worked,  next,  as  a jour- 
neyman in  Marion,  Urbana  and  Springfield, 
Ohio,  and  then  started  on  his  travels,  which 
carried  him  through  nine  states.  Eventually 
settling  at  Bucyrus,  Ohio,  he  bought  a half 
interest  in  a carriage  shop,  which  interest  he 
sold  out  two  years  later,  returned  to  Muncie, 
and  worked  at  his  trade  for  some  years,  mak- 
ing large  wages  by  turning  out  a larger  amount 
of  work  than  the  average.  In  1882  Mr.  Barr 
married  Miss  Flora  T.  Sears,  of  Muncie.  Mr. 
Barr  is  a K.  of  P.  and  a member  of  the  I.  O. 
R.  M.,  in  which  latter  he  has  passed  all  the 
chairs,  and  is  also  a member  and  trustee  of 
the  grand  lodge  of  Indiana.  He  is  also  local 
agent  for  the  Farmers’  and  Stock  Breeders’ 
Five  Stock  Insurance  company,  and  is  the 
owner  of  the  filly  Blondie  G. , by  Bonnie 
Doon,  dam  Blue  Bull.  Mr.  Barr  became  first 
identified  with  the  horse  interests  of  Indiana 
by  the  purchase  of  the  bay  mare  Cuba,  as  an 
undeveloped  four  year  old.  She  won  her 
maiden  race  in  the  Delaware  county  trot  of 
1888,  and  in  1890  faced  the  starter  in  twenty- 
one  races,  of  which  she  won  first  money  sev- 
enteen times  and  a place  in  every  race,  going 
into  winter  quarters  with  a record  of  2:29^. 
The  rare  speed  and  endurance  of  the  gallant 
little  mare  enlisted  Mr.  Barr’s  interest  in  and 
resulted  in  the  purchase  of  her  stoutly  bred 
and  excellent  sire,  Bonnie  Doon,  5322,  in 
1890.  He  is  perhaps  the  best  living  son  of 


the  great  Blue  Bull,  75,  his  maternal  lines 
tracing  direct  to  Sweet’s  Mambrino,  Alexan- 
der’s Abdallah,  and  a thoroughbred  founda- 
tion. Bonnie  Doon’s  roll  of  honor  includes 
Cuba,  2:25!,  Maud  M.,  2:30,  and  a number 
of  other  young  csndidates  for  2:30  records. 
The  progeny  of  Bonnie  Doon  make  typical 
carriage  and  buggy  horses,  and  will  contribute 
their  full  share  to  the  improvement  of  the 
horse  stock  of  the  country.  Mr.  Barr  has 
fitted  up  convenient  and  healthful  breeding 
stables  on  West  Main  street,  which  also  con- 
tain the  black  stallion  Abdallah  King  (grand- 
son of  Abdallah,  15,  sire  of  Goldsmith  Maid, 
2:14),  and  other  well  bred  stock.  Mr.  Barr  is 
an  intelligent  horseman,  and  is  active  as  a 
promoter  of  the  country’s  live  stock  interests, 
whose  stables  have  already  taken  a foremost 
position  among  the  best  in  the  county.  In 
politics,  Mr.  Barr  is  a stanch  democrat. 


ARRINGTON  BEHYMER,  the  gen- 
tleman for  whom  this  biography  is 
written,  is  a well  known  resident  of 
Delaware  county,  Ind.,  an  ex-soldier 
and  one  of  her  most  esteemed  citizens.  Mr. 
Behymer  was  born  in  Clermont  county,  Ohio, 
January  10,  1833,  a son  of  John  and  Nancy 
(Feach)  Behymer.  The  former,  born  in  the 
state  of  Virginia  in  1803,  is  consequently  now 
ninety  years  of  age,  but  still  retains  his  facul- 
ties in  a remarkable  degree,  and  has  led  a 
good,  benevolent  life,  residing  at  present  in 
Clermont  county,  Ohio,  where  he  married  in 
1830.  He  saw  the  full  growth  of  the  county 
and  all  of  his  active  life  was  spent  in  farming 
or  in  following  the  carpenter  trade  until  1875, 
at  which  time  he  retired  from  business.  Eight 
of  his  family  of  thirteen  children  are  yet  living 
and  are  heads  of  families  themselves.  He  is 


IDS 


MUNCIE  CITY 


a republican  in  politics  and  still  takes  great 
interest  in  the  progress  of  public  affairs. 

Harrington  Behymer  was  reared  on  the  old 
home  farm,  where  he  remained  until  twenty- 
live  years  of  age,  and  enjoyed  excellent  edu- 
cational advantages,  attending  first  the  com- 
mon schools,  and  later  spent  two  terms  at 
what  is  known  as  the  Farmers  college  near 
Cincinnati,  Ohio.  At  the  age  of  twenty  years 
he  began  teaching  school,  and,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  three  years  spent  in  the  army,  re- 
mained in  the  educational  field  until  1865, 
teaching  in  all  about  twenty  terms.  On  the 
lOth  day  of  September,  1861,  he  enlisted  in 
company  A,  Fifth  Ohio  cavalry,  and  served  in 
Gen.  Grant’s  division  in  Tennessee,  Mississippi 
and  Alabama,  and  in  March,  1862,  for  gallant 
and  meritorious  conduct  was  promoted  batta- 
lion sergeant  major.  One  year  later  this  rank 
was  abolished  by  act  of  congress,  after  which 
Mr.  Behymer  was  made  regimental  sergeant 
major,  in  which  capacity  he  served  until  March 
10,  1864,  when  he  was  promoted  second  lieu- 
tenant of  company  L,  Fifth  Ohio  cavalry.  He 
continued  in  the  latter  capacity  until  honor- 
ably discharged  from  the  service  October  27, 
1 864,  at  which  time  he  resumed  the  arts  of 
peace  at  his  home  in  Ohio.  During  his  period 
of  service  Mr.  Behymer  took  part  in  the  bat- 
tles of  Shiloh,  where  he  was  engaged  two  days; 
Big  Hatchet,  Cold  Water,  Mission  Ridge, 
Lookout  Mountain,  and  various  other  fights 
and  skirmishes. 

In  1865  Mr.  Behymer  moved  to  Jennings 
county,  Ind. , and  served  as  deputy  circuit 
court  clerk  there  for  a period  of  three  years,  at 
the  end  of  which  time  he  returned  to  Ohio  and 
engaged  in  teaching  school  during  the  winter 
of  1869-70.  He  embarked  in  the  mercantile 
business  in  the  spring  of  1872,  which  he  fol- 
lowed during  the  years  of  1872  and  1873,  and 
in  1875  resumed  teaching,  which  profession  he 
followed  successfully  during  the  succeeding 


three  years.  In  1888  he  once  again  engaged 
in  the  goods  business  in  the  county  of  Cler- 
mont, Ohio,  where  he  remained  until  the 
spring  of  1884,  when  he  removed  to  the  town 
of  Mason,  in  the  same  state,  thence  after  a 
short  time  returned  and  purchased  the  same 
property  he  had  sold  in  Clermont  county,  and 
from  the  fall  of  188410  the  spring  of  1887  was 
engaged  in  the  goods  business,  with  a miscel- 
laneous assortment  of  merchandise.  In  the 
spring  of  1888  he  removed  to  Indiana,  locating 
in  the  city  of  Muncie,  where,  the  following 
year,  he  was  appointed  justice  of  the  peace,  in 
which  capacity  he  has  since  served,  having 
been  re-elected  in  1890.  He  was  also  admit- 
ted to  the  bar  as  an  attorney  at  law,  and  in 
addition  to  his  official  duties  gives  considerable 
attention  to  the  legal  profession.  Mr.  Behy- 
mer was  married  in  his  native  county,  April  7, 
1866,  to  Miss  Lizzie  McDonnald,  also  a native 
of  Clermont  county,  born  on  the  iith  day  of 
December,  1848,  the  daughter  of  David  and 
Ann  (Wheeler)  McDonnald,  parents  of  Scotch 
and  English  ancestry  respectively.  Three  chil- 
dren have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Behy- 
mer— the  first  an  infant  named  Pearl,  who  died 
at  the  age  of  three  weeks  ; the  others,  Anna, 
who  is  still  with  her  parents,  and  Arthur  L. , 
an  error  clerk  in  the  railway  mail  service  at 
Cincinnati.  In  his  political  affiliations  Mr. 
Behymer  is  a stanch  supporter  of  the  republi- 
can party,  and  he  is  one  of  the  prominent 
members  of  the  G.  A.  R.  of  Muncie.  He  is  a 
man  of  much  more  than  ordinary  intelligence, 
has  been  a wide  reader  and  close  observer  and 
has  decided  views  upon  all  the  leading  ques- 
tions of  the  day,  which  he  has  no  hesitancy  in 
expressing.  He  is  widely  and  favorably  known 
in  the  city  of  his  residence  and  possesses  in  an 
eminent  degree  the  esteem  and  confidence  of 
his  many  friends  and  neighbors.  He  has  ac- 
quired an  enviable  reputation  as  an  attorney, 
and  gained  a lucrative  practice. 


- 

iV  - 

t:_  . 

. 


C.  L.  BENDER. 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


199 


aHARLES  L.  BENDER,  member  of 
the  firm  of  C.  L.  Bender  & Co., 
Globe  Clothing  house,  Muncie,  Ind. , 
was  born  September  27,  1855,  in 

Yorktown,  Mount  Pleasant  township.  His 
father,  John  Bender,  a native  of  Neckadal- 
finger,  Wittemburg,  Germany,  came  to  the 
United  States  in  1847,  located  Philadelphia, 
thence,  two  years  later,  removed  to  Hagers- 
town, Wayne  county,  Ind.,  w’here,  in  1853, 
he  married  Gertrude  Simon.  Prom  Hagers- 
town, Mr.  Bender  moved  to  Yorktown,  Dela- 
ware county,  and  four  years  later  to  Salem 
township,  where  he  was  employed  in  a tannery 
for  a short  time;  thence  to  Daleville,  where  he 
has  since  resided. 

Charles  L.  Bender  was  educated  in  the 
common  schools,  and  at  the  age  of  fifteen 
began  life  for  himself,  entering  a manufactur- 
ing establishment  at  the  town  of  Chesterfield, 
Madison  county,  for  the  purpose  of  learning 
carriage  making  and  painting.  After  spend- 
ing a short  time  there,  he  accepted  a clerkship 
in  a general  store  at  Daleville,  but  later  re- 
sumed his  trade,  in  addition  to  which  he  also 
learned  the  art  of  frescoing.  Eor  some  time 
he  worked  at  his  calling  with  indifferent  suc- 
cess at  Indianapolis.  His  next  move  was  to 
the  city  of  Anderson,  where  he  took  service 
with  E.  M.  Hayes  & Son,  dealers  in  boots 
and  shoes,  but  that  firm  failing  in  a short 
time,  he  entered  the  shoe  store  of  S.  M.  Rose, 
where  he  sold  goods  until  March,  1880,  when 
he  accepted  a position  with  Parker  & Powell, 
proprietors  of  the  Globe  Clothing  house,  of 
Muncie.  The  Globe,  at  that  date,  was  a 
small  concern  on  Main  street,  and  within  a 
short  time  James  Boyce,  J.  E.  Cook  and  C.  B. 
Whitney  became  owners,  by  purchase,  con- 
tinuing the  same  for  one  year,  when  Mr. 
Boyce  purchased  the  stock,  Mr.  Bender  being 
made  manager  of  the  business,  which  increased 
very  rapidly  under  his  able  and  efficient  man- 


agement. After  two  successful  years,  such 
liberal  offers  were  advanced,  by  Mr.  Boyec,  as 
to  induce  Mr.  Bender  to  take  the  business  on 
his  own  account,  being  largely  influenced  in 
the  move  by  the  old  adage  that  “there  is  a 
tide  in  the  affairs  of  men,  which,  if  taken  at 
the  flood,  leads  on  to  fortune.’’  He  had  the 
courage  and  foresight  to  grasp  the  opportunity 
that  seldom  presents  itself  but  once  in  a life- 
time. He  became  owner  in  partnership  with 
Mr.  J.  P.  Shoemaker,  a wealthy  grain  mer- 
chant of  Middletown,  Ind.,  in  July,  1887.  The 
volume  of  business  continued  to  increase  until 
it  became  necessary  to  procure  rooms  suffici- 
ently commodious  to  meet  the  demands  of  the 
trade,  accordingly  the  establishment  was  re- 
moved to  the  Boyce  block,  where  the  firm 
carry  one  of  the  largest  and  most  complete 
stocks,  representing  every  line  of  clothing  and 
gents’  furnishing  goods  in  central  Indiana. 
In  June,  1893,  the  firm  of  Bender  & Shoe- 
maker was  dissolved,  by  mutual  consent,  Mr 
Bender  continuing  under  the  firm  name  of  C. 
L.  Bender  & Co.,  having  associated  himself 
with  Messrs.  AY.  S.  Peck  & Co. , of  Syracuse, 
N.  Y.  As  a business  man  Mr.  Bender  is  sys- 
tematic and  thorough,  being  familiar  with 
every  detail  of  the  trade  in  his  various  lines, 
and  a most  courteous  and  accomplished  sales- 
man. He  began  life  with  no  capital  worthy 
of  mention.  Eor  a man  so  young  in  years 
his  success  has  been  most  gratifying.  Mr. 
Bender  is  identified  with  the  I.  O.  O.  E.,  K. 
of  P.  and  B.  P.  O.  E.  fraternities,  and  his  aid 
in  behalf  of  numerous  charitable  and  benevo- 
lent movements,  together  with  his  fine  social 
qualities,  have  made  him  very  popular  with 
his  fellow  citizens  of  Muncie.  His  elegant 
home  on  east  Main  street  is  presided  over  by 
his  accomplished  wife,  whose  maiden  name 
was  Isabel  Gray,  to  whom  he  was  united  in 
marriage  May  19,  1880,  and  with  whom  the 
hours  are  happily  passing  away. 


200 


MUNCIE  CITY 


m. 


^ILLIAM  BENNETT  has  for  some 
3'ears  been  a prominent  citizen  of 
Delaware  county,  and  at  this  writ- 
ing is  one  of  the  strong  financial 
men  and  leading  spirits  of  the  city  of  Muncie. 
Mr.  Bennett  is  a native  of  Ohio,  born  Septem- 
ber 4,  1826,  in  the  county  of  Pickaway,  to 
which  John  and  Sarah  (Downs)  Bennett  moved 
a number  of  years  ago  from  Delaware. 
William  is  the  sixth  child  of  the  above  couple, 
and  grew  to  manhood  in  his  native  county, 
in  the  schools  of  which  he  received  his  educa- 
tional training.  Reared  on  the  farm  he  laid 
the  foundation  of  a character  which  in  later 
years  has  enabled  him  to  accumulate  vastly 
more  of  this  world's  goods  than  usually  falls 
to  the  lot  of  the  average  man.  In  1849,  he 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Rhoda  Van 
Buskirk  of  Pickaway  county,  Ohio,  daughter 
of  John  and  Sophia  Van  Buskirk;  she  died  in 
the  spring  of  ’74,  leaving  three  daughters  and 
one  son;  oldest,  Sophia,  wife  of  James  O.  Day, 
of  Madison  county,  Ohio;  Mary,  wife  of  James 
McClimons  of  Madison  county,  Ohio;  Laura, 
wife  of  Fred  W.  Heath  of  this  city,  and  Win- 
field Scott,  who  died  at  twenty-one  years  and 
three  months,  and,  some  years  thereafter,  Mr. 
Bennett  followed  the  pursuit  of  agriculture  near 
his  old  home.  Later  Mr.  Bennett  removed  to 
the  county  of  Madison,  near  Mt.  Sterling, 
where  he  remained  for  eight  years,  a part  of 
which  time  was  devoted  to  his  chosen  calling 
but  later,  owing  to  impaired  health,  he  was 
compelled  to  abandon  the  active  work  of  the 
farm.  Mr.  Bennett  became  a resident  of 
Indiana  in  the  year  of  1882,  locating  in  the 
thriving  city  of  Muncie,  where  he  has  since 
resided.  In  1868,  he  purchased  real  estate  in 
Mt.  Pleasant  township,  also  became  the  pos- 
sessor of  valuable  farming  lands  in  the  town- 
ship of  Harrison,  also  a farm  in  Salem  township, 
and  at  different  times  made  judicious  invest- 
ments in  various  parts  of  the  county  until  he 


finally  became  the  largest  owner  of  real  estate 
in  Delaware  county.  In  addition  to  his  holdings 
in  the  county,  Mr.  Bennett  is  also  largely  pos- 
sessed of  Muncie  real  estate,  and  real  estate  in 
Pickaway  and  Madison  counties,  Ohio.  He 
has  two  farms  in  Pickaway  county  of  700  and 
400  acres  respectively,  and  one  farm  in  Madi- 
son county  of  287  acres,  very  valuable — which, 
with  the  other  possessions,  are  the  legitimate 
result  of  his  wise  foresight.  He  is  a large 
stockholder  in  the  Co-operative  Gas  company 
of  Muncie,  is,  also,  prominently  identified  with 
the  Cammack  Gas  company,  beside  taking  an 
active  interest  in  various  other  industrial  en- 
terprises and  other  movements. 

Mr.  Bennett  is  now  in  the  sixty-seventh 
year  of  his  age,  possesses  in  a marked  degree 
his  faculties  both  mental  and  physical,  and  is 
still  quick  of  perception  and  prompt  in  decis- 
ion. His  success  in  life  is  to  be  attributed  to 
a naturally  well  endowed  mind,  plus  caution, 
energy,  frugality,  integrity  and  earnest  en- 
deavor, which  qualities  have  established  a 
character  above  reproach  and  gained  for  him 
the  esteem  and  confidence  of  many.  Politi- 
cally a republican,  he  has  never  been  promi- 
nent as  a partisan,  preferring  to  give  his  en- 
tire attention  to  his  business  enterprises;  reli- 
giously the  Methodist  church  represents  his 
creed,  and  for  some  years  he  has  been  an  ac- 
tive member  of  the  High  street  congregation 
of  Muncie. 

Mr.  Bennett  remarried  December  17,1874, 
to  Miss  Mary  Maddux  of  Pickaway  county, 
Ohio,  by  whom  he  has  had  one  child,  named 
Pearl  R. , who  still  resides  at  home. 


OWEN  BEOUY,  deceased,  was  born 
near  Wheeling,  Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  January22,  1 852,  and  was  a son 
of  Edmond  Beouy,  mention  of  whom 
will  be  found  in  detail  in  another  portion  of 


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AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


201 


this  volume.  Although  in  early  life  trained  to 
be  a tiller  of  the  soil,  he,  even  as  a boy, 
evinced  a fondness  for  horseflesh,  which  in- 
creased -in  intensity  as  the  years  rolled  on,  and 
at  his  majority  he  engaged  almost  exclusively 
in  buying  and  selling  animals,  and  eventually 
became  one  of  the  most  extensive  dealers  in 
eastern  Indiana,  and  certainly  the  largest  ship- 
per, by  far,  in  Delaware  county.  A few  years 
before  his  death  he  was  employed  by  a Boston 
firm  to  purchase  and  ship,  on  their  account, 
every  animal  that  was  suited  to  their  trade, 
and  for  this  one  firm  he,  in  a single  year, 
shipped  836  horses,  in  addition  to  supplying 
the  wants  of  his  other  customers.  More  than 
a year  prior  to  his  death  his  health  broke  down, 
and  for  several  weeks  he  passed  his  time  at 
Hot  Springs,  Ark. , with  the  hope  of  recupera- 
ting, but,  on  returning  to  his  home,  although 
he  felt  much  improved,  his  restless  industry 
caused  a relapse,  which  again  laid  him  on  a 
sick  bed,  from  which,  a few  days  later,  his 
gentle  spirit  took  its  flight  November  15,  1892. 
Mr.  Beouy  was  a man  invariably  recognized  as 
being  generous  to  a fault,  and  as  kind  as  he 
was  generous  ; and  the  community  has  lost 
few  better  men.  He  was  a charter  member  of 
Twa  Twa  tribe,  I.  O.  R.  M.,  but  his  impaired 
health  precluded  his  taking  even  the  initiatory 
degree.  His  worship  was  within  the  pale  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  the  last 
sad  funeral  rites  were  conducted  at  his  former 
residence,  at  the  corner  of  Jefferson  and  Gil- 
bert streets,  by  Rev.  James  M.  Lewis,  of  Dun- 
kirk, Ind. , and  Rev.  George  H.  Hill,  pastor  of 
the  High  street  M.  E.  church,  of  Muncie. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Beouy  occurred  in 
Jonesboro,  Ind.,  September  7,  1889,  the  bride 
being  Miss  Emma  Taylor,  a most  amiable 
young  lady,  with  whom  he  became  acquainted 
shortly  after  first  making  his  headquarters  in 
the  “Magic”  city,  and  until  his  last  hour  the 
union  was  one  of  unalloyed  happiness.  Mrs. 


Beouy  was  born  at  Irwin,  in  Westmoreland 
county.  Pa.,  March  29,  1859,  daughter  of 
George  W.  and  Caroline  (Bossard)  Taylor. 


DWARD  W.  BISHOP,  the  leading 
insurance  man  of  Muncie,  was  born 
in  Worthington,  Franklin  county, 
Ohio,  March  21,  1847.  His  father, 
William  Bishop,  was  born  at  Poughkeepsie,  N. 
Y. , January  23,  1802,  the  son  of  John  Bishop, 
who  with  his  wife  and  family  emmigrated  to 
Ohio  in  1818,  locating  in  what  is  now  Wester- 
ville, Franklin  county,  of  which  part  of  the 
country  he  was  one  of  the  earliest  pioneers. 
William  Bishop  assisted  his  father  in  clearing 
land  which  the  latter  purchased  from  the  gov- 
ernment, and  remained  with  his  parents  until 
failing  health  induced  him  to  go  to  Sulphur 
Springs,  Va.,  where  he  learned  the  saddler’s 
trade.  Returning  to  Ohio  he  established  him- 
self in  that  business  at  Worthington,  where, 
at  the  age  of  twenty-eight,  he  married  Char- 
lotte Wolcott,  daughter  of  Judge  Wolcott  of 
Franklinton,  Ohio.  In  1854  he  disposed  of 
his  saddlery  interests  at  Worthington  and  en- 
gaged in  the  hotel  business  for  a number  of 
years.  In  an  early  day  William  Bishop  was 
largely  instrumental  in  locating  the  college  at 
Worthington,  and  later  was  very  successful  in 
establishing  the  Ohio  Wesleyan  university  at 
Delaware.  He  was  a leading  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  in  politics 
was  originally  a whig,  but  afterward  a repub- 
lican, For  several  years  prior  to  the  civil 
war,  he  was  connected  with  the  Under  Ground 
railroad,  and  his  barn  was  used  as  a hiding 
place  for  escaping  slaves.  The  following  are 
the  names  of  the  children  born  to  William  and 
Charlotte  Bishop:  Celia,  ErvilleB.,  Luella, 

Edward  W.  and  Frank  W.  In  addition  to 
the  above  there  were  four  that  died  in  infancy 


202 


MUNCIE  CITY 


unnamed,  and  Luella  is  now  deceased.  Mrs. 
Bishop  died  during  the  cholera  scourge  of 
1850.  Mr.  Bishop  died  at  Worthington, 
Ohio,  about  the  }-ear  1870,  at  an  advanced 
age. 

Edward  Mb  Bishop  was  three  years  of  age 
when  he  was  called  upon  to  part  with  his 
mother.  He  spent  his  boyhood  days  in  his 
native  county,  attended  at  intervals  the  coun- 
try schools,  and,  at  the  early  age  of  fifteen, 
enlisted,  at  Camp  Chase,  Ohio,  in  company  C, 
One  Hundred  and  Thirteenth  Ohio  V olunteer  in- 
fantry; was  mustered  in,  August,  1862,  as  a pri- 
vate, but  within  a short  time  was  promoted  adjut- 
ant’s orderly,  and  served  in  the  army  of  the  Cum- 
berland until  August,  1863,  when,  on  account 
of  impaired  health,  he  received  an  honorable 
discharge.  Returning  home,  he  was  for  some 
time  employed  as  clerk  in  a general  store,  and 
later  accepted  the  position  of  bookkeeper  in  a 
manufacturing  establishment  at  Mount  Vic- 
tory, Ohio,  where  he  remained  ten  months. 
In  September,  1866,  he  came  to  Muncie,  Ind., 
and  accepted  a clerical  position  in  the  Bee 
Line  office  for  eight  months,  and  was  then 
appointed  the  company’s  agent  at  Winches- 
ter, and  filled  the  latter  position  for  eleven 
years.  Mr.  Bishop  next  engaged  as  traveling 
salesmen  for  a mercantile  firm  of  Hagerstown, 
Md.,  passed  three  years  on  the  road,  returned 
to  Muncie,  and  again  entered  the  employ  ,of 
the  Bee  Line  Railroad  company,  continued  for 
a limited  period,  and  then  became  agent  for 
the  L.  E.  & W.  for  about  three  years.  He 
then  renewed  his  connection  with  the  Bee 
Line,  which  in  the  meantime  had  been 
changed  to  the  C.,  C. , C.  & St.  L.  R.  R , 
becoming  cashier  in  the  freight  department  at 
Muncie,  where  he  remained  for  three  years, 
and  then,  owing  to  ill  health,  was  compelled 
to  resign. 

His  next  venture  was  the  insurance  business, 
which  he  has  since  conducted  upon  quite  an  ex- 


tensive scale  in  Muncie,  representing  at  this  time 
twenty  of  the  leading  companies  of  the  world 
and  carrying  policies  for  many  large  manufac- 
turing establishments  of  the  city.  Mr.  Bishop 
was  married  October  20,  1869,  to  Miss  Elsie 
Dana,  daughter  of  Dr.  Marcus  Dana  of  Los- 
toria,  Ohio.  Mr.  and  Mrs,  Bishop  are  the  par- 
ents of  three  children,  namely:  Erville  D.,  Mar- 
cus S.  and  Charlotte  L.,  all  living.  Socially 
he  occupies  a prominent  place  in  the  society 
of  Muncie  and  in  politics  supports  the  princi- 
ples of  the  republican  party.  In  the  Masonic 
fraternity  he  stands  high,  having  taken  a num- 
ber of  degrees,  including  that  of  Sir  Knight, 
and  he  is  also  an  active  worker  in  the  G.  A. 
R.  Erville  D.  Bishop  was  born  November  6, 
1870,  received  his  education  in  the  Muncie 
schools,  graduating  in  1891,  after  which  he 
became  associated  with  his  father  in  business. 
November  7,  1892,  he  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Joseph  Prutz- 
man.  Marcus,  the  second  son,  is  a bright  in- 
telligent lad  of  thirteen,  and  Charlotte  is  a 
charming  Miss  of  eleven  years. 


OHN  H.  BLOOR,  D.  D.  S. , Muncie, 
Ind.,  was  born  in  Mansfield,  Ohio, 
July  6,  1864,  and  is  the  son  of  Will- 
iam and  Jane  E.  (Au)  Bloor.  His 
youthful  days  were  passed  in  Mansfield,  and 
while  yet  attending  public  schools  had  begun 
the  study  of  dentistry,  during  vacations,  in  the 
office  of  Dr.  C.  M.  Roe — graduating  from  a pub- 
lic school  in  1884  and  pursuing  his  studies  an- 
other year.  In  1885  and  1886  he  attended 
the  Ohio  Dental  college  at  Cincinnati,  and  be- 
gan practice  at  Fredericktown,  Ohio,  and  then, 
in  1891,  went  to  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  as  assist- 
ant demonstrator  of  crown  and  bridge  work 
in  the  Post  Graduate  school  of  prosthetic 
dentistry,  and  at  the  same  time  attended  the 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


203 


Indiana  Dental  college,  from  which  he  re- 
ceived the  degree  of  D.  D.  S.  He  ne.xt  went 
to  Louisville,  Ky. , where  he  took  an  interest 
in  the  New  York  Dental  company,  incorpor- 
ated under  the  laws  of  the  state  of  Kentucky,  j 
and  September  20,  1892,  opened  a branch  of-  | 
fice  of  the  company  in  Muncie,  with  parlors  in  i 
the  Wildermuth  block,  208.7  south  Walnut  | 
street.  The  doctor  has  made  an  excellent  1 
reputation  in  Muncie,  as  elsewhere,  and  makes  I 
a specialty  of  crown  and  bridge  work,  con-  | 
sidered,  to-day,  the  highest  branch  of  dentist- 
ry, and  is  in  the  largest  cities,  the  practical  j 
test  of  proficiency  in  the  art.  j 

Dr.  Bloor  was  happily  married,  in  1888,  to  j 
the  accomplished  daughter  of  H.  E.  Kendall, 
of  Mansfield,  Ohio.  The  doctor  is  a member 
of  tne  I.  O.  O."  F.  and  of  the  Knights  of 
Pythias,  and  he  and  wife  enjoy  the  respect  of 
a large  circle  of  friends,  and  social  acquaint- 
ances, while  the  doctor’s  professional  stand- 
ing is  with  the  highest. 


ARRA  L.  BOTKIN  is  a native  of  Ran- 
dolph county,  Ind. , born  April  7, 
1868,  and  is  a son  of  William  T.  and  | 
Martha  (Cropper)  Botkin.  He  re- 
ceived his  preliminary  education  at  the  com- 
mon schools  of  the  county,  passed  through  the 
three  terms  of  the  normal  school  at  Winches- 
ter, and  then  began  the  study  of  veterinary 
science  at  London,  Ont.,  with  Dr.  J.  H.  Ten- 
nant, in  October,  1888,  and  for  two  years  pur- 
sued a private  and  practical  course  of  study 
under  that  distinguished  practitioner.  He  en- 
tered the  Ontario  Veterinary  college,  at  Tor- 
onto, in  the  fall  of  1890,  and  took  another 
regular  course  for  two  3'ears,  being  in  actual 
practice  with  his  old  preceptor  during  vaca- 
tions, and  graduated  March  25,  1892.  During 
his  terms  of  study  he  received  the  silver  medal 


for  the  best  examination  in  pathology,  and  also 
the  gold  medal  for  the  general  examination  in 
the  sessions  of  1891-92  in  a class  of  164  stu- 
dents from  the  United  States,  Canada,  Eng- 
land, Scotland,  Ireland,  the  West  Indies  and 
South  America.  In  the  spring  of  1892  Dr. 
Botkin  located  in  Muncie,  supplied  with  all  the 
appliances  and  instruments  necessary'  to  per- 
form any  surgical  operation.  In  connection 
with  his  veterinary  work,  he  makes  a spec- 
ialty of  dental  surgery,  in  which  he  has 
acquired  considerable  skill.  A liberal  patron- 
age has  already  been  given  to  him,  and  as  soon 
as  his  qualifications  shall  have  been  known 
more  generally  he  will  not,  by  any  means,  be 
left  with  idle  time  on  his  hands.  The  doctor 
fully  appreciates  the  exacting  demands  which 
the  conscientious  practice  of  veterinary’  science 
entails,  and  is  prepared  to  meet  them.  It  is  a 
science  whose  representatives  have  made  all 
the  more  important  by  the  application  of  vital 
I as  well  as  medical  truths  in  recent  years, 
among  which  are  the  “germ  theory  of  disease” 
by’  Pasteur  (himself  a veterinarian),  and  oth- 
I ers  of  similar  importance. 


HOMAS  J.  BOWLES,  M.  D.,  one  of 
the  most  talented  members  of  the 
medical  profession  in  the  county’  of 
Delaware,  Ind.,  is  a native  of  the 
state,  having  been  born  in  Rush  county’,  July 
24,  1836.  His  parents  were  James  and  Sarah 
A.  (Smith)  Bowles,  natives  of  Kentucky,  who 
settled  in  Kush  county’,  Ind.,  about  1826. 
James  Bowles  was  of  English  extraction,  was 
born  in  1807,  and  was  reared  to  farming  and 
stock  raising.  Having  married  Miss  Smith  in 
his  early  manhood,  he  took  his  departure  by 
wagon  from  Kentucky  to  Indiana  in  1826,  and 
here  settled  among  the  pioneers  of  Rush 
county.  His  wife,  and  one  Kentucky  born 


204 


MUNCIE  CITY 


child,  Christina,  were  his  companions,  and 
after  his  arrival  in  Rush  county,  Ind. , there 
were  born  to  him  rive  others;  one  infant,  Paul, 
that  was  born  and  died  in  Kentucky,  found  its 
final  repose  in  that  state.  Indiana  gave  birth 
to  Joseph,  Thomas  J.,  Mary  A.,  James  H. 
and  Amanda.  The  father  of  this  family, 
James  Bowles,  although  not  highly  educated 
at  school,  was  a man  of  deep  reading  and 
deeper  observation,  and  still  deeper  thought. 
He  held  a sympathy  and  a communion  with 
all  nature,  and  was  a lover  of  man — a philan- 
thropist. He  was  active  in  all  enterprises  cal- 
culated for  the  promotion  of  the  well  being  of 
the  inhabitants  of  his  adopted  county  of  Rush, 
and  set  an  example  to  the  younger  members 
of  the  community  by  accumulating  acres  to  the 
number  of  i,ooo,  in  order  to  show  that  in  real 
estate  there  is  a command  over  the  respect  of 
fellow  men  that  is  absent  when  there  is  no  tangi- 
ble property  to  show  that  the  individual  has  at 
least  strained  his  sinews  and  bent  his  thought 
toward  giving  an  evidence  that  he  meant  to 
deserve  and  win  the  esteem  of  his  fellows. 
He  took  great  interest  in  educational  affairs, 
and  was  never  niggardly  in  assisting  their  ad- 
vancement. In  his  early  life  he  was  an  ardent 
whig,  and  a great  admirer  of  Henry  Clay,  and 
later  became  as  strong  an  adherent  of  Abraham 
Lincoln.  In  physical  stature  he  was  robust, 
but  of  medium  build.  Sickness  was  a stranger 
to  him  until  within  a few  months  of  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  his  eighty-sixth  year,  in 
September,  1892.  In  religious  matters  he  was 
as  deep  thoughted  as  in  worldly  affairs,  and 
by  the  world  was  thought  to  be  agnostic. 

Mrs.  Sarah  A.  (Smith)  Bowles,  of  German 
parentage,  w'as  a woman  of  strong  mind  and 
clear  thought,  but  of  devout  Christian  instinct 
and  charitable  tendencies.  She  died  at  the 
age  of  seventy-six,  a consistent  member  of  the 
Christian  church. 

Thomas  J.  Bowles  was  in  his  early  days 


inured  to  farm  life  among  the  pioneers  of  In- 
diana on  his  father's  homestead,  and  inherit- 
ing all  his  father’s  intelligence  and  shrewdness, 
developed  not  only  the  complete  farmer  but 
the  perfect  man.  His  earlier  school  days  were 
passed  in  the  subscription  schools  of  his 
neighborhood,  and  the  thirst  for  knowledge 
there  acquired  was  further  whetted  under  the 
celebrated  A.  R.  Benton,  of  Fairview,  under 
whom  he  studied  three  years.  He  next  en- 
tered the  office  of  Dr.  A.  C.  Dillon,  near 
Rushville,  and  lor  two  years  gave  his  whole 
attention  to  the  study  of  medicine.  In  1858, 
toward  the  latter  part  of  the  year,  he  entered 
the  Ohio  Medical  college  at  Cincinnati,  from 
which  he  rinally  graduated  in  1867.  His 
rirst  practice  had  been  at  Windsor,  Randolph 
county,  Ind.,  where  he  made  his  mark  and 
kept  his  patients  until  his  return  from  college 
in  1867.  After  another  course  of  study  he  re- 
sumed his  practice  at  Blountsville  with  re- 
newed success,  until  1874,  when  he  came  to 
Muncie.  Here  he  at  once  leaped  into  a fore- 
most professional  position,  but  his  love  for 
study  was  not  satisfied,  and  another  course 
was  taken  at  Bellevue  hospital.  New  York, 
and  at  Chicago  (Ilk)  Rush  Medical  college. 
Thus  equipped  for  the  practice  of  his  chosen 
profession,  he  has  since  made  Delaware  and 
adjoining  counties  the  scene  of  his  professional 
triumphs;  Muncie,  however,  has  been  his  home 
and  the  seat  of  his  chief  success,  and  here 
medicine  and  surgery  have  found  their  pro- 
foundest  exponent  in  him.  He  was  an  organ- 
izer of  a number,  and  is  a member  of  all,  the 
medical  socities  and  associations  of  the  city, 
county  and  state,  and  his  lectures  and  contri- 
butions have  received  from  the  members  of 
them  all  the  most  marked  attention.  In  poli- 
tics he  is  a republican,  but  has  never  been  an 
office  seeker  nor  a partisan.  Ardent  in  his 
advocacy  of  principle,  he  lends  a willing  hand 
and  voice  to  the  promotion  of  his  party’s  cause, 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


205 


and  as  early  as  the  days  of  John  C.  Fremont’s  ' 
campaign  made  numerous  eloquent  and  effect- 
ive speeches  in  favor  of  free  soil,  as  republi- 
canism was  then  called. 

Dr.  T.  J.  Bowles  is  a man  of  rare  and 
superior  attainments;  an  extensive  reader,  | 
especially  of  works  of  advanced  minds,  scien-  j 
tific  and  otherwise;  is  keenly  alive  to  the 
interests  of  humanity;  a bitter  opponent  of 
dogmatic  theology,  believing  it  to  be  an  ene- 
my to  human  progress;  an  agnostic  in  belief, 
the  doctor  is  an  evolutionist  and  endorses 
Darwin’s  theory  to  the  letter,  believing  that 
the  evils  of  the  world  must  be  cured  by  the 
moral  and  intellectual  growth  of  mankind;  a 
man  with  an  ardent  desire  to  elevate  the 
standard  of  intelligence  and  morality  in  our 
own  city,  and  a faithful  worker  to  attain  that 
end,  he  has  been  the  originator  and  principal 
organizer  of  several  societies  that  have  accom- 
plished great  good  in  this  direction,  namely — the 
Scientific  and  Literary  association;  Literary 
Fireside;  Home  Circle  and  Ethical  society. 
His  peculiar  mental  attainments  have  fitted 
him  for  the  work  in  hand.  He  is  probably  che 
best  extemporaneous  speaker  in  the  city  of 
Muncie.  Florid  in  expression,  a good  debater, 
deeply  in  earnest,  frequently  sharp  and  incisive 
in  his  remarks,  but  of  the  most  tolerant  dispo- 
sition; a man  of  refined  tastes,  neat  in  person, 
temperate  and  industrious,  a good  neighbor,  a 
good  husband,  an  indulgent  parent  and  firm 
friend.  His  benevolence  makes  him  a philan- 
thropist. Science,  art,  ethics  and  literature 
absorb  his  attention  and  study,  and  all  associ- 
ations for  their  culture  and  promotion  meet 
with  his  hearty  support.  He  has  made  him- 
self acquainted  with  ancient  and  modern  phil- 
osophy and  various  theologies  and  mythologies, 
both  modern  and  ancient. 

The  doctor  was  married  October  14,  i860, 
to  Miss  Sophora  Spangler,  a daughter  of  Henry 
and  Anna  (Reves)  Spangler,  who  resided  near 


the  historic  battle  ground  of  Gettysburg,  Pa. , 
and  were  of  German  descent.  Mrs.  Bowles  was 
born  in  March,  1841,  and  is  a member  of  a 
family  composed  of  thirteen  children,  all  of 
whom  were  remarkable  for  their  physical  vigor 
and  the  purity  of  their  German  characteristics. 
Her  early  education  was  obtained  at  the  com- 
mon schools  of  her  native  state,  but  her  liter- 
ary training  is  chiefly  due  to  the  doctor.  She 
has  been  a diligent  student  and  an  omniverous 
reader,  and  is  thoroughly  in  sympathy  with  her 
: husband.  She  is  remarkably  acute  as  a critic 
I in  the  mythologies,  the  theologies  and  the 
philosophies  of  ancient  and  modern  times,  and 
is  altogether  companionable.  She  is  the 
mother  of  seven  children,  born  in  the  following 
j order;  Herschel,  Homer,  Ardella,  Leora, 

' Ada,  Herbei't  and  Herman,  of  whom,  however, 

: Herbert  and  Ardella  are  deceased.  The  doc- 
tor and  his  family  are  most  highly  esteemed  in 
Muncie,  and  the  refined  society  of  the  city  is 
always  rejoiced  at  their  presence  within  its 
circle. 


aHARLES  W.  BOYCE,  the  Muncie 
electrician,  was  born  in  Alliance,  Ohio, 
December  27,  1866,  and  is  a son  of 
James  and  Eliza  Boyce,  who  came  to 
Muncie,  Ind.,  when  their  son  Charles  W., 
with  whose  name  we  open  this  sketch,  was 
but  four  years  of  age.  The  latter  received  his 
education  in  the  schools  of  Muncie  and  at  the 
Miami  Commercial  college,  Dayton,  Ohio. 
At  the  age  of  seventeen  he  went  to  Portland, 
Ore.,  where  for  two  years  he  was  a pressman 
in  a printing  office,  and  in  1885  clerked  for  a 
dry  goods  house.  In  1887  and  1888  he  worked 
! as  pressman  at  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  on  the 
j State  Register,  whence  he  went  to  Chicago,  ♦ 
j and  for  a time  was  in  the  press  department  of 
Rand,  McNally  & Co.  Next  he  became  a 
I traveling  salesman  for  Randall,  Hall  & Co., 


206 


MUNCIE  CITY 


for  a brief  period,  and  then  engaged  for  two 
years  as  superintendent  for  his  father  in  his 
electric  plant.  Fort  Wayne,  Ind.,  was  the 
next  scene  of  his  operations,  and  there  he 
became  manager  of  the  Jenney  Electric  Manu- 
facturing company,  and  assisted  them  in 
putting  in  a plant  at  Evansville,  Ind.,  and 
ether  points.  In  1891  the  Falher  block  was 
burned,  and  Mr.  Boyce  was  called  in  to  re- 
wire it.  He  has  ever  since  been  superintend- 
ent of  the  Heat,  Power  & Light  company, 
the  plant  being  now  situated  at  the  corner  of 
Elm  and  Willow  streets,  Muncie.  This  com- 
pany has  four  Edison  incandescent  dynamos, 
two  Brush  arc  dynamos,  about  five  miles  of 
wire,  fifty  arc  lights  and  1000  incandescent, 
with  uninterrupted  service. 

Mr.  Boyce  was  married,  in  1889,  to  Miss 
Minnie,  daughter  of  Charles  P. , and  Nancy 
(Humphries)  Thomas,  of  Fortville,  Ind.,  the 
union  being  blessed  with  one  child,  James  G. 
Mrs.  Boyce  is  a lady  of  remarkable  literary 
talent,  and  the  following  e.xtract  from  a metro- 
politan daily'  will  give  an  adequate  idea  of 
some  of  her  work  in  this  line: 

“Tragedies,  comedies,  romances  are  being 
lived  all  around  us — it  is  the  art  of  the  story 
teller  to  give  our  every  day  experiences  that 
touch  of  nature  which  makes  all  the  world 
akin.  Hoosier  life  is  fertile  and  teeming  with 
an  element  which  is  found  nowhere  else  ; a 
humorous  and  a pathetic  side  which  delights 
the  world  at  large,  and  from  this  element 
springs  the  popularity  of  our  own  inimitable 
James  Whitcomb  Riley.  No  less  popular  are 
the  wholesome  and  clever  story  delineations  of 
Minnie  Thomas  Boyce.  Her  ‘ Punkin  Holler  ’ 
sketches,  first  appearing  in  the  Chicago  Inter 
Ocean,  have  been  widely  copied  and  no  less 
widely  admired.  ‘Bertha  Jane,’  which  was 
published  in  the  Ladies’  Home  Journal,  is  a 
story  of  much  power.  Mrs.  Boyce  adds  to 
her  talent  as  a story  writer  fine  abilities  as  an 


elocutionist.  She  writes  her  own  recitations 
and  never  fails  to  delight  an  audience.  She 
composes  rapidly  and  is  more  fortunate  than 
most  young  writers  in  that  she  finds  a ready 
market  for  MSS.  Most  of  writers  have  their 
special  hours  for  composition,  her’s  are  in  the 
evening  when  the  cares  of  the  day  are  over. 
Mrs.  Boyce  has  on  hand  a series  of  ‘Hoosier 
Stories’  which  will  appear  in  book  form  in  the 
near  future  ; her  original  recitations  may  also 
be  given  to  the  public  at  a later  date.  She 
gives  great  promise  in  the  developement  of 
that  western  literature  of  which  we  are  so 
justly  proud  and  which  is  second  to  none  in 
the  world  of  literary  art.” 


HLLISON  B.  BRADBURY,  M.  D., 
deceased,  was  born  in  Wayne  coun- 
ty, Ind.,  September  17,  1842,  and 
was  one  of  fourteen  children  born  to 
Abner  M.  and  Mary  (Boyd)  Bradbury.  Alli- 
son B.  Bradbury  received  his  preparatory  edu- 
cation in  the  public  schools  of  his  native 
county,  and  this  was  supplemented  by  a course 
in  the  Ann  Arbor  (Mich.)  university.  After 
graduating  from  the  medical  department  of 
that  institution  of  learning  he  entered  on  the 
practice  of  his  chosen  profession  at  Milton, 
Wayne  county,  Ind.,  in  the  spring  of  1865, 
having  taught  school  for  several  years  just 
prior  to  his  finally  engaging  in  practice.  In 
1868  and  1869  he  attended  the  college  of 
Physicians  and  Surgeons,  at  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. , 
for  which  he  had  been  prepared  by  a course  of 
study  under  Dr.  Griffis,  of  Middletown,  Ind., 
and  in  February,  1872,  resumed  his  practice  at 
Milton,  Ind.,  for  a short  time,  afterward  re- 
siding at  Cambridge  City,  Ind.,  where  he  met 
with  flattering  success,  and  felt  justified  in  re- 
maining until  1879,  when  he  was  called  to  the 
more  extensive  and  remunerative  field  of  Mun- 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


207 


cie,  where  he  held  a prominent  position  in  the 
practice  until  his  death,  January  23,  1892. 
The  marriage  of  the  doctor  was  a most  felici- 
tous one  and  took  place  July  26,  18O3,  to  Miss 
Sarah  Burr,  who  was  born  in  Middletown, 
Ind.,  September  9,  1843,  the  daughter  of 

Chauncy  and  Jane  (Williams)  Burr,  both  pio- 
neers of  Henry  county,  Ind.,  the  former  a tan- 
ner by  trade,  and  one  of  the  most  highly  re- 
spected citizens  of  Henry  count}’,  in  which  he 
served  as  justice  of  the  peace  for  over  forty 
years. 

To  the  union  of  Dr.  Bradbury  and  Miss 
Burr  were  born  three  children,  viz:  Bertrand 

F. , Zerelda  (deceased),  Jane,  a teacher  in  the 
city  schools  of  Muncie.  It  was  just  about  the 
time  of  the  occurrence  of  his  marriage  that  the 
doctor  entered  the  one  hundred  days'  service, 
which  time  he  served  with  effective  gallantry 
in  the  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-seventh 
Ohio  national  guards.  Dr.  Bradbury  was 
a prominent  republican  and  an  active  work- 
er from  principle  and  not  from  aspiration 
to  any  public  office.  Although  many  times  he 
sought  to  fill  public  office,  he  never  acquiesced 
to  his  friends  except  to  assum.e  the  office  of 
secretary  of  the  board  of  health  of  Muncie, 
which  he  filled  creditably  for  a number  of 
years.  His  death  came  suddenly,  the  result  of 
an  accident,  and  was  a shock  to  his  many 
friends,  as  he  was  a man  dearly  loved  by  all 
and  filled  a niche  in  society  and  his  profession 
which  can  never  be  filled.  He  was  a pioneer 
in  spirit  and  purchased  400  acres  of  land  near 
Carmack  station  in  the  wildest  state,  and 
transformed  it  into  one  of  the  best  farms  in  the 
county. 

Bertrand  F.  Bradbury  was  born  August  10, 
i860,  and  was  a son  of  Allison  and  Sarah 
(Burr)  Bradbury.  His  education  was  acquired 
at  the  public  schools,  and  at  the  age  of  eight- 
een he  began  his  business  life  by  becoming  a 
clerk  in  the  store  of  J.  B.  Knowlton,  imple- 


ment dealer,  and  next  as  book-keeper  for  J. 
Affigt,  merchant  tailor,  with  whom  he  remained 
three  years,  after  which  time,  in  November, 
1889,  in  company  with  Lee  Shaw,  engaged  in 
the  hat  trade,  and  since  1892  has  been  con- 
ducting the  establishment  on  his  sole  account, 
making  hosts  of  friends. 


ON.  ARTHUR  W.  BRADY,  mayor  of 
IMuncie,  is  a native  of  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  born  on  the  13th  day 
of  January,  1865,  the  son  of  Gen. 
Thomas  J.  and  Emeline  (Wolfe)  Brady.  After 
receiving  a primary  education  in  the  schools 
of  Muncie  and  attending  a preparatory  school 
in  New  Preston,  Conn.,  Mr.  Brady,  in  1883, 
entered  Yale  college,  in  which  he  completed 
the  prescribed  course,  graduating  in  the  class 
of  1887  with  the  degree  of  B.  A.  He  then 
studied  law  in  the  office  of  R.  C.  Bell,  of  Ft. 
Wayne,  Ind. , one  year,  entered  the  law  de- 
partment of  the  university  of  Michigan  at  Ann 
Arbor,  and  graduated  in  the  year  1889.  Mr. 
Brady,  in  the  fall  of  the  above  year,  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  Delaware  county  bar;  has  done 
an  extensive  legal  business  in  the  courts  of 
Delawai'e  county  and  the  United  States  court, 
and  in  1890  was  made  local  attorney  for  the 
L.  E.  & W.  R.  R. , which  position  he  still  re- 
tains. Mr.  Brady  is  a democrat  in  his  politi- 
cal affiliations,  and  in  1891  was  nominated  by 
his  party  for  the  office  of  mayor  or  Muncie,  to 
which,  with  the  assistance  of  independent  re- 
publican voters,  he  was  elected  by  the  hand- 
some majority  of  660.  He  has  the  honor  of 
being  the  youngest  man  ever  elected  to  this 
responsible  position,  and  he  has  discharged 
the  duties  of  the  office  in  a manner  highl}^ 
creditable  to  himself  and  satisfactory  alike  to 
his  friends  and  to  those  who  opposed  him  po- 
litically. 


208 


MUNCIE  CITY 


Mr.  Brady  is  a man  of  much  more  than  or- 
dinary mental  capacity,  and  with  his  faculties 
well  disciplined  by  collegiate  training  he  has 
already  arisen  to  a prominent  place  among  his 
professional  brethren  of  the  Delaware  county 
bar.  Mr.  Brady  is  an  affable  gentleman, 
courteous  and  kind  hearted,  and  his  integrity 
and  worth  have  made  him  quite  popular  not 
onl}’  with  his  professional  associates  but  with 
all  classes  of  his  fellow  citizens  of  the  city  of 
Muncie.  He  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the 
Ancile  club,  of  which  he  has  served  as  direct- 
or, and  belongs  to  Muncie  lodge.  No.  443,  A. 
1'.  & A.  M. ; also  to  Welcome  lodge,  K.  P. 


EN.  THOMAS  J.  BRADY  was  born 
in  the  city  of  Muncie,  Delaware  coun- 
ty, Ind.,  on  the  12th  day  of  Febru- 
ary, 1840.  His  father,  John  Brady, 
the  second  son  of  William  and  Julia  Ann 
(Lerch)  Brady,  was  born  in  Warren  county, 
Ohio,  September  30,  1803.  John  Brady,  in 
March,  1824,  removed  to  Indiana,  settling  at 
Richmond,  where,  on  the  i6th  of  March, 
1825,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Mary 
Wright,  who,  with  her  mother,  had  immi- 
grated to  Indiana  from  Maryland  in  1824. 
Afterward,  he  removed  to  Muncie,  in  1836. 
john  Brady  served  as  associate  judge  from 
1841  to  1851  and  as  postmaster  from  1847  to 
1861.  Subsequently,  in  1865,  he  was  elected 
mayor  of  Muncie,  and  filled  the  office  from 
that  date  until  1867.  In  1871  he  was  chosen 
a member  of  the  city  council  and  served  until 
1873.  From  1878  to  1880  he  served  as  town- 
ship trustee,  and  for  many  years  was  one  of 
the  city  commissioners.  He  died  in  the  year 
1884,  deeply  lamented  by  all  who  knew  him. 
The  following  are  the  names  of  his  children; 
William,  died  at  an  early  age,  Samuel  F., 
Thomas  J.  and  Edward  W. 


Thomas  J.  Brady  was  educated  in  the 
Delaware  county  seminary  and  at  Asbury 
university  at  Greencastle,  Ind.  After  gradu- 
ating, he  entered  the  office  of  Hon.  Thomas  J. 
Sample  of  Muncie  as  a student.  During  the 
winter  of  1858-59,  he  served  in  the  capacity 
of  clerk  to  the  judiciary  committee  of  the 
state  senate.  After  being  admitted  to  the  bar, 
he  removed  to  Bethany,  Mo. , but  one  year 
later  returned  to  Muncie,  served  as  census 
enumerator  in  1 860,  and  the  same  year  was 
appointed  principal  of  the  Washington  schools, 
which  position  he  held  during  one  winter.  At 
the  breaking  out  of  the  war  Gen.  Brady  raised 
the  first  company  that  went  from  Delaware 
county,  in  1861.  This  company  was  at  first 
assigned  to  a provisional  regiment  organized 
by  Gov.  Morton,  with  Gen.  Few  Wallace  in 
command,  to  assist  in  averting  the  danger  that 
menaced  the  national  capital.  The  company 
from  Delaware  county,  however,  became  com- 
pany G,  Eighth  Indiana  infantry — three 
months’  service.  They  served  under  Gens. 
McClellan  and  Rosecrans  in  West  Virginia. 
Subsequently  Capt.  Brady’s  company  became 
company  A,  and  the  regiment  was  assigned  to 
the  department  of  Missouri.  Shortly  after  the 
battle  of  Pea  Ridge,  Capt.  Brady  became 
major  of  the  regiment,  which  afterward  formed 
a part  of  Gen.  McClernand’s  corps  in  Missis- 
sippi. 

Gen.  Brady  participated  in  the  battle  of 
Port  Gibson,  the  Black  River  and  Champion 
Hills  campaigns,  and  was  also  active- 
ly engaged  during  the  siege  of  Vicks- 
burg. On  the  19th  of  September,  1863, 
he  was  made  the  recipient  of  a colonel’s 
commission  by  Gov.  Morton.  His  regi- 
ment was  the  One  Hundred  and  Seven- 
teenth Indiana  infantry,  six  months’  troops. 
The  term  of  enlistment  of  the  One  Hundred 
and  Seventeenth  expired  in  1 864,  and,  on  the 
loth  of  October  of  that  year,  Gen.  Brady  was 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


209 


commissioned  colonel  of  the  One  Hundred  and 
Fortieth  regiment  Indiana  volunteer  infantry, 
over  one  half  of  which  he  raised  by  his  own 
efforts  during  the  summer  of  that  year.  With 
this  regiment  he  went  to  Nashville,  to  Mur- 
freesboro’, Tenn.,  and  finally  to  garrison  duty 
at  Fort  Rosecrans,  where  he  remained  during 
the  siege  of  Nashville.  He  participated  with 
his  command  in  all  the  engagements  in  the 
vicinity  of  Murfreesboro,  and  the  regiment  af- 
terward formed  a part  of  the  Third  brigade, 
First  division,  Twenty-third  army  corps,  un- 
der the  command  of  Gen.  Cox.  In  1865  the 
regiment  took  part  in  the  storming  of  Fort 
Anderson,  and  subsequently  was  engaged  in 
the  action  at  Town  Creek  bridge.  The  regi- 
ment was  mustered  out  of  service  July  ii, 
1865,  and  within  a short  time  thereafter  Col. 
Brady  was  honored  with  a promotion  by  brevet 
to  the  rank  of  brigadier  general  of  volunteers. 
In  the  winter  of  1863-64  Gen.  Brady  returned 
to  Muncie  and  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Emeline,  daughter  of  Adam  Wolfe,  on  the 
10th  day  of  May  of  the  latter  year,  and  at  the 
close  of  his  army  life,  he  resumed  the  practice 
of  his  profession.  The  children  born  to  his 
marriage  are  named  Arthur  W.,  Elizabeth  W. 
and  Winfield  E.  Brady. 

In  1868  he  purchased  the  Muncie  Times. 
In  1870  he  was  appointed,  by  Pres.  Grant,  to 
the  consulate  of  the  island  of  St.  Thomas, 
West  Indies,  and  on  this  account  he  severed 
his  connection  with  the  Times.  In  1874, 
while  on  leave  of  absence,  he  was  appointed 
chairman  of  the  republican  state  central  com- 
mittee. He  resigned  his  position  as  consul 
in  1875,  and  was  soon  after  appointed  super- 
visor of  internal  revenue  for  the  states  of  Ohio 
and  Indiana.  Subsequently  he  was  transferred 
from  this  district  to  the  one  embracing  Ken- 
tucky, Tennessee,  Alabama,  Mississippi  and 
Louisiana.  In  July,  1876,  Gen.  Grant  ten- 
dered him  the  position  of  second  assistant 


postmaster  general,  which  he  accepted,  but 
resigned  in  1881,  since  when  he  has  resided 
at  the  east. 

Adam  \Volfe,  late  prominent  merchant  of 
Muncie,  Ind.,  was  born  in  Washington  county. 
Pa. , December  9, 1 807  His  paternal  grandfather 
came  from  Germany  before  the  American  Rev- 
olution and  settled  in  Little  York,  Pa.,  where 
he  married,  and  afterward  moved  to  Wash- 
ington county,  that  state.  The  father  of 
Adam  Wolfe  was  John  \Volfe,  and  his  mother 
was  Catherine  Devore.  Adam  Wolfe  was  the 
seventh  of  eleven  children,  all  of  whom 
reached  adult  age  and  reared  large  families. 
During  his  infancy  his  parents  moved  to 
Coshocton  county,  Ohio.  His  time  was  most- 
ly employed  on  the  farm  until  he  attained  his 
majority,  at  which  time  his  father  died.  In 
1829  he  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  at 
New  Guilford,  Coshocton  county,  where  he 
remained  until  May,  1830,  at  which  time, 
owing  to  his  partner’s  dishonesty,  he  was 
obliged  to  abandon  the  mercantile  trade,  hav- 
ing lost  the  greater  part  of  his  capital.  Sub- 
sequently he  embarked  in  the  goods  business 
in  the  town  of  Westfield,  where  he  remained 
until  1841,  at  which  time  he  went  into  the 
pork  packing  business.  He  soon  lost  all  he 
had  accumulated  and  became  heavily  involved 
in  debt.  From  1842  to  1855  he  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  and  sale  of  fanning  mills  in 
connection  with  the  mercantile  business,  and 
during  this  period  amassed  a large  fortune.  In 
1855  Mr.  Wolfe  moved  to  Muncie,  Ind.,  in 
which  state  he  had  pi'eviously  opened  three 
stores,  and  for  some  time  thereafter  was 
engaged  in  the  banking  business  in  Marion  and 
Columbia  City.  Prosperity  attended  his 
enterprises,  and  besides  two  banks  he  became 
the  owner  of  five  stores,  one  in  each  of  the 
counties  of  Delaware,  Madison,  Grant,  Hunt- 
ington and  Blackford. 

Politically  Mr.  Wolfe  was  a democrat  and 


210 


MUNCIE  CITY 


cast  his  first  presidential  vote  for  Andrew 
Jackson.  His  large  business  prevented  his 
engaging  actively  in  politics,  and,  though  often 
urged,  he  always  refused  to  accept  office.  Mr. 
Wolfe  was  married,  April  26,  1832,  to  Miss 
Elizabeth  Elliott,  daughter  of  Samuel  Elliott 
of  New  York,  by  which  union  he  had  seven 
children,  of  whom  the  following  are  now  liv- 
ing : Sabina  W.  Willson,  of  Marion,  Ind.,  and 
Clara  E.  Bell,  of  Ft.  Wayne,  Ind. 

Mr.  Wolfe  was  steadily  engaged  in  business 
for  over  half  of  a century,  and  the  large  for- 
tune he  accumulated  proved  him  to  be  pos- 
sessed of  superior  ability.  He  gained  his 
wealth  honorably  and  used  it  worthily,  and  he 
was  a liberal  contributor  to  both  public  and 
private  charities  and  assisted  in  building 
schools,  colleges  and  churches.  He  had  many 
admirable  traits  of  character,  being  so  kind, 
forbearing  and  conscientious  that  his  home 
life  was  always  peaceful,  and  his  relations 
with  others  were  never  known  to  be  broken  by 
a quarrel.  It  is  said  that  he  had  no  enemy, 
and  the  entire  community  regarded  him  as  an 
excellent  man  and  a model  merchant.  His 
death  occurred  March  20,  1892. 


EORGE  W.  BROOKS,  proprietor  of 
■ of  Brooks’  creamery,  was  born  in 

^ Cumberland  county,  N.  J.,  Septem- 
ber, II,  1850,  a son  of  Lewis  M. 
and  Rachael  (Wilson)  Brooks,  natives  of  New 
Jersey  and  Pennsylvania,  respectively.  He 
was  reared  in  Chester  county.  Pa. , and  was 
educated  in  the  excellent  public  schools  of  his 
district,  later  serving  a three  years’  apprentice- 
ship to  the  trade  of  miller.  In  1872,  Mr. 
Brooks  came  west  and  located  in  Delaware 
county,  Ind. , engaging  in  farming  on  what  is 
now  known  as  the  Galliher  addition,  two 
years  later  purchasing  a farm  in  Hamilton 


township  and  living  upon  the  same  until  1886, 
when  he  moved  into  the  city  of  Muncie.  In 
June,  1887,  he  established  his  present  pros- 
perous creamery  business,  success  having 
attended  it  from  the  beginning.  Now  the  out- 
put is  as  much  as  150,000  pounds  of  butter 
yearly,  the  most  of  which  goes  to  supply  the 
home  market,  the  excellence  of  the  product 
causing  its  ready  sale.  Politically  Mr.  Brooks 
is  a republican;  he  also  is  a member  of  the 
I.  O.  O.  F.  and  of  the  Order  of  Red  Men,  In 
1880,  he  married  Miss  Naomi  Moore,  the 
daughter  of  Aaron  Moore,  of  Hamilton  town- 
ship, but  she  was  removed  by  death,  January 
10,  1885,  leaving  one  daughter,  Mary  Ernes- 
tine. Mr.  Brooks  is  a member  of  Grace 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  of  Hamilton  town- 
ship, and  is  considered  one  of  the  best  and 
most  prosperous  citizens  of  the  community. 


^ILLIAM  BROTHERTON,  deceased 
lawyer  of  Muncie,  was  born  near 
Winchester,  Va. , October  3,  1826. 
His  father,  John  Brotherton,  was  a 
native  of  Yorkshire,  England,  and  after  coming 
to  America,  engaged  in  farming.  His  mother, 
whose  maiden  name  was  Mary  P.  Hodge,  was 
born  in  Virginia.  They  removed  in  1835  to 
Greene,  county,  Ohio,  when  their  son  William 
was  nine  years  of  age.  His  early  education  was 
largely  obtained  by  earnest  study  at  home,  al- 
though good  use  was  also  made  of  the  meager 
advantages  afforded  by  a country  school.  In 
1849,  he  gratified  his  long  cherished  desire  to 
study  law,  by  becoming  a student  in  the  office 
of  Judge  Moses  Barlow,  of  Xenia,  Ohio,  and  in 
1851,  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  Selecting 
Muncie,  Ind  , as  the  field  of  his  future  efforts, 
Mr.  Brotherton  at  once  removed  thither,  and 
commenced  the  practice  of  law.  With  limited 
pecuniary  means,  without  influence,  and  an 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


211 


entire  stranger  in  the  place,  he  entered  upon 
the  toilsome  way  for  legal  distinction.  He 
gradually  gained  a lucrative  practice,  and  also 
interested  himself  in  politics,  in  which  his 
abilities  soon  obtained  general  recognition. 
In  1852,  only  one  year  after  his  arrival  in 
Muncie,  he  was  elected  district  attorney  of  the 
common  pleas  court  for  the  counties  of  Dela- 
ware, Grant,  and  Blackford,  served  two  years, 
and  in  1855  was  elected  prosecuting  attorney 
of  the  Seventh  judicial  circuit. 

The  republican  party  had  just  begun  the 
struggle  for  supremacy,  and  on  that  ticket,  in 
1858,  Mr.  Brotherton  was  elected  to  a seat  in 
the  legislature  as  representative  from  Dela- 
ware county.  The  nomination  was  accepted 
only  by  the  urgent  solicitation  of  friends.  At 
the  close  of  the  term,  in  accordance  with  a 
resolution  expressed  at  his  election,  he  resumed 
the  duties  of  his  profession,  and  never  after- 
ward permitted  himself  to  be  made  a candi- 
date for  any  political  office.  In  1853  he  mar- 
ried Miss  Martha  Richardson,  of  Centerville, 
Ind.  They  have  three  children,  Lillie  B., 
wife  of  W.  H.  Halliday,  of  Columbus,  Ohio; 
Wm.  R. , attorney  of  Muncie,  and  Mamie  M. 
Mr.  Brotherton’s  great  independence  of  spirit, 
of  which  his  life  was  a constant  illustration, 
is  shown  particularly  in  the  fact  that  when 
he  was  prosecuting  attorney,  and  his  duties 
requiring  him  to  travel  over  the  country,  he 
refused  the  gift  of  a horse,  proffered  by  his 
parents.  He  was  a man  of  liberal  religious 
opinions,  and  broad  views,  of  a generous,  sym- 
pathetic, and  retiring  disposition,  and  very 
humorous,  which  latter  feature  made  him  very 
companionable.  In  his  domestic  relations  he 
was  one  of  the  most  amiable  of  men,  his  home 
being  the  scene  of  perfect  harmony.  He  was 
one  of  the  ablest  lawyers  and  most  highly 
respected  citizens  of  Delaware  county.  He 
continued  in  the  practice  of  his  profession  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  July  ii,  1888. 


William  R.  Brotherton,  son  of  William  Broth- 
erton, spoken  of  above,  was  born  in  Muncie, 
Ind.,  July  28,  1858,  graduated  from  the  high 
school  of  Muncie  in  1878,  studied  law  with 
his  father  and  was  his  able  office  assistant.  In 
1888  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  since  which 
date  he  has  conducted  his  deceased  father’s 
legal  business  with  the  most  satisfactory 
results. 


EV.  ABRAHAM  BUCRLES,  late  of 
Muncie,  was  born  in  Ohio,  August 
26,  1799,  and  died  at  his  home,  near 
Muncie,  Ind.,  October  9,  1878,  in 

the  eightieth  year  of  his  age.  His  father, 
John  Buckles,  was  a native  of  Virginia,  to 
which  his  grandfather,  Robert  Buckles,  emi- 
grated from  England  before  the  Revolution, 
and  settled  at  a place  afterward  known  as 
Bucklestown.  Abraham  was  married,  Sep- 
tember 3,  1818,  to  Elizabeth  Shanks,  a lady 
of  German  and  Welsh  descent.  After  the 
marriage  he  removed  to  Springfield,  Ohio, 
and  thence  to  Miami  county  in  that  state.  In 
1829  he  was  ordained  minister  of  the  Baptist 
church.  In  October,  1833,  he  removed,  with 
his  family,  to  Delaware  county,  Ind. , and 
settled  on  a farm  near  Muncie,  where  he  re- 
sided till  the  close  of  his  life.  Soon  after  his 
arrival  in  that  neighborhood  he  organized  the 
Muncie  Baptist  church,  and  served  as  its  pas- 
tor forty-live  years  without  other  reward  than 
a consciousness  of  the  faithful  discharge  of 
duty.  In  the  early  part  of  his  life  Mr.  Buck- 
les held  various  political  offices,  and  in  1839 
was  elected  to  a seat  in  the  general  assembly 
from  Delaware  county,  a position  which  he 
filled  with  honor.  l\Ir.  Buckles  had  live  chil- 
dren; Hon.  Joseph  S.  (see  sketch):  Thomas 
N.,  now  in  California;  John  S.,  deceased, 
formerly  an  able  lawyer  in  Geneseo,  111  ; IMary 
(Mrs.  Goble);  and  Ellen  (Mrs.  Campbell),  who 
died  a few  years  ago. 


212 


MUNCIE  CITY 


UDGE  JOSEPH  S.  BUCKLES,  of 
Muncie,  was  born  near  Springfield, 
Ohio,  July  29,  1819,  a son  of 

Rev.  Abraham  and  Elizabeth  (Shanks) 
Buckles.  His  mother  was  Elizabeth  Shanks, 
whose  parents  were  Joseph  and  Eleanor 
(Clawson)  Shanks,  respectively  of  Scotch  and 
German  descent.  Joseph  Buckles  lived  till  he 
w'as  fourteen  years  old  in  Miami  county, 
Ohio,  to  which  his  father  had  removed  several 
years  before;  and  then,  in  1833,  went  to  Mun- 
cie. This  has  ever  since  been  his  home,  ex- 
cept during  a period  of  nine  months  spent  in 
Blackford  county.  Much  of  his  time  was 
necessarily  employed  in  the  work  on  the  farm 
and  little  could  be  devoted  to  school;  but 
while  he  did  attend  he  studied  most  diligently. 
Such  was  his  thirst  for  knowledge  that  when 
obliged  to  labor  all  day  he  pursued  his  studies 
at  night  by  the  light  of  an  open  fire-place.  In 
this  manner,  aided  to  some  extent  by  pri- 
vate instruction,  Mr.  Buckles  acquired  pro- 
ficiency in  the  common  branches  and  some  ac- 
quaintance with  general  history.  He  now  be- 
gan, at  the  age  of  nineteen,  the  labors  of  a 
district  school  teacher.  While  thus  engaged, 
in  1838  he  was  urged  by  Mr.  Kennedy,  then 
member  of  congress  from  this  district,  to  com- 
mence the  study  of  law.  This  he  did  in  Mr. 
Kennedy’s  office  and  was  admitted  to  practice 
in  the  circuit  court  in  1841,  and  in  the  state, 
supreme,  and  the  federal  courts  in  September, 
1850.  After  practicing  about  five  years,  Mr. 
Buckles  was  elected  prosecuting  attorney  for 
the  Sixth  circuit.  At  the  close  of  the  term  of 
two  years  he  was  chosen  state  senator  from  the 
district  composed  of  the  counties  of  Grant  and 
Delaware;  and  while  in  the  senate  was  chosen 
chairman  of  the  judiciary  committee.  In 
1857,  at  the  expiration  of  his  term,  he  re- 
turned, and  devoted  his  time  to  his  clients  un- 
til 1858,  when  he  was  elected  judge  of  the 
Seventh  judicial  circuit.  In  this  position  he 


remained  twelve  years,  and  then  resumed 
practice  in  the  state  and  federal  courts.  Dur- 
ing the  campaign  of  1872  Judge  Buckles 
served  as  a senatorial  elector,  and  canvassed 
the  greater  part  of  the  state.  Prior  to  1880  he 
was  a free-soil  democrat;  but  then  deemed  it  his 
duty  to  support  President  Lincoln’s  admin- 
istration, and  has  ever  been  strongly  attached 
to  the  republican  party. 

Judge  Buckles  also  took  a prominent  part 
in  the  organization  of  the  United  party  in  the 
state  of  Indiana  during  the  war.  As  already 
stated  he  resumed  the  practice  of  his  profes- 
sion at  the  expiration  of  his  official  term  in 
1870  and  was  actively  engaged  in  the  courts 
of  Delaware  and  other  counties  in  eastern 
Indiana  until  1886,  when  he  practically  retired 
from  business  life.  In  the  latter  year  he  was 
elected  to  the  state  legislature,  in  which  he 
served  one  term,  and  while  a member  of  that 
body  served  on  the  agriculture  and  finance 
committees.  In  the  development  of  the  great 
gas  fields  of  Indiana,  Judge  Buckles  has  acted 
a very  important  part.  He  is  a stockholder 
and  president  of  the  York  Prairie  Manufactur- 
ing company  and  is  also  a member  of  the  Cit- 
izens’ Enterprise  company  of  Muncie.  Judge 
Buckles  was  one  of  the  originators  of  the 
Lafayette,  Muncie  & Bloomington  railroad, 
and  is  its  attorney  and  a member  of  its  board 
of  managers;  he  was  also  instrumental  in  the 
construction  of  the  Fort  Wayne  & Southern 
railway,  and  became  the  treasurer  and  general 
financial  agent  of  the  company.  He  married, 
January  27,  1842,  Catharine  H.  Williams. 

She  was  born  in  Ohio,  and  was  a daughter  of 
Abel  and  Rebecca  Williams,  the  former  of 
whom  is  of  Scotch  descent.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Buckles  were  born  eight  children,  four  of 
whom  are  living:  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Captain 

A.  K.  Lindsey,  of  Kansas;  Rebecca,  now  Mrs. 
J.  W.  McCrea;  Josie,  wife  of  William  E. 
Yost,  of  Muncie;  and  Cora,  wife  of  William 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


213 


McVay,  who  resides  in  Sterling,  Kan.  Mrs. 
Buckles  died  September,  1888,  and  in  Decem- 
ber of  the  following  year  the  judge  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Miss  Louisa  S.  Schroerlucke, 
of  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

Judge  Buckle’s  farm  contains  680  acres  of 
choice  land,  with  good  buildings.  For  twenty 
years  he  has  been  successful  in  politics,  and 
one  of  the  leading  lawyers  in  that  part  of  the 
state  in  which  he  resides.  The  circuit  in 
which  he  administered  the  duties  of  judge 
embraced  five  of  the  most  populous  counties. 
He  is  a man  whose  mind  is  controlled  b}'  a 
motive  power  that  does  not  require  the  advan- 
tage of  wealth  and  influence  to  attain  success, 
but  steadily  and  surely  advances.  Judge 
Buckle’s  example  should  encourage  every  as- 
piring youth  to  feel  that,  however  dark  the 
future  may  appear,  perseverance,  with  a con- 
scientious regard  for  truth,  will  win  a just 
reward.  He  has  never  deviated  from  that 
rigid  rule  of  honor  that  ought  to  actuate  and 
govern  a true  man. 


AMUEL  O.  BUDD,  senior  member  of 
the  famous  dental  firm  of  Budd  & Son, 
Muncie,  Ind.,  is  a native  of  West- 
chester county,  N.  Y. , and  was  born 
November  23,  1829.  His  parents,  John  P. , 
and  Hebe  (Sands)  Budd,  were  also  natives  of 
New  York  state,  the  former  of  whom  was  of 
Scotch  and  French  extraction  and  the  latter  of 
English  parentage.  To  John  P.  and  Hebe 
there  were  but  two  children  born — Susan  and 
Samuel  O.  The  family  came  to  Union  county, 
Ind.,  in  1836,  and  settled  near  Fairfield,  where 
Samuel  O.  was  reared  on  a farm  until  twentv 
years  of  age.  In  April,  1853,  they  came  to 
Muncie,  but  in  the  meantime  Samuel  O.  had 
learned  both  the  carpenter's  trade  and  gun- 
smithing,  and  on  arriving  in  Muncie  opened  a 


gunsmith  shop  and  carried  on  the  business  until 
1 860.  He  then  began  the  study  of  dentistry 
with  Drs.  Riley  & McCormick,  and  in  a short 
time,  under  their  preceptorship,  he  became  a 
proficient  in  the  art.  In  1861  he  opened  a 
dentist’s  office,  but  still  continued  doing  odd 
jobs  at  gunsmithing.  By  1863  his  fame  as  a 
dentist  had  become  established,  and  from  that 
time  on  he  has  devoted  his  entire  attention  to 
the  science.  He  has  been  a hard  student  and 
is  thorough!}’  posted  in  his  profession,  has 
made  an  excellent  reputation  and  enjoys  a 
lucrative  practice. 

Dr.  Budd  was  married,  in  1853,  to  Miss 
Indiana  Allen,  daughter  of  John  Allen,  a 
pioneer  of  Franklin  county,  Ind. ; this  lady 
was  born  November  i,  1834,  and  has  become 
the  mother  of  five  children,  viz;  Ada  S.  A., 
now  Mrs.  Edwin  Ellis;  Chester  Allen,  who 
entered  into  business  with  his  father  July  15, 
1879;  Rose;  wife  of  William  S.  Stewart;  Mary, 
deceased,  and  John  ISI.  The  doctor  and  his 
amiable  wife  are  members  of  the  Universalist 
church  being  charter  members  of  their  church 
society.  In  his  earlier  days  the  doctor  was  a 
republican  in  politics,  but  in  i 884  he  became 
a prohibitionist  and  now  is  one  of  the  stanchest 
advocates  of  that  cause.  He  is  a royal  arch 
Mason,  and  as  a member  of  society  he  and 
family  enjoy  the  sincere  respect  of  their 
neighbors,  and  as  professional  men  he  and  his 
son  hold  positions  among  the  foremost  dentists 
of  Muncie. 


a HESTER  ALLEN  BUDD,  of  the  firm 
of  Budd  & Son,  the  famous  dental 
surgeons  of  Muncie,  Ind. , is  a native 
of  the  city  and  was  born  March  13, 
1857,  and  of  whom  further  mention  of  his 
pai'entage  has  been  made  above.  Chester  A. 
has  passed  his  whole  business  career  in  Mun- 


214 


MUNCIE  CITY 


cie  and  all  of  his  social  careei'.  From  her 
high  school  he  graduated  in  June,  1875,  fol- 
lowing which  date  he  entered  the  Ohio  college 
of  Dental  Surgery  at  Cincinnati,  and  after 
graduating  in  1879  returned  to  Muncie  and  en- 
gaged in  practice  with  his  father,  and  from 
that  date  on  has  filled  a foremost  position  in 
the  profession  in  all  its  various  branches,  pros- 
thetic and  theoretical.  Fie  was  most  happily 
married,  September  18,  1879,  to  Miss  Fran- 
ces L.  Corbly,  who  was  born  in  Mount  Wash- 
ington, Hamilton  county,  Ohio,  December  20, 
1854,  a daughter  of  Wdlliam  and  Louise  (Den- 
ham) Corbly,  a most  respectable  family  now 
residing  in  Muncie,  having  come  to  the  state 
in  1874.  Seven  children  have  been  born  to 
bless  this  union  and  are  named  Alma  S., 
William  O.,  Ada  May,  Chester  F.,  Bessie  E., 
Frank  W.  and  Allen  M.  Mr.  Budd  is  a mem- 
ber of  Muncie  lodge.  No.  74,  I.  O.  O.  F. , and 
the  Muncie  encampment.  No.  30.  In  politics 
he  is  a republican,  and  with  his  wife  he  is  a 
member  of  the  Universalist  church. 


OBERT  A.  BUNCH,  M.  D.,  one  of 
the  most  successful  physicians  and 
surgeons  of  Muncie,  was  born  Octo- 
ber 28,  1852,  in  the  town  of  Portland, 
Jay  county,  Ind.  Paternally  he  descended 
from  French  ancestry,  and  on  the  mother’s 
side  traces  the  history  of  his  family  back  to 
Ireland.  His  grandfather,  William  Bunch, 
left  France  in  an  early  day,  emigrating  to  the 
United  States  and  settling  in  North  Carolina. 
He  served  with  distinction  in  the  war  of  1812, 
and  many  years  ago  moved  to  Indiana,  set- 
tling in  the  town  of  Portland,  thence  later 
moved  to  Plymouth,  Marshall  county,  where 
his  death  occurred  at  the  advanced  age  of 
eighty-nine  years.  The  doctor’s  maternal 
grandfather  was  born  in  Ireland,  from  which 


country  he  emigrated  to  Virginia,  and  after 
residing  in  that  state  a number  of  years  became 
a resident  of  Ohio.  Ishmael  Bunch,  the  doc- 
tor’s father,  was  born  in  North  Carolina  and 
came  to  Indiana  at  the  age  of  thirty,  settling 
west  of  Portland,  in  Jay  county,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  farming  and  stock  raising.  He  mar- 
ried, at  the  age  of  thirty-five.  Miss  Margaret 
Bishop  of  Greene  county,  Ohio,  by  whom  he 
had  five  children,  namely,  Dixon  M.,  Robert 
A.,  Nathan  E.,  John  A.  and  Elizabeth  N.  Of 
these,  Robert  A.,  Nathan  E.  and  John  A.  are 
living  at  this  time.  Ishmael  Bunch  died  on 
the  25th  day  of  February,  1865,  at  his  home 
in  Jay  county,  after  an  illness  of  almost  two 
years. 

Dr.  Bunch  attended  the  public  schools  of 
Portland  until  his  fifteenth  year,  and  then  en- 
tered Liber  college.  Jay  county,  which  he 
attended  five  terms,  supplementing  his  educa- 
tion in  that  institution  by  a course  in  the 
Northern  Indiana  Normal  school  at  Valparaiso. 
He  early  signified  his  intention  of  becoming  a 
physician,  and  after  finishing  his  literary  course 
he  began  reading  medicine  in  the  office  of 
Gillam  & Allen  of  Portland,  under  whose 
instruction  he  continued  for  some  time,  and 
then  began  the  practice  of  his  profession  at 
DeSoto,  a small  village  in  Delaware  county. 
With  a laudable  desire  to  increase  his  profes- 
sional knowledge.  Dr.  Bunch  entered  the 
Eclectic  Medical  institute  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
in  which  he  completed  the  prescribed  course, 
graduating  in  June,  1881.  He  continued  the 
practice  at  the  town  of  DeSoto  for  a number 
of  years,  and  then  sought  a wider  field  in 
Muncie,  moving  to  the  latter  city  in  1889, 
where  he  has  since  established  a large  and 
growing  practice  and  earned  the  reputation  of 
one  of  the  most  successful  physicians  in  Dela- 
ware county.  So  extensive  has  his  practice 
become  that  he  has  found  it  necessary  to  em- 
ploy an  assistant,  and  his  professional  business 


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R.  A.  BUNCH,  M.  D. 


MRS.  R.  A.  BUNCH 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


219 


at  this  time  is  perhaps  larger  than  that  of  any 
other  medical  man  in  Muncie.  Dr.  Bunch 
combines,  with  a thorough  knowledge  of  his 
profession,  the  sympathizing  nature  and  tender 
touch  of  the  true  healer;  and  he  has  earned 
the  reputation  of  the  poor  man’s  friend,  never 
turning  any  one  away  on  account  of  inability 
to  remunerate  him  for  services  rendered.  He 
has  good  business  tact,  and  his  careful  judg- 
ment, diligence,  and  faithful  application  to 
his  profession,  have  secured  him  not  only  a 
very  large  and  lucrative  practice,  but  have 
made  him  exceedingly  popular  with  all  classes 
of  people  with  whom  he  has  had  professional 
or  other  relations.  He  is  a man  of  good  pres- 
ence and  dignified  bearing,  benevolent  in  all 
the  term  implies,  and  is  certainly  entitled  to 
prominent  mention  among  the  representative 
men  of  Delaware  county.  Dr.  Bunch  was 
married  April  20,  1877,  to  Miss  Mary  A.  Bair, 
and  his  home  has  been  brightened  by  four 
interesting  children:  Bessie  G. , Rollie  H., 
Freddie  L. , and  Morrell  McK.,  all  living. 


ON.  JOHN  W.  BURSON  was  born 
August  21,  1820,  at  the  Burson 

homestead  in  Springfield  township, 
Bucks  county.  Pa. , within  five  miles 
of  the  town  Bursonville.  His  parents  were 
Dr.  Edward  and  Jemima  (Stroud)  Burson, 
who  removed  from  Bursonville  to  Stroudsburg, 
Pa.,  and  subsequently  to  Wilmington,  Ohio. 
His  father  was  an  able  physician,  practiced 
both  in  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio,  and  died  at 
Waynesville,  Ohio,  in  1852.  His  mother  died 
at  Richmond,  Ind.,  in  1863.  His  paternal 
grandparents  were  David  and  Lydia  (Will- 
iams) Burson.  Lydia  Whlliams  was  one  of  a 
numerous  family  who  settled  near  the  Dela- 
ware river,  above  Bristol,  and  not  far  from 
Irvina.  Dr.  Burson’s  father  was  a native  of 
Wales  and  settled  in  America  about  the  mid- 


dle of  the  eighteenth  century.  The  maternal 
grandparents  were  Col.  Jacob  and  Elizabeth 
(McDowell)  Stroud.  Jacob  was  the  founder 
of  Stroudsburg,  now  a flourishing  and  beauti- 
ful village  situated  above  the  Delaware  Gap. 
In  the  campaign  of  the  English  against  the 
Erench,  Col.  Stroud,  although  a young  officer, 
served  on  the  staff  of  Gen.  Wolfe,  and  was 
present  at  the  death  of  his  general  at  the 
storming  of  Quebec. 

In  the  year  of  1837,  Burson  accompanied 
his  father’s  family  to  Clinton  county,  Ohio, 
where  for  seven  years  his  time  was  employed 
in  superintending  a farm  near  Wilmington 
Subsequently  he  learned  the  carpenter’s  trade, 
and  worked  in  Ohio  and  afterward  at  LaPorte, 
Ind.  Returning  from  the  latter  city  to  Ohio, 
he  was  engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits  with 
the  means  saved  from  his  earnings  as  a me- 
chanic. He  possessed  the  qualties  of  a suc- 
cessful business  man,  more  as  the  endowment 
of  nature  than  the  result  of  education,  and,  in 
1848,  at  the  age  of  twenty-eight  years,  he  was 
elected  teller  of  the  Eaton  branch  of  the  old 
State  Bank  of  Ohio,  where  he  remained  for 
about  four  years.  It  was  during  this  period 
that  he  formed  the  acquaintance  of  his  devoted 
wife,  Mary  E.  Mhlson,  to  whom  he  was  united 
in  marriage  Eebruary  19,  1851. 

In  1853,  he  left  the  Eaton  branch  bank, 
and  with  John  Hunt  founded  the  Cambridge 
City  bank,  at  Cambridge  City,  Ind.  In  the 
great  financial  crisis  of  a few  years  later,  this 
was  one  of  the  few  banks  that  withstood  the 
shock.  In  1856,  he  came  to  IMuncie  and 
formed  the  Muncie  branch  of  the  State  Bank 
of  Indiana,  with  a capital  of  $100,000,  which 
was  soon  increased  to  $150,000.  In  1865, 
this  bank  was  reorganized  under  the  national 
bank  act,  with  a capital  of  $200,000,  and  a 
surplus  sum  of  $100,000,  and  Mr.  Burson  was 
its  cashier.  In  1871,  the  capital  increased  to 
$300,000,  the  surplus  remaining  as  before.. 


220 


MUNCIE  CITY 


I'or  ;i  number  of  years  Mr.  Burson  was  a di- 
rector of  the  “Bee  Line”  railway,  and  a di- 
rector of  the  Lafayette,  Muncie  & Blooming- 
ton railway  at  the  time  of  his  decease.  In 
])o!itics  he  was  a republican,  and  served  as  a 
member  of  the  state  central  committee  from 
this  district  from  1868  to  the  time  of  his  de- 
mise. Once  only  did  he  permit  himself  to  be- 
come a candidate  for  office.  This  was  in  1 870, 
when  he  was  elected  state  senator  from  the 
districts  composed  of  the  counties  of  Delaware 
and  Madison. 

After  an  illness  of  three  weeks,  Mr.  Burson 
passed  peacefully  away  on  September  21, 
1872.  The  obsequies  took  place  on  the  24th, 
and  a special  train  draped  in  mourning  carried 
the  Masonic  order  of  neighboring  cities, 
tc:)gether  with  a large  number  of  friends,  to 
mourn  the  loss  of  the  deceased.  Business  was 
susjiended  in  Muncie,  and  the  entire  county 
was  in  mourning.  The  funeral  services  were 
conducted  according  to  the  rites  of  the  Mason- 
ic order,  and  the  corpse  was  in  charge  of  the 
Muncie  commandery.  No.  18,  of  which  he 
was  a member.  Raper  commandery,  and  the 
members  of  the  Scottish  Rite  order,  from  Indi- 
anapolis, were  also  in  attendance.  Among 
the  distinguished  visitors  who  came  to  mingle 
their  tears  with  those  of  the  bereaved  family, 
was  ex-Gov.  Oliver  P.  Morton,  between 
whom  and  Mr.  Burson  a strong  personal 
friendship  had  existed  for  many  years.  Dur- 
ing that  terrible  period  embraced  between  the 
years  of  1861  and  1865,  Gov.  Morton  had  no 
firmer  friend,  no  truer  ally,  and  none  to  whom 
he  could  look  with  more  positive  assurance  of 
encouragement  and  assistance,  than  Mr.  Bur- 
son. Nothing  was  thought  too  extravagant, 
when  represented  as  a need  of  the  nation’s 
defender;  no  journey  was  too  tedious  or  too 
dangerous  for  him  to  undertake,  and  what- 
ever sum  of  money  was  asked  by  ‘ ‘the  war 
governor”  of  Indiana  to  further  his  plans  or 


relieve  the  wants  of  the  Indiana  soldiers,  it 
was  cheerfully  and  unhesitatingly  advanced. 

He  became  a member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  in  1858,  and,  throughout 
his  life  was  a faithful  attendant  upon  its  serv- 
ices and  means  of  grace.  He  was  a consist- 
ent and  enthusiastic  Free  Mason  and  a Knight 
Templar.  He  received  the  orders  of  knight- 
hood in  Raper  commandery.  No.  i,  at  Indian- 
apolis, July  8 and  22,  1863;  was  a charter 

member  of  the  Muncie  commandery.  No.  18, 
and  took  the  thirty-second  degree  of  Masonry 
(Scottish  rite),  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  At  the 
annual  conclave  of  the  grand  commandery  his 
death  was  referred  to  in  touching  language  by 
the  grand  commander  in  his  address,  and  both 
branches  of  the  general  assembly  of  Indiana 
adopted  appropriate  resolutions,  while  the  sen- 
ate chamber  was  draped  for  a period  of  thirty 
days.  In  the  church  and  in  the  Sunday 
school,  in  political  and  commei'cial  affairs,  his 
voice  was  heard,  and  his  influence  felt  and 
acknowledged;  and  his  keen  judgment  and 
scrupulous  principles  made  him  a safe  and  val- 
ued counselor  in  matters  affecting  public  or 
private  interests. 


^^y^ILLIAM  GALA  WAY,  proprietor  of 
mm  I largest  sale  and  livery 

stables  in  Muncie,  Ind.,  was  born 
in  Wabash  county,  this  state,  in 
November,  1855,  and  was  reared  in  the  town 
of  Wabash,  where  his  father,  Stephen  Gala- 
way,  kept  hotel.  William  attended  school 
until  thirteen  years  old,  and  then,  of  his  own 
accord,  left  home  and  made  his  way  to  Wich- 
ita, Kan.,  did  any  work  he  could  handle  until 
seventeen,  and  then  for  a year  and  a half 
carried  the  mail  between  Wichita  and  Chey- 
enne, a distance  of  120  miles.  He  next 
bought  a feed  yard  at  Wichita,  but  sold  out  at 
the  expiration  of  two  years,  returned  to  Indi- 


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AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


225 


ana,  and  traded  in  and  shipped  horses  for  a 
year  at  Fort  \\"ayne;  thence  he  went  to  Ko- 
komo, Ind. , and  for  six  years  carried  on  a 
livery  stable,  and  afterward  owned  stables  at 
Liberty,  then  at  Dublin,  and  again  at  Liberty, 
where  he  also  bought  and  shipped  horses  in 
partnership  with  Hollis  Beard.  Here  he  sold 
out  to  his  partner  and  came  to  Muncie  in 
August,  1893,  bought  a livery  stand  on  Frank- 
lin street,  and  also  owned  a feed  yard  on  Elm 
and  Main  streets  for  a time,  then  sold  and 
purchased  his  present  barn,  on  Gilbert  street, 
of  Milt  Hamilton.  This  is  the  largest  and 
most  popular  livery,  feed  and  sale  stable  in 
the  city,  as  510  horses  have  been  sheltered  in 
it  at  one  time,  and  it  is  here  where  the  semi- 
monthly Delaware  county  horse  sales  were 
held.  Mr.  Calaway  also  carries  a full  line  of 
rigs  for  hire,  at  the  lowest  rates,  and  his  ani- 
mals are  among  the  best  in  the  land.  He  has 
owned  such  thoroughbreds  as  Wild  Duck, 
winner  in  Illinois  and  Iowa,  and  the  Kentucky- 
bred  horse,  Kill  Dove,  that  won  several  places 
in  Ohio  in  1891;  also  several  trotters  and  pa- 
cers of  note. 

Mr.  Calaway  was  married,  in  1880,  to  Rosa 
McCarty,  of  Marion,  Ind.,  but  lost  his  lady  in 
1886.  In  June,  1887,  he  married  Miss  Helen 
Rood,  of  Liberty,  Ind.,  and  this  union  has 
been  blessed  with  four  children,  viz:  Mary, 

Gertrude,  Homer  and  Max.  Mr.  Calaway  is 
a member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F. , and  as  a busi- 
ness man  he  is  regarded  as  strictly  upright  and 
without  guile.  Socially  he  is  popular,  and  is 
agreeable  in  his  intercourse  with  his  fellow- 
men,  accommodating  and  obliging. 


AVID  CAMMACK. — The  grain  and 
lumber  business  of  the  city  of  Mun- 
cie, of  late  5'ears,  has  become  quite 
extensive  and  profitable,  and  among 
the  prominent  men  interested  therein  is  the 


gentleman  whose  name  introduces  this  biogra- 
phy. David  Cammack  was  born  in  MMyne 
county,  Ind.,  January  25,  1846,  and  is  the  son 
of  Nathan  H.  and  Priscilla  (Morris)  Cammack, 
natives  of  Indiana  and  North  Carolina,  respect- 
ively, the  father  for  many  years  a successful 
manufacturer  of  woolen  goods  in  MMyne 
county,  this  state.  David  Cammack  received 
his  elementary  education  in  the  public  schools, 
and  later  became  a student  of  Earlham  college, 
Richmond,  Ind. , where  he  pursued  his  studies 
until  December,  1 863,  at  which  time  he  entered 
the  army  as  private  in  company  K,  One  Hun- 
dred and  Twenty-fourth  Indiana  volunteer 
infantry,  with  which  he  served  until  the  close 
of  the  war.  His  regiment  formed  a part  of 
the  army  of  the  Cumberland,  and  during  his 
period  of  service  he  participated  in  many  of 
the  noted  and  hard-fought  battles  of  the  south- 
western campaign,  through  all  of  which  he 
passed  without  receiving  an  injury.  After 
peace  had  once  more  descended  upon  the  land, 
he  returned  home  and  became  a partner  with 
his  father  in  the  manufacturing  business,  which 
he  continued  until  his  removal  to  Cambridge 
City  in  the  year  1869.  He  early  became  pro- 
ficient in  the  manufacture  of  woolen  goods,  and 
all  the  clothing  worn  by  himself  until  his 
twenty-eighth  year  was  made  -from  goods 
woven  with  his  own  hands.  In  Cambridge 
City  he  began  dealing  in  lumber,  and  after  a 
successful  continuance  there  of  ten  years  re- 
moved to  what  is  known  as  Cammack  Station, 
Delaware  county,  and  began  the  manufacture 
of  hard-wood  lumber,  which  he  has  since  con- 
ducted upon  an  extensive  scale  in  connection 
with  the  buying  and  shipment  of  grain. 

In  1890  Mr.  Cammack  was  instrumental  in 
organizing  the  Muncie  Coil  Hoop  company,  of 
which  he  was  president  until  Eebruary,  1892. 
In  a business  sense  Mr.  Cammack  is  thorough- 
going and  progressive,  and  the  various  enter- 
prises which  have  inured  so  greatly  to  the  ad- 


MUNCIE  CITY 


2-2C) 


vancernent  of  this  flourishing  city  have  found 
in  him  an  earnest  friend  and  liberal  benefactor. 
At  this  time  he  is  president  of  the  Co-opera- 
tive Fuel  Gas  company,  and  he  was  the  princi- 
pal mover  and  is  now  the  executive  head  of 
what  is  known  as  the  Cam  mack  Gas  company, 
the  success  of  which  is  directly  traceable  to  his 
efforts.  He  is  also  a potent  factor  and  promi- 
nent member  of  the  Citizens’  Enterprise  com- 
pany, and  was  a member  of  the  Indiana  State 
Cracker  company,  and  acted  as  its  president, 
and  also  vice-president  of  the  Muncie  Indus- 
trial Loan  company,  and  also  the  vice-presi- 
dent of  the  Muncie  Savings  and  Loan  com- 
pany. 

In  1891  Mr.  Cammack  effected  a co-part- 
nership with  J.  L.  Streeter  and  William  Marsh 
under  the  name  of  D.  Cammack  & Co.,  which 
firm  does  a very  extensive  grain  business,  hav- 
ing warehouses  at  Cammack,  Royerton  and 
Selma.  In  1883  the  station  and  post  office  at 
the  point  known  as  Cammack  were  named  in 
honor  of  David  Cammack,  through  whose 
efforts  so  much  has  been  accomplished  toward 
the  material  development  and  upbuilding  of 
this  section  of  the  gas  belt.  He  is  proprietor 
of  a large  lumber  mill  at  Mulberry,  Ind., 
which  does  a very  extensive  and  lucrative  bus- 
iness, and  is  also  prominently  identified  with 
various  other  enterprises  which  have  resulted 
in  great  good  to  the  country.  Mr.  Cammack 
is  prominently  identified  with  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternity, belonging  to  Muncie  lodge,  chapter, 
council  and  commandery,  also  to  the  Indiana 
consistory,  S.  K.,  the  Murat  temple,  N.  M.  S., 
and  the  Muncie  lodge  of  B.  P.  O.  E.  He 
was  an  organizer,  and  at  this  time  is  past  sa- 
chem of  the  Cammack  White  Leather  tribe, 
I.  O.  R.  M.,  and  is  also  a prominent  member 
of  Williams  post,  G.  A.  R.,  of  Muncie.  Po- 
litically Mr.  Cammack  is  uncompromisingly 
republican  and  adheres  to  the  doctrines  of  his 
part)-  as  persistently  as  he  attends  to  his  other 


duties  of  life.  Mr.  Cammack  is  in  every  re- 
spect a representative  business  man,  and  his 
success  in  his  various  enterprises  has  been  the 
result  of  superior  intelligence,  directed  and 
controlled  by  wise  forethought.  He  has  an 
elegant  home  in  Muncie,  his  residence  being 
among  the  finest  in  the  city,  the  building  alone 
representing  a capital  of  over  $8,000,  and  the 
furnishing,  all  of  which  is  of  the  latest  and 
most  improved  pattern,  cost  the  sum  of  $5,000. 
In  1873  Mr.  Cammack  and  Miss  Ella  E.  Mar- 
son,  daughter  of  John  Marson  of  Cambridge 
City,  Ind.,  became  man  and  wife,  and  three 
children  have  been  born  to  their  union;  Ralph, 
Grace  May  and  Adda.  The  first  named  was 
born  in  1880,  and  lost  his  life  in  an  accident 
at  the  Cammack  mills  on  the  17th  day  of  July, 
1885.  Mrs.  Cammack  and  daughters  are 
members  of  the  Baptist  church,  but  Mr.  Cam- 
mack, himself,  adheres  to  the  simple  Quaker 
belief  of  his  forefathers. 


OBERT  P.  CAMPBELL,  a success- 
ful business  man,  well  and  favorably 
known  in  the  city  of  Muncie,  was 
born  in  Zanesville,  Muskingum  coun- 
ty, Ohio,  July  27,  1857,  a son  of  Thomas  and 
Margaret  (Smith)  Campbell.  The  father  was 
a native  of  England,  born  in  the  city  of 
Carlysle,  April  13,  1825,  and  came  to  the 
United  States  in  1845,  locating  in  Zanesville, 
Ohio,  where  he  became  a leading  druggist  and 
where  he  resided  until  1886.  In  the  latter 
year  he  removed  to  Baltimore,  Md.,  where  he 
died  November  29,  1887.  He  was  a brave 
soldier  in  the  war  of  the  rebellion,  and  was  a 
popular  citizen  and  business  man  in  the  city 
where  he  resided.  His  wife  died  on  the  5th 
of  April,  1869.  She  bore  her  husband  five 
children,  whose  names  are  as  follows:  Robert 

P. , Maria,  Thomas,  editor  of  the  Laborers’ 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


227 


Journal  of  Zanesville,  Ohio;  Lizzie,  and  Mar- 
garet, deceased. 

Robert  P.  Campbell  was  reared  in  his  native 
city  and  enjoyed  exceptional  advantages  for 
obtaining  an  education,  graduating  with  honors 
from  the  high  school  at  a comparative!)'  early 
age  From  his  fifteenth  year  he  evinced  a de- 
cided preference  for  the  trade  of  book  binding, 
to  which  he  devoted  all  of  his  spare  moments 
and  in  which  he  acquired  an  unusual  degree 
of  skill  and  proficiency.  This  trade  requires 
extreme  nicety  of  labor  and  an  eye  skilled  to 
form  and  color,  and  such  was  the  talent  dis- 
played by  young  Campbell  that  the  firm  of 
Sullivan  & Brown  of  Zanesville  received  him 
as  an  apprentice,  the  result  of  which  was  his 
retention  by  this  well  known  house  for  a period 
of  eleven  years.  Here  he  became  a skilled 
workman,  but  afterward  acquired  a more 
thorough  knowledge  of  the  trade  in  the  great 
establishments  of  Dayton,  Columbus,  Balti- 
more and  Chicago,  following  which,  he  located 
in  the  city  of  Lima,  Ohio,  where  he  carried  on 
a successful  business  until  his  removal  to  Mun- 
cie  in  December,  1892  Since  locating  in  the 
latter  city  Mr.  Campbell’s  success  has  fully 
met  his  expectations,  and  he  now  has  a tastily 
arranged  office  and  business  room  in  the  Boyce 
block,  which  is  supplied  with  all  the  modern 
appliances  for  book  binding  and  the  making 
of  blank  books  of  every  description.  He  is 
thoroughly  familiar  with  every  detail  of  his 
business,  has  an  extensive  and  constantly  in- 
creasing patronage,  and  his  reputation  as  a 
skillful  workman  in  every  line  of  the  trade  is 
already  much  more  than  local.  In  the  affairs 
of  business  and  of  every  day  life  Mr.  Camp- 
bell’s actions  are  governed  by  a high  sense  of 
^ honor,  and  since  locating  in  Muncie  he  has 
gained  the  confidence  of  all  with  whom  he  has 
come  in  contact.  Socially  he  is  quite  popular, 
and  those  whom  he  meets  or  with  whom  he 
has  business  or  other  relations  unite  in  pro- 


nouncing him  a most  congenial,  companion- 
able and  courteons  gentleman. 

Mr.  Campbell  was  married  in  Zanesville, 
Ohio,  October  30,  1879,  to  Miss  Ella  Emery, 
daughter  of  James  and  Catharine  (Watson) 
Emery,  natives'  of  Tyrone,  Ireland,  who  be- 
came citizens  of  Zanesville  in  the  year  1842. 
Four  children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Campbell,  namely:  Robert,  deceased;  Clar- 

ence R.,  Robert  P. , Jr.,  and  Ruth.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Campbell  are  members  of  the  Methodist 
church,  in  which  they  are  highly  regarded. 
Politically  Mr.  Campbell  is  a supporter  of  the 
republican  party,  belongs  to  the  Sons  of  Vet- 
erans and  is  a member  of  the  Royal  Arcanum. 


EV.  OLIVER  CARMICHAEL,  of  the 
Christian  church,  Muncie  (retired), 
was  born  in  Monroe  township,  Dela- 
ware county,  Ind.,  in  1841,  and  is  a 
son  of  Patrick  and  Louisa  (Gibson)  Carmichael. 
He  was  reared  on  a farm  four  miles  south  of 
Muncie,  and  remembers  when  the  city  was  bnt 
a small  village.  He  was  educated  in  the  com- 
mon schools  of  Delaware  county  until  he  had 
passed  his  twentieth  birthday,  when  he  enlist- 
ed in  company  E,  Nineteenth  I.  V.  I.,  under 
Col.  Sol  Mei'edith,  and  was  assigned  to  the 
army  of  the  Potomac,  being  soon  promoted  to 
first  sergeant.  His  fii'st  heavy  engagement 
was  at  the  second  battle  of  Bull  Run;  then  at 
South  Mountain,  Antietam,  Eredericksburg, 
Chancellorsville  and  Gettysburg.  Here,  on 
the  first  day  of  the  battle,  he  sustained  a gun- 
shot wound  back  of  the  right  knee;  was  taken 
to  the  hospital  (the  court  house),  but  owing  to 
the  vast  amount  of  work  to  be  done  by  the 
surgeons,  his  wound  was  neglected  for  two 
weeks,  and  gangrene  set  in;  being  sent  to  the 
hospital  at  Baltimore,  he  was  confined  for 
three  months,  the  gangrene  in  the  meanwhile 


228 


MUNCIE  CITY 


eating  in  a large  hole  in  the  flesh  and  render- 
ing the  whole  side  of  the  lower  part  of  the 
limb  devoid  of  sensation.  He  was  then  trans- 
ferred to  the  Twenty-second  Veteran  Reserve 
corps,  being  unfit  for  farther  field  service,  and 
])iit  on  guard  duty  at  Washington  until  honor- 
ably discharged,  July  29,  1864,  after  three 

years’  service  He  then  returned  to  the  farm 
in  Delaware  county,  on  which  he  remained 
until  1875,  when,  his  health  having  further 
failed,  he  located  in  Muncie,  and  taught 
school  at  various  intervals  until  about  1 880. 
About  the  year  1865  he  had  united  with  the 
Christian  church,  in  which  he  became  an 
active  worker,  filling  the  position  of  elder  for 
a long  period.  About  1880  he  began  regular 
ministerial  work,  preaching  at  different  points 
in  Delaware  county,  principally  as  pastor  at 
Smithfield,  Pleasant  Run,  Royerton,  Switzer, 
Centre,  Swazee,  and  Converse,  and  after  fer- 
vent and  eloquent  pleading  for  the  cause  of 
his  Master,  closed  his  labors  about  1892  on 
account  of  failing  health. 

Mr.  Carmichael  was  married,  in  1864,  to 
Miss  Martha,  daughter  of  John  add  Mary 
(Thompson)  Losh,  of  Delaware  county.  Five 
children  blessed  this  union,  viz:  Otto,  on  the 

the  editorial  staff  of  the  Detroit  Journal; 
Milton,  city  editor  of  the  same  paper,  and  also 
former  assitant  chief  of  the  Muncie  fire  depart- 
ment; Wilson,  cutter  in  a custom  tailoring  es- 
tablishment at  Indianapolis;  Jesse,  reporter  on 
the  Muncie  News,  and  Mary,  at  home,  Mr. 
Carmichael  is  a member  of  the  Williams  post, 
G.  A.  R. , and  in  politics  is  a stalwart  repub- 
lican. 


EV.  VALENTINE  G.  CARMIGHAEL 
is  a native  of  Delaware  county,  Ind. , 
and  a member  of  one  of  the  earliest 
pioneer  families  of  the  present  town- 
ship of  Monroe.  His  father,  Patrick  Car- 


michael, was  born  in  Ohio,  the  son  of  Andrew 
Carmichael,  a descendant  of  an  Irish  family, 
representatives  of  which  came  to  the  United 
States  at  an  early  period  of  the  country’s  his- 
tory. Patrick  Carmichael  came  to  Delaware 
county  with  his  parents  as  early  as  1827,  lo- 
cating on  government  land  in  Monroe  town- 
ship, a part  of  his  original  entry  being  now 
owned  by  Rev.  Valentine  G.  He  cleared  a 
farm,  taught  school  for  some  years  in  an  early 
day,  and  about  the  year  1839  or  1840  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Louisa  Gibson, 
daughter  of  Valentine  and  Catharine  (Harrold) 
Gibson,  who  became  residents  of  the  county 
of  Delaware  as  early  as  1825,  moving  to  this 
part  of  the  state  from  Tennessee.  Patrick  and 
Louisa  Carmichael  reared  a family  of  fiffeen 
children,  namely;  Oliver;  Milton,  member  of  the 
Eifty-seventh  Indiana  volunteers,  died  while  in 
the  service  ; Andrew,  also  died  while  serving  his 
country  in  the  late  war,  member  of  the  Sixty- 
ninth  regiment,  Indiana  troops  ; Valentine  G. ; 
Eliza,  wife  of  J.  J.  Clevenger;  Mary  A.,  de- 
ceased ; Charles  ; Catharine,  married  to  Joseph 
Stiffler,  resides  in  South  Dakota ; William, 
deceased  ; John,  deceased;  Ephraim  F. , re- 
sides in  Muncie  ; George  W.,  also  a resident 
of  Muncie;  Firmin  V.,  lives  with  his  mother 
on  the  old  homestead ; Margaret,  deceased, 
and  Coloston,  deceased.  Patrick  Carmichael 
was  one  of  the  well  known  pioneers  of  Dela- 
ware county,  and  during  a long  and  very  useful 
life  earned  the  reputation  of  a straightforward 
and  honorable  man.  He  was  a member  of  the 
church  of  Christ  and  supported  the  principles 
of  the  republican  party,  although  descended 
from  a family  noted  for  its  adherence  to  the 
democratic  faith.  He  departed  this  life  on 
the  home  farm  and  was  laid  to  rest  at  the  old 
cemetery  in  Monroe  township. 

Valentine  G.  Carmichael  was  born  July 
29,  1845,  the  township  of  Monroe,  and 

passed  his  youthful  years  on  a farm,  attending 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


229 


in  the  meantime  the  country  schools,  in  which 
he  pursued  his  studies  until  his  eighteenth 
year.  He  attended  two  terms  in  Muncie  high 
school,  and  in  the  fall  of  1866  entered  Wabash 
college  at  Crawfordsville,  in  which  institution 
he  took  a three  years’  course,  making  substan- 
tial progress.  On  leaving  college  he  returned 
to  Delaware  county,  and  for  a number  of  years 
thereafter  was  actively  engaged  in  educational 
work,  having  taught  in  all  seventeen  terms, 
thirteen  of  which  were  in  District  No.  i,  in 
Monroe  township.  As  a teacher,  Mr.  Car- 
michael was  careful  -and  painstaking,  and  he 
brought  to  his  work  a mind  well  disciplined  by 
long  and  careful  study,  which  earned  for  him 
the  reputation  of  being  one  of  the  ablest 
instructors  of  Delaware  count}c  His  success 
in  the  field  of  education  is  sufficiently  attested 
by  the  fact  of  his  having  been  retained  for  so 
many  successive  years  in  one  place.  Mr.  Car- 
michael united  with  the  church  of  Christ  in 
the  year  1869,  and  shortly  thereafter  began 
his  first  public  religious  work  as  a teacher  in 
the  Sunday  school,  and  he  was  also  frequently 
called  upon  to  address  other  religious  assem- 
blages. For  a period  of  eighteen  years  he 
taught  the  infant  class,  and  in  1874  entered 
upon  the  active  duties  of  the  ministry,  preach- 
ing at  different  points  throughout  the  country, 
principally  for  congregations  unable  to  support 
a regular  pastor.  For  this  work  he  received 
no  pecuniary  remuneration  worthy  of  mention, 
supporting  himself  in  the  meantime  by  teach- 
ing and  from  the  proceeds  of  his  farm.  On 
August  14,  1869,  Mr.  Carmichael  was  united 

in  marriage  with  Samantha  B.  Tidd,  daughter 
of  Moses  and  Sarah  (Golden)  Tidd,  of  Ohio, 
to  which  union  two  children  have  been  born; 
Anna,  wife  of  Sherman  Whitney,  and  Lacy, 
wife  of  Frank  W.  Ross,  both  daughters  resid- 
ing in  Monroe  township. 

Mr.  Carmichael  resided  upon  his  farm  until 
February,  1892,  when  he  rented  out  the 


place  and  moved  to  Muncie,  since  which  time 
he  has  devoted  nearly  all  his  time  to  the  active 
work  of  the  ministry,  preaching  at  different 
points,  his  present  charges  being  at  Woodland, 
Ilk,  and  Frankton,  Ind.  In  his  ministerial 
work  he  has  been  very  successful,  and  through 
his  instrumentality  many  have  been  induced 
to  unite  with  the  church  and  start  upon  a 
better  life.  He  has  always  been  an  uncom- 
promising enemy  of  the  liquor  traffic  and 
carries  his  ideas  of  intemperance  beyond  the 
mere  indulgence  of  intoxicants,  and  his  life  has 
been  singularly  free  from  those  habits,  which 
destroy  so  many  men.  He  never  remembers 
of  swearing  a single  oath,  and  five  cents  spent 
years  ago  for  tobacco  represent  the  sum  total 
of  his  money  invested  in  narcotics  of  any  kind. 
Financially  Mr.  Carmichael  has  met  with 
gratifying  success,  being  in  possession  of  a 
comfortable  competence  gained  by  his  own 
efforts.  His  life  has  indeed  been  one  of  great 
activity  and  usefulness,  and  the  future  awaits 
him  with  bounteous  rewards. 


OHN  CASSELL,  a well-to-do  farmer 
and  popular  citizen  of  Centre  township, 
is  a native  of  Virginia,  born  in  the 
county  of  Wythe,  on  the  23d  day  of 
July,  1825.  David  Cassell,  his  father,  was 
born  in  Pennsylvania  and  married,  in  Virginia, 
Catherine  Keesling,  of  Wythe  county,  who 
bore  him  ten  children,  seven  of  whom  are  liv- 
ing at  this  time.  David'  and  Catherine  Cassell 
spent  their  married  life  in  Virginia,  where 
their  deaths  occurred  in  1 866  and  1 867 
respectively.  They  are  remembered  as  most 
excellent  people,  popular  in  the  community 
where  they  resided,  and  were  for  a number  of 
years  devoted  members  of  the  Lutheran 
church.  John  Cassell  was  reared  to  manhood 


230 


MUNCIE  CITY 


in  his  native  county  and  state,  received  his 
education  in  such  schools  as  the  country 
afforded,  and  on  attaining  his  majority  began 
life  for  himself  as  a farmer,  which  useful  voca- 
tion he  has  since  successfully  followed.  He 
resided  in  Virginia  until  1871,  at  which  time 
he  moved  to  Indiana,  locating  in  Monroe 
township,  Delaware  county,  where  for  a peri- 
od of  two  years  he  farmed  land  for  a part  of 
the  proceeds.  In  1873  he  purchased  eighty 
acres  of  land  where  he  now  resides,  in  addi- 
tion to  which  he  also  owns  seventy-eight  acres 
of  land  in  the  township  of  Hamilton.  Mr. 
Cassell  was  married  in  Wythe  county,  Va. , 
June  10,  1858,  to  Mary  F.  Umbarger,  who 
was  born  in  the  same  county  and  state  on  the 
I 2th  day  of  October,  1838.  The  parents  of 
Mrs.  Cassell,  Michael  and  Nancy  (Cassell) 
Umbarger,  were  both  natives  of  Virginia,  and 
descendants  of  old  German  families  that  set- 
tled in  the  Dominion  state  at  an  early  period 
of  its  history.  To  the  marriage  of  John  and 
Mary  Cassell  have  been  born  four  children; 
Mai'tin  L. , of  Delaware  county,  Ind.  ; Nancy 
C.,  wife  of  William  N.  Williams;  Margaret, 
who  lives  with  her  parents,  and  Berton, 
deceased. 

Mr.  Cassell  participated  in  the  late  war  as 
a private  in  company  C,  Fifty-first  regiment 
Virginia  infantry,  enlisting  in  1863  and  serv- 
ing until  August  of  the  following  year.  He 
received  a severe  wound  in  the  side  at  the  bat- 
tle of  Sniggersford,  Va. , shortly  after  going  to 
the  front,  and  fi'om  July  18  until  September  20 
was  in  the  disabled  list  at  Winchester,  where 
his  hurt  was  properly  cared  for.  For  some 
time  after  returning  to  his  home,  owing  to  the 
effects  of  his  wound,  Mr.  Cassell  worked  at 
the  shoemaker's  trade,  but  when  sufficiently 
recovered  he  resumed  the  pursuit  of  agricul- 
ture, to  which  he  has  since  devoted  his  atten- 
tion. He  is  a representative  citizen,  a suc- 
cessful farmer,  and  one  of  the  substantial  men 


of  the  neighborhood  where  he  resides.  In  his 
political  affiliation  he  is  a republican,  and  in 
religion  he  and  wife  are  communicants  of  the 
Lutheran  church. 


BRAM  W.  CHAPMAN.— Prominent 
among  the  well  known  and  success- 
ful business  men  of  Muncie  and  Dela- 
ware county  is  Abram  W.  Chapman, 
who  was  born  in  Brooke  comity,  W.  Va. , on 
6th  day  of  April,  1837.  His  father,  Thomas 
W.  Chapman,  also  a native  of  the  same  coun- 
ty and  state,  was  born  June  21,  1815,  the  son 
of  William  and  Elizabeth  Chapman.  Until 
the  age  of  twenty-two,  Thomas  W.  Chapman 
remained  with  his  parents  upon  the  farm,  and 
then  married  and  later  removed  to  a place  of 
his  own  in  the  same  county,  where  he  followed 
the  pursuit  of  agriculture  for  the  period  of 
three  years.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he  re- 
moved to  Stark  county,  Ohio,  where  he  be- 
came a very  extensive  farmer  and  stock  raiser 
among  the  most  celebrated  in  the  state,  and 
after  remaining  there  until  1889  removed  to 
Indiana,  locating  in  Muncie,  where  he  at  present 
resides.  Thomas  W.  Chapman  was  for  many 
years  prominently  identified  with  the  political 
history  of  Ohio,  and  at  one  time  represented 
the  counties  of  Stark  and  Carroll  in  the  general 
assembly.  He  met  with  most  gratifying  suc- 
cess as  a stock  raiser,  and  by  careful  foresight 
and  successful  management  accumulated  a 
handsome  fortune,  the  greater  part  of  which 
he  has  since  shared  with  different  members  of 
bis  family.  When  twenty-two  years  of  age  he 
married  Rebecca  Warner,  daughter  of  John 
and  Rebecca  (Howenstein)  Warner  of  Penn- 
sylvania, and  raised  a family  of  six  children, 
whose  names  are  as  follows:  Abram  W. , 

William  M.,  Clara  A.,  Maria,  Elizabeth  E. 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


233 


and  Alice,  all  living  with  the  exception  of 
Whlliam  M.  The  mother  of  these  children 
died  1891,  and  her  remains  wei'e  laid  to  rest 
in  the  Home  cemetery,  Stark  county,  Ohio. 

Abram  W.  Chapman  grew  to  manhood  in 
Stark  county,  Ohio,  early  became  inured  to 
the  rugged  usages  of  life  on  the  farm,  and  at 
the  age  of  fifteen  entered  Heidelberg  college  at 
Tiffin,  where  he  pursued  his  studies  until  his 
eighteenth  year,  making  substantial  progress 
in  the  higher  branches  of  learning  in  the  mean- 
time. On  the  completion  of  his  education  he 
returned  home  and  assisted  his  father  on  the 
farm  until  his  marriage,  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
five,  to  Susannah  Walter,  daughter  of  Capt. 
John  and  Elizabeth  Walter  of  Tuscarawas 
county,  Ohio,  when  he  acquired  a farm  of  his 
own  and  pursued  agriculture  and  stock  raising 
in  his  native  state  until  July,  1885.  At  that 
date  he  disposed  of  his  farm  and  purchased  a 
tract  of  improved  land  adjoining  the  city  of 
Muncie,  Ind. , coming  into  possession  of  the 
same  a short  time  prior  to  the  discovery  of 
natural  gas  in  October,  1886.  The  discovery 
of  gas  at  once  caused  all  real  estate  in  the 
vicinity  of  Muncie  to  increase  very  rapidly  in 
value,  and  in  the  spring  of  1887  Mr.  Chapman 
sold  his  farm  at  a greatly  advanced  price,  re- 
alizing from  the  sale  a veiy  valuable  consider- 
ation. With  wise  forethought  he  at  once 
engaged  in  real  estate  transactions  and  loan 
business,  effecting  a co-partnership  therein 
with  J.  W.  Ream,  and  the  firm  thus  consti- 
tuted was  soon  conducting  a very  extensive 
business  in  both  of  these  lines. 

Mr.  Chapman  soon  afterward  organized  the 
well  known  Muncie  Savings  & Loan  compa- 
pany,  with  a capital  of  $1,000,000,  of  which 
he  has  since  been  the  executive  head,  and 
which,  under  his  prudent  management,  has 
proved  one  of  the  most  successful  financial 
enterprises  ever  established  in  the  city.  The 
almost  unprecedent  success  of  this  company 


induced  Mr.  Chapman  and  other  progressive 
business  men  to  organize  a new  association, 
which  was  effected  in  1892,  and  which,  like 
the  former,  is  now  on  the  high  road  to  pros- 
perity. In  his  real  estate  transactions  Mr. 
Chapman  has  been  signally  fortunate,  and  in 
this  line  he  easily  leads  the  business  in  IMuncie 
and  Delaware  county.  As  a business  man  he 
has  few  equals  in  the  city,  and  in  his  trans- 
actions of  various  kinds  he  has  been  governed 
by  principles  of  the  highest  honor.  Politically, 
he  wields  a potent  influence  for  the  democratic 
party.  For  a period  of  five  years  he  has  held 
the  office  of  city  commissioner,  and  in  March, 
1893,  was  appointed,  by  the  governor,  a com- 
missioner of  the  metropolitan  police  system  of 
Muncie,  being  at  this  time  chairman  of  the 
board.  His  first  wife,  by  whom  he  had  no 
children,  died  in  January,  1886,  and  subse- 
quently, November,  1888,  he  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Miss  Emma  Ankeney  of  Greene 
county,  Ohio,  who  bore  him  three  children, 
all  of  whom  died  in  infancy.  Mr.  Chapman 
is  a Presbyterian  in  his  religious  belief,  and  an 
earnest  worker  for  and  liberal  contributer  to 
the  congregation  in  Muncie. 


aHARLES  H.  CHURCH,  a prominent 
business  man  of  Muncie  and  one  of 
the  city’s  popular  and  highly  esteemed 
citizens,  is  a native  of  New  York, 
born  on  the  7th  day  of  May,  1839,  in  the 
county  of  Chenango.  His  father,  William 
Church,  also  a native  of  the  same  county,  was 
born  in  the  year  1806  at  Church  Hollow,  a 
small  hamlet  named  in  compliment  to  the 
family,  and  was  a descendant  of  one  of  the 
eaidy  pioneers  of  that  section  of  the  Empire 
state.  For  a number  of  years  William  Church 
was  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  in 


234 


MUNCIE  CITY 


Chenango  county,  and  later  carried  on  the 
same  line  of  trade  in  the  county  of  Orange, 
where  his  death  occurred  in  1890  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  eighty-four  years.  He  was  a 
man  of  more  than  ordinary  mental  endow- 
ments, took  an  active  interest  in  all  public 
matters,  and  at  one  time  represented  his 
county  in  the  general  assembly  of  New  York, 
in  which  body  he  served  two  sessions.  Politi- 
cally he  was  an  ardent  supporter  of  the  old 
whig  party,  and  religiously  was  for  many  years 
a leading  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church 
in  the  community  where  he  resided.  His  first 
wife,  the  mother  of  Charles  H.  Church,  bore 
him  five  children,  three  sons  and  two  daugh- 
ters, only  two  of  whom  are  living  at  this  time, 
one  in  Muncie  and  one  at  Susquehanna,  Pa. 

Charles  H.  Church,  when  but  three  years 
of  age,  suffered  the  loss  of  that  dearest  of  all 
earthly  friends — mother — and  his  youthful 
years  were  passed  in  his  native  village,  in  the 
schools  of  which  he  received  the  rudiments  of 
an  English  education.  Subsequently  he  pur- 
sued the  higher  branches  of  learning  in  a local 
academy  of  Chenango  county,  and  obtained 
his  first  insight  into  the  active  business  of  life 
as  a clerk  in  his  father’s  store,  in  which  capac- 
ity he  continued  until  embarking  in  mercan- 
tile trade  for  himself,  at  the  age  of  twenty-one, 
at  Coventry,  a small  country  town.  He  con- 
tinued at  this  point  for  two  years,  doing  a 
very  encouraging  business  in  the  meantime, 
and  then  abandoned  merchandising,  and  for 
five  years  thereafter  dealt  extensively  in  live 
stock  and  wool  in  Chenango  and  adjoining 
counties,  frequently  extending  his  business 
operations  throughout  various  parts  of  the 
Western  Reserve,  Ohio.  At  the  of  twenty- 
six,  Mr.  Church  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Lou  Tyler,  daughter  of  Henry  P.  and 
Ann  Tyler,  natives  of  Vermont,  but  at  that 
time  residents  of  the  Buckeye  state.  Imme- 
diately after  his  marriage,  Mr.  Church  en- 


gaged in  the  mercantile  and  grain  trade  at 
New  London,  Ohio,  in  both  of  which  lines  his 
success  was  very  marked,  and  he  also  estab- 
lished the  First  National  bank  in  that  city,  of 
which  he  was  vice  president  and  manager  for 
a period  of  about  fourteen  years.  Disposing 
of  his  various  business  interests  in  New  Lon- 
don, Mr.  Church,  in  the  spring  of  1886,  came 
to  Muncie,  Ind.,  and  assisted  in  organizing 
the  Delaware  County  bank,  of  which  he  was 
cashier,  which  was  succeeded  by  the  Dela- 
ware County  National  bank,  of  which  he  also 
became  cashier.  He  was  the  prime  mover  in 
the  organization  of  the  Hathaway  Investment 
company,  of  which  he  has  since  been  a di- 
rector; is  secretary  of  the  Muncie  Street  Rail- 
way company,  and  for  several  years  has  been 
treasurer  of  the  Muncie  Savings  & Loan  asso- 
ciation, in  the  establishment  of  which  he  bore 
a prominent  part  In  all  his  business  transac- 
tions Mr.  Church  has  shown  himself  to  be  a 
man  of  uncommon  sagacity  and  discreetness 
of  judgment,  of  scrupulous  integrity  and  gen- 
tlemanly demeanor.  In  all  public  enterprises, 
having  for  their  object  the  general  good  of  his 
adopted  city,  his  name  and  individual  efforts 
have  always  been  foremost,  and  in  all  the  at- 
tributes of  honorable  manhood,  honesty  of  pur- 
pose and  uprightness  of  character,  he  stands 
prominent,  enjoying  in  full  measure  the  friend- 
ship and  good  will  of  all  with  whom  he  has  been 
associated.  Financially  his  success  has  been 
commensurate  with  the  activity  displayed 
throughout  a long  and  varied  business  career, 
and  he  is  certainly  entitled  to  a conspicuous 
place  among  the  representative  self-made  men 
of  the  county  of  Delaware.  Mr.  Church  cast 
his  first  presidential  vote  for  Abraham  Lin- 
coln, since  which  he  has  been  a supporter  of 
the  republican  party,  but  is  not  a partisan  in 
the  sense  of  seeking  official  preferment.  He 
is  the  father  of  two  children:  William  H. 

and  Earnest,  both  living  in  Muncie. 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP, 


285 


ARCUS  S.  CLAYPOOL,  proprietor 
of  Alameda  Place,  the  famous  stock 
farm,  of  Muncie,  was  born  near 
Connersville,  Fayette  county,  Ind., 
August  I,  1851,  and  is  the  son  of  Austin  B. 
and  Hannah  A.  (Petty)  Claypool,  of  Indiana. 
Marcus  S.  lived  in  Wayne  county,  on  a farm, 
until  ten  years  of  age,  when  the  family  re- 
turned to  Connersville,  Fayette  county,  at 
which  place  he  received  his  preparatory  edu- 
cation ; then  he  attended  school  at  Dublin, 
Wayne  county,  and  eventually  graduated  from 
Asbur}?  (now  DePauw)  university,  in  1872.  In 
July  of  the  same  year  he  came  to  Muncie,  and 
for  seven  years  was  assistant  cashier  of  the 
Bank  of  Muncie.  In  1879  he  was  sent  to 
Colorado  as  agent  for  the  Victor  and  Yandes 
consolidated  silver  mining  companies,  and 
also  there  became  the  treasurer  and  secretary 
of  the  consolidated  Columbia  Tunnel  & Mining 
company,  which  he  organized,  and  remained 
in  the  country  until  1884,  when  he  returned  to 
Muncie,  and  has  here  since  devoted  his  atten- 
tion to  the  breeding  of  trotting  horses,  Jersey 
cattle  and  Shropshire  sheep.  Like  his  father, 
he  had  always  been  a lover  or  trotting  horses, 
and  as  far  back  as  1875  he  had  secured  some 
well  bred  mares  and  had  patronized  such  fa- 
mous stallions  as  Blue  Bull  (75)  and  Hamble- 
tonian  Tranby — the  best  bred  in  Indiana  at 
the  time — securing  some  superior  road  horses, 
that,  however,  were  not  trained  for  speed. 
John  E.  Burson,  brother-in-law  of  Mr.  Clay- 
pool, had  established  the  stock  farm  at 
Alameda  Place,  now  in  the  Riverside  addition, 
and  on  his  removal  to  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  Mr. 
Claypool  bought  from  him  three  stallions  and 
six  mares — the  stallions  being  Happy  Traveler, 
2:27  1-2,  son  of  Hambletonian  Prince,  dam 
Lady  Larkin  by  Little  Jack  ; Gift,  Jr.,  still  in 
stud,  and  Stansifer's  Woful  ; the  six  mares 
were  by  such  sires  as  Hailstorm,  Bonny  Scot- 
land, etc.  Mr.  Claypool  has  now  at  Alameda 


Place  three  high-bred  stallions,  sired  by  the 
best  producing  sons  of  such  animals  as  George 
Wilkes,  Electioneer  and  Harold,  further  en- 
riched by  the  best  producing  dams  from  other 
renowned  sires  of  trotting  families.  They  are 
Agricola,  son  of  Gambetta  Wilkes  : first  dam 
by  Princeps  ; second  dam  by  Volunteer  ; third 
dam,  Elora  Belle  (2:22  3-4).  Messala,  son  of 
Norval  (2:14  1-4):  first  dam  by  Onward  (2:25 
1-4),  second  dam,  Blanche  Armour  (2:26), 
third  dam  by  Pilot,  Jr.,  Russellami,  by  Lord 
Russell : dam.  Lamia  by  Onward.  Following 
these  are  the  great  stock  horses  Silvertone,  by 
Happy  Traveler,  dam  Little  Dolly  (dam  of 
Gift,  Jr.,  2:27  1-2);  Wilkes  Pilot,  son  of 
Hambletonian  Wilkes  ; dam  by  Mambrino 
Chief,  Jr.,  making  him  brother  in  blood  to 
Phebe  Wilkes  (2:11);  Gift,  Jr.  (2:27  1-2), 
sire  of  Sable  Gift  (2:24  1-4),  also  of  Monk, 
(2:30)  and  others,  and  his  son  Edgewood,  out 
of  a daughter  of  Hambletonian  Tranby.  The 
entire  collection  of  richly  bred  dams,  colts  and 
fillies  number  thirty-two  head.  The  registered 
Jersey  herd  number  nine,  including  the  blood 
of  Tormentor,  Landseer’s  Fancy,  and  Signal. 
The  Shropshire  flock  contains  eighteen  head, 
registered  from  the  best  imported  strains. 
The  farms  include  forty-eight  acres  at  Alameda 
Place,  400  acres  east  of  Muncie  adjoining 
the  city  limits,  and  other  extensive  tracts  in 
Centre  township. 

Mr.  Claypool  has  been  secretary  of  the 
Delaware  county  board  of  agriculture  for  sev- 
eral years,  and  a member  of  the  state  board  ; 
also  a member  of  the  Indiana  Trotting  and 
Pacing  Horse  Breeders’  association,  and  secre- 
tary of  the  Eastern  Indiana  Jersey  Cattle 
Breeders’  association,  and  is  thoroughly  posted 
in  everything  that  pertains  to  live  stock  in  all 
its  characteristics. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Claypool  took  place 
at  Muncie,  Ind.,  Jan.  14,  1880,  to  Miss  Eliza- 
beth Burson,  daughter  of  the  late  John  W. 


236 


MUNCIE  CITY 


Burson,  banker  of  Miincie,  whose  sketch  will 
be  found  in  another  part  of  this  volume. 


w^ILLIAM  H.  M.  COOPER,  one  of 
mm  I the  prominent  members  of  the  Del- 
% aware  county  bar,  and  a man  who 

has  achieved  an  extensive  acquaint- 
ance through  the  medium  of  his  abstract  office, 
was  born  in  Bartholomew  county,  Ind.,  Octo- 
ber 13,  1840,  son  of  Henry  and  Lucy  (Wil- 
liams) Cooper,  natives  respectively  of  the 
counties  of  Decatur,  Ind.,  and  Clarke,  Ohio. 
Mr.  Cooper  is  the  eldest  of  a family  of  seven 
children  born  to  the  above  parents.  He 
received  his  primary  education  in  the  common 
schools,  subsequently  took  a course  in  Marion 
academy,  and  after  completing  his  literary 
studies  in  the  academy  at  Greencastle,  began 
teaching,  which  profession  he  followed  very 
successfully  for  several  months.  In  1859  he 
located  in  Perry  township,  Delaware  county, 
and  on  the  2nd  day  of  July,  1861,  entered  the 
army,  enlisting  in  company  K,  Nineteeth  Indiana 
volunteer  infantry,  with  which  he  shared  the 
vicissitudes  and  honors  of  war  until  August  28, 
1863,  when  he  was  honorably  discharged  from 
the  service,  on  account  of  wounds  received  at 
the  second  battle  of  Bull  Run.  In  1865  Mr. 
Cooper  was  elected  recorder  of  Delaware  coun- 
ty and  served  in  that  position  for  a period  of 
five  years,  after  which  he  took  a course  of  law 
in  the  university  of  Michigan  at  Ann  Arbor, 
having  previously  taken  a commercial  course 
at  the  Bryant  & Stratton  business  colleges  at 
Indianapolis  and  Cincinnati.  He  was  admit- 
ted to  the  Delawai'e  county  bar  in  the  year 
1871,  and  has  since  practiced  his  profession  at 
Muncie,  where  his  well  known  legal  abilities 
have  won  for  him  a large  and  lucrative  busi- 
ness. 

For  many  years  Mr.  Cooper  has  been  en- 


gaged in  the  abstract  business,  in  which  he  has 
become  very  proficient,  being  considered 
authority  upon  all  matters  pertaining  to  real 
estate  in  Muncie  and  Delaware  county.  Mr. 
Cooper  is  prominently  identified  with  a num- 
ber of  fraternal  organizations,  including  Wil- 
liams post,  G.  A.  R.  ; the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  encamp- 
ment and  canton;  Indianapolis  lodge,  B.  P. 
O.  E. ; Improved  Order  of  Red  Men;  the 
Independent  Order  of  Foresters;  the  Indiana 
Society  Sons  of  the  Revolutfon,  in  all  of  which 
organizations  he  is  an  active  and  valued  mem- 
ber. In  politics  he  is  a stanch  republican, 
and,  as  such,  his  counsels  have  been  of  valua- 
ble service  and  have  contributed  much  to  his 
party’s  success  in  a number  of  local  and  gen- 
eral campaigns.  Mr.  Cooper  was  married,  in 
1868,  to  Miss  Susannah  N.  Ellis,  daughter  of 
John  H.  Ellis,  of  Muncie,  the  fruit  of  which 
union  is  one  child,  Carrie  T. , wife  of  A.  G. 
Adamson.  Mr.  Cooper  and  family  are  attend- 
ants of  the  Presbyterian  church  of  Muncie,  and 
they  move  in  the  best  social  circles  of  the  city. 
Throughout  the  entire  county  of  Delaware, 
Mr.  Cooper  has  the  reputation  of  an  honora- 
ble man  and  painstaking  attorney,  and  when 
he  assumes  charge  of  a case  his  clients  well 
know  that  all  that  can  honestly  be  done  in 
their  favor  will  be  performed.  He  has  a com- 
prehensive knowledge  of  legal  principles, 
exhibits  great  skill  in  the  management  of  his 
cases,  is  faithful  to  clients  and  friends  in  all 
his  business  transactions,  and  in  all  relations 
of  life  is  a true  type  of  the  honorable  profes- 
sional man  and  Christian  gentleman. 


ARIEL  W.  COTTRELL,  M.  D.— 
Prominent  among  the  successful 
members  of  the  medical  profession  of 
Muncie,  Delaware  county,  Ind.  , oc- 
curs the  name  of  Dr.  Daniel  W.  Cottrell,  who 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


287 


was  born  in  the  town  of  Scott,  Cortland 
county,  N.  Y.,  January  4,  1838.  His  parents 
were  Peleg  S.  and  Mary  Jane  (Small)  Cottrell, 
the  former  of  whom  was  a native  of  western 
Rhode  Island,  a lineal  descendant  of  William 
Cottrell,  who  settled  there  in  1669;  while  the 
mother  was  a native  of  Gilm.anton,  N.  H., 
and  taught  for  five  years  in  the  Lancaster 
school  of  Albany,  N.  Y.  In  1851  the  family 
removed  to  Fayette  county,  W.  Va. , where 
they  remained  for  ten  years,  removing  to  Indi- 
ana in  1861.  Upon  arrival  in  the  last  named 
state  they  settled  in  Daleville,  Delaware  county, 
where  the  mother  died  one  year  later.  The 
father  survived  for  ten  years,  dying  in  1872. 
Both  parents  were  members  of  the  Seventh 
Day  Baptist  denomination  and  were  most  ex- 
cellent people.  Dr.  Cottrell  is  the  eldest  of 
the  four  sons  and  two  daughters  that  composed 
his  father’s  family.  He  received  his  literary 
education  at  the  Homer  academy,  N.  Y. , and 
by  private  instruction  in  West  Virginia.  In 
order  to  read  medicine,  in  1856  he  went  to 
Allegany  county,  N.  Y. , and  studied  under 
Dr.  Brayton  Babcock.  Finishing  his  course. 
Dr.  Cottrell  practiced  medicine  from  1859  to 
1861  in  West  Virginia,  but  at  the  latter  date 
came  with  the  family  to  Daleville,  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  following  his  profession  there 
until  1881,  when  he  located  in  Muncie,  where 
he  has  since  remained,  engaged  in  his  life  call- 
ing. In  addition  to  his  studies  under  Dr. 
Babcock,  Dr.  Cottrell  attended  lectures  in  the 
medical  department  of  the  university  of  New 
York  during  the  winter  of  1858-9,  at  which 
time  he  began  the  practice  of  his  profession. 
In  August,  1863,  Dr.  Cottrell  enlisted  in  the 
Third  Indiana  battery,  and  served  until  the 
close  of  the  war. 

The  marriage  of  the  doctor  occurred 
December  8,  1859,  with  Miss  Emily  Jane 

McVey,  of  West  Virginia.  Their  married  life 
was  a short  one,  as  she  died  April  5,  1863, 


leaving  one  child,  Delphina  Louise,  wife  of 
Motley  H.  Flint,  United  States  post  office  in- 
spector for  the  Pacific  coast,  residing  in  Los 
Angeles,  Cal.  In  1867  Dr  Cottrell  married 
again,  his  second  wife  being  Miss  Catherine 
Drennen,  of  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  by  whom 
he  has  had  two  children — John  Francis  and 
Charles  Orrin.  Dr.  Cottrell  is  a member  of 
the  County  Medical  society  and  the  Delaware 
District  Medical  society.  Politically  he  is  a 
republican  and  supports  the  nominees  of  his 
party  whenever  occasion  demands.  Dr. 
Cottrell  is  an  earnest  and  painstaking  physi- 
cian and  fully  merits  the  trust  reposed  in  him 
by  the  people  of  Muncie.  During  a twelve 
years’  residence  in  the  city  he  has  built  up  a 
fine  practice,  which  is  steadily  increasing. 


RANVILLE  COWING. -Joseph  Cow- 
ing, father  of  the  gentleman  whose 
name  introduces  this  sketch,  was 
born  in  the  city  of  Carlisle,  England, 
September  12th,  1800.  He  received  a fair 
education  in  Dumfries,  Scotland,  came  to 
America  in  1819,  landing  in  Alexandria,  \’a. , 
where  he  worked  at  his  trade  as  a tailor. 
Later  he  visited  relatives  in  Washington,  D. 
C.,  and  after  remaining  there  a short  time 
went  with  Nathaniel  Horner,  who  afterwards 
became  his  brother-in-law,  to  Weston,  W. 
Va. , where  he  married  Miss  Rachel  Hor- 
ner and  located.  In  1830  he  removed  to  Fair- 
field,  Greene  county,  Ohio,  where  he  pursued 
his  trade  and  acquired  some  property.  In 
1840  he  removed  to  Andersonville,  Franklin 
county,  Ind.,  at  which  place  he  served  as  post 
master  for  a period  of  twelve  years.  In  1853 
he  removed  to  the  county  of  Delaware  and 
bought  a farm  near  Muncie,  where  he  resided 
until  i860,  at  which  time  he  removed  to  De- 
catur county.  Six  years  later  he  retunred  to 


238 


MUNCIE  CITY 


Delaware  county,  where  he  made  his  home  un- 
til the  death  of  his  wife,  after  which,  until  his 
own  death  on  6th  of  May,  1878,  he  lived  with 
his  children.  His  wife,  Rachel  Horner,  was 
born  in  Hardy  county.  May  10,  1803,  married 
in  1820  and  died  January  18,  1873,  a consist- 
ent member  of  the  Methodist  church.  Mrs. 
Cowing’s  great-grandfather,  Richard  Horner, 
was  a native  of  Scotland  and  came  to  America 
with  Lord  Baltimore.  For  services  rendered 
the  colony  he  obtained  a patent  for  10,000 
acres  of  land  lying  between  Annapolis  and 
Baltimore.  After  his  death  his  son,  also 
named  Richard,  became  sole  heir,  who,  dying, 
left  his  estate  to  Benj.  Horner,  the  grand- 
father of  the  subject  of  this  mention.  Benj. 
Horner  was  for  three  years  a sailor  and  after- 
ward served  as  soldier  in  the  army  of  Gen. 
St.  Clair,  from  which  he  was  honorably  dis- 
charged September  14,  1800.  To  thermion 
of  Joseph  and  Rachel  (Horner)  Cowing  were 
born  nine  children,  three  girls  and  six  boys, 
two  of  the  former  dying  in  early  childhood. 

Granville  Cowing  was  born  March  i,  1824, 
near  the  town  of  Weston,  Lewis  county,  Va. 
He  learned  to  read,  before  six  years  old,  by 
attending  school  taught  by  an  old  lady  in  her 
own  house  near  his  home.  In  1830  he  accom- 
panied his  parents  to  Fairfield,  Ohio,  where 
he  remained  for  nine  years,  in  the  meantime 
attending  school  in  the  winter  and  working  on 
farms  during  the  summer  seasons.  In  August, 
1839,  he  went  to  Rushville,  Ind.,  to  live  with 
his  brother-in-law,  in  whose  establishinent  he 
learned  the  trade  of  a tailor.  Soon  finding 
this  business  distasteful,  he  abandoned  it  to 
become  a printer  in  the  office  of  the  Rushville 
Whig,  a newspaper  started  in  1 840  by  P.  A. 
Hackleman,  to  aid  the  election  of  Gen.  Harri- 
son to  the  presidency.  After  serving  an  ap- 
prenticeship of  three  years,  he  continued  in 
the  office  until  the  year  of  1845,  at  which  time, 
in  partnership  with  N.  W.  Cox,  a life-long 


friend,  he  purchased  the  paper  and  published 
it  for  about  three  years,  when,  on  account  of 
ill  health,  Mr.  Cox  retired  from  the  business, 
disposing  of  his  interest  to  another  party.  In 
the  fall  of  1849  Mr.  Cowing  also  sold  his  inter- 
est in  the  paper  and  went  to  Washington,  D. 
C.,  traveling  over  the  Alleghanies  by  stage 
coach  to  Cumberland,  Md. , where,  for  the  first 
time  in  his  life,  he  saw  a railroad,  on  which 
he  traveled  until  reaching  his  destination. 

He  spent  his  first  year  at  the  capital  in  the 
office  of  the  National  Era,  the  great  anti- 
slavery organ,  which  was  then  introducing 
Uncle  Tom’s  Cabin  to  the  public  in  its  weekly 
issue.  The  paper  was  edited  by  Dr.  Gamaliel 
Bailey  and  John  G.  Whittier,  the  poet,  was 
printed  by  Buell  & Blanchard,  and  its  office 
was  much  frequented  by  the  great  anti- 
slavery leaders,  Seward,  Chase,  Hale,  Gid- 
dings,  and  others.  Clay,  Calhoun  and  Web- 
ster were  engaged  at  the  time  in  public  affairs, 
and  were  familiar  figures  in  the  national  capi- 
tal. In  the  fall  of  1850  Mr.  Cowing  was  ap- 
pointed to  a place  in  the  second  auditor’s 
office  of  the  treasury  department  by  Thomas 
Corwin,  where,  for  six  years,  he  settled  all 
accounts  of  officers  of  the  army  for  all  com- 
pany arms  and  warlike  stores  required  in 
active  service.  These  duties  often  brought 
him  in  contact  with  many  men  who  afterward 
became  great  leaders  in  the  late  civil  war. 

His  health  suddenly  failed  in  the  beginning 
of  1857,  and,  obtaining  leav-e  of  absence  for 
three  months,  he  returned  to  Indiana  in  the 
hope  that  the  change  might  benefit  him,  but 
it  did  not;  consequently  he  resigned  his  posi- 
tion. Before  leaving  Washington  city,  D.  C. , 
J.  T.  Quisenberry,  a friend  with  whom  he  had 
been  associated  in  office  for  six  years,  fell  heir 
to  2,100  acres  of  land  near  San  Antonio,  Tex- 
as, and  offered  to  give  him  100  acres  of  it  if 
he  would  go  there  with  him,  settle  upon  it  and 
become  his  neighbor.  This  generous  offer  was 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


239 


declined  with  thanks,  mainly  because  Mr. 
Cowing  believed  that  civil  war  could  not  long 
be  averted  and  he  had  no  desire  to  be  a citi- 
zen of  a southern  state  when  hostilities  began. 
Since  his  return  to  Indiana  in  1857,  Mr.  Cow- 
ing has  resided  on  the  same  farm  near  Mun- 
cie — a period  of  thirty-five  years — cultivating 
farm  crops  and  small  fruits,  and  during  that 
time  he  has  been  a constant  contributor  to 
horticultural  magazines  and  newspapers.  The 
strawberry  has  been  his  favorite  fruit,  and  he 
was  the  first,  and,  for  many  years,  the  only 
person  in  Delaware  county,  who  cultivated  it 
largely  for  market. 

On  September  2,  1851,  Mr.  Cowing  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Ann  Fitzgerald,  of 
Washington,  who  died  February  16,  1853, 

leaving  one  child,  Frances  Alice,  whose  death 
occurred  on  the  i6th  day  of  December,  1854. 
On  the  1 8th  of  February,  1855,  Mr.  Cowing 
married  Mrs.  Lucy  O’Farrell,  to  which  union 
have  been  born  three  sons  and  one  daughter: 
Lewis  G. , George  Edward,  Hugh  A.  and  Flor- 
ence. Lewis  is  one  of  the  leading  fruit  grow- 
ers of  Delaware  county  and  an  enthusiastic 
horticulturist;  George  Edward  died  at  the  age 
of  six  years,  and  Hugh  is  one  of  the  promi- 
nent physicians  of  Muncie. 

The  following  is  a brief  sketch  of  the  re- 
maining children  of  Joseph  and  Rachel 
Cowing.  John  G.  Cowing  was  born  Septem- 
ber 25,  1825,  became  a painter,  married  and 
settled  at  Andersonville,  Franklin  county, 
where  he  still  resides.  He  enlisted  at  the  be- 
ginning of  the  civil  war  and  was  made  a con- 
firmed invalid  at  the  siege  of  Forts  Henry  and 
Donelson  by  reason  of  exposure  to  snow  and 
ice  while  in  the  trenches.  Cultivating  fruits 
is  his  favorite  employment.  Joseph  L.  Cow- 
ing was  born  in  Virginia  in  1826,  became  a 
tailor,  located  in  New  Salem,  Rush  count}’, 
Ind. , where  he  served  as  post  master  for  many 
years  and  also  several  terms  as  township  trus- 


tee. He  died  in  the  autumn  of  1880.  Alvin 
M.  Cowing  was  born  in  Virginia,  acquired  a 
limited  education  in  the  ordinary  schools,  and, 
when  old  enough,  learned  the  tailor’s  trade, 
in  which  he  became  quite  proficient.  He 
married  Miss  Judith  Kemper  of  Clarksburg, 
Ind.,  and,  soon  afterward,  with  Mr.  Jefferson 
Kemper,  purchased  the  Rushville  Republican, 
which  he  published  for  several  years.  Subse- 
j quently  he  disposed  of  his  interest  in  the  paper 
j and  removed  to  Montezuma,  Iowa,  where  he 
j founded  another  newspaper.  He  was  elected 
clerk  of  the  Iowa  legislature,  and  afterwards 
became  one  of  its  members,  and  in  i860 
bought  his  father’s  farm  near  Muncie,  Ind. , to 
which  he  at  once  removed.  August  i,  1862, 
he  enlisted  in  the  Sixty-ninth  regiment  Indiana 
volunteers,  was  made  lieutenant  in  compan}^ 
B,  and  received  his  death  wound  at  Richmond, 
Ky.,  on  the  30th  of  the  same  month,  while 
endeavoring  to  rally  his  men  toward  the  close 
of  the  battle.  William  J.  Cowing  was  born 
in  Ohio  and  entered  the  printing  office  of  his 
brother  Granville  in  1848.  He  owned  and 
edited  the  Rushville  Republican  for  several 
years,  and  in  1861  received  an  appointment  in 
the  treasury  department  of  Washington  city. 
He  remained  in  the  national  capital  until  the 
breaking  out  of  the  war,  when  he  resigned 
his  place  and  established  a daily  paper 
in  Alexandria  city,  \"a. , which  he  published 
until  the  war  ended.  He  was  secretary  of 
state  under  the  restored  government  of  Vir- 
ginia, and  afterwards  received  a place  in  the 
department  of  agriculture,  which  he  retained 
until  his  death,  in  October,  1893.  George 
W.  Cowing  was  born  in  Ohio — became  a 
printer,  and  was  long  employed  in  the  govern- 
ment printing  office  in  Washington  city. 
During  the  war  he  was  connected  with  the 
quartermaster’s  department.  He  died  Janu- 
ary 16,  1873,  and  his  body  was  laid  to  rest 
in  Beech  Grove  cemetery  at  Muncie,  Ind. 


240 


MUNCIE  CITY 


OSCAR  W.  CRABBS.— Conspicuous 
among  the  representative  and  suc- 
cessful business  men  of  the  city  of 
Muncie  is  Oscar  W.  Crabbs,  who 
was  born  in  Montgomery  county,  Ohio, 
March  12,  1852.  His  parents,  Benj.  F. 

and  Louise  (Folcarth)  Crabbs,  are  natives 
of  the  same  county  and  state,  where  they  now 
reside.  Oscar  \V.  Crabbs  early  manifested 
great  aptitude  for  business,  and  at  the  age  of 
seventeen  embarked  upon  his  commerical 
career  by  dealing  in  coal,  wood,  hay,  grain, 
etc.,  in  which  lines  his  success  was  fully  com- 
mensurate with  his  expectations.  In  1885  he 
located  in  Muncie,  Ind.,  and  engaged  in  buy- 
ing, pressing  and  shipping  hay,  from  which 
has  been  developed  his  present  business — one 
of  the  most  successful  of  the  kind  in  the  city. 
He  deals  extensively  in  wheat,  corn,  clover, 
seeds,  etc.,  and  from  long  practice  and  wide 
experience  has  so  learned  to  manage  his  busi- 
ness that  prosperity  has  attended  his  efforts. 
Mr.  Crabbs  is  a member  of  the  Co-operative 
Gas  company  of  Muncie,  and  is  now  looking 
after  the  city’s  interest  as  a member  of  the 
common  council  from  the  First  ward,  in  which 
body  he  is  chairman  of  the  important  commit- 
tees on  water  works,  cemetery  and  judiciary. 
Politically  he  is  a republican  and  stoutly  sup- 
ports the  party  with  which  he  is  identified, 
believing  that  its  principles  inure  to  the  best 
interests  of  the  country.  Mr.  Crabbs  was 
married  in  1872  to  Miss  Mary  E.  Hosier, 
daughter  of  Robert  Hosier  of  Montgomery 
county,  Ohio,  to  which  union  have  been  born 
three  children,  namely:  Claudia  Burdelia, 

Frank  Dodds  and  Robert  Benj.  Mr.  Crabbs 
holds  to  the  creed  of  the  Methodist  church, 
and  with  his  family  belongs  to  the  Muncie 
congregation,  in  which  he  holds  the  position 
of  trustee.  He  was  one  of  the  members  of  the 
building  committee,  and  to  him  is  largely  due 
the  credit  of  pushing  forward  to  completion 


the  present  magnificent  church  edifice  in 
which  the  congregation  worships. 


0ZRO  N.  CRANOR,  a leading  mem- 
ber of  the  Delaware  county  bar  and 
state  senator  for  the  counties  of  Del- 
aware and  Randolph,  was  born  in 
Wayne  county,  Ind.,  September  4,  1855,  and 
is  a son  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Study)  Cranor, 
both  families  pioneer  settlers  of  Wayne  coun- 
ty. John  Cranor,  however,  was  born  in 
Ohio,  July  6,  1828,  but  has  passed  his  whole 
life,  so  to  speak,  in  Wayne  county,  having 
been  brought  here  by  his  parents  in  the  fall  of 
the  year  of  his  birth.  He  now  has  his  resi- 
dence in  Dublin,  that  county,  and  has  been  a 
minister  in  the  United  Brethren  church  for 
thirty-three  years.  Mrs.  Elizabeth  (Study) 
Cranor,  also  a native  of  Wayne  county,  Ind., 
was  born  April  7,  1830.  The  maternal  grand- 
mother of  Ozro  N.  Cranor  bore  the  maiden 
name  of  Lomax,  and  her  family  settled  in 
what  is  now  Wayne  county,  Ind. , as  early  as 
181 1. 

Ozro  N.  Cranor  is  the  second  eldest  in  a 
family  of  five  children.  His  preliminary  edu- 
cation was  obtained  at  the  common  schools  of 
his  native  county,  and  this  was  supplemented 
by  attendance  at  the  Hartsville  and  Otterbein 
universities.  In  the  spring  of  1876  he  went 
to  Vermillion  county,  and' for  six  years  taught 
school,  and  while  there,  on  the  4th  day  of 
September,  1878,  was  married  to  Miss  Mattie 
J.  Arrasmith,  but  insatiate  Death  stepped  in 
ere  little  more  than  a year  had  passed,  and 
claimed  the  bride  as  his  own.  Her  death 
occurred  September  28,  1879,  but  she  left  her 
husband  a pledge  of  her  love — Bertha — horn 
June  23,  1879.  In  1882,  Mr.  Cranor  came  to 
Delaware  county,  and  November  23,  1883, 

chose  for  his  second  wife  Miss  Victoria  L. , 


O.  N.  CRANOR. 


i 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


241 


daughter  of  Capt.  John  and  Eliza  B.  Ross,  and 
to  this  happy  union  have  been  born  two  chil- 
dren— JohnR.,  born  August  27,  1884,  and 

Gifford  B. , born  May  21,  1893.  Mr.  Cranor 
having  duly  prepared  himself,  began  the  prac- 
tice of  law  in  Muncie  in  1889,  and  in  this  pro- 
fession he  soon  forged  his  way  to  the  front. 
In  politics  he  is  a republican  through  and 
through,  is  a worker  for  his  party,  and  is  as 
popular  in  its  ranks  as  he  is  before 
the  general  public.  In  1888  he  was  elected 
to  represent  his  fellow  citizens  of  Del- 
aware county  in  the  lower  house  of  the 
state  legislature,  and  so  well  did  he  take 
care  of  their  interests  during  the  term,  that  he 
was  sent  back  to  the  state  capital  in  1892,  as 
joint  senator  from  the  counties  of  Delaware 
and  Randolph,  of  which  office  he  is  still  the 
incumbent.  Mr.  Cranor  is  a member  of  Mun- 
cie lodge,  No.  74,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  of  Muncie 
Encampment,  No.,  30,  and  he  and  wife  are 
consistent  and  faithful  members  of  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  church.  As  a professional 
man  his  success  has  been  most  gratifying,  and 
as  a member  of  society  his  gentlemanly  de- 
portment has  won  him  hosts  of  friends. 


EORGE  W.  CROMER,  one  of  the 
enterprising  and  successful  members 
of  the  Delaware  county  bar,  and  a 
prominent  politician  of  this  part  of 
the  state  of  Indiana,  was  born  in  Columbus, 
Madison  county,  Ind. , May  13,  1857,  a son  of 
Joshua  and  Mary  (Shultz)  Cromer,  natives  of 
Maryland,  and  Wayne  county,  Ind.,  respect- 
ively. These  parents  moved  to  Salem  town- 
ship, Delaware  county,  in  1857,  where  they 
purchased  a farm  and  where  they  now  reside. 
George  W.  Cromer  in  early  life  attended  the 
public  schools  in  Salem  township  and  supple- 
mented his  elementary  education  by  a full 


course  in  the  State  university,  at  Bloomington, 
from  which  he  graduated  in  1882.  Thus 
thoroughly  equipped,  he  was  ready  to  choose 
a profession,  and,  deciding  upon  the  law, 
entered  the  office  of  Ellis  & Walterhouse  in 
1883,  and  so  great  was  his  application  and 
natural  ability  that  one  year  later  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  Delaware  county  bar.  Since 
that  time  he  has  been  kept  busy  practicing  in 
the  district,  county  and  state  courts,  and  has 
succeeded  in  building  up  a large  and  lucrative 
legal  business,  being  one  of  the  most  success- 
ful lawyers  of  the  city  of  Muncie,  which  has 
long  been  known  for  its  men  of  high  legal  at- 
tainments. 

Politically,  l\Ir.  Cromer  is  a republican,  and 
has  always  been  an  active  and  energetic 
worker  for  his  party.  In  1 892  he  was  chair- 
man of  the  county  central  committee  and  a 
member  of  the  state  republican  committee  for 
the  Sixth  congressional  district.  He  was 
elected  prosecuting  attorney  for  the  Fort}'- 
sixth  judicial  district  in  1886,  was  re-elected 
in  1888,  and  discharged  the  duties  of  that  po- 
sition in  a manner  highly  creditable  to  himself 
and  eminently  satisfactory  alike  to  his  friends 
and  to  those  opposed  to  him  politically. 
Fraternally  he  is  a member  of  the  B.  P.  O. 
E.,  the  I.  O.  R.  M.  and  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  He 
is  also  a member  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran 
church.  He  is  considered  one  of  the  rising 
men  of  the  city,  and  his  career  is  watched 
with  much  interest  by  his  friends,  who  predict 
for  him  a future  of  great  promise. 


AMES  N.  GROPPER  was  born  in  Ran- 
dolph, county  Ind.,  February  7,  1838, 
son  of  Bela  W.  and  Elizabeth  Cropper. 
Bela  W.  Cropper  was  a native  of 
Woodford,  county  Ky. , where  he  grew  to  man- 
hood on  a farm,  and  later  followed  boating  on 


242 


MUNCIE  CITY 


the  Ohio  river,  in  which  business  he  continued 
with  a reasonable  degree  of  success  for  some 
years.  He  married,  in  his  native  state,  Eliza- 
beth Ashby,  who  was  born  in  Henry  county, 
Ky. , and  after  a brief  residence  in  Ohio  and  a 
return  to  Kentucky,  moved  to  Indiana  about 
1833,  settling  in  Randolph  county,  eight  miles 
southwest  of  Winchester,  where  he  engaged 
in  agricultural  pursuits.  Bela  W.  and  Eliza- 
beth Cropper  represented  a parentage  of  four- 
teen children,  five  of  whom  are  living  at  this 
time,  the  youngest  of  the  family  being  James 
N.  He  was  for  many  years  an  active  mem- 
ber of  the  Regular  Baptist  church,  being  a 
deacon,  and  also  serving  as  clerk  of  the  asso- 
ciation. He  was  for  many  years  a justice  in 
the  township  of  West  River,  and  achieved 
considerable  reputation  in  his  community  as  a 
local  politician,  first  as  a whig  and  later  as  a 
republican.  He  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of 
Randolph  county,  being  among  those  who  en- 
tered the  county  at  a time  when  but  little 
effort  had  been  made  to  disturb  the  original 
possessors  of  the  soil — the  savage  red  man  and 
the  wild  beast  of  the  forest.  He  possessed 
many  noble  traits  of  mind  and  heart,  which 
have  been  reproduced  in  his  descendants,  and 
died  at  his  home  in  West  River  township, 
Randolph  county,  at  a ripe  old  age  deeply  la- 
mented by  all  who  knew  him  His  widow  sur- 
vived him  a short  time,  and  now  rests  by  his 
side  in  the  cemetery  at  Huntsville  near  his  old 
home. 

James  N.  Cropper  was  reared  to  agricul- 
tural pursuits  on  the  homestead  in  Randolph 
county,  and  early  became  familiar  with  all  the 
details  of  farm  life.  His  primary  education 
was  acquired  in  the  counti'y  schools,  the  train- 
ing thus  received  being  afterwards  supplement- 
ed by  a course  in  what  was  known  as  the 
Earmers’  academy,  Jay  county,  in  which  insti- 
tute he  made  such  commendable  progress  that 
within  a short  time  he  was  sufficiently  ad- 


vanced in  his  studies  to  procure  a license 
enabling  him  to  teach  in  the  public  schools. 
He  served  as  local  correspondent  for  the  coun- 
ty papers  and  contributed  to  them  and  other 
publications  numerous  articles  on  topics  of 
public  interest.  He  was  engaged  as  teacher 
in  the  winter  seasons  until  the  breaking  out  of 
the  war,  at  which  time  he  deemed  it  his  duty 
to  assist  in  preserving  the  Union.  According- 
ly, on  the  19th  of  July,  1862,  he  enlisted  as 
private,  and  was  mustered  into  the  service  at 
Indianapolis,  as  a sergeant,  August  19,  same 
year,  in  which  capacity  he  continued  until  his 
promotion  to  the  lieutenancy  a few  months 
later.  He  discharged  the  duties  of  the  latter 
position  in  a creditable  manner  until  1864, 
in  July  of  which  year,  owing  to  the  consolidat- 
ing of  his  regiment  into  a battalion,  and  death 
at  home,  and  with  the  consent  of  his  com- 
manding officer,  he  resigned  his  commission, 
returned  home  and  engaged  in  farm  work  and 
teaching.  On  the  i6th  day  of  November, 
1865,  Mr.  Cropper  and  Sallie  A.  Mills,  daugh- 
ter of  Rufus  K.  and  Elizabeth  j.  (McPherson) 
Mills,  were  united  in  the  bonds  of  wedlock, 
remaining  for  one  year  thereafter  on  a farm  in 
Randolph  county.  In  1866  Mr.  Cropper 
embarked  in  the  general  mercantile  trade  at 
the  town  of  Huntsville,  where  he  remained  for 
about  four  and  one-half  years,  at  the  end  of 
which  time  he  disposed  of  his  stock,  the  busi- 
ness not  proving  remunerative,  and  located  in 
Muncie,  where,  for  some, months,  he  was  var- 
iously employed,  working  for  a livelihood  at 
whatever  he  could  find  to  do.  This  was  a 
trying  period  in  his  life,  but  he  encountered 
and  successfully  overcame  obstacles  which 
would  have  discouraged  many  a man  of  less 
determination  and  will  power.  Among  the 
different  occupations  in  which  he  was  engaged 
after  coming  to  this  city  were  wood  sawing, 
gathering  corn  for  neighboring  farmers,  market 
I gardening,  and  various  other  kinds  of  labor. 


I 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


248 


and  teaching  school  in  the  country  in  winter. 
He  was  appointed  and  accepted  the  position  of 
deputy  township  appraiser  and  assessor,  and 
served  five  terms.  He  also  served  as  deputy 
sheriff  cf  Delaware  county  under  Andrew  J. 
Slinger,  the  duties  of  which  position  he  dis- 
charged in  an  eminently  satisfactory  manner 
for  a period  of  two  years.  He  then  clerked 
with  different  mercantile  firms  of  the  city  until 
1883,  when  he  effected  a co-partnership  in  the 
grocery  trade  with  Jonathan  P.  Adamson, 
which  relationship  was  severed  two  years  later, 
Mr.  Cropper  purchasing  the  entire  stock  and 
continuing  the  business  very  successfully  until 
June,  1892.  He  disposed  of  his  stock  in  that 
year  and  retired  from  mercantile  pursuits, 
since  which  date  he  has  given  his  attention 
almost  exclusively  to  his  real  estate  interests 
in  Muncie,  being  one  of  the  principal  movers 
in  the  Riverside  addition,  where  his  holdings 
are  large  and  very  valuable. 

Mr.  Cropper  is  a commendable  example  of 
what  may  be  accomplished  by  perseverance 
and  prudent  management,  and  he  has  shown 
himself  to  be  a man  of  discreet  judgment, 
scrupulous  integrity  and  gentlemanly  de- 
meanor. That  he  has  been  successful  in  his 
various  business  enterprises  is  sufficiently  at- 
tested by  his  present  conspicuous  standing  in 
Muncie,  where  only  a few  years  ago  he  arrived 
without  any  capital  worthy  of  mention,  save  a 
well  formed  determination  to  make  the  best  of 
very  discouraging  surroundings  and  to  over- 
come obstacles  which  to  the  majority  of  men 
would  have  appeared  practically  insurmount- 
able. He  is  not  identified  with  any  church, 
but  affiliates  with  the  Society  of  Friends,  as 
also  does  his  wife.  He  served  as  superintend- 
ent of  the  Mission  Sunday  school  of  this 
society  for  several  years,  commencing  with  its 
organization.  Since  attaining  his  legal  ma- 
jority, he  has  exercised  his  elective  franchise 
in  behalf  of  the  republican  party,  the  princi- 


ples of  which  he  believes  to  be  for  the  best 
interest  of  the  country.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cropper 
have  one  child,  a daughter,  Ina  C. , wife  of 
F.  B.  Nickey,  one  of  the  leading  business  men 
of  Muncie. 


FORGE  W.  CROZIER,  general  man- 
ager of  The  Crozier  Washing  Machine 
company,  is  one  of  the  progressive 
citizens  who  serve  to  build  up  and 
improve  any  community  in  which  fortune  has 
placed  them.  Mr.  Crozier  was  born  in  Piqua, 
Ohio,  July  21,  1847,  3-  son  of  William. J.  and 
Ann  (Ross)  Crozier,  the  former  a native  of 
Scotland,  and  an  early  settler  of  Piqua, 
and  the  latter  a native  of  the  same  county. 
They  now  reside  near  Toledo,  Ohio. 

George  W.  Crozier  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  Defiance,  Ohio,  after  which 
he  learned  the  machinist’s  trade,  displaying  a 
natural  aptitude  for  mechanical  work.  In 
1873  he  opened  a foundry  and  machine  shop 
at  Napoleon,  Henry  county,  Ohio,  which  he 
conducted  until  1879,  when  he  removed  to 
Columbia  City,  Ind. , and  changed  his  business, 
becoming  the  proprietor  of  the  Central  house. 
In  1883  he  came  to  Muncie,  and  soon  after 
this  invented  a patent  buggy  top,  and  engaged 
in  manufacturing  the  same  for  four  years,  also 
manufacturing  the  Crozier  gas  regulator,  of 
which  he  was  also  the  inventor. 

In  1890  Mr.  Crozier  was  so  fortunate  as  to 
patent  something  which  filled  a long  felt  want, 
this  being  the  now  celebrated  Crozier  washing 
machine,  and  he  at  once  began  the  manufac- 
ture of  them,  in  January,  1892,  organizing  the 
Crozier  Washing  Machine  company,  and  be- 
coming general  manager  of  the  same.  This 
company  does  the  largest  business  in  their  line 
of  any  firm  in  the  city.  He  is  a stockholder 
in  several  co-operative  gas  companies,  and  is  a 
member  of  the  Citizens’  Enterprise  company, 


244 


MUNCIE  CITY 


and  is  socially  connected  with  the  I.  O-  O.  F. 
and  the  I.  O.  R.  M.  Politically  he  is  a demo- 
crat, and  stanchly  upholds  the  principles  of 
his  party. 

In  1872  Mr.  C rosier  was  married  to  Miss 
Mary  A.  Rogers,  daughter  of  Joseph  Rogers, 
of  Henry  county,  Ohio,  but  he  was  called 
upon  to  mourn  her  death  in  1881.  She  left  a 
family  of  five  children,  as  follows:  Cary,  May, 
Flta,  Leroy  and  W'alter.  In  1886,  Mr.  Cro- 
zier  married  Mrs.  Jennie  Ray,  of  Muncie,  a 
lady  of  many  fine  qualities,  and  a member  of 
the  Baptist  church. 


St 


in  the  town  of  Youngsville 


\L1'ER  L.  DAVIS,  the  well  known 
journalist  and  business  man  of 
Muncie,  is  a native  of  Warren 
county.  Pa. , born  October  2 1 , 1850, 
His  father,  Wil- 
lard J.  Davis,  also  a native  of  the  same  county 
and  state,  was  born  May  17,  1828,  the  son  of 
Abraham  and  Ruth  (Mead)  Davis,  whose  an- 
cestors came  to  the  United  States  from  Wales 
a great  many  years  ago.  Willard  J.  Davis 
still  lives  upon  the  farm  where  he  was  born,  a 
part  of  which  is  embraced  within  the  corporate 
limits  of  Youngsville,  and  is  perhaps  the  largest 
bee  raisers  in  the  state  of  Pennsylvania — his 
apiary  consisting  of  over  five  hundred  stands, 
the  product  of  which  finds  sale  in  Philadelphia 
and  other  large  eastern  cities.  He  married,  in 
1849,  Miss  Laura  Littlefield,  daughter  of 
Stephen  and  Elizabeth  (Mead)  Littlefield,  of 
Warren  county.  Pa.,  a union  blessed  with  the 
birth  of  four  children:  Walter  L. , Homer  F., 
James  H.,  who  died  at  the  age  of  eleven  years, 
and  Mary  Alice.  Willard  J.  is  a prominent 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  in 
the  town  where  he  resides,  and  for  a period  of 
forty  years  has  been  leader  of  the  choir  in  the 


congregation  of  Youngsville.  He  has  served 
as  justice  of  the  peace  for  a number  of  terms, 
has  been  a member  of  the  school  board  for 
more  than  twenty  years,  and  is  a man  of 
much  more  than  ordinary  mental  endowments. 

Walter  L.  Davis  was  reared  on  the  home 
place  at  Youngsville,  and  received  his  early 
educational  training  in  the  schools  of  that 
town,  which  he  attended  until  his  nineteenth 
year.  He  finished  his  studies  in  the  high 
school  of  Muncie,  Indiana,  to  which  city  he 
came  in  1 869,  and  on  quitting  school  accepted 
the  position  of  salesman  with  his  uncle,  P.  F. 
Davis,  a dealer  in  agricultural  implements. 
He  was  thus  employed  from  1870  to  1877,  re- 
tiring from  the  business  in  the  latter  year  and 
purchasing  an  interest,  with  Col.  J.  D.  Will- 
iams, in  the  Muncie  Courier-Democrat,  with 
which  paper  he  was  connected  for  two  years. 
He  then  became  city  editor  of  the  Muncie 
Daily  News,  and  one  year  later,  in  partner- 
ship with  Charles  Alf  Williams,  purchased  an 
interest  in  the  Muncie  Democrat,  which  paper 
he  managed  very  successfully  during  the  cam- 
paign of  1880.  Disposing  of  his  interest  in 
the  Democrat  to  L.  A.  Kirkwood,  Mr.  Davis 
resumed  his  former  position  on  the  News,  and 
continued  in  that  capacity  until  1885,  in 
December  of  which  year  he  again  purchased 
the  Democrat,  consolidating  it  with  the  Mun- 
cie Herald,  forming  a partnership  in  the  news- 
paper business  with  Thomas  McKillip,  editor 
of  the  latter,  a relationship  which  continued 
until  August,  1889,  when  he  sold  out  and  be- 
came manager  of  the  paper  which  he  had 
formerly  owned.  He  filled  the  latter  position 
two  and  one-half  years,  when  he  retired  from 
journalism,  and  in  May,  1892,  accepted  the 
position  of  assistant  secretary  of  the  Muncie 
Savings  & Loan  company,  one  of  the  most 
successful  associations  of  the  kind  in  the  state 
of  Indiana.  Mr.  Davis  was  one  of  the  original 
directors  of  this  enterprise,  and  to  his  activity 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


245 


and  judicious  management  is  the  association 
indebted  for  much  of  its  present  prosperity. 

Mr.  Davis  was  married  October  8,  1879, 
to  Isadore  F.  Morehouse,  daughter  of  Henry 
and  Mary  (Hiatt)  Morehouse,  of  Michigan. 
To  this  union  one  child  has  been  born:  Ethel, 
whose  birth  occurred  March  17,  1882.  Mr. 
Davis  belongs  to  the  Masonic  fraternity, 
Knights  of  Maccabees  and  the  National  Frater- 
nal union.  In  politics  he  is  a democrat,  and 
at  this  time  holds  the  position  of  deputy  state 
supervisor  of  oil  inspection  in  the  state  depart- 
ment of  geology.  Mr.  Davis  is  a man  of  good 
business  tact,  and  his  knowledge  of  men,  and 
his  experience  as  a journalist  and  newspaper 
man,  have  enabled  him  to  discharge  with  credit 
the  duties  of  the  various  positions  to  which, 
at  different  times,  he  has  been  called.  He 
enjoys  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  his  fellow 
citizens  of  Muncie,  and  is  one  of  the  city’s  most 
intelligent  and  progressive  business  men. 


OHN  WORTHINGTON  DRAGOO  was 
born  in  Perry  township,  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  May  7,  1858,  the  son  of 
William  and  Amelia  (Gibson)  Dragoo, 
old  settlers  of, the  county,  and  highly  respected 
residents  of  their  township.  William  Dragoo, 
the  father  of  John  W.,  was  a native  of  West 
Virginia,  as  it  is  now  known,  but  at  the  early 
age  of  seven  years,  was  brought  to  Delaware 
county  by  his  father,  who  entered  eighty  acres 
of  land  in  Perry  township,  the  patent  being- 
signed  by  Andrew  Jackson,  and  this  land  never 
changed  hands  until  the  death  of  the  patentee, 
when  it  was  divided  among  his  heirs.  William 
Dragoo  was  a member  of  a family  of  seven 
children  that  reached  maturity,  and  had  the 
advantage  of  an  excellent  education  that  he 
acquired  at  the  schools  of  Muncie  and  New- 
castle, having  as  classmates  such  young  men 


as  Judge  Shipley  and  C.  Spilker,  of  Muncie, 
and  others  that  became  famous  in  later  life. 
The  early  business  life  of  William  Dragoo  was 
that  of  a general  merchant  at  New  Burlington, 
Delaware  county,  but  later  on  he  withdrew 
from  mercantile  trade  and  engaged  in  the  pur- 
suit of  agriculture,  which  he  followed  most 
successfully  until  his  retirement  from  active 
labor  to  pass  the  remnant  of  his  days  at  the 
residence  of  his  son,  John  W. , in  Muncie. 
John  W.  also  was  reared  a farmer,  and  was 
educated  at  the  public  schools.  At  fifteen 
years  of  age  he  relinquished  his  studies,  and 
at  twenty-one  left  the  farm,  and  for  five  years 
was  employed  in  school  teaching  and  in  at- 
tending schools  of  a higher  grade.  The  next 
live  years  found  him  again  on  the  farm,  and 
from  the  expiration  of  that  time  until  the 
present  the  school  room  has  again  been  the 
field  of  his  labor.  He  has  in  all  taught  over 
fifty  months,  included  in  which  period  are  a 
term  of  one  year  as  superintendent  of  the 
Yorktown  schools  and  his  present  superin- 
tendency of  the  schools  of  Congerville.  He 
has  reached  a high  position  in  the  estimation 
of  his  fellow  citizens,  and  by  them  was  elected 
county  assessor  in  the  winter  of  1892. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Dragoo  took  place 
May  7,  1884,  to  Miss  Frances  R.  Jump,  the 
accomplished  daughter  of  Dr.  S.  V.  Jump,  of 
New  Burlington,  and  four  children  have  been 
the  fruit  of  this  happy  union,  viz:  Charles, 
Earl,  Nina  F. , Mary  L.  and  Charlene.  In 
politics,  Mr.  Dragoo  is  a republican,  and  fra- 
ternally he  is  a Patriotic  Son  of  America.  He 
has  led  a studious  and  industrious  life,  has 
been  faithful  and  energetic  in  the  discharge  of 
his  professional  and  public  duties,  and  has 
proven  himself  to  be  in  every  respect  fully 
worthy  of  the  responsible  trusts  reposed  in 
him.  The  family  hold  a position  in  societ}'  of 
which  they  may  well  feel  proud. 


24G 


MUNCIE  CITY 


>Y*0SIAH  W.  drake,  an  ex-soldier  and 
well  known  citizen  of  Mnncie,  Ind., 
A y was  born  in  Brown  county,  Ohio,  June 
3,  1841,  a son  of  Robert  and  Melissa 
(Gardner  ) Drake.  They  were  natives  of  Ohio, 
and  after  marriage  followed  farming.  In  1851 
they  came  to  Hamilton  county,  Ind.,  where 
they  now  reside.  Josiah  W.  Drake  received 
a common  school  education,  and  engaged  in 
business  on  his  own  account  in  1865,  begin- 
ning the  harness  making  in  Boxley,  Hamilton 
county,  Ind.  He  was  appointed  post  master 
of  the  village  by  Andrew  Johnson,  serving  in 
that  capacity  for  one  year.  He  then  engaged 
in  saw  and  flour  milling,  following  these  occu- 
pations for  two  years,  and  then  spent  one 
year  in  Orange  county,  at  French  Lick,  for 
the  benefit  of  his  health.  Becoming  some- 
what better,  he  returned  to  Hamilton  county 
and  engaged  for  one  year  in  selling  Wheeler 
& Wilson  sewing  machines;  then  located  at 
Berlin,  Clinton  county,  Ind.,  wheim  he  fol- 
lowed the  mercantile  business  for  one  year, 
but  sold  this  and  removed  to  Circleville,  same 
county,  where  he  engaged  in  painting  for  the 
four  succeeding  years.  At  the  end  of  that 
time  he  took  a contract  for  supplying  the  ties 
for  the  L.  E.  &.  W.  R.  R.  for  one  year,  and 
then  removed  to  Muncie,  continuing  in  the 
employ  of  the  same  road  in  the  bridge  -depart- 
ment. Mr.  Drake’s  war  record  is  an  honor- 
able one,  and  his  pension  of  six  dollars  a month 
was  valiantly  earned.  In  July,  1861,  he  en- 
listed in  company  B,  Thirty-ninth  Indiana 
volunteers,  and  at  the  expiration  of  his  term 
of  service  re-enlisted  at  Ringgold,  Ga. , in  Feb- 
ruary, 1863,  serving  in  company  B,  Eighth 
Indiana  cavalry.  He  participated  in  many 
hard  skirmishes  and  took  part  in  the  battle  of 
Chickamauga,  being  finally  discharged  at 
Wilmington,  N.  C.  In  1885  Mr.  Drake  en- 
gaged in  the  restaurant  business,  and  has  since 
continued  in  the  same  line,  becoming  pro- 


prietor of  the  LaClede,  October  13,  1892. 
Mr.  Drake  was  married  in  Hamilton  county, 
Ind.,  October  6,  1866,  to  Miss  Aman- 

da Phillips,  who  was  born  in  Morgan  county, 
Ind.,  daughter  of  Thomas  Phillips,  a native  of 
North  Carolina.  Three  children  have  been 
born  of  this  marriage — Myrtle  and  two  infants, 
all  deceased.  Politically  Mr.  Drake  is  a dem- 
ocrat, and  is  one  of  the  sterling  citizens  of  the 
flourishing  city  of  Muncie. 


r^ILLIAM  EDGAR  DRISCOLL,  B. 
S.,  M.  D.,  is  one  of  the  prominent 
professional  men  of  Muncie,  a native 
son  of  Indiana,  born  in  Centre 
township,  Delaware  county,  near  where  the 
Indiana  Iron  works  now  stand,  on  the  6th  day 
of  October,  1858.  His  parents  were  John  and 
Maria  (Gibson)  Driscoll.  The  doctor  received 
a liberal  education,  graduating  from  Purdue 
university,  Lafayette,  Ind.,  in  June,  1882,  fol- 
lowing which  he  entered  upon  the  study  of 
medicine  under  the  guidance  of  Dr.  S.  V. 
Jump,  of  New  Burlington.  He  further  took  a 
full  course  at  the  Medical  college  of  Ohio,  at 
Cincinnati,  where  he  graduated  March,  1886, 
after  which  he  began  the  practice  at  Cowan, 
Delaware  county,  where  he  resided  for  two 
years.  In  June,  1888,  Dr.  Driscoll  located 
permanently  in  Muncie,  where  he  has  since 
enjoyed  a large  share  of  the  remunerative 
practice,  and  where  his  superior  medical 
knowledge  has  won  for  him  a conspicuous 
place  among  the  successful  medical  men  of 
central  Indiana.  In  April,  1886,  he  was 
elected  coroner  of  Delaware  county,  and  filled 
the  office  by  successsive  re-elections  for  the 
^ix  succeeding  years. 

Doctor  Driscoll  is  well  known  among  his 
professional  associates,  being  a member  of  the 
Delaware  County  Medical  society,  of  which  he 


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AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


249 


was  formerly  president;  belongs  to  the  Dela- 
ware District  Medical  society,  and  the  State 
Medical  society  of  Indiana.  In  1892,  his  ad- 
vice and  good  judgment  were  secured  for  the 
city  by  an  election  to  the  common  council 
from  the  Third  ward,  and  he  is  now  serving  in 
that  body  as  a member  of  the  police,  street, 
and  educational  committees,  and  is  also  chair- 
man of  the  library  board,  in  which  organization 
he  has  taken  a very  active  interest.  Dr. 
Driscoll  was  appointed  by  Gov.  Matthews  to 
attend  the  first  Pan-American  medical  con- 
gress, held  at  Washington,  D.  C , September 
5 to  8,  1893,  in  which  he  represented  his  state 
in  the  lectures  on  hygiene,  and  quarantine 
and  infectious  diseases.  Politically  Dr.  Dris- 
coll is  a republican,  and,  fraternally,  belongs 
to  Muncie  lodge.  No.  74,  I.  O.  O.  F. , and  to 
Delaware  lodge.  No.  46,  A.  F.  & A.  M.  He 
was  one  of  the  incorporators  of  the  Muncie 
Silver  Ash  institute,  and  is  physician  in  charge 
of  the  same  at  this  time.  He  is  a member  of 
the  Citizens’  Enterprise  company,  and  of 
various  other  projects  having  for  their  object 
the  public  good,  and  he  is  progressive  and  en- 
terprising in  all  those  terms  imply.  Profes- 
sionally the  doctor  stands  high  in  Muncie. 
His  mental  faculties,  thoroughly  disciplined 
by  collegiate  and  professional  training,  enable 
him  to  keep  pace  with  the  advancement  of 
medical  science;  his  success  is  due  as  much  to 
his  original  experiments  and  investigations,  as 
to  his  extensive  reading.  On  the  29th  day  of 
September,  1886,  Dr.  Driscoll  and  Maggie  J., 
daughter  of  Samuel  Chapman,  of  Oxford,  Ind., 
were  united  in  marriage,  and  one  child  has 
come  to  gladden  their  home,  namely:  John 

C.  Driscoll.  Mrs.  Driscoll  is  a lady  of  cult- 
ure, refinement,  and  rare  intelligence,  having 
graduated  in  the  same  class  with  her  husband 
at  Purdue  university.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Driscoll 
are  highly  respected  members  of  the  High 
street  Methodist  church  of  Muncie,  and  they 


move  in  the  best  social  circles  of  the  city. 
The  attention  of  the  reader  is  called  to  the 
fine  portrait  of  the  doctor  on  the  opposite 
page. 


OSEPH  F'.  DUCKWALL,  eminent  as 
an  attorney  at  law  of  Muncie,  was  born 
near  Batavia,  Clermont  county,  Ohio, 
July  8,  1834.  His  father  was  a 

wealthy  and  prosperous  farmer,  and  the  early 
life  of  Joseph  F.  was  spent  upon  the  paternal 
farm.  The  pursuit  of  agriculture  not  being 
suited  to  his  inclinations,  at  the  age  of  nine- 
teen, he  left  the  farm  and  engaged  in  teaching, 
having  received  his  early  education  in  the 
common  schools  and  the  academy.  In  1853 
he  entered  the  Ohio  Wesleyan  university  at 
Delaware,  Ohio,  where  he  remained  nearly 
three  years,  defraying  the  principal  portion  of 
his  expenses  with  his  earnings  as  a teacher. 
He  is  liberally  educated,  and  a gentleman  of 
fine  culture  and  extensive  information.  His 
maternal  grandfather,  Thomas  Foster,  was  a 
soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  was  in  Hull’s 
infamous  surrender,  of  which  he  could  not 
speak  except  with  deep  indignation.  His 
grandmother  was  the  sister  of  the  well  known 
pioneer  Methodist  minister.  Rev.  Wm.  H. 
Raper.  His  mother,  Elizabeth  (F'oster)  Duck- 
wall,  was  the  cousin  of  Randolph  S.  Foster, 
D.  D.,  now  a bishop  of  the  M.  E.  church. 

In  June,  1857,  Joseph  F.  Duckwall  came 
to  Muncie  and  engaged  in  the  publication  of 
the  Muncie  Messenger,  of  which  he  was  editor 
and  proprietor.  In  August,  1858,  he  moved 
his  press  to  Anderson,  and  started  the  Madi- 
son County  Republican,  which  he  continued 
to  publish  until  March,  1859,  when  he  was 
compelled  to  suspend  its  publication  for  want 
of  patronage.  In  this  unfortunate  venture  he 
lost  all  that  he  possessed.  He  returned  to  Mun- 
cie, and  on  June  i,  1859,  was  married  to  Miss 


250 


MUNCIE  CITY 


Addie  Jones,  daughter  of  Wm.  F.  Jones,  ex- 
inayor  of  Mnncie,  and  soon  after  he  was  em- 
jdoyed  as  principal  of  the  Mnncie  public 
schools,  which  position  he  held  during  the 
school  year.  In  the  summer  of  i860,  at  the 
solicitation  of  the  Hon.  Walter  March,  who 
kindly  gave  him  financial  aid,  he  purchased 
the  Eastern  Indiana  Courant,  the  name  of 
which  he  changed  to  The  Delaware  County 
Free  Press,  which  he  continued  to  edit  and 
publish  until  the  fall  of  1 867,  when  he  sold 
the  Press  to  Hon.  Alfred  Kilgore.  The  Free 
Press  was  a republican  journal  of  the  radical 
type,  and  was  an  able  advocate  of  republican 
principles.  Its  columns  doubtless  contributed 
largely  to  the  creation  of  that  sterling  republi- 
can sentiment  which  has  long  been  the  boast 
and  pride  of  the  people  of  Delaware  county. 
His  paper  was  regarded  as  one  of  the  ablest  in 
the  state,  and  its  editor  acknowledged  to  be 
an  able  and  forcible  writer  by  all.  His  paper 
was  admired  for  its  independence  and  fearless 
advocacy  of  the  right,  regardless  of  policy  or 
pecuniary  gain  or  personal  advantage. 

In  the  year  1869  Mr.  Duckwall  went  to 
Greenfield,  Mo.,  and  engaged  in  the  practice 
of  law,  and  soon  took  position  in  the  front 
ranks  of  his  profession.  His  ability  as  a law- 
yer soon  received  public  recognition.  In  1874, 
without  his  knowledge  or  consent,  his  name 
was  placed  upon  a ticket  as  a candidate  for 
prosecuting  attorney  of  the  Twenty-fifth  judi- 
cial circuit,  and  came  very  near  being  elected. 
In  the  campaign  of  1876,  his  services  were 
demanded  on  the  stump,  and  he  made  a large 
number  of  speeches  in  the  interests  of  the 
republican  party.  In  the  fall  of  that  year  the 
republican  convention  of  Greene  county,  held 
at  Springfield,  placed  him  before  the  people 
as  a candidate  for  attorney  general  of  the 
state,  and  instructed  its  delegates  to  vote  for 
him  in  the  state  convention.  He  received 
similar  endorsements  from  several  other  county 


conventions  of  southwestern  Missouri,  and 
when  it  is  considered  that  he  had  not  even 
thought  of  being  a candidate  for  that  office, 
this  action  is  a high  compliment  to  his  ability 
and  worth.  The  state  was  overwhelmingly 
democratic,  and  a place  upon  the  republican 
ticket  was  solely  one  of  honor,  and  he  made 
no  effort  to  secure  the  nomination.  In  the 
fall  of  the  same  year  he  was  nominated,  by 
acclamation,  by  the  republican  convention  of 
Dade  county,  for  prosecuting  attorney,  and 
the  nomination  so  made  was  tendered  to  him 
with  a request  that  he  accept  the  same,  which 
he  did,  and  was  elected.  This  office  he  held 
for  two  years,  discharging  its  duties  with  sig- 
nal ability  and  fidelity.  Immediately  after 
the  expiration  of  his  term  of  office  he  returned 
to  Mnncie,  where  he  resumed  the  practice  of 
law.  Soon  after  his  return  he  was  solicited  to 
become  the  editor  of  The  Daily  Times,  which 
position  he  accepted  and  occupied  nearly  two 
years. 

Mr.  Duckwall  has  been  prominently  identi- 
fied with  the  politics  of  Delaware  county  for 
many  years,  and  has  contributed  with  his  pen 
and  upon  the  rostrum  to  the  advancement  of 
the  cause  of  republicanism  and  good  govern- 
ment. He  not  only  wields  a trenchant  pen, 
but  is  a forcible  and  entertaining  public 
speaker.  In  addition  to  the  positions  of  pub- 
lic trust  held  by  him,  above  mentioned,  he 
was  the  first  city  clerk  of  Muncie,  and  also 
city  attorney,  having  been  elected  to  tbe  form- 
er and  appointed  to  the  latter.  These  offices 
he  filled  faithfully  and  acceptably  to  the  peo- 
ple. As  a lawyer,  Mr.  Duckwall  is  recognized 
as  one  of  high  rank  and  scholarly  attainments, 
and  well  equipped  in  every  branch  of  the  pro- 
fession. Although  he  has  never  allowed  the 
use  of  his  name  as  a candidate,  he  has  been 
favorably  mentioned  as  a candidate  for  judge 
of  the  Delaware  circuit  court,  and  his  eminent 
fitness  and  qualification  for  the  position  are. 


^ f 


MRS.  E.  DUNGAN 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


251 


by  those  who  know  him,  fully  recognized. 
As  a citizen,  he  is  honest,  upright  and  exem- 
plary, and  universally  respected.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
and  is  regarded  as  a conscientious  Christian 
gentleman.  He  has  practically  retired  from 
the  practice  of  his  profession,  and  is  living  a 
peaceful  and  quiet  life  in  his  pleasant  home  in 
Riverside,  resting  from  the  labors  of  an  active 
and  busy  life,  and  rationally  enjoying  the 
fruits  of  his  toil  and  the  confidence  and  esteem 
of  his  fellow  men. 


OHN  Mk  DUNGAN,  proprietor  of  the 
Glendale  Jersey  farm,  and  an  old  and 
honored  resident  of  Delaware  county, 
was  born  in  Fayette  county,  Ind. , June 
2,  1824,  a son  of  Benjamin  and  Margaret 

(Mitchell)  Dungan.  The  former  was  born  in 
Bucks  county,  Pa.,  and  was  the  son  of  John 
Dungan,  a native  of  Ireland,  who  had  come  to 
America  many  years  prior  and  located  in  New 
York  state,  later  removing  to  Pennsylvania. 
Benjamin  Dungan  married  in  Butler  county, 
Ohio,  and  removed  with  his  family  to  Fayette 
county,  Ind.,  in  quite  an  early  day,  where  he 
engaged  in  farming  (following  the  occupation  all 
his  life),  and  became  the  father  of  ten  children 
the  record  of  whom  is  as  follows;  Rebecca, 
Elias,  William,  Elizabeth,  Esther  and  James, 
all  deceased;  John  W. , Joseph  A.,  of  Muncie; 
Isaac  J.,  a farmer  of  IMissouri,  and  Benjamin 
W. , deceased.  The  mother  died  January  22, 
1836,  and  the  father  September  15,  1855, 
both  members  of  the  Baptist  church.  Politi- 
ically,  Mr.  Dungan  was  a whig.  After  the 
death  of  his  wife  he  removed  to  Delaware 
county,  in  1836,  and  remained  here  until  1853. 

John  W.  Dungan  was  reared  to  hard  work 
on  the  farm  and  had  very  limited  opportunities 


of  becoming  educated.  He  remained  with  his 
father  until  1842,  at  which  time  he  came  to 
Muncie  and  engaged  with  Thomas  S.  Neeley 
in  the  blacksmith  trade,  which  he  followed 
until  1859,  when  he  was  elected  sheriff  of 
Delaware  county,  serving  in  this  position  un- 
til he  enlisted,  October  19,  1864,  in  the  Union 
army  for  one  year.  Before  the  expiration  of  his 
term  of  service  he  was  honorably  discharged. 
May  8,  1865,  at  Indianapolis.  After  his  re- 
turn from  the  war,  ISIr.  Dungan  engaged  in 
working  at  his  trade,  which  he  continued  until 
1 869,  then  sold  implements  for  three  years, 
and  from  1873  to  1877  employed  as  sales- 
man in  a hardware  store.  At  the  end  of  that 
time  he  was  re-elected  to  the  office  of  sheriff 
and  served  from  August,  1877,  to  August, 
1881,  when  he  retired  to  his  farm  adjoining 
the  city.  He  had  purchased  eighty  acres  of 
land  in  1879,  and  has  forty  acres  now  in  Part- 
wico. 

In  Muncie,  October  18,  1848,  he  married 
Miss  Edith  Dragoo,  who  was  born  in  Preston 
county,  W.  Va. , in  1827,  a daughter  of  Will- 
iam and  Elizabeth  (Prunty)  Dragoo,  natives 
of  Virginia,  of  Irish  ancestry,  who  came  to  this 
county  in  1838,  being  among  the  pioneers. 
The  family  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dungan  bear  the 
following  names:  George,  a resident  of  Mun- 

cie; Leonidas,  a blacksmith  of  this  city;  Gor- 
nelia  A.,  deceased;  Walter  R.,  deceased;  Garo- 
line,  the  wife  of  Whlliam  W^eeks,  of  Muncie; 
Jessie  J.,  the  wife  of  George  Carmichael,  a 
farmer  of  the  county;  Willie,  deceased;  Nettie, 
at  home,  and  Harry  F. , a commission  mer- 
chant, in  company  with  D.  T.  Haines,  Jr. 
The  parents  are  members  of  the  Methodist 
church  and  have  brought  up  a fine,  moral 
family.  Politically,  Mr.  Dungan  is  a republi- 
can, and  was  assessor  of  his  township  three 
terms,  street  commissioner  two  years,  and  has 
taken  a great  interest  in  the  progress  of  the 
county.  He  is  a member  of  the  Masonic 


252 


MUNCIE  CITY 


order  and  of  I.  O.  O.  F.  lodge,  No.  74. 
Mr.  Dungan  is  the  proprietor  of  a fine  farm 
which  is  known  all  over  the  county  as  the 
home  of  some  of  the  finest  thoroughbred 
Jersey  cattle  in  this  part  of  the  state.  He 
has  made  a success  of,  and  takes  great  inter- 
est in,  the  breeding  of  these  and  other  fine 
cattle. 


OBERT  DUNN,  senior  member  of 
the  firm  of  Dunn  Lime  & Sewer  Pipe 
company,  contractors  for  plastering, 
and  wholesale  and  retail  dealers  in 
lime,  hair,  cement,  plaster  of  paris,  fire  brick, 
fireclay,  etc.,  is  one  of  the  representative 
business  men  of  Muncie,  and  a highly  respected 
citizen  of  Delaware  county.  He  was  born 
October  ii,  1830,  in  Abbeville  district,  S.  C., 
the  son  of  James  and  Bethome  (Evans)  Dunn. 
The  father  was  a farmer,  which  vocation  he 
carried  on  in  his  native  state  in  connection 
with  shoemaking,  and  later  in  Fayette  county, 
Ind.,  where  he  moved  in  1832,  settling  near 
the  town  of  Connersville.  In  1833  he  moved 
to  Kush  county,  this  state,  where  he  resided 
for  two  years,  and  then  became  a resident  of 
the  county  of  Hancock,  where  he  made  his 
home  until  i 846,  at  which  time  he  located  in 
Marion  county,  where  his  wife's  death  oc- 
curred in  1847.  Subsequently  he  I'emoved  to 
Indianapolis,  where  he  resided  for  a limited 
period,  and  then  returned  to  his  farm  in  Mari- 
on county,  but  did  not  long  remain  there, 
moving,  within  about  one  year,  to  the  southern 
part  of  the  state,  and  eventually  returning  to 
the  county  of  Fayette.  In  1851  he  went  back 
to  his  native  state.  South  Carolina,  and  after 
a few  years’  residence  there,  returned  to  Fay- 
ette county,  in  the  year  1858.  His  second 
wife  was  Polly  Simms.  James  Dunn  was  the 
father  of  eight  children,  namely:  Elizabeth  J., 


deceased;  Robert,  whose  name  introduces  this 
sketch;  James  R.,  deceased;  Nancy,  who  lives 
in  Chicago;  Martha  G.,  deceased;  Andrew  J., 
of  Indianapolis;  William  Thomas,  deceased, 
and  George,  a citizen  of  Marion  county,  Ind. 

Robert  Dunn,  the  second  of  the  above 
children,  was  reared  on  a farm  until  1848,  at 
which  time  he  began  learning  the  trade  of 
plastering  in  Indianapolis,  and  with  the  ex- 
ception of  two  years  spent  in  farming  in  Rush 
county,  has  followed  that  vocation  ever  since. 
He  became  a resident  of  Muncie  in  the  year 
1888,  and  now  does  a very  extensive  and  lu- 
crative business  as  a plasterer,  beside  dealing 
very  largely  in  the  articles  enumerated  in  the 
introduction  of  this  sketch — his  place  on  west 
Dumont  street  being  one  of  the  well  known 
business  houses  of  the  city.  Mr.  Dunn  has 
been  twice  married;  the  first  time,  in  August 
1850,  to  Miss  Martha  Day,  who  was  born  in 
Marion  county,  this  state,  in  1830,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Mark  and  Elizabeth  Day,  of  Ohio.  To 
this  union  were  born  five  children:  William 
L. , associated  with  his  father;  Mary  A., 
Richard  W. , also  his  father’s  associate;  Har- 
j vey  E.  of  Muncie,  and  George  E. , who  works 
at  the  tailoring  business.  The  mother  of 
these  children,  a most  excellent  Christian 
woman,  and  for  many  years  a member  of  the 
Methodist  church,  died  in  the  year  1869.  In 
1870  Mr.  Dunn  married  his  present  wife, 
Mrs.  Eliza  J.  Wolfe,  of  Rushville,  Ind.  Mr. 
Dunn  is  a republican  in  politics  and  fraternal- 
ly belongs  to  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  Since  his  re- 
moval from  Rushville  to  Muncie  in  the  year 
above  noted,  he  has  succeeded  in  building  up 
a large  and  lucrative  business,  and  as  a skilled 
workman  he  has  been  extensively  employed  in 
the  city  and  throughout  the  country.  He  is 
one  of  the  substantial  citizens  of  Delaware 
county,  and  in  a modest  way  has  contributed 
his  full  share  toward  its  development  and 
pi'osperity. 


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AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


253 


R.  PETER  B.  DICR,  one  of  the 
most  prominent  and  most  experienced 
medical  practitioners  of  Muncie, 
Ind. , is  the  youngest  son  of  Hierony- 
mus and  Mary  Ann  (Brunner)  Dick,  and  was 
born  in  Highland  county,  Ohio,  April  27,  1838. 
At  the  age  of  eight  years  he  was  brought  to 
Indiana  by  his  mother,  who  located  in  Jay 
county  on  a farm  near  North  Salem,  where 
she  resided  until  Peter  B.  was  about  thirteen 
years  old,  when  the  family  moved  to  a farm 
near  Union  City,  Randolph  county,  where  our 
embryo  physician  received  his  preparatory  ed- 
ucation at  the  common  schools,  and  in  1856 
took  a course  at  Liber  college,  paying  his  own 
way  fronr  his  own  earnings.  At  the  age  of 
sixteen,  he  entered  the  store  of  L.  D.  Lambert 
as  clerk,  and  there  passed  five  or  six  years  in 
the  capacity  mentioned,  but  utilized  the  win- 
ters in  teaching  school  in  Randolph  county. 
Finally  he  became  a partner  with  Mr.  Lambert 
lor  two  years  in  a store  on  the  Ohio  side  of 
Union  City,  reading  medicine  in  the  meantime 
with  Dr.  Noah  Simmons  of  that  place.  He 
made  most  rapid  progress,  and  in  i 867  grad- 
uated from  the  Eclectic  Medical  institute  of 
Cincinnati,  Ohio.  His  practice  was  begun  at 
Daleville,  Ind.,  whence  he  went  to  Union 
City,  and  thence  to  western  Ransas,  where  he 
met  with  the  most  flattering  success,  but, 
after  six  years,  ill  health  compelled  him  to  re- 
linquish the  profitable  field  and  return  to  In- 
diana; accordingly,  in  1878,  he  established 
himself  in  Muncie,  where  he  has  ever  since  en- 
joyed a high  position  in  the  esteem  of  the 
general  public  and  in  that  of  his  fellow  pro- 
fessionals. He  is  an  active  member  of  the 
State  Medical  society  and  keeps  well  abreast 
of  the  progress  made  in  medical  science. 

The  doctor  was  first  married,  in  1863,  to 
Miss  Martha  Vale,  who  became  the  mother  of 
two  children,  both  of  whom  died  in  infancy, 
and  i?T  .^867  the  doctor  also  suffered  the  afflic- 


tion of  the  loss  of  the  mother  and  wife.  The 
second  marriage  of  the  doctor  occurred  at 
Daleville,  Ind.,  in  1870,  to  Miss  Sallie  Shepp, 
who,  in  1873,  bore  one  son,  Kenneth  Dick, 
now  an  operator  for  the  Western  Union  Tele- 
graph company,  at  Muncie.  In  politics.  Dr. 
Dick  is  a republican,  and  while  in  Kansas  was 
elected  coroner  of  Kane  county,  by  that  party, 
an  office  which  he  held  at  the  time  of  leaving. 
He  is  an  Odd  Fellow,  and  has  passed  all  the 
chairs  of  his  lodge.  For  twenty-five  years  he 
has  been  a member  of  the  Disciples’  church, 
and  for  many  years  has  been  very  active  in 
the  Sunday  school  work  of  that  denomination. 

The  father  of  Dr.  Dick  was  a native  of  Ran- 
dolph county,  Va. , was  a large  land  owner, 
and  moved  to  Ohio  about  the  year  1833  ; he 
settled  near  Hillsboro  and  died  about  1 840, 
leaving  a widow  and  eight  children — three 
sons  and  five  daughters — who  subsequently 
moved  to  Jay  county,  where  the  widow  kept 
her  family  together  until  her  removal  to  Ran- 
dolph county.  Her  death  took  place  in  1878, 
at  the  age  of  eighty-four,  in  Olmstead  county, 
Minn.,  at  the  home  of  her  son,  John  Dick. 
She  was  a woman  of  very  strong  character  and 
a sincere  Christian,  adhering  faithfully  to  the 
tenets  of  the  Baptist  church.  There  are  five 
of  her  eight  children  still  living;  viz:  Harriet, 
wife  of  William  Stooksberry,  a farmer  of  Ran- 
dolph county,  Ind.,;  Rhoda,  married  to  Ben- 
jamin Curtis,  farmer  of  Delaware  county,  Ind.  ; 
John,  farmer  of  Minnesota  ; Elizabeth,  wife  of 
L.  D.  Lambert,  attorney,  and  Dr.  Peter  B., 
whose  name  opens  this  sketch.  The  three 
deceased  were  Henry,  the  second  son,  who 
was  a soldier  in  the  Eighty-fourth  Indiana  in- 
fantry, and  while  on  detail  duty  was  killed  by 
a sharpshooter  just  before  the  battle  of  Atlanta; 
Mary,  wife  of  Hiram  Grice,  of  Jay  county, 
Ind.,  died  about  1854;  Rebecca,  the  wife  of 
Tate  Wright,  a merchant  of  Illinois,  died  in 
1874. 


254 


MUNCIE  CITY 


AMES  E.  EBER,  a successful  agricul- 
turist of  Centre  township,  Delaware 
county,  of  which  he  is  a native,  is  the 
son  of  Henry  and  Susan  Eber.  Henry 
Eber  was  a native  of  Germany,  came  to  Dela- 
ware county  when  twenty-eight  years  old,  locat- 
ing in  Muncie,  where  he  married  Susan  Clark, 
who  bore  him  the  following  children;  John,  de- 
ceased ; William  H.,  deceased  ; Mary,  wife  of 
A.  Drumn,  of  California,  and  James  E.,  whose 
name  appears  at  the  head  of  this  sketch  ; 
George,  and  Catharine,  deceased.  On  locating 
in  Muncie,  Henry  Eber  engaged  in  the  busi- 
ness of  brewing,  which  he  followed  for  two 
years,  and  then  purchased  a tract  of  land  in 
Centre  township,  and  began  tilling  the  soil. 
Einancially  he  was  quite  successful,  owning  at 
one  time  462  acres  of  valuable  land  in  Dela- 
ware county,  besides  other  property,  which 
entitled  him  to  a prominent  place  in  the  ranks 
of  those  who  were  more  than  ordinarily 
wealthy.  He  accumulated  a handsome  estate, 
and  left  all  of  his  children  in  very  comfortable 
circumstances.  His  religious  belief  was  em- 
bodied in  the  Presbyterian  creed,  and  his  fii'st 
wife,  a most  excellent  Christian  lady,  was  a 
member  of  the  Catholic  church.  She  died 
May  20,  1862,  and  Mr.  Eber  afterwards 

married  Nancy  Alban,  who  departed  this  life 
in  1879;  Mr.  Eber  was  called  to  his  final  re- 
ward on  the  26th  day  of  January,  1876. 

James  E.  Eber  was  reared  in  Delaware 
county  and  assisted  his  father  on  the  farm  un- 
til the  latter’s  death.  His  education  was  re- 
ceived in  the  common  schools,  and  on  the  22nd 
day  of  June,  1872,  he  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Bitha  Scott,  who  was  born  in  Adams 
county,  Ohio,  August  8,  1852,  daughter  of 
David  and  Sarah  (Ham)  Scott.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Scott  were  both  natives  of  Ohio;  the  former  of 
German  parentage,  and  the  mother  descended 
from  Irish  ancestry.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Eber  have 
an  interesting  family  of  six  children,  namely: 


Ida,  Lee,  Katie,  Stella,  Pearl  and  Earl.  One 
child,  Emma,  died  December  13,  1890.  As 
already  stated,  Mr.  Eber  is  a successful  agri- 
culturist, and  no  one  would  question  his  high 
standing  as  a representative  citizen  of  Centre 
township.  His  beautiful  farm  of  190  acres  is 
well  improved,  and  in  addition  to  tilling  the 
soil,  he  pays  considerable  attention  to  live 
stock,  breeding  and  dealing  in  the  same  quite 
extensively  He  is  a democrat  in  his  political 
belief,  fraternally  belongs  to  the  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men,  and  with  his  wife  is  a 
communicant  of  the  Methodist  church.  Mr. 
Eber  takes  a father’s  pardonable  pride  in  his 
family;  his  children  are  certainly  very  promis- 
ing, and  bid  fair  to  grow  to  manhood  and 
womanhood,  an  honor  to  their  parents  and  a 
blessing  to  the  community. 


OHN  C.  EILER,  a prominent  business 
man  and  a justice  of  the  peace,  of 
Muncie,  Ind.,  was  born  in  Troy,  N.  Y. , 
March  4,  1838,  a son  of  Jacob  and 
Bena  (Eetzer)  Eiler.  The  parents  removed 
from  New  York  to  Ohio,  and  from  there,  in 
1849,  to  Wabash  county,  Ind.,  and  were  pio- 
neers of  that  county.  Mr.  Eiler  accompanied 
his  parents  to  Ohio  when  four  years  of  age, 
and  when  eleven  years  old  came  with  them  to 
Wabash  county,  Ind.,  where  he  grew  to 
maturity,  and  received  his  education  in  the 
public  schools.  His  first  position  of  public 
trust  was  that  of  deputy  clerk  of  Wabash 
county,  which  office  he  acceptably  filled  for 
several  years.  In  1858,  he  removed  to 
LaGrange  county,  Ind.,  and  was  made  depu- 
ty clerk  of  that  county  until  1859,  at  which 
time  he  came  to  Muncie.  In  1861  he  was 
appointed  a clerk  in  the  census  department  at 
Washington,  D.  C. , but  in  1862  he  was  trans- 
fered  to  the  pension  department,  where  he 


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257 


continued  until  1865,  when  he  was  forced  to 
resign  his  position  on  account  of  poor  health; 
he  then  returned  to  Muncie  and  engaged  in 
the  horticultural  business.  This  built  up  his 
shattered  health,  and,  at  a special  session  of 
the  house  of  representatives,  in  1872-3,  he 
was  appointed  file  clerk.  In  March,  1875,  he 
was  appointed  post  master  at  Muncie,  under 
Pres.  Grant,  serving  in  this  position  for  eight 
years.  In  June,  1883,  he  was  appointed  jus- 
tice of  the  peace,  and  was  elected  to  the 
office  in  1884,  1888  and  1890.  In  the  last 
year  he  was  made  a member  of  the  city  coun- 
cil, in  which  he  served  one  year  and  then 
resigned.  Politically,  he  has  been  an  ardent 
worker  in  the  republican  party  from  its  organ- 
ization to  the  present  time,  and  was  chairman 
of  the  republican  central  committee  of  Dela- 
ware county  in  1890  and  1891. 

Mr.  Eiler  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1859, 
but  has  never  practiced  his  profession.  He 
now  conducts  an  insurance  and  loan  business 
in  connection  with  his  duties  as  justice  of  the 
peace.  His  social  instincts  have  caused  him 
to  connect  himself  with  the  Muncie  lodge  of 
I.  O.  O.  F. , and  he  is  a charter  member  of  the 
Citizens’  Enterprise  company.  In  the  spring 
of  1891,  Mr.  Eiler  received  the  nomination  of 
his  party  for  the  office  of  mayor  of  Muncie, 
but  owing  to  a defection  in  the  party,  the 
whole  ticket — mayor,  marshal  and  treasurer — 
was  defeated.  Whth  the  exception  of  one  year, 
from  1877  to  1883,  Mr.  Eiler  was  the  editor 
of  the  Muncie  Times,  and  editor  and  proprie- 
tor from  July  1881,  to  January,  1883. 

On  the  first  of  January,  1862,  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Margaret  B.  Cassady,  of 
Delaware  county,  and  is  the  father  of  two 
children,  Annie  and  Erma.  He  and  family 
are  connected  religiously  with  the  Presbyter- 
ian church  of  Muncie,  and  are  among  the 
most  esteemed  residents  of  the  city.  Mr. 
Eiler  has  always  been  regarded  as  a conserva- 


tive and  profound  thinker,  guided  by  principles 
of  strict  justice  and  goodness  of  heart,  and 
void  of  all  evil  intent. 


EORGE  L EELIOTT,  deceased,  for 
many  years  a leading  jeweler  of  Mun- 
cie, was  born  January  28,  1831,  at  the 
town  of  Chardon,  Geauga  county, 
Ohio.  His  parents,  Edmund  G.  and  Nancy 
(Taylor)  Elliott,  were  natives  of  New  England, 
born,  reared  and  married  in  the  state  of  Mass- 
achusetts. Shortly  after  their  marriage  they 
removed  to  Ohio,  and  for  a number  of  years 
Edmund  Elliott  carried  on  the  jewelry  busi- 
ness at  Chardon  and  Springfield,  that  state. 
Subsequently,  he  removed  to  Anderson,  Ind., 
where  his  death  occurred  after  a long,  active 
and  successful  business  career;  his  wife  follow- 
ing him  to  the  grave  a short  time  after.  Ed- 
mund and  Nancy  Elliott  reared  a family  of 
five  children,  all  sons,  namely;  Jerome,  Al- 
fred, George  L. , Ozias  and  Dallas  K.,  of 
whom  Jerome,  Alfred  and  George  E.  are  de- 
ceased. 

'George  L.  Elliott  began  learning  the 
jeweler’s  trade  at  the  age  of  thirteen  with  his 
father,  and  after  acquiring  great  skill  and  pro- 
ficiency in  his  chosen  calling  worked  at  the 
same  with  his  father  until  about  1854,  at 
which  time  he  went  to  Cincinnati,  where  he 
remained  for  a limited  period,  returning  home 
the  following  year.  In  May,  1855,  he  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Elizabeth  Smith,  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Ruth  (Marshall)  Smith  of 
Greene  county,  Ohio,  removing  in  August  of 
the  same  }"ear  to  Muncie  Ind.,  where  he  rent- 
ed a window  and  engaged  in  repairing  watches, 
jewehy,  etc.,  on  a very  moderate  scale. 
Later  he  entered  the  employ  of  Armstead 
Klein,  with  whom  he  remained  a short  time, 


258 


MUNCIE  CITY 


and  then  opened  an  establishment  of  his  own 
on  the  corner  of  Main  and  Walnut  streets, 
whei'e  he  continued  the  trade  for  a period  of 
nearly  forty  years,  during  which  time  he  be- 
came one  of  the  best  known  and  most  popular 
business  men  of  Muncie.  In  all  his  relations 
with  his  fellow-men  Mr.  Elliott  was  the  soul 
of  honor,  and  his  kindness  of  heart  and  uni- 
form courtesy  were  the  subjects  of  remark  by 
all,  and  became  proverbial  throughout  Muncie 
and  Delaware  county.  “Uncle  George,”  as 
he  was  familiarly  called,  always  had  a cheer- 
ful word  and  pleasant  greeting  for  every  one, 
and  he  was  one  of  those  noble  characters 
whose  very  presence  exerted  a genial  influence 
throughout  the  community — one  of  nature’s 
noblemen,  whose  honest  impulses  were  mani- 
fested in  every  act  of  his  life.  In  the  home 
circle  he  was  a model  of  gentleness,  and  his 
daughter,  with  whom  he  was  ever  on  terms 
of  the  closest  intimacy,  cannot  recall  the 
memory  of  an  unkind  word  or  act.  In  his  re- 
ligious belief  Mr.  Elliott  was  a Universalist, 
but  he  encouraged  all  churches,  irrespective  of 
doctrine  or  creed,  and  was  ever  in  hearty  sym- 
pathy with  all  movements  of  a benevolent  or 
philanthropic  nature.  Politically  he  was  an 
active  supporter  of  the  democratic  party,  and 
fraternally  was  indentified  with  Delaware 
lodge.  No.  46,  A.  E.  & A.  M.,  and  DeEmber 
tribe.  No.  30,  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men. 
He  was  noced  as  a friend  of  the  poor  and 
needy,  was  kindly  disposed  to  all,  and  died,  as 
he  had  lived,  possessing  the  profound  respect 
and  esteem  of  his  fellow-citizens.  His  death 
occurred  on  the  ist  day  of  April,  1892,  and 
his  remains  were  followed  to  their  final  place 
of  repose  by  one  of  the  largest  funeral  corteges 
ever  seen  on  the  streets  of  Muncie.  Mr. 
Elliott  was  the  father  of  one  child,  a daughter, 
Ida  M.,  wife  of  John  H.  Ritter,  an  able  opti- 
cian, who  resides  in  the  city  at  the  present 
time. 


BRANR  ELLIS  was  born  in  Delaware 
township,  Delaware  county,  Ind., 
February  12,  1842,  a son  of  John  H. 
and  Phebe  (Kirkpatrick)  Ellis,  both 
natives  of  Ohio,  who  came  to  Delaware  county 
at  an  early  day,  and  were  married  in  the 
county.  By  trade,  the  father  was  a carpen- 
ter, but  finally  engaged  in  the  collection  busi- 
ness and  the  practice  of  law,  in  Muncie.  At 
the  breaking  out  of  the  war  he  raised  company 
B,  of  the  Eighty-fourth  Indiana,  and  served 
as  captain  of  the  same  until  he  was  killed  at 
the  battle  of  Chickamauga,  on  September  20, 
1863.  His  wife  survives  him,  and  now  resides 
in  Muncie. 

Frank  Ellis  is  the  eldest  of  ten  children, 
and  received  but  a limited  education  in  the 
township  and  village  schools  of  that  period. 
He  engaged  in  brick  making  for  a short  period, 
and  then  entered  the  office  of  the  Delaware 
County  Free  Press,  as  office  boy,  where  he  re- 
mained, except  one  term  of  three  months,  dur- 
ing which  he  taught  a country  school,  until 
1862,  when  he  enlisted  in  his  father’s  company 
and  served  until  the  close  of  the  war,  being 
mustered  out  in  June,  1865.  After  the  death 
of  his  father  he  was  made  captain  of  company 
B,  and  he  held  that  position  all  through  the 
remainder  of  the  war.  He  participated  in  the 
battles  of  Sherman’s  Atlanta  campaign,  and 
was  with  Thomas’  army  at  Franklin  and  Nash- 
ville. In  1864  Mr.  Ellis  was  nominated  for 
the  office  of  treasurer  of  Delaware  county,  and 
in  the  fall  of  that  year  was  elected  to  the  posi- 
tion, taking  possession  of  the  same  in  August, 
1865.  In  1866,  he  was  unanimously  renomi- 
nated and  triumphantly  re-elected,  serving  in 
all  four  years,  after  which  he  engaged  in  mer- 
cantile business  for  some  years,  in  the  mean- 
time reading  law,  for  which  profession  he  had 
a great  predilection.  He  was  admitted  to  the 
Delaware  county  bar  in  1882,  and  immediately 
formed  a co-partnershir  "'Th  Judge  Lotz, 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


259 


which  continued  until  the  latter  was  called  to 
the  bench,  when  Mr.  Ellis  formed  a co-part- 
nership with  John  T.  Walterhouse. 

Mr.  Ellis  is  a prominent  and  active  mem- 
ber of  the  republican  party,  and  has  been  a 
member  of  the  state  central  committee.  He 
served  as  mayor  of  the  city  from  1883  to  1885, 
and  had  been  a member  of  the  city  council 
from  1883  to  1891.  On  February  9,  1891,  he 
was  appointed  postmaster  of  Muncie  by  Pres. 
Harrison,  since  which  time  he  has  efficiently 
served  the  people  in  that  capacity.  He  is  a 
member  of  Williams’  Post,  No.  78,  G.  A.  R. , 
and  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Sons  of 
Veterans.  In  early  life  he  joined  the  Dela- 
ware lodge,  A.  F.  & A.  M. , and  was  one  of 
the  organizers*  of  the  Muncie  lodge,  No.  433, 
A.  F.  & A.  M.,  and  is  a member  of  Muncie 
commandery.  No.  18.  Also,  he  is  a member 
of  Muncie  lodge.  No.  74,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  the 
encampment  and  canton,  and  the  grand  lodge 
and  grand  encampment  of  that  order.  He  is 
a charter  member  of  the  Red  Men,  and  of  the 
Elks;  and  is  also  a member  of  the  Ancile 
club  of  Muncie. 

Mr.  Ellis  was  married,  in  1870,  to  Miss 
Mary  E,.  Martindale,  daughter  of  Benjamin  F. 
Martindale,  of  Muncie,  a well  known  minister 
of  the  Christian  church.  Three  children  have 
been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ellis:  Elizabeth, 
Mary,  deceased,  and  Ethel  Joy. 


AMUEL  M.  ELLIS,  of  Muncie,  Ind., 
was  born  in  Albany,  in  the  same 
state,  November  25,  1850,  and  is  a 
son  of  John  E.  and  Phoebe  (Kirkpat- 
rick) Ellis.  When  about  three  years  of  age 
he  was  brought  by'  his  parents  to  Muncie,  and 
was  here  educated  in  fhe  public  schools  until 
thirteen  years  old,  when  he  quit,  to  enter  the 
army,  being  then  the  youngest  soldier  from 


Delaware  county,  and  the  only  one  of  the 
nine  children  in  his  father’s  family  that  did 
not  graduate  from  the  high  school.  In  1864 
he  entered  company  B,  One  hundred  and  Forty- 
seventh  I.  V.  I. , and  served  with  the  army  of 
the  Cumberland  until  the  close  of  the  war,  tak- 
ing part  at  Winchester,  Va  , and  a number  of 
minor  engagements.  When  hostilities  ceased 
he  went  on  the  Fort  Wayne,  Muncie  & Cincin- 
nati railroad  as  brakeman;  as  baggage  master 
from  Fort  Wayne  to  Connersville,  as  yard- 
master  at  Muncie  for  the  same  company;  was 
also  in  the  employ  of  the  “Bee”  line  for  some 
years;  broke,  fired,  switched,  and  was  yard  mas- 
ter and  conductor  on  the  Lake  Erie  & Western 
main  line,  between  Sandusk} , Ohio,  and 
Bloomington,  Ills.,  for  a long  time — in  all, 
railroaded  over  twenty  years;  and,  having 
learned  the  trade  of  brick  making  prior  to  this 
time,  worked  at  that  trade  at  intervals  about 
fifteen  years,  principally  at  Muncie.  After 
relinquishing  railroad  work,  Mr.  Ellis,  in  1890, 
began  contracting  for  brick  work  in  Muncie 
and  followed  that  vocation  until  1893,  when 
he  leased  the  McKinley  brick  stable,  at  i 10 
Howard  street,  where  he  transacts  a liver}^ 
feed  and  boarding  business,  and  keeps  a full 
line  of  double  and  single  rigs. 

Mr.  Ellis  is  vice  president  of  the  Muncie 
Bricklayers’  union,  and  still  keeps  a watchful 
eye  over  the  interests  of  his  former  trade  and 
craftsmen.  He  was  married,  in  1871,  to  Miss 
Catherine  J.  Hawk,  of  Muncie,  and  is  the 
father  of  one  son,  Harry  J.  Ellis. 


BRANK  a.  ELROD,  city  clerk  of 
Muncie,  Ind.,  a prominent  politician 
and  very  pleasant  and  agreeable  gen- 
tlemen, was  born  in  Wabash  county, 
Ind.,  June  7,  1853,  a son  of  James  J.  and 
Juliet  M.  (Hess)  Elrod,  natives  of  Lawrem 


260 


MUNCIE  CITY 


and  Blackford  counties,  Ind.,  respectively. 
Mr.  Elrod,  Sr.,  was  a farmer  by  occupation 
and  also  a mini.ster  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal church,  being  connected  with  the  North 
Indiana  conference.  He  was  a prominent 
Mason,  and  at  his  death,  in  1858,  was  buried 
with  the  appropriate  ceremonies  of  the  order. 

Erank  A.  Elrod  was  reared  in  Cadiz,  Hen- 
ry county,  Ind.,  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools  of  that  county,  and  afterward  engaged 
in  mercantile  business.  In  1881  he  made  a 
trip  to  Texas,  and  remained  for  six  years, 
employed  in  the  freight  department  of  the 
Southern  Pacific  railroad,  but,  in  1887,  he 
returned  to  Indiana,  locating  in  Muncie, 
where  he  was  employed  as  assistant  shipping 
clerk  for  H.  Roads  & Co.  In  the  spring  of 
1892  he  was  elected  city  clerk  and  entered 
upon  the  duties  of  that  office  in  September  of 
the  same  year.  Politically  he  is  a republican, 
and  takes  an  active  interest  in  the  manage- 
ment of  the  affairs  of  his  party.  He  is  a mem- 
ber of  Delaware  lodge.  No.  46,  A.  E.  & A.  M., 
Welcome  lodge.  No.  37,  K.  ofP. , and  Twa- 
Twa  tribe.  No.  145,  I.  O.  R.  M. 

Mr.  Elrod  was  married  Eebruary  21,  1876, 
to  Miss  Emma  Personett,  daughter  of  James 
Personett,  of  Henry  county,  Ind.,  and  has  a 
family  of  four  children,  James,  Eizzie,  Clara 
and  Lloyd.  He  and  wife  are  members  of  the 
High  street  Methodist  church,  and  are  among 
the  most  highly  esteemed  residents  of  the  city 
of  Muncie. 


AJ.  WARREN  CHASE  EMERSON 
(deceased)  was  born  in  New  Hamp- 
shire, November  7,  1816,  of  Eng- 
lish ancestry,  and  graduated  from 
Harvard  university  in  1835.  For  ^ year  or  so 
he  followed  teaching,  and  in  1836  removed  to 
Preble  county,  Ohio,  where  he  was  engaged 
in  clerical  work  for  a time,  but  later  resumed 


teaching,  and  afterward  became  the  first  post- 
master at  West  Elorence.  His  marriage  took 
place  January  30,  1840,  to  Eleanor  McWhin- 
ney,  a native  of  Preble  county,  Ohio,  born 
June  6,  1821,  and  daughter  of  Matthew  and 
Temperance  McWhinney,  of  Scotch-Irish  an- 
cestry. To  this  union,  which  was  consum- 
mated in  Preble  county,  Ohio,  were  born 
twelve  children,  of  whom  five  boys  and  five 
girls  still  survive,  viz:  Joseph,  a broker; 

Matthew,  in  the  lun^iber  trade;  Thomas  M., 
traffic  manager  of  the  Atlantic  Coast  Line  rail- 
road; Charles,  publisher  of  the  Muncie  City 
and  Delawai'e  County  (Ind. ) directory,  and  an 
extensive  dealer  in  real  estate;  Horace  M., 
general  passenger  agent  of  the  Atlantic  Coast 
Line  railroad;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  J.  D.  Fudge; 
Temperance,  wife  of  A.  C.  Morse;  Emmaretta, 
wife  of  Albert  H.  Williams;  Mary  A.  and 
Eleanor.  The  father  remained  in  Preble 
county  until  February  23,  1864,  when  he  re- 
ceived a commission  as  army  paymaster  of  the 
late  rebellion,  and  located  his  family  at  Yellow 
Springs,  Ohio,  to  receive  the  benefit  of  the 
excellent  schools  at  that  point.  He  served  as 
paymaster  until  November  i,  1866.  He  then 
located  at  Campbellstown,  Ohio,  where  he 
was  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  one 
year,  and  then  moved  to  Marion,  Ind.,  and 
was  in  the  employ  of  the  railroad  company 
three  years.  In  March,  1872,  he  came  to 
Muncie  and  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
staves,  heading  and  plow 'beams  until  1885, 
when  he  retired  from  active  business  on  ac- 
count of  ill  health.  In  politics  he  was  a re- 
publican, and  fraternally  was  a member  of  the 
A.  F.  & A.  M.  ; in  religion  he  was  a Congre- 
gationalist,  and  died  in  that  faith,  November 
3,  1890.  He  left  his  family  in  comfortable 
circumstances,  and  his  sons  all  in  prominent 
business  positions,  and  his  remains  were  fol- 
lowed by  a large  concourse  of  mourning  rela- 
tives, friends  and  acquaintances  to  their  last 


1 


JAS.  N.  EVERS. 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


261 


resting  place  from  his  late  residence  on  east  | 
Jackson  street,  Muncie,  Ind.  His  widow,  who 
is  a devout  adherent  of  the  Presbyterian  church, 
is  still  an  honored  member  of  Muncie’s  best 
society,  respected  and  honored  by  all  who 
know  her. 

Charles  Emerson,  real  estate  dealer  and 
publisher  of  Muncie  City  and  Delaware  Coun- 
ty Directory,  and  son  of  Major  Warren  C. 
Emerson,  whose  sketch  is  given  in  detail  above, 
was  born  in  Butler  county,  Ohio,  March  9,  1853. 
He  attended  school  at  Yellow  Springs,  Ohio, 
until  fourteen  years  of  age,  when  he  was  com- 
pelled to  quit  on  account  of  ill  health;  he  then 
engaged,  as  his  first  business  venture,  as  assist- 
ant to  his  father  in  the  railway  office  at  Mari- 
on, Ind.,  until  1872,  when,  with  his  parents, 
he  moved  to  Muncie  and  became  the  super- 
vising agent  of  the  Singer  Manufacturing  com- 
pany, which  position  he  held  until  the  spring 
of  1873,  when,  by  the  advice  of  his  physician, 
he  went  south,  locating  at  Nashville,  Tenn., 
where  he  was  engaged  by  the  Howe  Sewing 
Machine  company  to  travel  and  establish 
agencies  throughout  eastern  Tennessee  until 
the  fall  of  1873,  when  he  went  to  Savannah, 
Ga. , and  engaged  with  the  New  York  Publish- 
ing company  in  publishing  city,  county  and  j 
state  directories,  remaining  with  the  comipany  j 
for  one  year.  He  then  engaged  in  the  direc-  j 
tory  publishing  business  for  himself,  and  has  | 
published  directories  throughout  eleven  differ-  j 
ent  states,  gaining  a national  reputation  as  a | 
competent  and  painstaking  publisher.  In  j 
1886  he  accepted  a position  with  the  Singer  | 
Manufacturing  company  as  manager  at  Rich-  j 
mond,  Va. , which  position  he  held  until  1889, 
when  he  again  engaged  in  the  directory  busi- 
ness and  continued  until  Eebruary  i,  1892.  | 
He  then  came  to  Muneie,  Ind.,  and  under  the  j 
firm  name  of  Lyons  & Emerson  opened  an  ! 
office  in  the  real  estate  and  loan  business  ! 
which  firm  is  now  considered  one  of  the  lead- 


ing real  estate  firms  of  the  city.  Mr.  Emer- 
son was  married  November  14,  1881,  to  Miss 
Maggie  M.  Houston,  of  Greensboro,  N.  C. , 
and  this  union  has  been  blessed  by  the  birth 
of  one  child,  William  C. 


'^I'j'AMES  N.  EVERS.— Among  the  valua- 
m ble  industries  of  the  growing  city  of 

m y Muncie,  that  of  the  Cottage  Steam 

laundry  is  deserving  of  worthy  mention. 
James  N.  Evers,  its  proprietor,  is  a native  of 
Indiana,  born  in  the  county  of  Wells  on  the 
17th  day  of  September,  1853,  a son  of  Parry 
and  Jane  (Golliver)  Evers.  The  parents  were 
both  natives  of  Ohio,  but  removed  to  Indiana 
shortly  after  their  marriage,  settling  in  Put- 
nam county,  where  Mr.  Evers  engaged  in  the 
pursuit  of  agriculture.  Later  the  family  re- 
moved to  Wells  county,  where  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Evers  live  a retired  life  in  the  pleasant  town  of 
Bluffton.  Parry  Evers  has  been  a prominent 
citizen  of  Wells  county  for  a number  of  years, 
is  public  spirited,  and  a man  of  great  liberality. 
He  is  a republican  in  his  political  preferences, 
and  the  father  of  nine  children,  whose  names 
are  as  follows:  Minerva  R. , James  N.,  Darius 

A.,  David  W. , Anna  E.,  Colonel  E.,  Parry  J., 
Cora  and  Hugh  W.  Evers. 

James  N.  Evers  was  reared  on  the  home 
farm,  attending  the  country  schools  at  intervals 
until  sixteen  years  of  age,  when  he  began  life 
for  himself,  choosing  the  useful  vocation  of 
agriculture  for  an  occupation.  He  continued 
tilling  the  soil  until  his  twenty-sixth  year,  at 
which  time  he  came  to  the  city  of  Muncie  and 
embarked  in  the  mercantile  business,  making 
a specialty  of  the  grocery  line,  which  he  car- 
ried on  with  success  and  financial  profit  for  a 
period  of  six  years.  He  severed  his  connection 
I with  merchandising  in  1890,  and  established 
I the  Cottage  Steam  laundry,  which  he  has  sue- 


2G2 


MUNCIE  CITY 


cessfullyconducted  ever  since  and  which  under 
his  judicious  management  has  become  the 
largest  and  most  prohtable  enterprise  of  the 
kind  in  tlie  city.  He  htted  up  his  laundry 
with  all  the  modern  conveniences  and  improve- 
ments at  a liberal  expenditure  of  money,  and 
such  has  been  the  constant  increase  in  his  busi- 
ness that  additional  appliances  have  been 
added,  from  time  to  time,  until  now  fifteen 
helpers  are  employed  in  order  to  meet  the  de- 
mands of  his  growing  custom.  Mr.  Evers  has 
fully  met  his  expectations  in  his  business  ven- 
ture, and,  as  a result  of  good  management  and 
earnest  desire  to  please  his  patrons,  he  has 
accpiired  a reputation  much  more  than  local, 
and  is  justly  esteemed  among  the  worthy  and 
reliable  business  men  of  Muncie.  Socially  he 
is  popular  with  a large  circle  of  friends  in  both 
city  and  country,  and  his  public  spirit  has  won 
for  him  a prominent  place  in  the  estimation 
of  his  fellow  citizens.  In  his  political  senti- 
ments Mr.  Evers  is  an  earnest  supporter  of 
the  repul)lican  party,  and  takes  an  active  in- 
terest. in  its  advancement,  but  prefers  to  be 
considered  a worker  in  the  ranks  rather  than 
a seeker  after  the  emoluments  of  office.  Re- 
cently he  met  with  a heavy  loss  by  reason  of 
an  accident  in  his  laundry,  but,  with  com- 
mendable energy,  he  has  repaired  the  same, 
and  greatly  enlarged  his  business  by  the  addi- 
tion of  the  latest  and  most  improved  appli- 
ances used  in  his  line  of  work.  On  the  17th 
day  of  March,  1879,  in  Columbia  City,  Ind. , 
Mr.  Evers  and  Miss  Lizzie  A.  Goodwin  of 
Ohio,  daughter  of  Smith  and  Sarah  f Conway) 
Goodwin,  were  made  man  and  wife.  Mrs. 
Evers  died  December  30,  1887,  and  on  the 
1 5th  day  of  January,  1889,  Mr.  Evers  was 
united  in  marriage  to  his  present  wife,  whose 
maiden  name  was  Kate  Stuckey,  a native  of 
Muncie,  and  daughter  of  Christian  and  Sarah 
(Grower)  Stuckey.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Evers  are 
members  of  the  Baptist  church,  in  which  they 


are  highly  esteemed.  Fraternally,  Mr.  Evers 
is  jmominently  connected  with  the  orders  of 
P.  O.  S.  of  A.,  Red  Men,  and  Foresters. 


EORGE  W.  FAY.— Among  the  citi- 
zens of  Delaware  county  whose  life 
work  is  ended,  few,  if  any,  are  held 
in  more  grateful  and  affectionate  re- 
membrance than  the  late  George  W.  Fay,  of 
Muncie.  Mr.  Fay  was  a native  of  New  York, 
born  in  the  month  of  July,  1832,  and  his  an- 
cestors for  several  generations  had  resided  in 
the  Empire  state  In  the  year  i8'58  he  be- 
came a resident  of  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  and 
shortly  after  he  arrived  in  Muncie  accepted  a 
clerkship  in  the  dry  goods  house  of  ' Moses 
Neeley,  in  which  capacity  he  continued  for 
several  years.  Subsequently,  he  effected  a 
co-partnership  in  the  butchering  business  with 
Cyrus  G.  Neely. — Mr.  Fay  becoming  widely 
and  favorably  known,  not  only  as  a most  suc- 
cessful business  man,  but  as  an  eminently 
sociable  citizen  as  well.  Later  Mr.  Fay  be- 
came a street  contractor,  at  which  he  con- 
tinued for  several  years,  and  to  him  is  due  the 
credit  of  providing  Muncie  with  a system  of 
streets  which,  in  point  of  improvement  and 
general  utility,  will  compare  favorably  with 
those  of  any  other  city  in  central  or  eastern 
Indiana.  On  abandoning  street  work  he  em- 
barked in  manufacturing,  and  was  thus  em- 
ployed for  some  years,  meeting  with  success 
and  financial  profit  in  the  meantime.  Mr. 
Fay  was  a prominent  member  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity,  in  which  he  took  a number  of  de- 
grees, including  that  of  Sir  Knight,  and  he 
was  always  a man  of  large  sympathy  and 
Christian  charity.  In  all  the  attributes  of 
noble  manhood  Mr.  Fay  stood  prominent 
among  his  fellows,  and  his  one  fault,  if  fault 
it  may  be  termed,  was  an  open  handed  gener- 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


263 


osity  frequently  exercised  to  his  own  financial  j 
detriment,  but  to  the  great  financial  benefit  of  j 
the  numerous  beneficiaries  of  his  munificent  i 
liberality. 

During  a long  an  active  business  career, 
which  of  necessity  brought  him  in  contact 
with  all  classes,  including  the  many  unfortu- 
nate individuals  who  became  his  debtors,  he 
was  never  known  to  sue  on  an  account  or  resort 
to  the  courts  to  collect  an  obligation,  in  con- 
sequence of  which  his  popularity  became  great, 
and  his  friends  were  numerous  in  Muncie  and 
throughout  Delaware  county.  But  for  his 
generous  and  charitable  disposition  he  could 
have  acquired  a large  fortune,  but  he  preferred 
to  invest  his  means  in  those  securities  which 
always  return  a princely  income  to  the  pos- 
sessor, namely:  Liberal  aid  to  the  deserving 
poor,  and  a financial  as  well  as  a heart-felt 
sympathy  for  all  unfortunates  who  appealed  to 
him  for  assistance.  In  all  public  and  private 
charities  of  Muncie,  Mr.  Fay’s  name  and  indi- 
vidual efforts  were  always  foremost;  he  served 
one  term  as  township  trustee,  in  the  discharge 
of  the  duties  of  which  office,  as  well  as  those 
pertaining  to  every  trust  reposed  in  him,  he 
brought  to  bear  the  strict  integrity  which  char- 
acterized his  life  in  all  its  various  relations. 
As  a citizen,  his  private  character  was  above 
reproach,  while  his  whole  life,  in  whatever 
capacity  he  acted,  was  devoted  to  the  public 
weal — in  short,  he  was  one  of  those  sturdy, 
upright  and  popular  men,  who,  in  the  course 
of  a long  and  useful  career,  leave  their  mark 
upon  the  times  and  the  communities  in  which 
they  dwell.  The  death  of  Mr.  Fay  occurred 
on  the  1 2th  day  of  June,  1889.  His  wife, 
Martha  A.  Braddock,  daughter  of  Joseph  and 
Margaret  J.  (Galbraith)  Braddock,  to  whom 
he  was  married  in  1876,  survives  him,  as  does 
also  one  daughter,  Catherine  Fay,  an  accom- 
plished young  lady,  of  Muncie,  just  budding 
into  womanhood. 


ILLIAM  H.  FORTNER,  one  of  the 
most  highly  respected  residents  of 
the  city  of  Muncie,  is  a native  of 
Franklin  county,  Ind.,  born  De- 
cember II,  1838,  the  eldest  of  six  children — 
five  sons  and  one  daughter — born  to  Solomon 

H.  and  Elizabeth  E.  (James)  Fortner,  natives, 
respectively,  of  Franklin  county,  Ind.,  and  the 
state  of  Virginia.  William  H.  was  reared  on 
the  farm  of  his  paternal  grandfather,  Levi,  a 
pioneer  of  Franklin  county,  Ind.,  until  fifteen 
years  of  age,  having,  at  the  age  of  nine,  lost 
his  father.  At  the  age  of  eleven  he  began 
supporting  himself,  working  on  the  farm  in 
summer  and  attending  school  in  winter.  In 
1853  he  went  to  Greensburg,  Ind.,  and  during 
one  winter  worked  in  a general  store  and  a 
hotel  for  his  board;  in  the  spring  of  1854  he 
became  clerk  of  the  hotel  and  held  the  posi- 
tion nine  consecutive  years,  interlarding  the 
time  as  newsboy,  in  which  last  capacity  he 
carried  the  first  copy  of  the  Cincinnati  En- 
quire and  Commercial  delivered  in  Greens- 
burg. In  1861  the  enlisted  in  company  F, 
Seventh  I.  V.  I.,  in  the  three  months’  service, 
and  did  duty  in  West  Virginia,  at  Philippi, 
Lanrel  Hill  and  Garrick’s  Ford. 

He  sold  out  his  paper  route  in  1863,  and 
went  to  work  upon  a farm,  near  Greensburg, 
for  eighteen  months,  in  order  to  regain  his 
health,  and  then  returned  to  town  and  worked 
for  J.  & J.  Pool,  marble  dealers,  for  fourteen 
years,  and  was  then,  for  six  years,  in  the  grain 
business  with  John  Emmert.  In  March,  1885, 
he  came  to  Muncie  and  here  engaged  in  the 
wholesale  furniture  business  with  L.  H.  Har- 
per, but,  in  the  December  following,  sold  out 
and  engaged  as  yard  foreman  and  bookkeeper 
for  Joshua  Truitt,  for  two  years,  and  then  went 
into  the  hotel  business,  which  he  followed  four 
and  one  half  years.  In  politics  Mr.  Eortner 
is  a democrat;  fraternally  he  affiliates  with  the 

I.  O.  O.  P'.  encampment.  No.  42,  and  Dela- 


264 


MLJNCIE  CITY 


ware  lodge,  No.  143,  and  has  filled  all  the 
chairs  in  each  branch,  and  was  a trustee  for 
six  years:  he  is  also  a member  of  the  I.  O.  R. 
M.,  the  K.  of  H.,  of  which  he  was  trustee, 
and  the  K.  & L.  of  H.,  of  which  last  he  has 
served  as  secretary. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Fortner  took  place 
February  18,  1863,  to  Miss  Angelia  Dillier, 
daughter  of  Joseph  Dillier,  a native  of  France. 
Mrs.  Fortner  is  one  of  the  most  fashionable 
dressmakers  of  the  city,  and  for  years  resided 
at  Greensburg. 


ONE  A.  FRANKLIN,  was  born  in 
Delaware  county,  Ind.,  July  9,  1863, 
the  son  of  Pierson  W.  and  Emily 
(Dragoo)  Franklin.  He  was  reared 
in  the  city  of  Muncie,  in  the  schools  of  which 
he  received  a. practical  English  education,  and 
at  the  earlyi^age  of  seventeen,  began  business 
upon  his  own  responsibility  as  a buyer  and 
shipper  of  live  stock,  principally  cattle  and 
hogs,  which  he  shipped  to  the  eastern  markets. 
He  continued  in  this  line  until  1886,  at  which 
time  he  engaged  in  the  livery  business,  and  is 
now  the  proprietor  of  one  of  the  largest  and 
most  extensively  patronized  livery  barns  in 
Delaware  county. 

P.  W.  Eranklin,  the  father  of  Lone  A., one 
of  the  oldest  residents  of  Delaware  county,  and 
one  of  its  most  highly  esteemed  citizens,  was 
born  in  Clarke  county,  Ohio,  September  19, 
1826.  His  father,  James  Franklin,  and  his 
mother,  whose  maiden  name  was  Catherine 
Stover,  were  both  natives  of  Botetourt  county, 
Va. , and  descendants  of  early  German  settlers 
of  the  Old  Dominion  state.  James  Franklin 
removed  with  his  family  to  Clarke  county,  Ohio, 
early  in  the  twenties,  and,  in  1831,  emigrated 
to  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  settling  about  one 
and  a quarter  miles  southeast  of  the  public 


square  of  Muncie,  where  he  purchased  eighty 
acres  of  heavily  timbered  land.  Upon  this  piece 
of  land  not  a stick  of  timber  had  been  cut,  and 
a more  uninviting  prospect  would  be  difficult  to 
imagine.  For  a period  of  nine  weeks  the 
family  lived  in  a rudely  improvised  camp,  on 
which  the  rain  poured  down  in  torrents  nearly 
every  day.  A small  log  cabin  was  in  due 
time  constructed,  and  in  this  primitive  dwell- 
ing, without  floor  or  windows,  life  in  the  back 
woods  began  in  earnest.  Mr.  Franklin  subse- 
quently entered  two  eighty  acre  tracts  adjoin- 
ing his  original  purchase,  and  a part  of  the 
homestead  farm  is  now  within  the  corporate 
limits  of  Muncie.  On  this  place  James  and 
Catherine  Franklin  spent  the  rest  of  their 
days,  rearing  a family  of  eight  children,  five  sons 
and  three  daughters,  to  manhood  and  woman- 
hood. Mr.  Franklin  and  his  good  wife  were 
true  types  of  the  hardy  pioneers,  and  their 
struggles  for  years  with  the  hardships  and 
trials  incident  to  that  period,  cannot  be  ap- 
preciated by  the  younger  people  of  the  present 
generation.  They  lived  to  a good  old  age,  the 
father  reaching  the  Scriptural  allotment  of 
three  score  and  ten  years;  the  mother  was 
called  to  her  reward  at  the  age  of  sixty. 

P.  W.  Franklin  was  but  five  years  of  age 
when  his  father  settled  in  the  woods  near 
Muncietown.  The  court  house  square  was  at 
that  period  covered  with  hazel  brush  and  logs, 
and  wild  game  of  any  kind  was  killed.  Mr, 
Franklin  was  enabled  to  attend  the  different 
schools  of  the  country  only  four  or  five  weeks 
each  year.  He  early  assisted  in  removing  the 
forest  growth  and  developing  the  farm,  be- 
came strong  and  rugged,  and  remained  under 
the  parental  roof  until  his  majority.  He  then 
began  life  for  himself,  working  in  the  woods, 
and  the  first  winter  after  leaving  home  he 
split  rails  for  thirty-three  cents  a hundred, 
and  later  cleared  forty  acres  of  land,  for  which 
he  received  the  equivalent  of  three  dollars  per 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


265 


acre  in  trade.  In  the  spring  of  1848  he  found 
himself  the  possessor  of  $15.00  in  money  and 
a small  horse,  and  with  these  he  started  west- 
ward for  the  purpose  of  herding  cattle  in  Illi- 
nois. Until  he  could  secure  such  employ- 
ment as  he  desired  he  worked  as  a farm  laborer 
at  $8.00  per  month,  but  eventually  he  se- 
cured a place  as  a herder  and  continued  the 
same  for  four  or  five  years.  Returning  to 
Indiana  he  worked  at  different  occupations  for 
some  time,  and,  on  the  i8th  day  of  December, 
1855,  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Emily 
Dragoo,  who  was  born  in  Virginia,  April  4, 
1834,  the  daughter  of  William  and  Elizabeth 
(Prunty)  Dragoo,  early  settlers  of  Delaware 
county. 

Shortly  after  his  marriage,  Mr.  Eranklin 
located  a piece  of  land  southeast  of  Muncie, 
upon  which  about  forty  acres  had  been  cleared, 
and  here  he  and  his  family  resided  for  twelve 
years.  He  developed  a fine  farm,  and  became 
one  of  the  leading  agriculturists  of  Centre 
township.  He  came  to  Muncie" for  the  pur- 
pose of  schooling  his  children.  He  owns  a 
substantial  home  on  East  Jackson  street, 
which,  with  his  farm  of  170  acres  of  highly  cul- 
tivated land,  is  the  result  of  his  own  unaided 
efforts.  Mr.  Eranklin  still  manages  his  farm, 
driving  to  and  from  the  same  each  day,  and 
he  yet  possesses  much  of  the  physical  vigor  for 
which  he  was  noted  in  the  days  of  his  youth 
and  early  manhood.  He  is  a democrat  in  pol- 
itics, and  in  religion  a Methodist.  His  wife, 
also  a worthy  member  of  the  Methodist  church, 
is  a woman  of  many  excellent  traits  of  char- 
acter, and  has  been  a helpmeet  to  her  hus- 
band during  the  long  years  and  many  struggles 
of  their  wedded  life.  Their  children  are  Carl 
P. , a groceryman;  Lone  A.,  liveryman  and 
stock  dealer;  Cary,  dealer  in  horses,  and 
Laura  E. , wife  of  William  W.  Shirk,  hard- 
ware dealer  of  Muncie. 

Lone  A.  Eranklin  is  a splendid  example  of 


what  energy  and  foresight,  coupled  with  a 
determination  to  succeed,  can  accomplish  in 
the  face  of  adverse  circumstances.  He  started 
out  in  life  for  himself  empty-handed,  and  by 
his  industry,  enterprise  and  perseverance,  has 
overcome  the  many  difficulties  by  which  his 
path  was  beset,  and  has  steadily  worked  his 
way  upward  to  a position  which  entitles  him 
to  mention  with  the  representative  business 
men  in  Muncie.  Mr.  Eranklin  has  given  a 
great  deal  of  attention  to  the  horse,  and  is 
considered  an  authority  upon  all  matters  per- 
taining to  the  breeding  and  training  of  the 
same.  In  his  barn  may  be  seen  some  very 
fine  roadsters,  among  which  Charley  Ross  and 
Lady  Reece  are  well  known  beyond  the  con- 
fines of  Muncie.  Recently  Mr.  Eranklin  has 
completed  a large  and  commodious  three  story 
brick  barn  on  Mulberry  street,  which,  in  its 
various  appointments  and  equipments,  is  far 
ahead  of  any  other  barn  in  Muncie,  and  second 
to  but  few  structures  of  the  kind  in  the  state. 
The  ground  floor  of  this  building  embraces  an 
area  of  62^x125  ft.,  has  two  fine  large  halls  on 
the  second  floor  for  the  storage  of  his  vehicles, 
and  the  large  room  on  the  third  floor  is  used 
for  an  armory  and  a place  of  public  entertain- 
ment. His  line  of  surreys,  buggies  and  car- 
riages is  very  full  and  complete,  representing 
the  workmanship  of  the  best  factories,  and  his 
horses,  of  which  he  keeps  from  eighteen  to 
twenty  head,  are  in  the  best  condition,  and 
show  the  skillful  care  of  their  owner. 

Mr.  Eranklin  supports  the  democratic 
party  by  his  ballot,  and,  as  every  true  Ameri- 
can citizen  should  do,  takes  an  interest  in  po- 
litical affairs,  although  he  has  never  been  a 
seeker  after  the  honors  or  emoluments  of  office. 
He  is  a prominent  member  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity,  belonging  to  lodge  No.  433,  of 
Muncie,  and  has  also  taken  the  degree  of  Sir 
Knight. 


266 


MUNCIE  CITY 


ARTIN  GALLIHER,  a deceased 
pioneer  of  Delaware  county,  Ind., 
was  born  near  Brownsville,  Pa. , 
April  2,  1809,  and  was  reared  in 
Monongalia  county,  Va.  (now  West  Va.) 
His  early  work  was  at  cutting  wood  in  the 
mountains  of  Virginia  at  twenty-five  cents  per 
cord,  and  at  farm  work  at  $7.00  per  month. 
In  fact,  he  started,  in  life  a poor  boy,  having, 
at  the  age  of  three  years,  lost  his  father  by 
drowning,  and  beginning  to  earn  a living  at 
the  age  of  eleven.  He  eventually  made  a 
fortune,  however,  and  by  his  own  unaided  ex- 
ertions. On  first  coming  west  he  engaged  in 
street  and  turnpike  contracting  ;n  Covington, 
Ry.,  and  later,  in  1840,  coming  to  Muncie 
with  his  savings,  amounting  at  that  time,  to 
about  $500.  In  the  meantime,  however,  he 
had  married,  September  3,  1837,  at  Carthage, 
Ohio,  Miss  Rhoda  A.  Ogden. 

Martin  Galliher,  after  coming  to  Muncie 
in  1840,  opened  a store,  first  where  Baldwin’s 
grocery  now  is,  and  later  where  Duck  Everett’s 
restaurant  now  stands.  He  built  the  three 
rooms  from  the  alley  west,  and  of  these  the 
first  is  still  in  the  family.  He  continued  in 
the  goods  business  about  nineteen  years,  and 
eleven  years  of  that  period  were  employed 
packing  pork,  having  his  packing  house  on 
Jackson  street,  on  the  present  site  of  Ira  Tur- 
ner’s saloon.  In  this  traffic  he  hauled  pork 
to  Cincinnati  on  wagons,  and  hauled  back  his 
goods  for  sale  in  Muncie.  He  retired  from 
mercantile  pursuits  in  1852,  and  retired  to  his 
farm,  and  up  to  within  ten  years  of  his  death 
devoted  his  attention  and  industry  to  develop- 
ing his  agricultural  interests,  in  which  he  was 
as  successful  as  he  had  been  in  his  mercantile 
affairs.  He  at  one  time  owned  all  the  land 
from  Bee  line  to  Ohmer  avenue,  between 
Madison  street  and  Macedonia  avenue,  between 
the  railroad  and  Williard,  made  four  addi- 
tions to  the  city  of  Muncie,  and  afterward 


bought  100  acres  south,  making  in  all,  before 
selling  the  Galliher  sub-division,  340  acres, 
also  10  acres  south.  In  politics  Mr.  Galliher 
was  a democrat  and  a co-worker  with  Adam 
Wolf  and  Henry  Wysor,  and  was  a frequent 
delegate  to  both  county  and  state  conventions. 
In  his  religious  faith  he  was  a Baptist,  and 
his  wife  was  the  first  actual  Baptist  in  Muncie. 
He  joined  the  church  in  September,  1859,  and 
was  a faithful  member  until  his  death,  June  29, 
1887,  and  was  very  liberal  in  donations  to- 
ward erecting  the  Baptist  church  edifice.  He 
was  one  of  the  charter  members  of  the  first 
Odd  Fellows’  lodge  in  Muncie,  but  was  non- 
affiliating during  the  later  years  of  his  life. 
In  his  death  Muncie  never  lost  a more  useful 
citizen,  a more  enterprising  merchant,  or  a 
more  charitable  man.  His  surviving  children, 
who  live  to  do  honor  to  his  name,  are  four  in 
number,  and  are  Martin  Jerome,  Susan  Zon- 
netta,  Ida  G.  and  Charles  W. , of  whom  fur- 
ther mention  will  be  made  elsewhere  in  these 
pages.  Six  other  children  were  taken  away 
in  infancy. 

Mrs.  Rhoda  A.  Galliher  was  the  daughter 
of  Samuel  and  Mary  (Parnell)  Ogden  born  at 
Cedarville,  New  Jersey,  January  29,  1814.  At 
the  age  of  fifteen  she  was  converted  and  joined 
the  Baptist  church  at  Roadstown,  New  Jersey. 
In  the  year  1 834,  before  the  advent  of  railroads, 
she  emigrated  to  southern  Ohio,  and  Septem- 
ber 3,  1837,  at  Carthage,  Ohio,  she  was  mar- 
ried to  Martin  Galliher,  then  engaged  in  con- 
tracting and  building  streets  and  turnpikes  in 
Ohio  and  Kentucky.  In  the  year  1840,  she 
came  with  her  husband  to  Muncie,  Ind. , 
then  only  a hamlet  of  a few  hundred 
inhabitants.  Here  Mrs.  Galliher  became  a 
positive  and  potential  factor,  in  promoting  and 
building  up  the  religious  interests  of  the  town. 
Being  among  the  earliest  of  her  denomination 
to  settle  here,  her  home  was  the  nucleus  of 
the  first  Baptist  Missionary  efforts  to  plant  a 


M.  GALLIHER. 


MRS.  RHODA  GALLIHEP. 


■.i 


t',.  ■ ■ 


I 


\.: 


V 


• . v 


X .•■ 

V ■ 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


271 


church  in  this  community.  After  nearly  a 
score  of  years,  in  the  year  1859,  a little  band 
of  twelve  believers,  of  which  she  was  one, 
effected  a church  organization,  and  from  that 
time  forth  she  and  her  worthy  husband  were  its 
most  devoted  members  and  stanch  supporters. 
They  gave  material  aid  in  erecting  the  old 
church  on  Jackson  street,  and  her  munificent 
contributions  to  the  new  church,  made  its 
erection  a possibility.  She  further  contrib- 
uted a beautiful  memorial  window,  and  made 
provision  for  the  pastor’s  salary  for  the  next 
■ten  years. 

The  closing  yeai'S  o>f  her  life  witnessed  no 
diminution  of  her  interest  in  the  Master’s 
work.  Feeling  a profound  interest  in  the 
religious  welfare  of  our  industrial  classes,  she, 
with  her  devoted  daughter,  Mrs.  Ida  G.  Rea, 
who  contributed  the  site,  and  without  materi- 
al help  from  others,  built  Calvary  Chapel,  a 
mission  church  in  that  suburb  of  Muncie, 
known  as  Industry.  Thus,  with  the  benedic- 
tion of  a useful  life,  of  nearly  four  score  years, 
service  in  the  Master’s  Vineyard,  she  passed 
from  this  life,  July  31,  1893,  in  the  blessed 

hope  of  a glorious  immortality  beyond  the 
grave. 


ARTIN  JEROME  GALLIHER,  son 
of  Martin  and  Rhoda  A.  Galliher, 
is  a native  of  Muncie,  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  and  was  born  Febru- 
ary 15,  1847.  At  the  age  of  eleven  he  went 
on  his  father’s  farm  of  160  acres,  which  the 
elder  Mr.  Galliher  had  first  become  possessed 
of  in  1852,  but  which,  in  1858,  had  been  but 
partially  cleared,  and  improved  with  a log 
cabin  and  a barn,  and  this  tract  Martin  J. 
assisted  in  clearing  up,  and  also  a tract  of 
eighty  acres  to  the  east,  on  which  are  now  lo- 
cated Ball’s  glass  factory  and  nail  works. 


Here  he  was  engaged  in  farming  until  the 
discovery  of  natural  gas,  when,  in  April,  1887, 
217  acres  were  sold  to  the  Heekin  syndicate, 
there  being  only  twenty-three  acres  retained 
for  the  family  and  known  as  Galliher’s  reserve. 
This  was  sub-divided  among  Mr.  Galliher  and 
his  two  sisters,  Mrs.  Rea  and  Mrs.  Nutting. 
Mr.  Galliher  has  been  living  in  retirement  for 
a number  of  years,  in  the  enjoyment  of  the 
society  of  his  family. 

His  marriage  took  place,  in  this  county, 
September  24,  1872,  to  Miss  Caroline  Moore, 
daughter  of  Parker  Moore,  and  to  this  happy 
union  have  been  born  four  children,-  viz;  Er- 
nest J.,  Edward  M.,  Horner  (deceased  at  two 
years)  and  x\delbert.  Mr.  Galliher  has  been 
a member  of  the  Baptist  church  for  twenty 
years  or  more,  is  a trustee,  and  was  a member 
of  the  building  committee  when  the  new 
church  edifice  was  in  course  of  construction. 
Mr.  Galliher  has  proven  himself  to  be  the 
worthy  son  of  a worthy  sire,  and  his  walk  has 
been  through  life  such  as  to  show  that  he  is 
conscious  that  he  does  not  live  for  himself 
alone. 


IDA  (GALLIHER)  REA,  daughter  of 
Martin  and  Rhoda  i\,.  Galliher,  was 
born  on  the  Galliher  homestead  at 
Muncie,  Ind.,  x\pril  24,  1856,  gradu- 

ated from  the  high  school  in  1872,  and  was 
married,  July  3,  1878,  to  Dr.  George  N.  Rea, 
of  New  Castle,  Ind.  Dr.  Rea  was  born  at 
Louisville,  near  New  Castle,  Henry  county, 
Ind.,  in  1852,  and  graduated  from  the  Ohio 
Medical  college  in  Cincinnati,  in  1878.  He 
practiced  medicine  with  great  success  at  New 
Castle  and  Ft.  Wayne  until  his  death,  Febru- 
ary 19,  1885,  when  his  mortal  remains  were 
laid  to  rest  at  New  Castle.  To  the  marriage 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rea  were  born  three  children. 


272 


MUNCIE  CITY 


viz;  Clarence  G.,  Rhoda  O.,  and  Martin  J., 
the  latter  having  died  at  the  age  of  sixteen 
months.  On  the  death  of  her  husband,  Mrs. 
Rea  hastened  and  ministered  with  loving  hands 
to  both  her  father  and  mother  in  their  last 
sickness. 


USAN  ZONETTA  ( GALLIHER  ) 
NUTTING,  daughter  of  Martin  and 
Rhoda  A.  Galliher,  was  born  in  June, 
1850,  opposite  the  court  house,  on 
Main  street,  Muncie,  Ind. , and  was  but  two 
years  of  age  when  taken  by  her  parents  to  live 
on  the  home  farm,  now  within  the  city  limits, 
and  then  the  best  in  Muncie.  She  graduated 
from  the  high  school  in  i 869,  made  a traveling 
tour  with  her  father,  and  in  June,  1873,  was 
married  to  Edward  Nutting,  who  was  born  at 
Evesham,  England,  within  nine  miles  of  Lon- 
don, in  1847,  but  who,  when  a young  man, 
came  to  the  United  States,  and  to  Muncie  in 
1872.  He  had  landed  in  New  York  city  with 
three  dollars  in  his  pockets,  but  he  had  learned 
carpentering  in  England,  was  an  expert  stair 
builder  and  architect,  having  been  entrusted 
with  the  supervision  of  the  new  Wysor  Grand 
opera  house  here,  and  is  now  engaged  in  de- 
signing and  contracting.  To  the  union  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Nutting  have  been  born  six  children, 
Earl  Galliher,  Esther  Louise,  Carl  Edward 
and  Eugene,  living  ; two,  Rhoda  Alice,  aged 
two  years  and  eight  months,  and  Beatrice, 
aged  fourteen  months,  were  taken  away  within 
twelve  days  of  each  other,  dying  from  scarlet 
fever. 


aHARLES  W.  GALLIHER,  the  young- 
est member  of  the  family  of  Martin 
and  Rhoda  Galliher,  was  born  Oct- 
ober 26,  1864.  He  was  educated  at 
the  Muncie  schools  until  within  one  year  of 


graduation,  when  he  entered  the  carriage  fac- 
tory of  J.  B.  McFarland,  of  Connersville,  for 
the  purpose  of  learning  the  trade  of  carriage 
painting.  After  an  apprenticesnip  of  two 
years  at  this  business,  he  became  a traveling 
salesman  for  the  Chicago  Eagle  Rubber  works, 
and  passed  some  months  in  their  employ; 
then  he  visited  southern  Indiana  and  passed  a 
year  and  a half,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he 
returned  to  Muncie.  In  March,  1888,  on  the 
opening  of  the  Boston  store  in  this  city,  he 
took  charge  of  its  carpet  department,  and, 
being  an  accomplished  salesman,  he  has 
retained  the  position  ever  since.  Mr.  Galliher 
was  married  June  28,  1888,  at  Rushville,  Ind., 
to  Miss  Mary  E.  Boyer,  daughter  of  the  late 
Rev.  Henry  Boyer  and  Amanda  (Griffin) 
Boyer.  He  is  a member  of  the  order  of 
Rnights  of  Pythias  and  of  the  Knights  of  Mac- 
cabees, and  is  held  in  high  esteem  by  the  citi- 
zens of  Muncie  generally. 


EREMIAH  GARRARD,  a prominent 
real  estate  dealer  of  Muncie,  is  a na- 
tive of  Ohio,  born  in  the  county  • of 
Warren,  January  29,  1845.  His  father, 
Harvey  Garrard,  was  the  son  of  John  and 
Mary  (Kirby)  Garrard,  who  emigrated  to  Ohio 
from  their  native  state,  Pennsylvania,  and 
settled  in  Warren  county  shortly  after  their 
marriage.  Harvey  Garrard  was  born  March 
22,  1812,  and  grew  to  manhood  on  a farm. 
At  the  age  of  twenty-two,  he  married  Hannah 
Gustin,  daughter  of  Samuel  Gustin  of  Warren 
county,  Ohio,  and  engaged  in  farming  for  him- 
self, which  calling  he  followed  in  his  native 
state  until  his  removal  to  Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  in  the  year  1857.  He  settled  in  Union 
township,  where  he  resided  until  1874,  at 
which  time,  he  retired  to  the  village  of  Royer- 
ton,  where  his  death  subsequently  occurred. 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


2T3 


Harvey  Garrard  was  a man  of  great  industry 
and  energy,  was  a republican,  and  for  fifty 
years  belonged  to  the  Christian  church,  of 
which  his  good  wife  was  also  a faithful  mem- 
her.  Harvey  and  Hannah  Garrard  were  the 
parents  of  ten  children,  namely:  Huston, 

Amelia,  George,  Mary,  Joseph,  Jeremiah, 
Clara,  Sarah,  Emma  and  an  infant  (deceased.) 
Of  these,  Huston  and  Mary  are  deceased. 

Jeremiah  Garrard  came  to  Delaware  coun- 
ty with  his  parents  at  the  age  of  twelve  years 
and  was  reared  on  a farm  near  the  village  of 
Shindler,  attending  the  common  schools  at 
intervals  during  his  minority.  In  January, 
1864,  he  enlisted  in  company  C,  Twenty-first 
regiment.  First  Indiana  heavy  artillery,  army 
of  the  Gulf,  under  Gen.  Canby,  who  was  after- 
ward killed  by  the  Modoc  Indians  in  Oregon. 
Mr.  Garrard  participated  with  his  company  in 
all  the  battles  in  which  it  was  engaged,  and 
bore  the  hardships  of  camp  life  until  mustered 
out,  January  10,  1866,  at  Baton  Rouge,  La., 
and  on  the  21st  day  of  the  same  month  was 
honorably  discharged  at  Indianapolis,  Ind. 
Mr.  Garrard  returned  to  Delaware  county,  and 
for  some  time  thereafter  attended  school  for 
the  purpose  of  preparing  himself  for  teaching, 
but  he  never  saw  fit  to  engage  in  that  profes- 
sion. On  quitting  school,  he  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Savanna  Green,  daughter  of 
Dr.  A.  J.  and  Massy  (Johnson)  Green,  of  Dela- 
ware county,  after  which  he  rented  a farm  in 
Hamilton  township  and  followed  agricultural 
pursuits  for  three  years.  In  the  fall  of  1872, 
he  engaged  in  merchandising  at  the  town  of 
Royerton  in  partnership  with  his  father-in-law, 
and  carried  on  a successful  trade  until  1880, 
in  the  meantime  serving  as  postmaster  of  the 
town  for  six  or  seven  years.  He  next  engaged 
in  the  furniture  and  undertaking  business  at 
Muncie  with  W.  K.  Wright,  under  the  firm 
name  of  Wright  & Garrard,  which  partnership 
was  continued  very  successfully  for  four  years. 


Mr  Garrard  then  became  interested  with  John 
K.  Ritter,  of  Muncie,  in  the  manufacture  of  bed 
lounges,  mattresses,  etc.,  for  nearly  two  years, 
and  then  became  a partner  with  I.  T.  Lake  in 
the  general  furniture  business  for  three  years, 
and  then  sold  out  and  engaged  in  the  real  es- 
tate and  loan  business,  in  partnership  with 
John  A.  Keener.  The  firm  of  Keener  & Gar- 
rard has  done  a very  extensive  business  in 
Muncie  and  Delaware  county,  and  also  oper- 
ates to  a considerable  extent  in  other  parts  of 
the  state.  Mr.  Garrard  is  a substantial  citi- 
zen, quiet  and  unostentatious,  and  is  very 
popular  with  those  with  whom  he  has  business 
or  other  relations.  He  is  an  earnest  supporter 
of  the  republican  party,  and  for  twenty-five 
years  has  been  a consistent  member  of  the 
Christain  church.  He  is  prominently  identi- 
fied with  several  fraternities,  belonging  to  the 
G.  A.  R.,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  K.  of  P.  and  I.  O.  R.  M. 
He  belongs  to  the  uniform  rank  of  the  Pythian 
order,  takes  an  active  interest  in  the  branch  of 
the  fraternity  known  as  the  Pythian  Sisters, 
and  also  belongs  to  the  Rebecca  degree  in 
Odd  Fellowship. 


ENRY  N.  GATES,  harness  maker,  of 
Muncie,  Ind.,  is  a native  of  York 
county.  Pa.,  born  August  4,  1845, 
and  is  a son  of  John  and  Mary  (Nay- 
lor) Gates,  who  were  of  Pennsylvania  German 
extraction,  residents  of  Little  York,  and  who 
reared  a family  of  six  boys  and  six  girls,  nine 
of  whom  are  still  living,  although  the  parents 
are  now  deceased.  Henry  N. , at  the  age  of 
ten,  was  taken  to  Cumberland  county.  Pa., 
and  placed  on  a farm,  on  which  he  lived,  at- 
tending school  meanwhile  and  learning  har- 
ness making,  until  the  civil  war  broke  out, 
when  he  enlisted,  in  June,  1862,  in  the  Tw'en- 
tieth  Pennsylvania  cavalry,  company  A,  at 


274 


MUNCIE  CITY 


Mechanicsburg,  being  then  not  seventeen  years 
of  age.  At  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  six 
months  he  re-enlisted  for  three  years  and 
served  until  the  close  of  the  war.  During  his 
first  term  he  served  under  Gens.  Couch  and 
Hunter,  and  fought  at  Piedmont  and  in  vari- 
ous skirmishes.  On  veteranizing  in  January, 
1863,  he  was  assigned  to  the  consolidated 
Twentieth  and  Twenty-second  Pennsylvania 
cavalry,  which  was  designated  the  First  Pro- 
visional, under  Gen.  Philip  Sheridan,  first  divis- 
ion, second  brigade,  sixth  army  corps,  and  1863- 
64-65,  serving  at  Gettysburg,  Lynchburg, 
Ashby’s  Gap  (near  which  place  he  was  cap- 
tured, in  Loudoun  valley),  Cold  Harbor,  second 
Fredericksburg  and  Winchester.  At  the  latter 
place,  with  thirty  others,  he  was  again  cap- 
tui'ed  and  taken  to  Lynchburg,  Danville,  An- 
dersonville  and  Libby  prison,  and  in  all  was  con- 
fined eight  months  and  three  days,  during 
which  time  Mr.  Gates  was  reduced  from  1 50 
to  ninety-six  pounds  in  weight.  At  Richmond 
he  was  out  on  parole  thirty  days,  and  in 
March,  1865,  was  released,  receiving  an  hon- 
orable discharge  from  the  service  July  13, 
1865.  Returning  to  Mechanicsburg,  he  fin- 
ished learning  the  trade  of  harness  making, 
worked  as  journeyman  until  1868,  and  then 
moved  to  Columbiana,  Ohio,  where  he  worked 
fifteen  years.  In  1883  he  went  to  Indianapo- 
lis, worked  at  his  trade  three  years,  and  then 
came  to  Muncie,  and  from  1886  until  August, 
1 890,  was  foreman  for  Stuckey  & Co. , and  was 
also  with  Wachtell  & Son  until  J.  C.  Cun- 
ningham opened  his  store,  when  he  worked 
for  that  gentleman  one  year  and  ten  months, 
then  at  the  old  Stuckey  stand  for  seven  months, 
when  he  bought  out  Mr.  Cunningham  in  De- 
cember, 1892,  and  has  since  been  the  proprie- 
tor of  the  oldest  harness  shop  in  Muncie,  on 
the  west  side  of  the  court  house  square,  carry- 
ing the  largest  and  best  assorted  stock  of  har- 
ness and  saddlery,  turf  goods,  etc.,  in  the  city. 


The  marriage  of  Mr.  Gates  took  place  at 
Columbiana,  Ohio,  October  25,.  1871,  to  Miss 
Mary  E.,  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Esther 
(Brown)  Sheets,  and  to  this  union  were  born 
three  sons,  viz:  Robert  Egbert,  boiler  maker, 

aged  twenty-one  years;  William  Ralph,  aged 
seventeen,  learning  harness  making  with  his 
father,  and  John  Samuel,  aged  thirteen,  at 
school  in  Orville,  Ohio,  The  mother  of  these 
children  was  called  away  March  27,  1893,  at 
the  age  of  forty-two,  and  was  sadly  missed  by 
her  sorrowing  family.  Mr.  Gates  is  a member 
of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  but  is  no  longer  an 
affiliating  brother,  but  he  still  retains  his  con- 
nection with  the  G.  A.  R.  He  is  highly  re- 
spected by  the  community,  and  is  regarded  as 
one  of  Muncie’s  most  useful  citizens. 


OSEPH  A.  GODDARD,  prominent 
among  the  active  business  men  of 
Muncie,  was  born  in  Cleveland,  Ohio, 
December  19,  1840,  and  is  a son  of 
John  H.  and  Ann  (Wilson)  Goddard.  He 
was  reared  in  and  near  the  above  city  until 
his  seventeenth  year,  attended  the  public 
schools,  in  which  he  obtained  a practical  edu- 
cation, and  attained  his  majority  well  equip- 
ped to  do  battle  with  the  world.  On  leaving 
the  parental  roof  he  went  to  Cincinnati,  in 
which  city  he  found  employment  in  the 
grocery  business,  and,  with  the  exception  of 
the  time  spent  in  the  army,  continued  there 
until  the  year  1874.  In  1862,  with  thousands 
of  other  young  men  who  responded  to  the 
country’s  call  for  volunteers,  Mr.  Goddard 
entered  the  army,  enlisting  in  company  M, 
Eourth  Ohio  cavalry,  with  which  he  served 
for  a period  of  six  months,  when  he  was  as- 
signed to  company  D,  of  the  same  regiment, 
with  the  rank  of  second  lieutenant.  Eater  he 
was  promoted  captain  of  the  company,  be- 


4 


<■5. 


JOS.  A.  GODDARD 


MRS.  JOS.  A.  GODDARD. 


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5 ;V  --.; 


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i 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


279 


coming  quarter  master  on  the  staff  of  Gen. 
W.  L.  Elliott,  and  later  on  the  staff  of  Major 
Gen.  W.  H.  Wilson.  He  was  with  his  com- 
mand in  several  battles  of  the  rebellion, 
among  which  were  Chickamauga  and  Nash- 
ville, and  served  in  the  army  of  the  Cumber- 
land, taking  an  active  part  in  many  of  the  en- 
gagements of  the  southwestern  campaign. 
At  the  close  of  the  war  he  returned  to  Cincin- 
nati and  took  service  with  his  former  employers, 
later  becoming  a commercial  traveler  for  the 
firm,  and  was  thus  engaged  until  his  removal 
to  Indiana  in  1874.  On  locating  in  Muncie, 
Mr.  Goddard  engaged  in  the  grocery  business 
with  Mr.  B.  R.  Adamson,  which  partnership 
continued  until  1880,  when  the  firm  dissolved, 
Mr.  Goddard,  at  that  date,  engaging  exclusive- 
ly in  the  wholesale  trade  and  eventually  be- 
coming one  of  the  leading  jobbers  in  Indiana. 
He  has  now  an  extensive  and  lucrative  busi- 
ness, which  is  constantly  increasing  and  re- 
quires the  services  of  three  traveling  salesmen, 
the  house  supplying  the  trade  in  many  of  the 
counties  of  eastern  Indiana,  besides  being 
very  extensively  patronized  by  all  the  grocery 
establishments  of  Muncie.  Mr.  Goddard  is  a 
self-made  man  in  all  that  term  implies,  and 
his  present  high  standing  in  commercial  circles 
has  been  attained  by  his  own  unaided  efforts. 
He  possesses  business  qualifications  of  a high 
order,  his  integrity  and  honor  have  never  been 
questioned,  and  his  fair  and  upright  dealings 
have  borne  legitimate  fruits  in  the  large  busi- 
ness which  has  made  his  name  popular  among 
the  representative  men  of  Muncie. 

Mr.  Goddard  was  one  of  the  organizers  of 
the  Citizens’  Enterprise  company,  and  for  the 
past  seven  years  has  held  the  responsible  po- 
sition of  president  of  the  Muncie  school  board. 
Politically  he  is  a republican.  In  1866  Mr. 
Goddard  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary 
Hough,  daughter  of  William  Hough,  of  Wayne 
county,  Ind. , to  which  union  three  children 


have  been  born,  namely:  William  H.,  Grace 

and  Annie — the  last  named  being  the  wife  of 
Mr.  C.  M.  Rich.  Mr.  Goddard  and  family 
are  prominent  and  consistent  members  of  the 
Friend’s  society  in  Muncie,  in  the  organization 
of  which  he  was  a leading  spirit,  and  in  which 
he  now  holds  the  position  of  elder.  While 
his  standing  in  the  commercial  world  is  that  of 
a first-class  business  man,  sound  in  judgment 
and  wise  in  counsel,  he  also  possesses  in  a 
generous  degree  the  confidence  of  the  public, 
and  all  movements  having  for  their  object  the 
moral  and  educational  welfare  of  the  com- 
munity, find  in  him  a liberal  patron  and  gen- 
erous benefactor. 


OSEPH  MILTON  GRAY,  the  effi- 
cient manager  of  the  Muncie  Casket 
company,  is  a native  of  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  born  November  22,  1854, 
on  a farm  in  Salem  township.  His  father, 
James  M.  Gray,  was  born  in  Tennessee  in 
January,  1829,  went  to  Ohio  when  a youth, 
and  became  a resident  of  Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  in  early  manhood,  locating  in  the  town- 
ship of  Salem,  where  he  carried  on  farming 
for  several  years.  Later  he  embarked  in  the 
mercantile  business  at  Daleville,  where  he  car- 
ried on  a fairly  successful  trade  for  twenty- 
eight  years,  removing,  at  the  end  of  that  time, 
to  the  city  of  Anderson,  where  he  engaged  in 
the  sale  of  buggies  and  carriages.  His  first 
marriage  was  consummated  with  Elizabeth 
Shoemaker,  of  Salem  township,  who  died 
November  20,  1866,  the  mother  of  seven  chil- 
dren— two  sons  and  five  daughters — Joseph 
M.  being  the  third  in  order  of  birth.  Mr. 
Gray’s  second  marriage  took  place  in  the  year 
1868  with  Mrs.  Mary  A.  McClanahan,  widow 
of  the  late  Elijah  McClanahan,  the  union  re- 
sulting in  two  children — a son  and  a daughter 


280 


MUNCIE  CITY 


— the  latter  dying  in  infancy.  For  a number  of 
years  James  M.  Gray  has  been  a leading  mem- 
ber of  the  Christian  church,  and  a prominent 
Mason.  He  met  with  encouraging  success  in 
his  various  business  ventures,  but  suffered 
severe  financial  reverses  during  the  panic  of 

1873- 

Joseph  M.  Gray  first  attended  the  district 
schools,  and  after  the  removal  of  his  parents 
to  Daleville  became  a pupil  in  the  school  of 
that  village,  obtaining  thereby  a fair  English 
education.  After  the  death  of  his  mother, 
which  occurred  when  he  was  twelve  years  old, 
he  went  to  live  with  his  , uncle,  P.  M.  Rudy, 
whose  house  was  his  home  for  about  two  years, 
or  until  his  father’s  second  marriage,  when  he 
returned  to  the  village  of  Daleville  and  entered 
his  father’s  store.  At  the  age  of  nineteen  he 
purchased  an  interest  in  the  business,  which 
from  that  time  until  the  fall  of  1881  was  car- 
ried on  very  successfully  under  the  firm  name 
of  J.  M.  Gray  & Son,  the  latter  retiring  at 
that  date,  and  effecting  a co-partnership  in  the 
general  mercantile  and  grain  business  with  his 
two  uncles,  J.  P.  and  S.  B.  Shoemaker,  under 
the  firm  name  of  Shoemaker,  Gray  & Co. 
The  relationship  thus  constituted  lasted  about 
nine  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  Mr.  Gray 
disposed  of  his  interest,  and  with  J.  P.  Shoe- 
maker purchased  a controlling  interest  in  the 
Muncie  Casket  works,  of  which  he  was  made 
secretary.  Subsequently  he  assumed  general 
management  of  the  concern,  a position  he  still 
retains,  and  under  his  able  supervision  the 
volume  of  business  has  been  greatly  increased, 
being  over  one  hundred  per  cent,  in  excess  of 
what  was  done  when  Mr.  Gray  became  a part- 
ner. Mr.  Gray  has  met  with  the  most  flatter- 
ing success  in  his  various  enterprises,  and  his 
judgment  is  seldom  wrong  in  matters  of  busi- 
ness policy.  He  possessess  rare  executive 
abilities,  is  prompt  and  methodical  in  the 
management  of  his  affairs,  not  given  to  specu- 


lation, being  satisfied  with  legitimate  gains;  in 
short,  he  possesses  those  correct  business 
principles  which  when  directed  and  controlled 
by  good  judgment,  seldom  fail  of  insuring  suc- 
cess. 

Mr.  Gray  was  married  June  24,  1877,  to 
Miss  Jennettia  Griffis,  daughter  of  Robert 
Griffis,  an  old  and  prominent  physician  of 
Middletown,  Henry  county;  two  children  re- 
sulted from  this  union:  Owen  Leslie,  who 

died  at  the  age  of  twenty-two  months,  and 
Myron  Herbert,  a bright  boy  of  twelve, 
whose  birth  occurred  on  the  7th  day  of  Sep- 
tember, 1881.  Mr.  Gray  has  been  a life- 
long republican,  but  his  ambition  has  never 
run  in  the  direction  of  seeking  office,  never 
having  been  a candidate  for  any  position.  He 
is  a member  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red 
Men  and  the  order  of  Maccabees,  and  for  some 
years  has  been  a prominent  Odd  Fellow.  He 
became  identified  with  the  Christian  church  in 
1870,  since  which  date  his  life  has  been  a 
practical  exemplification  of  his  religious  pro- 
fession. 


EORGE  R.  GREEN,  M.  D.,  the 
well  known  physician  whose  name 
introduces  this  sketch,  is  one  of  the 
most  skillful  and  experienced  of  the 
city  of  Muncie,  where  he  has  many  brother 
practitioners.  He  was  born  in  Hamilton 
township,  Delaware  county,  Ind. , October  15, 
1851,  a son  of  Andrew  J.  and  Massy  (Johnson) 
Green,  and  a grandson  of  William  Green,  who 
was  a native  of  New  York  and  of  English 
descent.  William  Green  in  an  early  day 
moved  from  from  New  York  to  Ohio,  and 
from  that  state  to  Delaware  county,  Ind., 
where  he  purchased  a tract  of  land  in  Niles 
township,  being  among  the  earliest  pioneers 
of  that  section.  Andrew  J.  Green  Was  born 
in  Athens  county,  Ohio,  and  accompanied  his 


r ' 

r”; 


f''»  ■ 


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I 


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.■-w 


GEO.  W.  GREENE 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


283 


parents  to  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  when  a 
child,  and  was  here  reared  and  educated.  Af- 
ter attaining  his  majority  he  engaged  in  teach- 
ing school  and  also  preached  in  the  Christian 
church,  later  practicing  medicine  and  continu- 
ing the  latter  profession  for  many  years.  He 
was  a man  of  many  gifts,  mainly  self-educated, 
and  proved  his  business  acumen  by  the  enter- 
ing of  a tract  of  land  in  Hamilton  township, 
which  he  cleared  and  made  very  valuable. 
His  death  occurred  January  5,  1885,  his  wife 
still  surviving  him  and  residing  in  the  city  of 
Muncie.  She  was  a North  Carolinian  by  birth, 
and  a daughter  of  James  Johnson,  who  was  an 
early  settler  of  Wayne  county. 

Dr  George  R.  Green  was  reared  in  Ham- 
ilton township,  received  his  literary  education 
in  the  high  school  of  Muncie,  and  after  leaving 
school  engaged  in  teaching  for  three  years, 
read  law  for  one  year,  and  then  began  the 
study  of  medicine  under  his  father.  Subse- 
quently, in  1877,  he  graduated  from  the  col- 
lege of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  and  the  year 
following  received  an  ad  eundem  degree  from 
the  Medical  college  of  Indiana.  He  was  a 
very  bright  and  intelligent  student,  and  during 
his  course  was  selected  from  the  class  to  be 
assistant  to  the  demonstrator  of  anatomy,  and 
graduated  with  high  honors.  Actuated  by  a 
commendable  desire  to  excel  in  his  profession, 
the  doctor  has  since  supplemented  his  medical 
education  by  a post-graduate  course  in  the 
New  York  Polyclinic,  and  has  also  taken  pri- 
vate instructions  in  gynecology  at  New  York. 
Dr.  Green  began  his  medical  practice  in  Roy- 
erton,  Ind.,  but  in  June,  1885,  came  to 
Muncie,  where  he  has  since  enjoyed  an  excel- 
lent and  remunerative  practice  in  Delaware 
and  adjoining  counties.  He  is  a member  of 
the  Delaware  County  Medical  society,  the  Del- 
aware District  society,  and  the  Indiana  State 
Medical  society,  in  the  deliberations  of  which 
bodies  he  has  taken  an  active  and  prominent 


part.  He  has  served  as  president  of  the 
County  Medical  society,  and  is  also  a member 
of  the  American  Medical  association.  Frater- 
nally he  has  connected  himself  with  the 
Masonic  fraternity,  K.  of  P.  and  the  A.  O.  U. 
W. , and  politically  is  a republican.  Dr. 
Green  is  a married  man,  his  marriage  to  Miss 
Mary  E.  Monroe,  daughter  of  Hugh  Monroe, 
of  Ohio,  having  taken  place  in  1871,  and 
three  children,  Dwight,  Earl  and  Bessie,  with 
Mrs.  Green,  comprise  the  pleasant  family. 
They  are  all  valued  members  of  the  Presby- 
terian church,  in  which  body  the  doctor  is  an 
elder. 


EORGE  WASHINGTON  GREENE. 
— The  following  sketch  of  this  most 
estimable  gentleman  was  published 
at  the  time  of  his  decease,  in  the  local 
press  of  Muncie.  George  Washington  Greene 
was  born  in  White  Hall,  Washington  county, 
N.  Y. , October  6,  1829,  and  died  at  his  resi- 
dence in  Muncie,  Ind.,  June  30,  1887.  Mr. 
Greene  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Muncie. 
His  mother,  whose  maiden  name  was  Char- 
lotte Gilbert,  was  a sister  to  Goldsmith  C., 
William  and  Edmund  Gilbert,  who  were 
among  the  pioneers  of  IMuncietown.  She  was 
first  married  at  her  home  in  New  York  to  Mr. 
Fuller,  who  died  there,  and  subsequently  she 
was  united  in  marriage  to  George  W.  Greene, 
father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Greene  and  their  family,  con- 
sisting of  three  children,  came  to  Muncietown 
in  1830  and  settled  on  the  southeast  corner  of 
Walnut  and  North  streets,  where  the  father 
afterward  died.  Charles  H.  Greene,  a third 
son,  was  born  about  six  weeks  after  his 
father’s  death.  Mrs.  Greene  was  afterward, 
November  5,  1837,  married  to  William  S. 
Collins,  and  the  family  then  moved  to  what 
has  since  been  known  as  the  “Kirby  Pasture 


284 


MUNCIE  CITY 


land,"  on  the  Middletown  pike  After  the 
mother's  death  the  family  was  broken  up,  the 
children  going  to  different  parts  of  the  country, 
George  Yk,  or  “Wash”  as  he  was  familiarly 
called,  being  taken  into  the  family  of  his  uncle. 
Goldsmith  C.  Gilbert,  with  whom  he  lived  un- 
til that  gentleman's  death  in  1844,  when  he 
began  working  as  a farm  laborer  in  the  north- 
ern part  of  the  county.  He  did  not  remain 
long  in  the  country,  however,  but  soon  came 
to  Muncie  and  served  an  apprenticeship  at  the 
tailor's  trade  under  William  Perkins,  whose 
shop  stood  on  the  ground  now  occupied  by 
the  Little  block.  He  took  charge  of  the  busi- 
ness when  he  had  “served  his  time,”  and 
carried  on  tailoring  until  he  entered  the  army. 
After  his  return  from  the  war  he  was  elected 
clerk  of  Delaware  county  circuit  court  in  1866, 
and  entered  upon  the  discharge  of  his  official 
duties  August  23,  of  the  following  year.  He 
was  re-elected  and  held  the  office  until  August 
“3>  1875,  when  he  retired  with  the  record  of 
honorable  service,  having  earned  the  reputa- 
tion of  an  honest  and  efficient  officer.  After 
his  retirement  from  office  he  engaged  in  no 
active  business,  but  occupied  his  time  in  look- 
ing after  his  property  and  managing  his  farm. 
Mr.  Greene  was  married  to  Miss  Nancy  H. 
Fleming  on  October  6,  1851;  she  died  in  Mun- 
cie, December  13,  1857,  aged  twenty-eight 

years,  three  months  and  twenty-three  days. 
The  first  child,  George,  died  at  the  age  of 
about  six  months.  Their  second  and  last 
child,  Ella,  wife  of  H.  B.  Athey,  survives  her 
father,  and  her  only  child  bears  his  name, 
Georgie  G. 

By  no  means  the  least  interesting  part  of 
the  life  of  George  W.  Greene  is  his  career  as  a 
soldier.  He  enlisted  in  company  E,  Nine- 
teenth Indiana  volunteers,  July  29,  1861,  and 
immediately  thereafter  was  commissioned  first 
lieutenant.  Upon  the  honorable  discharge  of 
Capt.  Luther  B.  Wilson,  Lieutenant  Greene 


was  promoted  captain  of  the  company,  and 
was  at  the  head  of  his  men  when  taken  prison- 
er at  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  on  the  first  day 
of  that  memorable  fight,  July  i,  1863.  He 
was  first  taken  to  Libby  prison,  where  he  was 
confined  for  ten  months,  and  was  one  of  the 
daring  fellows  who,  with  Col.  A.  D.  Streight 
of  Indianapolis,  tunneled  a way  out  of  the 
horrible  prison  pen  and  made  their  escape. 
Unfortunately,  Capt.  Greene  was  recaptured 
and  returned  to  prison.  He  was  then  con- 
fined in  Danville,  Macon,  and  Charleston 
rebel  prisons  until  March  12,  1865,  at  which 
time,  he  was  paroled  prisoner  of  war,  and  dis- 
charged at  Washington,  D.  C.  After  long 
confinement  in  these  prison  pens  in  the  south 
he  became  very  much  reduced  in  body  and 
spirit,  and  was  very  sick  and  unable  to  walk. 
Capt.  Greene  never  fully  recovered  from  the 
effects  of  his  twenty  months'  starvation  and 
prison  life,  and  suffered  constantly,  some- 
times severely,  with  rheumatism  and  bone 
fever,  and  his  death  was  caused  by  general 
wearing  out  of  a debilitated  body.  Mr.  Greene 
was  a good  and  faithful  soldier,  a brave  and 
efficient  officer,  a generous  and  faithful  friend, 
and  a citizen  in  whom  the  people  of  Muncie 
and  Delaware  county  placed  the  most  implicit 
confidence.  He  was  known  and  respected 
throughout  Delaware  county,  and  in  his  death 
all  who  knew  him  realized  that  they  had  lost 
a friend. 


ALPH  S.  GREGORY  was  born  in 
Delaware  county,  Ind.,  February  28, 
1846.  He  lived  upon  a farm  until 
fifteen  years  old,  when  he  entered 
the  high  school  at  Muncie,  Ind.  After  com- 
pleting the  course  of  study  there  he  entered 
Wabash  college,  where  he  continued  his 
studies  until  1862,  when  he  entered  the  army 
as  a private  soldier  in  company  B,  Eighty- 


t 

a 


THE  R.  S.  GREGORY  FAMILY. 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


289 


fourth  Indiana  volunteer  infantry.  He  remained 
in  the  army  about  two  years,  when,  on  account 
of  failing  health,  he  was  honorably  discharged 
at  Shellmound,  Tenn.,  having  attained  the 
rank  of  orderly  sergeant.  On  returning  home, 
having  regained  his  health,  he  again  entered 
Wabash  college  and  remained  there  through 
the  junior  year.  He  then  entered  Asbury 
university,  now  Depauw  university,  where  he 
graduated  with  honors  in  the  class  of  1867. 
The  year  following  his  graduation  he  was 
superintendent  of  the  high  school  of  the  city 
of  Huntington,  Ind.  He  studied  law  and  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1869,  and  has  since 
continued  the  practice  of  that  profession.  His 
practice  in  both  the  civil  and  criminal  courts 
has  been  successful  and  lucrative.  He  has 
won  an  enviable  reputation  for  himself  as  an 
advocate,  and  is  known  throughout  the  state. 
He  has  won  especial  distinction  in  the  prac- 
tice of  the  criminal  law.  He  has  a large 
library  of  the  best  text  books  and  law  repoids, 
in  addition  to  which  he  has  a private  library 
composed  of  the  choicest  works  on  history,  art 
and  literature.  He  belongs  to  many  of  the 
leading  secret  and  fraternal  societies,  such  as 
the  Masons,  Knights  Templar,  Knights  of 
Pythias,  and  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men, 
and  has  held  many  of  the  great  offices  in  these 
societies,  and  especially  in  that  of  the  Im- 
proved Order  of  Red  Men,  in  which  order  he 
has  been  the  great  Incohonee,  which  is  the 
chief  officer  of  the  order  in  the  world.  He  is  a 
close  observer  of  men  and  things,  and  per- 
haps no  one  in  Delaware  county  has  a wider 
and  more  intimate  acquaintance  with  the  peo- 
ple of  the  state  than  he.  He  has  always  been 
a republican  since  his  majority,  except  in  the 
campaign  of  1892,  when  his  study  of  the 
tariff,  and  the  attitude  of  certain  leading 
statesman  on  the  subject  of  bi-metalism,  or 
the  coinage  of  gold  and  silver  as  money  upon 
a parity  and  equality,  compelled  him  to  with- 


hold his  political  influence  from  the  success  of 
the  republican  candidates.  He  is  a firm  be- 
liever in  bi-metalism,  and  recognizes  that 
silver  money  has  been  the  established  friend  of 
the  people,  and  that  without  its  use  as  money 
the  masses  must  necessarily  be  at  a disadvan- 
tage with  the  rich  or  the  security  holders. 
He  believes  the  McKinley  bill  as  constructed 
was,  and  is,  the  most  ingeniously  prepared 
personal  legislation  that  was  ever  devised  by 
man.  He  is  not  a free  trader,  but  believes  in 
such  a tariff  as  will  sufficiently  raise  revenues 
to  maintain  the  government,  and  that  that 
tariff  should  be  so  placed  as  to  protect  labor 
and  the  industries  in  the  true  spirit  of  Ameri- 
can independenoe. 

Mr.  Gregory  has  a wife  and  two  children, 
Walter  Leon,  and  Florence  Madden  Gregory. 
Mrs.  Anna  C.  Gregory,  the  mother  of  these, 
was  born  at  Piqua,  Ohio,  in  1863,  a daughter 
of  Timothy  C.  Madden,  of  Irish  parentage; 
was  educated  in  her  native  city,  and  is  highly 
accomplished  in  music.  The  pictures  of  his 
wife  and  children  are  in  a group  in  this 
volume,  on  the  opposite  page  from  his  own. 
He  is  cool  in  discussion  and  forms  no  dislike 
for  any  one  who  honestly  entertains  an  opin- 
ion differing  with  his. 


F.  GRIBBEN,  the  accommodating 
ticket  agent  of  the  “ Big  4”  railroad 
company  at  Muncie,  Ind.,  was  born 
in  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  June  4,  1852,  and 
there  attended  the  public  schools  until  sixteen 
years  of  age,  subsequently  taking  a special 
course  at  book  keeping  in  the  high  school, 
and  also  served  an  apprenticeship  at  iron 
molding  at  Union  City,  Ind.,  where  his  father 
was  partner  in  the  foundry  of  White,  Gribben 
& Co.,  and  served  from  1868  to  1871,  when 
he  returned  to  Pittsburg  and  worked  in  the 


290 


MUNCIE  CITY 


Westinghouse  air  brake  works,  at  his  chosen 
trade,  and  a year  and  a half  later  returned  to 
Union  City  and  took  charge  of  the  Wooley  & 
Fischers  Electric  Light  company’s  molding 
department  for  a year;  worked  three  months 
in  the  freight  office  of  the  “ Big  4”  and  was 
then  transferred  to  Muncie  and  was  baggage 
master  for  eight  years,  and  in  August,  1890, 
was  appointed  to  his  present  position.  During 
his  residence  in  Union  City  he  was  city  clerk 
for  seven  years,  on  the  Ohio  side,  and  was  the 
first  president  of  the  Delaware  county  and 
Gray  club,  of  Muncie,  a democratic  organiza- 
tion. He  was  married  in  Union  City,  in  1873, 
to  Miss  Laura  J.  Dill,  daughter  of  John  W. 
Dill,  of  Greenville,  Ohio,  and  has  two  chil- 
dren— Pearl  M.,  at  home,  and  Perry  A.,  an 
employe  of  the  Kirby  house. 

Andrew  J.  Gribben,  father  of  the  subject, 
B.  F.  Gribben,  was  born  in  Pennsylvania, 
in  1818,  and  settled  in  Union  City,  Ind.,  in 
1868,  and  engaged  in  the  foundry  and  machine 
business  until  1872.  While  not  licensed  a 
lawyer,  he  was  well  posted  in  legal  matters, 
and  during  the  last  few  years  of  his  life  was 
engaged  in  real  estate  transactions.  He  was 
mayor,  justice  of  the  peace,  and  president  of 
the  board  of  education  at  different  times,  and 
died  in  August,  1890,  honored  by  his  fellow 
citizens  as  a useful  member  of  society  and  as 
an  upright  man.  He  married  Harriet  A. 
Verner,  and  had  born  to  him  five  children, 
viz;  Mary  A.,  wife  of  Charles  A.  Gould,  of 
Pittsburg  ; B.  F. , whose  name  opens  this 
sketch  ; Perry,  yardmaster  at  Anderson  ; Belle, 
wife  of  Herman  C.  Scranton,  of  Union  City  ; 
and  Lizzie  M.,  wife  of  James  E.  Folley,  of 
Anderson.  The  mother  is  still  living  in  Union 
City,  aged  sixty-four. 

B.  L.  Gribben  has  most  successfully  won 
his  way  through  the  world  by  his  almost  un- 
aided self-exertion,  and  much  credit  is  due  him 
for  his  perseverance. 


OSCOE  C.  GRIFFITH. —The  busi- 
ness interests  of  the  city  of  Muncie, 
Ind.,  are  well  represented  by  the  le- 
gal profession,  and  the  subject  of  the 
present  sketch  has  done  his  share  in  promot- 
ing the  various  enterprises  which  have  served 
to  make  this  place  known  throughout  the 
state.  Roscoe  C.  Griffith  was  born  December 
15,  1863,  in  Huntington,  Ind.,  and  is  the  son 
of  William  H.  and  Seraphina  (Clark)  Griffith. 
William  H.  Griffith  was  born  in  the  same 
county  and  state,  January  9,  1834,  and  was 
the  son  of  Jesse  Griffith,  a native  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Huntington 
county.  He  helped  to  cut  the  first  road  from 
Huntington  to  Goshen,  and  was  one  of  the 
first  jurymen  in  the  first  court  held  in  Hunt- 
ington. Politically  he  was  a democrat  and  a 
man  of  great  prominence  at  that  time.  Wil- 
liam H.  Griffith,  his  son,  was  reared  on  the 
farm  and  subsequently  learned  the  trade  of 
baker,  engaging  in  that  business  in  South 
Charleston,  Ohio,  but  afterward  returned  to 
Huntington  county,  Ind.,  where  he  followed 
his  chosen  calling  for  a number  of  years.  He, 
too,  was  a member  of  the  democratic  party, 
as  his  father  had  been;  also  was  a prominent 
Mason,  and  treasurer  of  his  home  lodge  for 
many  years.  He  reared  a family  of  seven 
children,  six  of  whom  are  yet  living,  as  fol- 
lows; Adorah  J.,  wife  of  Frank  H.  Minnich, 
of  Muncie;  David  M.,  of  Huntington;  Roscoe 
C.,  Leota  S.,  at  home;  Charles  E.,  of  Muncie: 
and  Clark  C. 

Roscoe  C.  Griffith  received  his  education 
in  the  schools  of  Huntington,  graduating  from 
the  high  school  of  that  city  in  1883,  and  in 
October  of  the  same  year  entered  the  law 
department  of  the  university  of  Michigan,  at 
Ann  Arbor,  in  which  he  completed  the  pre- 
scribed course,  graduating  in  June,  1885,  and 
receiving  the  degree  of  B.  of  L.  He  began 
the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Huntington, 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


291 


and  in  1886  he  was  appointed  deputy  prose- 
cutor of  that  county,  but  resigned  the  office  in 
March,  1888,  to  remove  to  Muncie,  where  he 
has  since  conducted  a very  successful  legal 
business,  and  now  is  the  attorney  for  the  Mun- 
cie Savings  & Loan  association.  In  May, 
1890,  Mr.  Griffith  was  made  manager  of  the 
Galliher  sub-addition  to  the  city,  and  filled 
that  position  until  September,  1892,  when  he 
resigned  it  to  engage  in  a general  real  estate 
business,  and  in  February,  1889,  became  a 
partner  in  the  insurance  agency  of  Shipley  & 
Wright.  Fraternally,  Mr.  Griffith  is  a char- 
ter member  of  Muncie  lodge.  No.  38,  Knights 
of  Maccabees,  being  past  commander  in  the 
same,  and  is  also  a member  of  the  K.  of  P. 
Politically  he  is  a democrat,  and  his  counsels 
and  advice  are  of  value  to  the  party.  Mr. 
Griffith  was  married  August  12,  1886,  to  Miss 
Clara  L.  Marson,  daughter  of  John  Marson,  of 
Wayne  county,  Ind.  Both  he  and  wife  are 
members  of  the  First  Baptist  church.  Mr. 
Griffith  is  one  of  the  enterprising  citizens  of 
Muncie,  progressive  and  active,  and  not  only 
urges  others  to  duty  but  sets  the  example,  put- 
ting his  own  shoulder  to  the  wheel.  He  is 
one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Citizens’  Enter- 
prise company,  and  has  devoted  time  and  en- 
ergies to  the  success  of  that  corporation, 
besides  taking  an  active  interest  in  all  move- 
ments having  for  their  object  the  moral  and 
material  welfare  of  his  adopted  city,  with  the 
growth  and  development  of  which  he  has 
been  so  prominently  identified. 


ON.  THOMAS  S.  GUTHRIE,  a well 
known  and  prominent  citizen  of  Indi- 
ana, is  a native  of  Ohio,  born  in 
Madison  county,  that  state,  August 
10,  1830,  the  son  of  John  C.  and  Jency  J. 
Guthrie,  who  emigrated  to  Ohio  in  the  year 


1826  from  Gampbell  county,  Va.  The  family, 
although  poor,  had  always  been  honorable  and 
highly  respected,  and  consisted  of  the  parents, 
eleven  sons  and  one  daughter.  At  the  time 
of  their  settlement  in  Madison  county,  the 
country  was  comparatively  a wilderness — bear 
and  deer  were  yet  frequently  seen,  and  game 
of  all  kind  was  found  in  great  abundance. 
With  his  brothers,  Thomas  early  engaged  in 
agricultural  labor  and  assisted  in  clearing  up 
five  farms — four  in  Ohio  and  one  near  Winter- 
set,  Iowa,  about  the  year  1849  or  1850.  At 
the  age  of  twenty-two,  Mr.  Guthrie  found 
himself  with  but  limited  educational  training, 
there  being  no  school  nearer  than  the  town 
of  IMechanicsburg,  distant  about  nine  miles 
from  his  home.  This  obstacle,  however,  did 
not  deter  him  from  carrying  out  his  intention 
of  receiving  an  education.  Accordingly,  he 
made  arrangements  to  walk  the  distance  on 
Monday  mornings  and  return  home  on  Friday 
evenings,  and  so  well  did  he  succeed  in  his 
studies,  that  in  1853  he  received  a certificate 
entitling  him  to  teach  in  the  public  schools. 
His  first  effort  in  this  direction  was  in  the 
town  of  Carysville,  Champaign  county,  Ohio, 
where  he  remained  some  months,  teaching 
during  the  winter  and  working  at  manual 
labor  during  the  summer  season.  He  was 
ambitious  to  succeed,  and  during  this  period 
studied  medicine,  and  later  practiced  to  some 
extent  at  Millerstown,  Ohio,  during  1856-57, 
but  did  not  long  continue  in  that  profession. 

On  March  i,  1856,  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Mary  A.  Comer,  and  they  had  born  to  them  a 
son,  J.  A.,  and  twenty-two  years  later  a 
daughter.  Ruble.  From  early  boyhood  Mr. 
Guthrie  had  been  religously  inclined,  and  at 
the  age  of  nineteen  connected  himself  with 
the  Methodist  church,  but  sometime  after- 
ward, his  views  having  undergone  a change, 
withdrew  from  that  religious  body  and  joined 
the  Universalists  in  1853,  with  which  demomi- 


292 


MUNCIE  CITY 


nation  he  has  since  been  prominently  identi- 
fied. He  preached  a sermon  in  Palestine, 
Shelby  county,  in  1854,  but  did  not  formally 
engage  in  the  work  of  the  ministry  until  1858, 
at  which  time  he  was  received  into  fellowship 
with  the  Ohio  convention.  Since  that  date 
he  has  served  as  pastor  of  Universalist  churches 
in  Eaton,  Cleveland  and  Springfield,  Ohio, 
and  at  Lafayette  and  Muncie,  Ind.,  in  the 
latter  place  filling  the  pulpit  for  a period  of 
eleven  years.  As  a preacher,  Mr.  Guthrie  is 
eloquent  and  logical,  and  for  years  has  been 
considered  one  of  the  ablest  expounders  of  the 
peculiar  doctrine  of  his  denomination  in  cen- 
tral Indiana.  He  is  a pleasing  and  popular 
orator,  and  for  special  occasions  is  frequently 
sent  for  at  long  distances,  going  to  Cleveland, 
Ohio,  Bloomington,  111.,  and  other  cities  on 
such  missions.  As  already  stated,  Mr. 
Guthrie’s  early  educational  advantages  were 
somewhat  limited,  and,  feeling  the  need  of 
more  extended  literary  knowledge,  he  entered 
college  at  Canton,  N.  Y. , in  1870,  being  at  that 
time  forty  years  of  age,  and  made  rapid  and 
substantial  progress  in  the  various  higher 
branches  of  learning. 

Mr.  Guthrie  at  one  time  engaged  in  busi- 
ness, which,  proving  very  successful,  enabled 
him  to  accumulate  a handsome  competence, 
and  he  is  now  living  in  very  comfortable  cir- 
cumstances. At  the  breaking  out  of  the  great 
civil  war  he  responded  to  his  country’s  call 
for  volunteers,  and  enlisted,  declining  the  po- 
sition of  captain  of  his  company,  but  ten  days 
later  was  promoted  chaplain  and  served  in 
that  capacity  until  the  discharge  of  the  regi- 
ment at  the  expiration  of  its  term  of  service  in 
1864.*  During  his  military  career  he  partici- 
pated in  a number  of  engagements,  including 
the  taking  of  Lexington,  Va. , battle  of  Cum- 
berland, and  Hunter’s  defeat  at  Lynchburg,  in 
the  last  of  which  he,  with  his  comrades,  endured 
great  suffering.  He  was  honorably  discharged 


September  2,  1864,  and  has  a military  record 
of  which  he  feels  deservedly  proud.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Grand  Army  and  of  the  Loyal 
Legion,  and  proudly  wears  a badge  placed 
upon  him  by  ex-Pres.  Hayes,  who  was  at  that 
time  commander  of  the  Loyal  Legion  com- 
mandery.  < 

Inheriting  the  Virginia  blood  of  his  ances- 
tors, Mr.  Guthrie  grew  up  pro-slavery  in  name 
and  a democrat,  but  at  the  early  age  of  twelve 
years  began  to  oppose  the  nefarious  institu- 
tion of  African  servitude,  which  led  to  a com- 
plete change  in  his  political  convictions.  He 
voted  for  John  C.  Lremont  and  for  all  suc- 
ceeding republican  candidates  for  the  presi- 
dency, and  has  contributed  largely  to  the  suc- 
cess of  the  republican  party  in  nearly  every 
local  and  general  election  for  the  last  quarter 
of  a century.  Mr.  Guthrie  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  Lifty-seventh  general  assembly 
of  the  state  by  a majority  of  1,456.  He  fig- 
ured fairly  in  the  legislative  body.  He  intro- 
duced bills  on  free  text  books;  to  forbid  the 
playing  of  base  ball  on  Sunday;  on  local 
option;  on  fees  and  salary,  and  favored  the 
bill  that  did  pass,  and  labored  to  have  it  take 
effect  at  the  publication  of  the  laws.  He  also 
introduced  a bill,  the  object  of  which  was  to 
prevent  capital  punishment.  Mr.  Guthrie  is 
now  permanently  located  in  Muncie,  and  has 
been  prominently  identified  with  a number  of 
its  principal  business  interests,  having  been  a 
charter  member  of  the  Economic  Gas  com- 
pany, the  first  co-operative  gas  company  of 
the  city.  He  takes  pleasure  in  recalling  the 
stirring  scenes  of  the  late  war,  is  popular  with 
the  surviving  comrades  of  company  B,  One 
Hundred  Lifty-second  Ohio  volunteer  infantry, 
and  is  a member  of  the  G.  A.  R.  Post  at 
Springfield,  Ohio.  He  is  also  prominent  in 
Masonic  circles,  having  taken  a number  of 
degrees,  including  that  of  Sir  Knight,  and 
belongs  to  the  lodge  meeting  in  Muncie. 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


298 


BRANK  D.  HAIMBAUGH,  editor  of 
the  Muncie  Herald,  was  born  in  Fair- 
field  county,  Ohio,  in  September, 
1856,  and  is  a son  of  David  and 
Margaret  N.  (Leonard)  Haimbaugh.  The 
family  came  to  Indiana,  and  located  in  Fulton 
county  in  1863,  and  here  he  was  thoroughly 
trained  to  the  hard  labor  of  tilling  the  soil, 
being  the  only  boy  in  the  family. 

Until  seventeen  years  of  age  he  pursued 
his  studies  in  the  common  schools  preparatory 
to  teaching,  and  an  attendance  at  the  Roches- 
ter high  school,  from  which  he  graduated  in 
1878.  In  1880  he  completed  the  scientific 
course  at  the  Western  Indiana  Normal  school 
at  Valparaiso,  from  which  he  also  graduated. 
The  five  years  following  he  was  engaged  in 
teaching,  during  four  of  which  he  was  princi- 
pal of  the  Brookston  (Ind.)  Academy.  In 
1885,  without  any  solicitation  on  his  part,  the 
trustees  of  his  native  county,  Fulton,  elected 
him  county  superintendent  of  schools,  and 
during  his  two  years’  incumbency  of  the  office, 
through  his  capability  and  thoroughness,  these 
schools  were  placed  upon  a very  high  plane. 

In  1887  he  engaged  in  the  life  insurance 
busines  in  Iowa  and  Indiana,  but,  this  voca- 
tion not  proving  congenial  to  his  taste,  he 
bought  an  interest  in  the  Miami  county  (Ind.) 
Sentinel,  in  1889.  He  did  some  very  excel- 
lent editorial  work  on  this  journal  until  April, 
1891,  when  he  sold  his  interest,  removed  to 
Muncie  and  bought  a half  share  in  the  Herald, 
of  which  paper  he  is  now  the  editor.  He  soon 
made  his  mark  as  a strong,  logical  and  fear- 
less writer,  who  never  hesitates  to  express  his 
conviction  as  to  the  right  or  wrong  of  any 
public  question.  He  became  very  popular 
socially  and  politically,  and  in  1889  was  elect- 
ed door-keeper  of  the  Indiana  house  of  repre- 
sentatives, and  that  popularity  still  clung  to 
him,  as,  in  1891,  he  was  again  elected  door- 
keeper, an  honor  never  before  conferred  on 


any  individual — that  of  being  elected  to  the 
office  for  two  consecutive  terms.  In  1893  he 
was  elected,  by  a unanimous  vote,  secretary  of 
the  democratic  editorial  association  of  the 
state,  showing  the  high  esteem  in  which  he  is 
held  by  his  fellow  democratic  journalists 
throughout  the  state.  His  acquaintance  with 
the  leading  men  of  Indiana,  especially  with 
those  of  the  democratic  party,  and  his  sound 
judgment  in  matters  political,  although  not 
professing  to  be  a politician,  make  him  a 
valuable  factor  in  party  councils,  and  his  voice 
is  never  unheeded.  He  is  a strong  tariff  re- 
former, and  is  regarded  as  an  eloquent  politi- 
cal orator,  as  he  handles  his  subject  in  the 
hustings  with  the  ease  and  clearness  that  come 
from  well-founded  convictions. 

In  May,  1890,  Mr.  Haimbaugh  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Miss  Emma  Elginfritx,  of 
Warsaw,  Ind.,  the  union  being  blessed  with 
one  child,  Paul  A.,  whose  presence  in  the 
household  adds  sunshine  to  the  already  bright 
and  happy  home  of  the  parents.  Air.  Haim- 
baugh, it  will  be  perceived,  has  raised  himself 
to  his  present  elavated  position  solely  through 
his  own  talents  and  persevering  industry. 


a ALVIN  HAINES,  a successful  busi- 
ness man  of  Muncie,  was  born  in 
Clinton  county,  Ohio,  September  5, 
1841,  son  of  Stacy  and  Judith  Haines, 
an  appropriate  mention  of  whom  is  found  else- 
where in  this  volume.  Mr.  Haines  was  reared 
on  the  home  farm  until  his  thirteenth  year, 
and  then  removed,  with  his  parents,  to  the 
village  of  Sligo,  Ohio,  where  he  attended 
school  until  eighteen  years  of  age.  On  quit- 
ting school  he  apprenticed  himself  to  a Mr. 
Andrews  to  learn  the  blacksmithing  trade,  at 
which  he  worked  for  a period  of  three  years, 
or  until  August,  1862,  when  he  entered  the 


294 


MUNCIE  CITY 


army,  enlisting  in  company  I,  Seventy-ninth 
Ohio  volunteer  infantry,  with  which  he  served 
until  the  close  of  the  war.  He  was  with  his 
command  in  the  Tennessee  and  Georgia  cam- 
paigns and  participated  in  all  the  battles  from 
Chattanooga  to  Atlanta,  through  all  which  he 
passed  without  receiving  the  slightest  injury. 
At  one  time,  he  was  confined  to  the  hospital 
at  Nashville  on  account  of  sickness,  but  re- 
covered in  time  to  take  part  in  the  great  battle 
fought  near  that  city  which  resulted  in  the  de- 
struction of  Hood’s  army.  He  was  sent  to 
Goldsborough,  N.  C.,  in  1865,  and  in  June  of 
that  year  was  honorably  discharged  from  the 
service  at  Washington,  D.  G.  Returning 
home  at  the  close  of  the  war,  Mr.  Haines  en- 
gaged in  farming  for  two  years,  and  then 
embarked  in  the  grocery  business,  which  he 
carried  on  with  a reasonable  degree  of  success 
until  March,  i 869,  at  which  time  he  disposed  of 
his  stock  and  moved  to  Muncie. 

On  coming  to  this  city  he  engaged  in  the  dry 
goods  trade  until  1878,  at  which  date  he  began 
handling  feed,  and  also  embarked  in  the  ice 
trade,  both  of  which  lines  he  conducted  until 
1884,  and  the  former  of  which  occupied  his 
attention  until  1891.  In  the  latter  year  he 
disposed  of  his  feed  store  and  opened  a meat 
market,  which  he  conducted  with  success  and 
financial  profit  until  June,  1893.  Mr.  Haines 
has  managed  his  various  business  enterprises 
with  judicious  care,  and  since  becoming  identi- 
fied with  the  commercial  interests  of  Muncie, 
he  has  been  recognized  as  one  of  the  city’s 
efficient  and  progressive  citizens.  He  was 
married  September  5,  1867,  to  Mary  T.  Har- 
vey, of  Clinton  county,  Ohio,  daughter  of 
Simon  and  Ann  (Townsend)  Harvey,  to  which 
union  three  children  have  been  born,  namely; 
Walter  H.,  a business  man  of  Pueblo,  Col.; 
Harvey  C.,  deceased;  and  Frank,  who  resides 
with  his  parents  at  home.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Haines  are  consistent  members  of  the  Society 


of  Friends;  in  politics  Mr.  Haines  is  a repub- 
lican. 


AVID  T.  HAINES,  one  of  the  repre- 
sentative business  men,  and  for  many 
years  a prominent  citizen  of  Dela- 
ware county,  is  a native  of  Ohio  and 
a member  of  an  old  Virginia  family  which 
settled  in  the  “Buckeye”  state  before  the 
dawn  of  the  present  century.  John  Haines, 
the  grandfather  of  David  T. , was  born  in  Vir- 
ginia August  15,  1769,  and  married  in  Freder- 
ick county,  W.  Va. , December  4,  1792,  Eliza- 
beth Allen,  whose  birth  occurred  on  the  loth 
day  of  May,  1768.  Shortly  after  marriage 
they  moved  to  Warren  county,  Ohio,  and  set- 
tled in  Wayneville,  where  he  built  the  first 
mill  in  that  part  of  the  state,  which  began 
operations  in  1797.  Subsequently,  he  dis- 
posed of  the  mill  and  moved  to  Greene  county, 
Ohio,  entered  a tract  of  land  in  the  vicinity  of 
Xenia,  cleared  a farm  and  reared  a family  of 
nine  children,  eight  of  whom  grew  to  years  of 
maturity.  He  died  in  November,  1823,  and 
was  buried  on  the  old  home  farm  near  Xenia, 
where  an  appropriate  monument  marks  the 
place;  his  wife  died  in  Highland  county,  Ohio. 
Stacy  Haines,  son  of  John  Haines  and  father 
of  David  T. , was  born  August  2,  1795,  in 
Frederick  county,  Va. , and  was  united  in  mar- 
riage December  3,  1817,  in  Highland  county, 
Ohio,  to  Judith  Terrell,  who  became  the 
mother  of  twelve  children;  David  T. , Noah, 
Mary,  Amos,  Samuel  T.,  John,  Sarah,  Stacy 
A.,'  Martha  wife  of  John  Moore;  Judith  A., 
wife  of  George  Breckney;  Edwin  A.  and  Cal- 
vin. Of  these  children  David  T.,  Stacy, 
Martha,  Judith,  Edwin  A.,  Calvin  and  Allen 
are  still  living.  Stacy  and  Judith  Haines 
were  birthright  members  of  the  Society  of 
Friends,  to  which  both  branches  of  the  family 
have  belonged  for  several  generations.  The 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


295 


father  died  October  5,  1854,  and  on  the  6th  day 
of  January,  1861,  the  mother  was  called  away. 

David  T.  Haines  was  born  in  Xenia,  Ohio, 
October  i,  1818.  He  was  reared  on  the  home 
farm  in  Ohio,  and  in  the  common  schools 
received  an  education,  which,  supplemented 
by  subsequent  years  of  association  with  the 
world,  has  enabled  him  to  transact  the  duties 
of  an  active  business  life.  While  still  young, 
he  was  engaged  in  teaming  to  Cincinnati, 
Dayton  and  other  points,  and  at  the  age  of 
twenty  years  began  learning  the  trade  of  mill- 
ing in  Clinton  county,  Ohio,  in  the  mill  pur- 
chased there  by  his  father  in  1838.  He  con- 
tinued the  trade  for  twelve  years,  and  in  1848 
he  came  to  Muncie,  Ind.,  where,  until  1853, 
he  was  engaged  in  the  wholesale  and  retail 
grocery  business.  To  Mr.  Haines  is  largely 
due  the  credit  for  the  general  system  of  inter- 
nal improvements  which  did  so  much  towards 
developing  central  Indiana  and  Delaware 
county,  and  in  locating  the  Fort  Wayne  & 
Southern  railroad  through  this  part  of  the 
state,  of  which  company  he  was  secretary  from 
1853  until  its  failure  in  I855.  He  continued 
as  custodian  of  the  archives,  stocks,  bonds 
and  books  of  the  company  until  1868,  when 
they  were  turned  over  to  John  C.  Parker,  who 
attempted  to  rebuild  the  road  from  Jefferson- 
ville to  Muncie.  After  the  failure  of  this  proj- 
ect, he  assisted  in  organizing  the  company 
that  built  the  road  from  Fort  Wayne  to  this 
city,  now  the  Ft.  W.,  C.  & L.,  of  which  he 
was  secretary  and  treasurer,  and  later  became 
vice-president  of  the  road  until  sold  to  Chas. 
H.  Dalton  and  others.  He  was  elected  an 
official  in  1868  of  the  company  that  construct- 
ed the  road  from  Connersville  to  Fort  Wayne, 
which  was  subsequently  leased  to  the  Cincin- 
nati railroad  company,  after  which  he  became 
secretary  and  a director  of  the  same  line,  since 
known  as  the  Fort  Wayne  & Cincinnati  road. 
He  was  one  of  the  committee  that  bought  the 


iron  for  the  road  and  the  first  six  engines  that 
are  still  in  use  by  the  company.  He  contin- 
ued with  the  company  until  it  disposed  of  its 
interest  to  a Boston  syndicate,  and  retained 
his  official  connection  until  the  road  changed 
hands.  Practically  Mr.  Haines  had  personal 
charge  of  the  construction  of  the  road,  and  it 
was  by  his  exertions  alone,  and  careful  man- 
agement; that  the  company  was  enabled  to 
complete  the  work  at  the  time  specified,  in 
order  to  receive  the  subsidy  promised  by  the 
citizens  of  Muncie  and  Delaware  and  Wells 
counties.  He  was  identified  with  the  com- 
pany until  the  sale  of  the  line  in  1872,  at 
which  time  he  devoted  his  attention  largely  to 
the  grain  trade  in  Muncie  and  other  points, 
and  in  1867  began  to  speculate  in  Kansas  real 
estate.  In  1865  he  began  buying  grain  in 
Chicago,  later  extended  his  operations  in  this 
line  to  Cleveland,  Ohio,  and  in  1875  became 
prominently  identified  with  the  Muncie 
Machine  works,  of  which  he  was  a director 
and  of  which  he  afterwards  became  general 
manager.  In  1881  Mr.  Haines  moved  to  Kan- 
sas, where  he  remained  until  1892,  at  which 
time  he  returned  to  Muncie. 

Mr.  Haines  was  married  October  10,  1841, 
to  Deborah  Sever,  of  Warren  count}^  Ohio, 
where  her  birth  occurred  on  the  1 7th  day  of 
October,  1819;  she  bore  her  husband  three 
children,  namely:  Elma,  wife  of  A.  G.  F. 
Janes  of  Topeka,  Kan ; Adelbert,  of  Kansas 
City,  Mo.,  and  Melvina,  widow  of  Samuel  C. 
Gregg.  Mrs.  Haines  died  in  1852,  and  De- 
cember 7,  1853,  Mr.  Haines  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Elizabeth  Dragoo,  a daughter 
of  William  and  Elizabeth  (Crantz)  Dragoo. 
Mrs.  Haines  is  a native  of  West  Virginia  and 
dates  her  birth  from  May  19,  1827.  To  Mr. 
Haines’  second  marriage  three  children  have 
been  born;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  J.  N.  Smith; 
Allen,  of  this  city,  and  David  T. , a commission 
merchant  in  Kansas  City,  Mo. 


MUNCIE  CITY 


29f) 


Mr.  Haines  is  a man  of  the  highest  stand- 
ing in  the  tomnunhty,  and  his  reputation  has 
been  gained  by  a long  course  of  honest  and 
straightforward  conduct.  He  was  a member 
of  the  common  council  of  Muncie  for  two 
terms,  and  is  entitled  to  the  honor  of  introdu- 
cing Odd  Fellowship  to  the  city — being  a 
member  of  the  original  lodge  organized  here 
in  1849.  He  was  the  original  proprietor  of 
the  National  hotel,  which  he  conducted  three 
and  one  half  years  under  the  name  of  the 
Haines  house,  and  it  was  by  his  capital  that 
the  building  was  erected.  In  his  political 
affiliations  Mr.  Haines  is  a republican,  and  in 
religion  is  a member  of  the  Society  of  Friends, 
to  which  denomination  his  wife  and  different 
members  of  the  family  belong. 


HRCHIBALD  HAMILTON,  deceased, 
was  one  of  the  most  successful  agri- 
culturists and  general  business  men 
of  Centre  township,  Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  and  was  born  in  Monongalia  county,  Va. 
fnow  West  Va.),  February  19,  1828,  the  son 
of  Stephen  and  Elizabeth  fMcAbee)  Hamilton. 
He  was  the  youngest  son  in  a family  of  eight 
children;  Alvin,  farmer  near  Lyndon,  Kan.; 
Washington,  deceased  when  a young  man; 
Henry  (see  sketch  of  Milton  Hamilton),  Selina, 
wife  of  Silas  Bates,  farmer  near  Jerseyville, 
111.  ; Mary,  hrst  wife  of  William  Walling,  of 
Muncie;  Thomas,  deceased,  was  a farmer  near 
Deepwater,  Mo. ; Stephen,  farmer  of  Centre 
township,  and  Archibald,  whose. name  heads 
this  sketch.  Archibald  was  but  two  and  a 
half  years  old  when  brought  to  Centre  town- 
ship, where  his  father  entered  160  acres  of 
land,  on  which  Archibald  was  reared,  and  of 
which  he  in  due  time  became  part  proprietor 
with  his  father  until  the  latter’s  death.  After 
receiving  a fair  amount  of  schooling  in  his 


neighborhood,  but  a still  larger  amount  of 
farm  training,  he  started  for  the  gold  fields  of 
California  with  a company,  of  which  his  father 
and  brother,  Stephen,  were  also  members, 
and  of  which  party  Archibald  was  the  youngest. 
Having  been  fairly  , successful  in  the  mines, 
Archibald  returned,  in  1851,  and  invested  $800 
of  his  earnings  in  a part  of  the  old  homestead 
and  engaged  in  raising  and  dealing  in  live 
stock,  in  which  enterprise  his  brother,  Henry, 
afterward  became  associated,  and  which  they 
together  carried  on  until  some  time  in  1868, 
when  the  partnership  was  dissolved.  Then 
Archibald  bought  out  the  other  heirs  to  the 
home  farm,  which  then  comprised  404  acres, 
and  took  upon  himself  the  care  of  his  parents. 
For  the  last  hfteen  or  eighteen  years  of  his 
life,  Mr.  Hamilton  rented  out  this  property 
and  other  that  he  had  accumulated,  amount- 
to  600  acres  of  farm  land  and  numerous  valu- 
able town  lots. 

In  December,  1887,  Mr.  Hamilton  was 
married  to  Miss  Harriet  Fleming.  Her  par- 
ents, Isaac  and  Amelia  Fleming,  were  from 
Marion  county.  West  Va  , and  settled  in 
Henry  county,  Ind.,  in  1855.  The  father 
died  in  1857,  leaving  a widow  and  seven  chil- 
dren. His  remains  were  interred  in  the  ceme- 
tery at  Hillsboro,  Ind.  In  1865  the  widow 
removed  to  Muncie,  Ind.,  where  she  ended  her 
days  in  March,  1892,  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
nine,  leaving  as  her  survivors  one  son  and 
three  daughters,  viz;  Hugh  H.  Fleming,  whole- 
sale hai'dware  merchant  of  Sedalia,  Mo. ; 
Harriet,  widow  of  Archibald  Hamilton;  Mrs. 
Amanda  Coffeen,  widow  of  Zelomir  Coffeen, 
and  Lydia,  wife  of  George  H.  Andrews.  Three 
children,  deceased,  were  named  David,  Pres- 
ton and  Charles. 

Archibald  Hamilton  was  called  from  life 
July  5,  1890.  He  was  a man  of  extraordinary 
business  sagacity  and  yet  of  great  tenderness 
of  heart.  His  good  qualities  are  summed  up 


A.  HAMILTON 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


297 


in  the  few  sentences  following:  He  was  very 
liberal  with  the  poor  and  afflicted;  was  never 
extortionate  with  his  tenants,  but  always  gen- 
erous in  his  benefactions  to  public  enterprises 
of  merit;  he  was  possessed  of  remarkable 
financial  ability  and  was  a wonderful  mental 
mathematician;  he  was  lenient  to  an  extreme 
with  his  debtors,  and  seldom  made  a forclos- 
ure,  and  was,  in  the  full  sense  of  the  term,  a 
large-hearted,  sympathetic  man.  He  was  a 
lover  of  fine  horses  and  always  drove  a good 
one,  and  his  aesthetic  tastes  are  exemplified 
in  the  remodeling  of  his  late  residence,  now 
occupied  by  his  amiable  and  ladylike  widow. 
His  name  will  be  remembered  with  gratitude 
by  hundreds  of  recipients  of  his  bounty,  and 
his  loss  deplored  by  his  family  till  time  to  them 
shall  cease. 


QILTON  HAMILTON,  commission 
salesman,  sale  and  livery  stable 
keeper,  Muncie,  is  a native  of  Dela- 
" ware  county,  Ind. , born  in  Centre 
township,  January  3,  1853.  His  father,  Henry 
Hamilton,  was  a native  of  West  Virginia  and 
son  of  Stephen  and  Ann  (McAbee)  Hamilton, 
who  were  among  the  pioneers  of  Delaware 
county,  settling,  many  years  ago,  about  three 
miles  north  of  Muncie,  upon  380  acres  of  land 
purchased  from  the  government.  Henry  Ham- 
ilton was  but  eleven  years  of  age  when  he  ac- 
companied his  parents  to  this  county,  and  he 
grew  to  manhood  amid  the  stirring  scenes  of 
pioneer  times.  It  is  stated  that  he  never  knew 
the  use  of  a shoe  until  after  his  eleventh  year, 
and  during  his  youth  he  bore  his  full  share  in 
contributing  toward  the  support  of  the  family 
in  their  new  home  in  the  woods.  He  received 
his  educational  training  in  the  indifferent 
country  schools  of  that  period,  and  at  the  age 
of  twenty-four  went  to  Illinois  and  entered  a 
tract  of  government  land  in  Henry  county,  that 


state.  When  thirty-two  years  old,  he  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Mary  C.  Coe,  daughter 
of  William  and  Harriet  Coe,  of  Indiana,  and 
immediately  thereafter  disposed  of  his  interest 
in  Illinois,  and,  returning  to  Delaware  county, 
settled  on  the  old  home  farm,  where  he  re- 
mained, a successful  tiller  of  the  soil,  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  on  the  1 7th  day  of 
March,  1884.  His  wife  survived  him  nearly 
two  years,  departing  this  life  in  January,  1886. 
Henry  and  Mary  C.  Hamilton  had  a family  of 
four  children,  namely:  Milton,  Millard  F. , 

William  Harry  and  Carl  E.  Of  the  above, 
William  Harry  is  deceased;  Millard  F.  and 
Carl  are  at  this  time  engaged  in  farming  and 
real  estate  business  in  the  new  state  of  Wash- 
ington. 

Milton  Hamilton  was  reared  on  the  home 
farm  in  Centre  township  and  received  his 
educational  training  in  the  district  schools. 
He  remained  under  the  parental  roof  until  his 
twentieth  year,  at  which  time,  thinking  to  bet- 
ter his  financial  condition  in  the  west,  he  went 
to  the  distant  state  of  California,  where  for  a 
period  of  seven  years  he  was  engaged  in  agri- 
cultural pursuits  in  Sacramento  valley,  princi- 
pally in  the  counties  of  Butte  and  Napa. 
He  met  with  a fair  degree  of  success  as  a 
farmer,  and  in  1879  went  to  Washington  terri- 
tory, pre-empted  land,  and  there  he  resided 
until  his  return  to  Delaware  county  in  the 
spring  of  1884.  From  the  latter  year  until 
September,  1892,  Mr  Hamilton  was  engaged 
in  farming  the  old  homestead,  and  then  effect- 
ed a copartnership  with  F.  Karn  in  the  com- 
mission, sale  and  livery  business,  which  he 
has  since  carried  on  and  in  which  his  success 
has  been  very  encouraging.  IMr.  Hamilton  is 
well  known  in  business  circles  in  Muncie,  and 
his  financial  standing  is  first  class  in  every 
particular.  His  close  attention  to  his  various 
lines  of  business  has  been  marked  by  careful 
forethought,  and  he  has  been  enabled  to  accu- 


298 


MUNCIE  CITY 


niulate  thereby  a handsome  property,  owning 
at  this  time  a valuable  farm  of  320  acres,  be- 
side other  real  estate  in  the  city  and  county,  j 
He  is  a director  and  stockholder  in  the  Farm-  ! 
ers’  National  bank  of  IMuncie,  and  the  business 
firm  with  which  he  is  at  present  identified  is 
one  of  the  leading  establishments  of  the  kind 
in  the  city. 

Mr.  Hamilton  was  married  in  Puget  Sound, 
Wash.,  December  8,  1885,  to  Hattie  C. , 

daughter  of  John  and  Hattie  McArdle.  This 
union  has  been  crowned  with  the  birth  of  three 
children,  namely:  Hazel,  Henry  C. , and 

Louise — the  second  child  dying  in  infancy. 
Mr.  Hamilton’s  political  affiliations  are  with 
the  republican  party,  but  he  has  never  been  a 
partisan  in  the  sense  of  seeking  official  prefer- 
ment. 


TEPHEN  HAMILTON,  of  Centre 
township,  Delaware  county,  Ind. , 
was  born  in  Monongalia  county,  W. 
Va. , December  27,  1825,  the  son  of 
Stephen  and  Anna  E.  (McAbee)  Hamilton, 
natives,  respectively,  of  Pennsylvania  and 
Maryland.  After  their  marriage  Stephen  and 
Anna  Hamilton  settled  in  Monongalia  county, 
W.  Va.,  where  they  made  their  home  until 
the  fall  of  1830,  at  which  time  they  moved  to 
Delaware  county.  Inch,  locating  on  what  is 
now  the  Granville  turnpike,  Centre  township, 
where  they  purchased  from  the  government 
240  acres  of  land.  To  this  Mr.  Hamilton 
subsequently  added  another  tract  of  140  acres, 
and  began  life  in  the  backwoods.  His  first 
dwelling  was  a rude  log  structure,  eighteen  by 
twenty  feet  in  dimensions,  covered  with  a 
clap-board  roof  held  to  place  by  weight 
poles,  the  door  made  of  clap  boards  fastened 
with  wooden  hinges,  while  light  was  admitted 
to  the  interior  of  the  domicile  through  a 
window  in  which  greased  paper  was  used  in- 


stead of  glass.  Mr.  Hamilton,  for  some  time 
after  coming  to  the  new  country,  supplied  his 
table  with  the  meat  of  deer,  bear,  wild  turkey 
and  other  game,  with  which  the  forests  at 
that  time  abounded.  Pie  acquired  great  skill 
with  a rifle,  and  no  wild  animal  upon  which 
he  drew  his  deadly  aim  was  ever  known  to 
have  escaped.  He  was  one  of  the  original 
“ Forty-niners”  who  sought  the  gold  fields  of 
far  away  California,  and  he  started  for  the 
Pacific  coast  by  a private  conveyance  to  Rich- 
mond, Ind.,  thence  by  stage  to  Cincinnati,  at 
which  place  he  took  a steamer  for  New 
Orleans  and  across  the  gulf  to  Chagres  City. 
After  crossing  the  Isthmus  of  Panama  he  was 
detained  for  about  six  weeks,  at  the  end  of 
which  time,  in  company  with  a number  of 
other  spirits  as  daring  as  himself,  he  chartered 
an  English  vessel  and  proceeded  to  San  Eran- 
cisco.  He  was  engaged  in  mining  for  a period 
of  eighteen  months,  during  which  time  he 
accumulated  considerable  money.  He  re- 
turned home  by  the  same  route  as  he  went  to 
Calafornia,  resumed  farming,  and  was  thus 
employed  until  his  death,  which  occurred  on 
the  17th  day  of  May,  1872;  his  wife  died 
December  ii,  1868,  on  the  home  farm. 
These  excellent  people  were  members  of  the 
Episcopal  church;  they  reared  a family  of 
eight  children,  whose  names  are  as  follows: 
Alvin,  of  Osage  county,  Kan.  ; Washington, 
deceased;  Flenry,  deceased;  Selina,  wife  of 
S.  Bates,  of  Illinois;  Mary  A.,  deceased; 
Thomas,  deceased;  Stephen,  whose  name 
opens  this  sketch,  and  Archibald,  deceased. 

Stephen  Hamilton  was  but  four  years  of 
age  when  brought  to  this  county,  within  the 
boundaries  of  which  the  greater  part  of  his 
subsequent  life  has  been  passed.  He  re- 
calls, with  pleasure,  the  exicting  scenes  of 
pioneer  life,  and  amid  the  rugged  duties, 
incident  to  the  clearing  and  developing  of 
the  home  farm,  he  acquired  strength  of 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


299 


body  and  determination  of  will  which  served 
him  well  in  after  years.  In  the  primitive  log 
school  house  he  acquired  the  rudiments  of  an 
education,  and  at  the  age  of  tw'enty-three,  in 
company  with  his  brother  Archibald,  accom- 
panied his  father  upon  the  latter’s  long  and 
perilous  journey  to  the  gold  helds  of  Cali- 
fornia. For  a period  two  years  and  two  months 
he  worked  in  the  mines,  and  during  that  time 
succeeded  in  accumulating  a considerable  sum 
of  money,  which  he  judiciously  invested  in 
i6o  acres  of  hne  land  upon  his  return  to  Dela- 
ware county.  The  place  he  purchased  is  in 
Centre  township,  and  he  has  since  resided 
upon  the  same,  being  the  owner  at  this  time  of 
a comfortable  home  and  a hightly  improved 
farm. 

Mr.  Hamilton  was  married  October  i8, 
1855,  to  Miss  Rachael  Moore,  whose  birth  oc- 
curred in  Butler  county,  Ohio,  July  8,  1837. 
Her  parents,  Mark  and  Mary  (Davis)  Moore, 
both  natives  of  Ohio,  were  married  April  4, 
1835,  and  reared  the  following  children; 
Zerelda,  deceased;  Rachael,  whose  name  ap- 
pears above;  John,  a contractor  of  Muncie; 
Robert  C. , deceased;  Anna,  of  Muncie;  Lany, 
wife  of  John  Pugh;  Virginia,  wife  of  J Smith  of 
Kansas;  Vincent  T.,  of  Muncie,  a contractor. 
The  father  of  these  children  died  November 
24,  1881;  the  mother  still  lives  and  makes  her 
home  in  the  city  of  Muncie.  The  w'edded  life 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hamilton  has  been  crowned 
by  the  birth  of  ten  children,  whose  names  are 
as  follows:  Charles  E.,  of  Seattle,  Washing- 

ton; Lillie  Z. , wife  of  George  Shafer;  Ann  E., 
wife  of  L.  Michner;  Erank  E.,  Henry,  Mary 
E.,  deceased;  Iva,  deceased;  Archibald  A., 
Grace  S.  and  infant  who  died  unnamed.  Mr. 
Hamilton  is  a man  of  popularity  m his  com- 
munity; prudence  and  moderation  are  among 
his  chief  characteristics,  and  his  life  has  been 
governed  b}^  pure  and  just  precepts.  By  suc- 
cessful management  he  has  accumulated  a 


competency  of  this  world’s  goods,  and  owms 
the  hne  farm  already  noted,  beside  valuable 
property  in  the  city  of  Muncie.  He  is  a re- 
publican in  politics,  and  has  always  taken  an 
active  interest  in  the  material  prosperity  of 
his  township  and  county. 


RANT  HANCOCK,  contractor,  of 
Muncie,  Ind, , is  a son  of  Watson  and 
Elizabeth  (Davis)  Hancock,  and  was 
born  in  Wayne  county,  Ind.,  June  i, 
1864.  Watson  Hancock  was  born  near  Ham- 
ilton, Ohio,  in  1820  or  1821,  w^as  married  at 
College  Corner,  Ohio,  settled  in  Wayne  coun- 
ty, Ohio,  shortly  after  that  event,  thence 
moved  to  Randolph  county,  where  he  followed 
farming  until  about  1871,  when  he  settled  in 
Delaware  county,  near  Yorktown,  where  he 
followed  farming  for  about  ten  years,  and 
then  moved  to  Edgar  county.  Ilk,  where 
he  and  wife  are  now  living — he  at  the  age  of 
seventy-two  years.  These  parents  have  ten 
children  now  living,  viz:  George,  a farmer  of 

Randolph  county,  Ind.  ; Caroline,  wife  of  Jerry 
Bennett,  of  Paris,  111. ; William,  in  business  at 
Red  Key,  Ind. ; Hannah,  wife  of  Frank  Reed, 
Hildreth,  111.;  Alice,  wife  of  Stephen  Johnson, 
farmer,  of  Edgar  county.  111. ; David,  farmer  of 
the  same  county;  Grant  Hancock;  Ida,  unmar- 
ried, at  home  with  her  parents;  Watson,  a car- 
penter, of  Muncie,  Ind.,  and  Nora,  unmarried, 
with  her  parents. 

Grant  Hancock,  at  the  age  of  seventeen, 
w'orked  for  himself  a year  in  Illinois  at  farm- 
ing, and  from  that  on  in  Randolph  county, 
Ind.,  until  twenty-two.  But  agriculture  was 
not  congenial  to  his  taste,  and  at  the  age 
named  he  apprenticed  himself  at  carpentering 
— first  to  John  Williams  and  then  to  George 
Barnett,  who  w'ere  doing  much  w'ork  along  the 
line  of  the  I.  B.  & W.  railroad  in  Ran- 


:500 


MUNCIE  CITY 


dolph  county.  After  two  years’  work  for 
these  parties  he  was  prepared  to  do  business 
on  his  own  account,  and  began  contracting. 
Me  erected  a large  number  of  buildings  near 
Modoc  and  Losantville,  and  for  three  years 
met  with  much  success,  and  then  came  to 
Muncie,  in  1889,  and  began  contracting  as  a 
member  of  the  firm  of  Hancock  & Smith  for 
the  first  season.  In  1890  he  formed  a partner- 
ship with  his  brother  David  for  one  year, 
since  which  time  he  has  been  contracting 
alone.  His  work  has  been  quite  extensive 
since  then,  having,  since  1892,  built  ninety- 
two  dwelling  houses,  to-wit;  Forty  for  W.  A. 
Sampson,  and  thirty-five  for  A.,  L.  Johnson  & 
Co.,  in  Gray’s  addition  in  1892,  and  twenty- 
two  in  the  spring  of  1893,  before  the  financial 
depression  came  on.  In  active  times  his  ef- 
fective force  of  employees  numbers  100  men. 

Mr.  Hancock  is  in  politics  a democrat,  and, 
as  he  believes  in  “live  and  let  live,”  assisted  in 
the  organization  of  the  carpenters’  union  in 
Muncie,  but  resigned  in  1892,  yet  continued  to 
treat  his  employees  with  the  same  considera- 
tion as  the  other  contractors  in  the  city.  Mr. 
Hancock  started  at  contracting  with  limited 
capital,  but  by  skill,  strict  business  integrity, 
promptness  in  filling  his  contracts,  he  has 
placed  himself  at  the  head  of  the  contractors 
of  Muncie,  as  the  attendance  of  patrons  at 
his  office,  406  east  Adams  street,  will  attest. 
Mr.  Hancock  was  married,  in  1886,  to  Miss 
Rosa  M.  Grubbs  of  Modoc,  Ind.,  who  has 
added  happiness  to  this  home  by  the  addition 
of  three  bright  children — Alvin,  Bertha  and 
an  infant  son. 


HOMAS  E.  HARRINGTON,  the  pres- 
ent efficient  recorder  of  Delaware 
county,  was  born  in  Caroline  county, 
Md.,  May  25,  1843,  ^ son  of  James 
and  Martha  (Numbers)  Harrington,  natives  of 


the  same  state,  and  of  Caroline  and  Kent 
counties,  respectively.  In  1872  these  parents 
removed  to  Henry  county,  Ind.,  and  located 
on  a farm  where  the  father  died  the  same 
year;  the  mother  survived  him  until  1889, 
departing  this  life  in  the  city  of  Muncie.  They 
belonged  respectively  to  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal church  and  Friends’  Society,  and  were  peo- 
ple eminently  respected  in  the  community 
where  they  resided.  They  were  the  parents 
of  seven  children,  of  which  family  four  are 
now  living,  namely:  Thomas  E. ; Margaret, 

wife  of  John  Anderson  of  Muncie;  Lydia  M., 
and  J.  Harry,  an  employee  of  the  Indiana 
Bridge  company.  Thomas  E.  Harrington  was 
reared  in  his  native  county  until  eighteen  years 
of  age,  and  received  his  education  in  the  pub- 
lic schools.  On  the  breaking  out  of  the  rebel-;! 
lion  he  entered  the  army,  enlisting;  in  i86i,i 
in  company  D,  First  regiment  Maryland  vol-1 
unteer  infantry,  and  gave  three  years  and| 
three  months  to  the  service  of  his  country.! 
He  was  made  fife-major  of  his  company,  andl 
during  the  period  of  his  service  participated  ini 
the  Gettysburg  campaign,  was  on  the  block-  ? 
ade  service,  and  for  some  time  was  under  the| 
command  of  Gens.  Butler,  Lew  Wallace,  Dixy 
and  Brigadier-Com.  Lockwood.  After  being^ 
honorably  discharged,  he  returned  to  his| 
native  state  and  engaged  in  teaching,  whichi^ 
he  followed  until  1870,  when  he  came  to  Indi-| 
ana,  where  he  was  similarly  employed  ini 
Franklin  county  until  1874.  • y 

In  the  spring  of  1875  Mr.  Harrington  lo- 
cated in  Muncie,  and  in  November  of  that 
year  removed  to  Selma,  where  he  taught 
school  during  the  winter  seasons  and  worked 
at  the  carpenter’s  trade  in  summers,  until  the 
fall  of  1890,  at  which  time  he  was  compli- 
mented by  his  fellow  citizens  by  being  elected 
to  the  office  of  county  recorder.  In  the  dis- 
charge of  the  duties  of  this  position  Mr.  Har- 
rington has  been  uniformly  kind  and  obliging. 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNS f IIP. 


301 


and  his  manner  of  conducting  the  affairs  of 
the  office  is  proof  sufficient  of  the  party’s  wis- 
dom in  his  election.  Politically,  Mr.  Har- 
rington is  and  always  has  been  a supporter  of 
the  republican  party,  and  has  contributed 
largely  to  its  success  in  several  important  cam- 
paigns. He  is  post  commander  of  the  S.  J. 
Williams  pest,  G.  A.  R. , being  also  adjutant  of 
the  same,  and  is  a member  of  the  Selma  lodge. 
No.  189,  I.  O.  O.  F. , in  which  he  is  past 
grand  chief  and  past  grand  patriarch;  he  is 
also  a member  of  the  Twa  Twa  tribe  of  Red 
Men.  Mr.  Harrington’s  marriage  was  solem- 
nized in  December,  1865,  with  Miss  Sue  B. 
Norris,  daughter  of  William  Norris,  and  they 
are  the  parents  of  the  following  children; 
Alice  L. , wife  of  C.  O.  Hanna  of  Selma,  Ind. ; 
Dela  S.,  Harry  C.,  William  H.,  Martha  V., 
Charles  O.  (deceased),  Lola  J.,  Thomas  R. 
and  Georgia.  Mr.  Harrington  and  family  are 
members  of  the  Methodist  church,  belonging 
to  the  High  street  congregation  of  Muncie, 
and  are  among  the  most  esteemf  d residents  of 
the  cit3r  His  domestic  relations,  with  the 
exception  of  the  sadness  occasioned  by  the 
one  visitation  of  death  to  the  family,  have 
been  of  the  most  felicitous  nature,  and  his 
public  and  social  positions  have  been  commen- 
surate in  their  pleasant  current  with  the  flow 
of  his  domestic  huppiness.  He  has  been  de- 
serving o'  all  that  has  been  bestowed  upon 
him,  and  will  ever  be  able  to  sustain  the  high 
position  he  has  attained  in  the  esteem  of  his 
fellow  men. 


OHNJ.  HARTLEY.— Perhaps  no  one, 
from  choice,  would  desire  to  be  thrown 
upon  his  own  resources  at  an  early  age, 
but  history'  continually  gives  the  world 
examples  of  successful  lives,  whei'e  the  jmuth- 
ful  days  were  full  of  privation  and  self  denial. 


John  J.  Hartley  was  born  in  Freedom,  Beaver 
county.  Pa.,  September  21,  1856,  son  of 
Charles  A.  and  Barbara  (Heffner)  Hartley, 
natives  of  Baden  Baden,  Germany,  who  set- 
tled in  Beaver  county.  Pa.,  in  1834.  The 
father  was  a teacher  by  profession,  had  been 
educated  for  the  ministry,  but  never  entered 
the  sacred  calling,  preferring  teaching,  and  fol- 
lowing it  in  his  native  country  and  for  some 
time  after  coming  to  America.  He  taught  in 
tee  schools  of  Pittsburg,  and  later  became 
the  principal  of  the  Trevel^m  school,  Pennsyl- 
vania. He  and  wife  died  in  Freedom,  Beaver 
county.  Pa. 

John  J.  Hartley  received  a limited  educa- 
tion in  the  public  schools,  and  at  the  early 
age  of  twelve  years  left  home  and  for  eight 
years  thereafter  acted  as  agent  for  Riley  & 
Sargent  and  for  the  Union  News  company. 
He  naturally  took  to  business,  and  during  the 
years  of  1876  and  1877  he  rented  the  privilege 
on  the  limited  express  trains  on  the  P.,  Ft. 
W.  & C.  R.  R.  from  Pittsburg  to  Crestline, 
and  operated  them  successful!}'.  In  1877  he 
became  the  manager  of  the  Tremont  house  at 
i\Iansfield,  Ohio,  and  the  same  year,  June  21, 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Anna  Mc- 
Sherry»  the  former  proprietor  of  the  Tremont. 

In  1882  Mr.  Hartley  engaged  in  the  man- 
ufacture of  crackers,  which  business  he  con- 
tinued one  year  under  the  firm  name  of  Pur- 
tell,  Hartle}'  & Black,  but,  owing  to  poor 
health,  was  obliged  to  dispose  of  his  interests 
and  turn  his  attention  to  other  pursuits.  In 
1884  he  engaged  in  the  real  estate  and  insur- 
ance business  in  Mansfield  and  continued 
there  very  successfully  until  the  spring  of 
1889,  at  which  date  he  came  to  Muncie  and 
since  that  time  has  given  his  entire  attention 
to  real  estate  transactions.  In  1887  he  pur- 
chased twelve  acres  of  land  and  laid  out  what 
is  known  as  the  Hartley  & Lowenstine  addi- 
tion to  Muncie,  a very  valuable  and  desirable 


302 


MUNCIE  CITY 


part  of  the  cit}^  Mr.  Hartley  has  been  fore- 
most in  every  enterprise  having  for  its  object 
the  public  welfare.  He  assisted  in  the  organ- 
ization of  the  Muncie  Real  Estate  exchange, 
of  which  he  is  the  treasurer,  and  is  also  a 
stockholder  in  several  large  manufacturing 
plants,  and  one  of  the  active  members  of  the 
Citizens’  Enterprise  company,  in  the  organi- 
zation of  which  he  contributed  $i,ooo  and 
much  of  his  time.  He  is  recognized  as  a busi- 
ness man  of  superior  ability  and  marked  prob- 
ity, and  the  city  of  Muncie  recognizes  in  him  a 
gentleman  of  exemplary  character  in  the  pri- 
vate walks  of  life  as  well  as  before  the  public 
gaze.  His  political  attachments,  though 
strong,  are  ever  held  in  subservience  to  his 
sense  of  right,  and  as  a member  of  the  repub- 
lican party  he  is  frequently  consulted  on  mat- 
ters of  interest  in  both  local  and  general  cam- 
paigns. He  has  been  active  in  behalf  of  the 
city’s  welfare  as  member  of  the  common  coun- 
cil, to  which  body  he  was  elected  in  1891,  and 
in  which  he  served  as  chairman  of  the  com- 
mittee on  water  works  and  other  important 
committees.  Eraternally  he  belongs  to  the 
Masonic  order,  in  which  he  has  taken  a num- 
ber of  degrees,  including  chapter,  commandery 
and  Scottish  rite.  He  is  also  a member  of 
the  Pythian  fraternity  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hartley 
were  formerly  members  of  the  Congregational 
church  at  Mansfield,  Ohio,  and  now  belong  to 
the  Eirst  Presbyterian  church  of  Muncie. 


ETH  G.  HASTINGS,  M.  D.— Mun- 
cie is  a city  that  rejoices  in  a number 
of  very  efficient  and  skillful  physi- 
cians and  surgeons,  and  prominent 
among  these  is  Dr.  Hastings,  who  was  born  in 
Henry  count}  , Ind. , March  i,  1840,  son  of 
William  and  Jane  (Reece)  Hastings.  William 


Hastings  was  bo  n in  Wayne  county,  Ind. , 
son  of  William  Hastings,  a native  of  North 
Carolina,  and  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Wayne 
county,  Ind.  The  mother  of  the  doctor  was  a 
native  of  North  Carolina,  who  settled  in  Henry 
county,  Ind.,  in  1823.  The  doctor’s  parents 
were  married  in  the  latter  county  and  began 
mar  ied  life  on  a tract  of  land  which  they 
entered  and  proceeded  to  clear,  residing  there 
for  many  years.  The  father  died  in  that 
county  in  1854,  but  the  mother  still  survives, 
making  her  home  in  Muncie  with  her  son  Seth 
G.  Hastings. 

Dr.  Hastings  is  the  fourth  child  in  a family 
of  seven  children,  and  received  his  education 
in  the  public  schools.  In  the  fall  of  1859  he 
removed  with  his  mother  to  Richmond,  Ind. , 
and  graduated  from  the  high  school  of  that 
city,  after  which  he  entered  Earlham  college, 
graduating  in  the  class  of  1867.  Eor  the  next 
eight  years  Dr.  Hastings  was  a most  efficient 
teacher  and  superintendent  of  schools  in 
Wayne  county,  later  being  made  the  superin- 
tendent of  the  B.  C.  Hobbs  school  at  Bloom- 
ingdale  academy.  After  this  he  taught  three 
years  in  the  Wabash  public  schools,  finally 
serving  most  acceptably  as  superintendent  of 
the  Decatur  public  schools  for  three  years. 
During  this  time  Dr.  Hastings  devoted  some 
of  his  spare  time  to  the  study  of  medicine,  and 
after  filling  the  last  named  position  at  Decatur, 
he  attended  the  Homeopathic  Medical  college, 
at  Cleveland,  Ohio,  and  finished  his  medical 
course  at  Cincinnati,  graduating  in  1877. 
After  finishing  his  studies  Dr.  Hastings  began 
his  practice  at  Decatur,  Adams  county,  Ind., 
but  in  1 887  came  to  Muncie,  where  he  has  built 
up  an  extensive  practice.  He  is  a member 
of  the  State  Homeopathic  Medical  association. 
Dr.  Hastings  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the 
prohibition  party  in  Indiana,  and  since  that 
time  has  been  a stanch  supporter  of  the  same. 
In  1892  he  was  the  nominee  of  the  party  for 


DR.  S.  G.  HASTINGS. 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


SOS 


coroner  of  Delaware  county.  February  3, 
1870,  Dr.  Hastings  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Edith  Towell,  daughter  of  Isaac 
and  Elizabeth  (Cox)  Towell,  of  Fountain 
county,  Ind.  Mrs.  Hastings  died  November 
2,  1889,  leaving  four  children — Alton  P. , 

Laura  Ellen,  Williard  S.  and  Carrie  Esther. 
Dr.  Hastings  is  a member  of  the  Society  of 
Friends,  of  Muncie,  being  very  active  in  both 
church  and  Sunday  school  work.  He  has 
served  as  president  of  the  Adams  county  Sun- 
day school  union  and  of  the  District  Sunday 
school  association,  embracing  the  Sunday 
schools  of  Wayne,  Henry,  Randolph  and  Del- 
aware counties.  Dr.  Hastings  is  deservediy 
popular  with  all  the  people  with  whom  he  is 
brought  in  contact,  not  only  in  a professional 
way,  but  as  a friend  and  neighbor.  The  ca- 
reer of  Dr.  Hastings,  as  a professional,  has 
been  of  the  most  flattering  character,  not  only 
from  a financial  point  of  view,  but  from  a 
scientific  stand  point.  His  reputation  as  an 
exponent  of  the  particular  school  to  which  he 
belongs  is  widespread  and  exalted,  and  he  may 
with  complacency  look  upon  the  long  list  of 
patients  his  skill  has  brought  him.  His  stand- 
ing in  society  is  commensurate  with  his  stand- 
ing as  a physician. 


TEPHEN  HATHAWAY,  M.  D.,  de- 
ceased, one  of  the  oldest  and  most 
experienced  physicians  and  surgeons 
of  eastern  Indiana,  was  born  near  Co- 
lumbus, Ohio,  August  I,  1819,  and  was  a son 
of  Erastus  and  Mercy  (Norton)  Hathaway, 
natives  of  Massachusetts.  He  was  reared  on 
a farm,  educated  primarily  in  the  common 
schools,  and  began  the  study  of  medicine  under 
a private  preceptor  in  Columbus,  attended  a 
medical  college  at  Cleveland,  graduated,  came 


to  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  in  1844,  and  prac- 
ticed at  Granville  until  the  California  gold  fever 
became  rife  in  1 849.  He  at  once  joined  a com- 
pany of  some  fifty  Muncie  and  other  Delaware 
county  people  and  went  to  the  gold  fields,  where 
he  passed  a year  and  did  fairly  well.  On  his 
return  he  settled  in  Muncie  in  practice,  and 
was  also  for  some  years  in  partnership  in  the 
drug  business  with  John  C.  Helm.  The  doc- 
tor was  favored  with  a large  practice,  extend- 
ing over  a wide  area,  until  about  the  close  of 
the  civil  war,  when  he  retired  to  a farm  of 
thirty-three  acres  at  what  is  now  known  as 
Riverside.  Of  this  he  made  a nursery  and 
fruit  farm,  and  carried  it  on  for  several  years, 
closing  out  the  nursery  in  1888.  He  was  a 
man  of  great  industry  and  perseverance,  but 
was  stricken  with  paralysis,  and  died  in  April, . 
1891,  in  his  seventy-second  year.  His  mar- 
riage took  place  May  26,  1853,  to  Sarah  Jar- 
rett,  daughter  of  Daniel  JaiTett,  for  many  years 
a resident  of  Delaware  county.  This  union 
was  favored  with  the  birth  of  nine  children,  in 
the  following  order:  Charles,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  eleven  years;  William,  of  Lafayette, 
Colo. ; D.  JaiTett,  in  the  lumber  business  at 
Topeka,  Kan.  ; May,  wife  of  J.  B.  Ragan,  of 
Sidney,  Neb.;  Stanley,  at  home;  Sherman,  in 
the  stone  business  at  Denver,  Colo.  ; Lydia, 
stenographer,  at  Pittsburgh,  Pa. ; Addie,  a ste- 
nographer, and  Sallie,  at  home. 

Of  the  old  Hathaway  homestead,  thirty-one 
acres  constitute  a part  of  the  new  and  attrac- 
tive addition  to  Muncie,  known  as  Riverside. 
It  is  laid  out  in  wide  streets,  and  forms  one  of 
the  most  desirable  and  beautiful  residence  sub- 
urbs of  the  city,  is  attracting  the  best  class  of 
business  men;  possesses  good  natural  drainage 
and  is  underlaid  with  deep  strata  of  gravel;  is 
in  close  proximity  to  the  business  portions  of 
the  city,  and  is  entirely  free  from  factories  and 
other  annoyances  that  mar  the  quiet  peace  and 
repose  of  retired  domesticity. 


804 


MUNCIE  CITY 


EV.  JACOB  W.  HEATH,  was  born 
Eebruary23,  1829,  in  Wayne  county, 
Ind. , and  is  of  English  stock;  his 
great-grandfather,  together  with  two 
brothers,  crossed  the  Atlantic,  from  their  Lon- 
don home,  and  stopped  in  Maryland,  where 
the  grandfather,  Jacob  Heath,  was  born  and 
reared;  and,  early  in  his  life,  removed  to  Guil- 
ford county,  N.  C.,  where  Ralph  Heath, 
father  of  Jacob  W. , was  born,  reared  and  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Mary  Tomlinson.  After  the  birth 
of  three  sons  and  one  daughter — the  daughter 
dying  in  infancy — the  parents  decided  to  move 
the’ young  family  to  the  wilds  of  Indiana,  and 
in  October,  1828,  they  left  their  home  in  the 
sunny  south,  crossing  the  mountains  in  the  lit- 
tle wagon,  to  Wayne  county,  Ind.,  where  Mr. 
Heath  stopped  with  his  family  for  one  year. 
During  the  summer  of  1829  Ralph  Heath  came 
to  Delaware  county,  to  enter  land;  less  than 
200  voters  were  in  the  county,  and  much  of 
the  land,  where  the  city  of  Muncie  now  stands 
was  congress  land,  subject  to  entry,  at  $1.25 
per  acre.  But  Mr.  Heath  hnally  located  in 
Salem  township,  five  miles  southwest  of  Mun- 
cie; built  a cabin,  and  brought  his  family 
here  December  25,  1829 — but  one  family  liv- 
ing nearer  than  the  little  village  of  Muncie- 
town,  five  miles  distant.  The  growling  of 
the  bear,  the  scream  of  the  panther,  and  the 
howling  of  the  wolf  with  all  the  loneliness  of 
this  wilderness  country,  were  what  the  father 
and  mother  had  to  endure.  The  sons  older 
than  Jacob  W.  were  Albert,  now  of  Hannibal, 
Mo.;  John  W. , of  Muncie,  and  the  Rev. 
James  W. , deceased,  who  all  shared  in  the 
hardships  of  pioneer  life  with  their  father  and 
mother.  The  father  was  a Christian  man 
and  was  among  the  first  to  open  his  cabin 
to  the  early  missionaries  of  the  M.  E. 
church.  This  cabin  was  the  preaching 
place  in  the  early  settlement  for  years,  and 
this  early  training  that  Jacob  W.  received 


from  the  early  ministers  and  parents  fixed  him 
in  his  religious  convictions  during  life. 

Jacob  W.  Heath  remained  with  his  parents 
until  of  age.  attending  the  district  schools  dur- 
ing the  winter  and  working  on  the  farm  dur- 
ing the  summer.  In  1 848  and  ’49,  he  was  a 
student  in  the  old  Delaware  county  seminary. 
In  1850,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Rhoda  A.  Perdiue,  daughter  of  the  Rev.  Abner 
Perdiue,  a pioneer  minister,  and  an  early 
settler  of  Delaware  county.  Mr.  Heath,  at 
the  time  of  his  marriage,  was  engaged  in 
teaching,  but  soon  engaged  in  the  business  of 
the  farm,  and  continued  in  the  same  till  1868, 
when  he  removed  to  Muncie,  since  when  his 
time  has  been  taken  up  in  the  grocery  busi- 
ness, life  insurance  and  real  estate. 

Mr.  Heath  joined  the  M.  E.  church  when 
sixteen  years  of  age.  He  has  filled  the  offices 
of  leader,  steward,  trustee.  Sabbath  school  sup- 
perintendent,  exhorter,  and  for  the  last  seven- 
teen years,  local  minister.  Mr.  Heath  became 
a member  of  Delaware  lodge.  No.  46,  Free  & 
Accepted  Masons,  in  1856,  and  is  a strong  be- 
liever in  the  principles  of  that  order.  He  has 
been  for  many  years  a zealous  workers  in  the 
cause  of  temperance,  and  has  been  heard  from 
in  almost  every  pulpit  in  the  county  and  state. 
He  attended  the  constitutional  amendment 
case  of  the  supreme  court,  in  the  city  of  Des 
Moines,  Iowa,  in  1883,  and  did  effective  work 
there. 

In  politics,  Mr.  Heath  is  a republican,  and 
has  been  at  all  times  in  line  with  his  party,  and 
taken  an  active  paid  in  all  political  campaigns 
since  i860.  While  Mr.  Heath  was  not  in  the 
army  during  the  dark  days  of  the  war,  there 
was  no  man  in  the  south  part  of  the  county, 
where  he  at  that  time  resided,  who  did  more 
for  the  support  of  the  families  of  the  men  who 
went  to  the  front,  according  to  his  financial 
ability.  The  fruits  of  J.  W.  Heath  and  wife’s 
marriage,  have  been  six  sons  and  two  daugh- 


'A 


h 


/ 


f 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


805 


ters,  namely;  John  B.,  Frederick  W. , Perry 
S.,  Fletcher  S. , Cyrus  R. , Cassie  E.  and 
Mary  A.,  and  one  son,  Arthur,  deceased. 

Mr.  Heath  calls  to  mind,  the  first  death 
and  funeral,  that  occurred  between  the  very 
small  village,  of  Muncietown  and  Middletown. 
In  December,  1833;  was  present  at  the  funeral, 
and  saw  the  few  early  settlers  deposit  the 
remains  of  the  wife  and  mother  in  the  silent 
and  new  cemetery;  this  being  the  first  one 
laid  to  rest  in  what  is  know  now  as  the  Old 
Heath  cemetery. 


ULIUS  A.  HEINSOHN,  proprietor  of 
the  Kirby  house  and  one  of  the  genial, 
pleasant  and  hospitable  hosts  of  Muncie, 
is  a native  of  Germany,  born  June  10, 
1837,  the  son  of  Andrew  and  Martha  (Brum- 
mer)  Heinsohn.  He  was  reared  and  educated 
in  the  country  of  his  nativity,  where  he 
remained  until  his  eighteenth  year,  at  which 
time,  October  i,  1856,  he  came  to  the  United 
States,  locating  in  Louisville,  Ky. , where,  until 
1859,  he  was  engaged  as  bookkeeper,  and  in 
that  year,  in  company  with  his  brother,  George 
E. , also  of  Louisville,  came  to  Muncie,  Ind. , 
and  engaged  in  the  manufacturing  business, 
which  he  continued  until  his  return  to  Louis- 
ville in  1861.  In  that  city  Mr.  Heinsohn  again 
became  bookkeeper,  in  which  capacity  he  con- 
tinued without  change  until  1872,  when  he 
returned  to  Muncie,  Ind. , and  became  proprie- 
tor of  the  well  known  Kirbj^  house,  which, 
under  his  management,  has  become  one  of  the 
favorite  resorts  of  the  traveling  public.  Since 
taking  charge  of  this  hotel,  Mr.  Heinsohn  has 
twice  rebuilt  the  house,  and  in  its  appoint- 
ments and  modern  improvements  it  is  now  con- 
sidered one  of  the  most  complete  places  of  the 
kind  in  the  city.  During  his  residence  in 
Muncie,  Mr.  Heinsohn  has  not  been  unmind- 


ful of  the  city's  material  advancement,  and  he 
has  been  a potent  factor  in  many  of  the  impor- 
tant measures  which  have  brought  prosperity  to 
this  part  of  the  gas  belt.  He  was  one  of  the 
organizers  of  the  Muncie  Natural  Gas  company, 
and  is  a director  and  stockholder  in  the  Muncie 
Artificial  Ice  company,  also  a charter  member 
and  one  of  the  board  of  advisers  of  the  Citi- 
zens’ Enterprise  company.  In  politics  Mr. 
Heinsohn  is  an  unswerving  supporter  of  the 
republican  party,  but  has  never  sought  political 
distinction,  preferring  to  devote  his  energies  to 
his  business.  In  business  circles  his  presence 
is  always  felt,  and  socially  his  integrity  of 
character  has  made  him  exceedingly  popular 
with  all  classes  of  his  fellow  citizens  of  Muncie. 
Mr.  Heinsohn  was  married  November  8,  1866, 
to  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Thomas  Kirby,  of 
Muncie,  and  is  the  father  of  two  children, 
namely;  Thomas  Kirby,  the  present  captain  of 
the  Muncie  Fencibles,  and  Sarah  Heinsohn. 
Mr.  Heinsohn  and  family  are  members  of  the 
Episcopal  church,  belonging  to  the  Muncie 
congregation,  in  which  he  has  served  as  ves- 
tryman. 


H.  HIGHLANDS. — In  these  times 
of  modern  invention  and  improve- 
ment, so  much  of  the  comfort  of 
living  is  due  to  the  plumber  and  gas 
fitter  that  the  business  has  become  one  of  the 
greatest  interest  and  importance  to  all.  The 
efficient  and  capable  business  man  whose 
name  introduces  this  sketch  is  a practical 
plumber  and  gas  fitter,  and  is  also  much 
more — being  one  of  the  city’s  leading  legisla- 
tors and  one  of  the  most  energetic  and  pro- 
gressive among  its  well  known  business  men. 
H.  H.  Highlands  was  born  in  Carroll  county, 
Ohio,  November  8,  1858,  and  is  a son  of  Daniel 
and  Mary  (Gregory)  Highlands,  both  parents 
natives  of  the  same  county  and  state.  During 


300 


MUNCIE  CITY 


the  late  war  Daniel  Highlands  served  his 
country  as  private  in  the  One  Hundred  and 
Forty-hrst  Ohio  volunteer  infantry,  and  died 
in  the  year  1864. 

H.  H.  Highlands  received  a practical  edu- 
cation in  the  public  schools,  and  when  eighteen 
years  of  age  engaged  with  the  Alliance  (Ohio) 
Gas  Light  company,  of  which  in  a few  years 
he  was  made  manager.  In  1883  he  accepted 
a position  with  the  American  Water  Works 
and  Guarantee  company  of  Pittsburg,  Pa., 
and  built  the  gas  works  and  the  electric 
plant,  also  of  that  city,  and  the  water  works 
at  Connellsville,  Pa.,  and  superintended  the 
construction  of  the  gas  plants  at  Muncie  and 
Marion,  Ind.  ; he  then  returned  to  Muncie  and 
for  some  years  had  sole  charge  of  the  con- 
struction of  the  water  and  gas  company’s 
plants.  In  1887,  in  partnership  with  P.  T. 
Kirby,  Mr.  Highlands  purchased  the  business 
of  the  Muncie  Plumbing  company,  which, 
under  the  firm  name  of  Highlands  & Kirby, 
continued  until  January  i,  1891,  when  Mr. 
Kirby  retired  and  Mr.  Highlands  became  sole 
possessor.  At  that  date  he  severed  his  con- 
nection with  the  American  Water  W^orks  and 
Guarantee  company,  since  which  time  he  has 
done  an  extensive  wholesale  business,  and  is 
now  the  leading  dealer  in  chandeliers,  gas 
fixtures,  etc.,  in  Muncie.  He  is  prominent  in 
many  ways  in  the  city,  being  an  important 
member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  and  a 
charter  member  and  one  of  the  leading  movers 
and  organizers  of  that  important  business  as- 
sociation, the  Citizens’  Enterprise  company, 
which  has  resulted  so  greatly  to  the  benefit  of 
Muncie  city  and  Delaware  county.  He  was 
one  of  the  first  to  drill  many  of  the  gas  wells 
in  the  vicinity  of  Muncie,  and  to  his  energy, 
perseverance  and  wise  foresight  is  the  city 
largely  indebted  for  its  present  position  as  the 
leading  city  in  the  great  Indiana  gas  belt. 

Politically  Mr.  Highlands  has  been  a po- 


tent factor  in  the  republican  party  of  Delaware 
county,  and  his  efforts  in  behalf  of  the  city 
have  been  rewarded  by  his  election  to  the 
common  council,  of  which  body  he  is  a lead- 
ing spirit.  He  is  a true  guardian  of  the  inter- 
ests of  the  city,  a man  of  clear  cut  ideas,  keen 
and  thoughtful,  and  his  career  as  a municipal 
legislator  proves  him  to  be  a true  servant  of 
the  people.  He  also  served  as  chairman  of 
the  judiciary  committee  in  1891.  Mr.  High- 
lands was  married  in  1888  to  Miss  Margaret 
H.  Smith,  daughter  of  M.  C.  Smith,  Esq.,  of 
Muncie,  and  has  one  child — Hubert  Highlands. 
Mrs.  Highlands  is  a member  of  the  Episcopal 
church  and  a lady  of  culture,  intelligence  and 
fine  social  qualities.  The  family  is  much 
esteemed  in  Muncie,  and  move  in  the  best 
social  circles  in  the  city. 


EORGE  NEWTON  HIGMAN,  of 
Muncie,  a popular  real  estate  and  in- 
surance agent,  as  well  as  secretary  of 
the  Mutual  Home  & Savings  associa- 
tion, was  born  in  Niles  township,  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  August  23,  1856.  His  father,  a 
native  of  the  state  of  Delaware,  bore  the 
name  of  Alexander  Higman,  and  was  brought 
to  Delaware  county  by  his  parents.  He  was 
educated  in  the  common  schools,  and  faithful- 
ly helped  to  clear  the  home  farm,  which  com- 
prised 160  acres  entered  from  the  government. 
Until  his  father’s  death,  which  occurred 
August  23,  1855,  with  a younger  brother  he 
aided  in  clearing  this  new  home,  and  later 
aided  his  widowed  mother,  effecting  the  most 
satisfactory  results  to  the  family.  In  1861  he 
removed  to  Albany,  and  in  1863  to  Morriston 
(now  known  as  Parker),  where  he  embarked 
in  the  saw  milling  business,  and  was  making 
another  success,  when  he  was  accidentally 
killed,  July  18,  1864,  being  caught  on  the  saw 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


307 


carriage  while  paying  in  a log.  He  had  mar- 
ried Miss  Sarah  Coulter,  a daughter  of  Reese 
and  Rhoda  (Pugh)  Coulter,  and  the  result  of 
the  union  was  four  boys,  named  as  follows: 
George  N. , whose  name  heads  this  sketch,  John 
C.,  Arthur  W. , and  Elmer  E.,  all  still  living. 

George  N.  Higman  was  but  a lad  of  seven 
years  of  age  when  he  was  left  with  his  three 
younger  brothers  and  their  widowed  mother. 
The  family  resided  on  a farm  in  Niles  town- 
ship, to  which  they  had  removed  after  the 
father’s  death,  and  there  George  N.  attended 
school  and  worked  for  neighboring  farmers 
until  his  mother's  marriage,  two  years  later, 
to  William  T.  Hale,  when  they  all  moved  to 
a farm  two  and  a half  miles  northwest  of 
Albany,  where  the  step-father  died  when 
George  N.  was  fourteen  years  of  age.  On  the 
settlement  of  the  estate  the  mother  moved  to 
Blackford  county  and  purchased  a farm  of 
forty  acres,  and  for  two  and  a half  years  there 
passed  the  time  with  her  children;  she  then 
sold  out  and  bought  property  in  Dunkirk, 
where  George  N.  worked  at  farm  labor  and 
again  attended  school  until  he  was  qualified 
to  teach.  For  three  terms  he  taught  in  Jay 
county  and  then  came  to  Muncie,  Delaware 
county,  and  engaged  in  the  real  estate  busi- 
ness, in  which  he  has  made  so  great  a success 
and  to  which  he  afterward  added  loans,  in 
December  1883.  After  the  discovery  of 
natural  gas  he  organized,  in  ’889,  the  Mutual 
Home  Savings  association,  of  which  he  has 
been  the  secretary  ever  since.  He  is,  also, 
a member  of  the  Standard  Manufacturing 
company,  which  is  engaged  in  the  production 
of  a very  ingenious  little  invention  for  stretch- 
ing and  tacking  floor  carpets. 

Mr.  Higman  was  married  September  13, 
1881,  to  Miss  Martha  A.  Sullivan,  daughter  of 
James  A.  and  Margaret  (Shaffer)  Sullivan  of 
Jay  county,  Ind.,  and  their  three  children 
have  been  named,  Paul,  Homer  and  Ruth. 


Since  his  residence  in  Muncie  no  person  has 
taken  a more  lively  interest  in  its  progress, 
and  real  estate  has  felt  the  effect  of  his  in- 
fluence from  the  time  of  his  coming.  From 
the  organization  of  the  Real  Estate  exchange 
he  has  been  its  secretary,  and  this  fact  alone 
is  indicative  of  his  deep  interest  in  the  welfare 
of  his  adopted  city. 


BRANK  HINES,  one  of  the  progressive 
farmers  of  Centre  township  and  son 
of  John  R.  and  Abigail  Hines,  was 
born  in  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  Janu- 
ary 6,  1 860.  He  received  a good  education 
in  the  common  schools,  remained  with  his 
parents  on  the  home  farm  until  obtaining  his 
legal  majority,  and  then  engaged  in  agriculture 
for  himself,  which  vocation  he  has  since 
carried  on  with  success  and  financial  profit. 
He  purchased  forty  acres  of  land  in  1881,  and 
subsequently  added  another  forty  tract,  thus 
making  a comfortable  home  and  one  of  the 
best  farms  of  its  size  in  the  township  of 
Centre.  Mr.  Hines  believes  in  the  dignity  of 
his  calling  and  is  one  of  the  representative 
men  of  his  class  in  Delaware  county.  Intelli- 
gent, energetic,  and  possessed  of  good  busi- 
ness ability,  he  has  made  a success  of  life, 
and  he  occupies  a deservedly  high  place  in  the 
estimation  of  his  many  friends  and  fellow  citi- 
zens, all  of  whom  respect  him  for  his  many 
sterling  qualities  of  manhood.  He  takes  an 
active  interest  in  matters  political,  and  since 
his  twenty-first  year  has  exercised  the  elective 
franchise  in  behalf  of  the  republican  party. 
Mr.  Hines  was  married  April  4,  i-‘^77,  to 

Lucy,  the  accomplished  daughter  of  Caleb  and 
Rachael  Armitage.  Mrs.  Hines  was  born 
June  29,  1861.  Her  parents,  Caleb  Armitage 
and  Rachael  McDonnald,  both  natives  of 
Ohio,  were  married  in  Centre  township,  Del- 


308 


MUNCIE  CITY 


aware  county,  Ind.,  in  the  year  1858.  To 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hines  have  been  born  the  fol- 
lowing cliildren;  Ina,  Claude,  Berl,  Grace, 
Jolin,  Charles,  Walter,  and  Blanche. 


OHN  R.  HINES  is  a native  of  Indiana, 
born  in  the  county  of  Randolph  on  the 
8th  day  of  June,  1828.  His  father, 
John  Hines,  was  born  in  North  Caro- 
lina, in  which  state  his  ancestors  settled  at  a 
period  antedating  the  struggle  for  American 
independence.  Many  years  ago,  John  Hines 
emigrated  to  Highland  county,  Ohio,  where 
he  married  Rachael  Branson,  thence,  some- 
time after  that  event,  moved  to  Randolph  coun- 
ty, Ind.,  where  he  lived  until  1830,  at  which 
time  he  became  a resident  of  Delaware  coun- 
ty, settling  in  Perry  township,  where  he  made 
his  home  for  a limited  period.  Subsequently, 
he  entered  120  acres  of  land  in  the  township 
of  Delaware,  where  he  cleared  a good  farm 
from  the  woods,  and  five  years  later  sold  the 
same  and  purchased  the  farm  in  Perry  town- 
ship upon  which  he  had  previously  settled.  In 
1839,  he  moved  to  Monroe  township  and  was 
an  honored  resident  of  the  same  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  1865;  his  wife  died 
previous  to  that  time,  the  date  of  her  demise 
being  June,  1838.  John  and  Rachael  Hines 
reared  a large  family,  only  three  of  whom  are 
living  at  this  time,  namely:  Nolan,  of  Clarke 
county,  Iowa;  John  R.,  and  William,  who  re- 
sides in  Ransas.  The  names  of  those  deceased 
are  as  follows:  Buella,  Robert,  Ellen,  Reece, 
Elizabeth,  Sarah,  Lucinda,  John  and  Rachael. 
John  Hines  was  originally  a whig  in  his  politi- 
cal belief,  and  afterwards  became  a supporter 
of  the  republican  party.  He  subscribed  to 
the  Universalist  creed  and  believed  in  the  final 
restoration  and  redemption  of  the  entire 
human  family. 


John  R.  Hines  spent  the  years  of  his  youth 
and  early  manhood  amid  the  stirring  scenes  of 
pioneer  times,  and,  on  attaining  his  majority, 
began  life  for  himself  as  a farmer.  He  con- 
tinued to  till  the  soil  until  his  twenty-third 
year,  at  which  time,  in  the  fall  of  1851,  he 
joined  the  vast  concourse  of  gold  seekers,  and 
went  to  California,  via  the  Panama  route, 
and  remained  for  a period  of  three  years,  en- 
gaged in  mining.  He  was  one  the  few  whose 
efforts  in  this  direction  were  crowned  with  suc- 
cess, and  after  accumulating  a handsome  fort- 
une, he  returned  to  Delaware  county,  and  for 
one  year  thereafter  was  engaged  in  general 
merchandising.  Since  1856  he  has  devoted 
his  attention  entirely  to  agricultural  pursuits 
and  stock-raising,  and  his  success  in  the  voca- 
tions has  been  very  marked,  and  he  now  occu- 
pies a very  conspicuous  place  among  the  repre- 
sentative farmers  of  the  township  of  Centre. 
He  ownes  200  acres  of  valued  and  highly  im- 
proved land  not  far  from  the  county  seat,  and 
in  addition  to  tilling  the  soil,  he  has  given  a 
great  deal  of  attention  to  the  breeding  and  rais- 
ing of  horses. 

Mr.  Hines  was  married  December  14,  1856, 
in  Smithfield,  this  county,  to  Abigail  Mans- 
field, who  was  born  January  10,  1834,  the 
daughter  of  Charles  and  Hannah  (Shaffer) 
Mansfield,  natives  of  Ohio,  and  early  pioneers 
of  the  county  of  Delaware.  The  wedded  life 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hines  was  blessed  with  eight 
children:  Charles,  a resident  of  Muncie;  Han- 
nah, wife  of  O.  McConnell;  Frank,  also  a res- 
ident of  Centre;  George,  who  lives  in  Kansas; 
Elnore,  wife  of  E.  Kennedy;  Henry  R. , de- 
ceased; Lucy  J.  ; Mark,  deceased,  and  Wil- 
liam, of  Muncie.  The  mother  of  these  chil- 
dren died  in  May,  1888,  and  an  appropriate 
monument  marks  her  last  resting  place  in  the 
city  cemetery  of  Muncie.  Mr.  Hines  has  a 
beautiful  home,  the  abode  of  plenty  and  hos- 
pitality. He  is  a man  of  intelligence,  broad 


V 


John  R 


Mrs.  John  R. Hines. 


WM 

■I 

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i 


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: iv 


i 


-- 


f 


■■■ 

i 


It. 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


809 


and  liberal  views,  and  among  the  well-to-do 
citizens  of  Centre  township  he  occupies  a 
deservedly  conspicuous  place.  He  is  a repub- 
lican in  politics,  but  not  a partisan  in  the  sense 
of  seeking  office. 


ILLIAM  E.  HITCHCOCK,  one  of 
the  leading  manufacturers  of  Mun- 
cie,  and  a gentleman  well  known 
and  highly  regarded  by  all  with 
whom  he  comes  in  contact,  is  a native  of  the 
state  of  Connecticut,  born  on  the  30th  of 
January,  1859,  in  the  city  of  Meriden.  He  is 
the  elder  of  two  children  born  to  E.  A.  and 
Mary  A.  (Greene)  Hitchcock,  and  was  reared 
to  manhood  in  Ashtabula,  Ohio,  to  which  city 
the  family  removed  in  his  childhood,  and  in 
the  schools  of  which  he  received  a practical 
English  education.  Leaving  his  books  at  the 
age  of  fifteen,  he  accepted  the  important  po- 
sition of  teller  in  an  Ashtabula  bank,  the 
duties  of  which  he  discharged  in  a very  credit- 
able manner;  and  subsequently,  from  1876  to 
1879,  was  bookkeeper  for  the  Meriden  Bri- 
tannia company,  of  Meriden,  Conn.  In  the 
latter  year  he  severed  his  connection  with  the 
above  company,  and,  returning  to  Ashtabula, 
embarked  in  manufacturing,  becoming  associ- 
ated with  his  father  in  the  manufacture  of 
skewers,  etc.-,  an  enterprise  which  was  con- 
ducted very  profitably  in  that  city  until  the 
removal  of  the  business,  in  1884,  to  Muncie, 
this  state. 

On  locating  in  the  latter  place,  Mr.  Hitch- 
cock, in  partnership  with  A.  L.  and  J.  C. 
Johnson,  organized  the  Muncie  Skewer  com- 
pany, for  the  manufacture  of  butchers’  skew- 
ers, flag  sticks,  trunk  slats,  dowels,  etc.,  etc., 
an  enterprise  which  has  proven  eminently  sat- 
isfactory, the  factory  at  this  time  having  a 
daily  capacity  of  over  one  million  skewers,  the 


product  in  the  several  other  lines  being  in 
proportion,  for  all  of  which  there  is  a great 
demand  in  the  markets  of  the  United  States 
and  other  countries.  As  sole  manager  of  this 
large  and  important  enterprise,  Mr.  Hitchcock 
has  displayed  rare  executive  ability,  and  his 
judgment  on  all  matters  of  business  policy 
pertaining  to  his  manufacturing  and  other 
interests  is  seldom,  if  ever,  called  in  question 
by  his  business  associates.  In  addition  to 
looking  after  the  various  interests  of  the  firm 
with  which  he  is  identified,  Mr.  Hitchcock  is 
prominently  connected  with  a number  of  pub- 
lic enterprises,  being  a director  in  the  Muncie 
Savings  & Loan  company.  He  holds  a simi- 
lar position  with  the  Industrial  Savings  & 
Loan  association,  and  is  also  a director  of  the 
Merchants’  National  bank,  of  Muncie;  presi- 
dent and  treasurer  of  the  Muncie  Transfer 
com.pany;  and  represents  his  party,  the  repub- 
lican, on  the  Metropolitan  Police  board  of  the 
city. 

As  a business  man  he  is  zealous  and  am- 
bitious, and  successful  in  the  fullest  sense  in 
which  that  term  is  usually  accepted;  but  no 
act  inconsistent  with  the  strictest  honor  and 
integrity  has  ever  been  imputed  to  him.  Ab- 
sorbed in  the  prosecution  of  his  various  enter- 
prises, he  still  finds  time  to  devote  to  political 
matters,  being,  as  already  noted,  a republican, 
in  the  deliberations  of  which  party,  in  Dela- 
ware county,  he  has  been  a potent  factor. 
Eraternally  he  is  a member  of  the  A.  E.  & A. 
M.,  and  in  the  social  circles  few  stand  higher 
in  the  estimation  of  the  best  people  of  Muncie. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Hitchcock  was  solem- 
nized September  30,  1885,  with  Miss  Estelle 
Morehouse,  of  Muncie,  a union  blessed  with 
the  birth  of  two  children:  Edward  H.  and 

Ered  W. , the  latter  of  whom,  a most  interest- 
ing boy,  was  spared  to  his  parents  until  Octo- 
ber 4,  1892,  when  he  was  called  away,  aged 
three  years,  six  months  and  eighteen  days. 


810 


MUNCIE  CITY 


ACOB  R.  HUMMEL,  manufacturer  and 
dealer  in  fine  confectionery,  and  pro- 
prietor of  the  leading  bakery  of  Muncie, 
is  a native  of  Indiana,  born  in  Con- 
nersville,  Fayette  county,  March  lo,  i86i. 
His  parents  were  George  J.  and  Mary  (Smith) 
Hummel,  who  brought  him  to  Delaware 
county  when  but  six  months  of  age — conse- 
quently nearly  all  of  his  life  has  been  passed 
within  the  present  limits  of  Muncie.  He 
acquired  a good  English  education  in  the  pub- 
lic schools,  and,  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  went  to 
Indianapolis  and  learned  the  confectioner's 
trade,  which  he  worked  at  there  two  years  and 
four  months,  and  in  which  he  became  unusu- 
ally skillful.  On  attaining  his  legal  majority, 
he  became  a partner  with  his  father  in  the  con- 
fectionery business,  which  relationship  existed 
for  six  years,  when  he  became  sole  proprietor, 
and  has  since  carried  on  the  trade  with  encour- 
aging success.  As  a manufacturer  of  fine  con- 
fectionery, etc.,  Mr.  Hummel  easily  leads  the 
trade  in  Muncie,  and  the  product  of  his  bakery, 
consisting  of  bread,  crackers,  all  kinds  of  fine 
and  fancy  cakes,  such  as  are  turned  out  by 
first-class  establishments,  have  a large  sale  in 
Muncie  and  neighboring  cities  and  towns.  He 
manufactures  ice  cream  for  the  retail  and 
wholesale  trades,  and  his  ice  cream  parlor,  by 
far  the  finest  in  the  city,  is  extensively  patron- 
ized, and  has  become  a popular  and  favorite 
resort  during  the  season  when  delicious  refresh- 
ments are  looked  upon  as  alnrost  a necessity. 
Mr.  Hummel  possesses  fine  business  qualities, 
is  thoroughly  familiar  with  every  detail  of  the 
trade  to  which  he  has  devoted  so  much  time 
and  attention,  and  his  place  on  east  Main 
street  is  one  of  the  well  known  business  houses 
of  the  city.  Mr.  Hummel  is  in  the  prime  of 
life,  has  before  him  a future  of  much  promise, 
and  by  judicious  management,  he  has  already 
accumulated  a comfortable  portion  of  this 
world’s  goods.  He  is  a prominent  member  of 


the  Odd  Fellows  fraternity,  belonging  to  the 
subordinate  lodge,  encampment,  canton  and 
Rebecca  branch,  and  he  is  also  an  active 
worker  in  the  Pythian  order,  both  in  the  sub- 
ordinate lodge  and  the  uniform  rank.  He  is  a 
Mason  in  good  standing  and  has  risen  high  in 
the  order  of  Red  Men,  being  one  of  the  lead- 
ers of  the  subordinate  lodge,  and  has  also 
taken  the  Pocahontas  degree.  Politically  Mr. 
Hummel  is  a democrat,  but  he  prefers  to  give 
his  entire  attention  to  his  business  instead  of 
seeking  official  position  at  the  hands  of  his  fel- 
low citizens.  Eminently  sociable,  he  is  a 
favorite  with  all,  and  it  is  but  justice  to  accord 
him  a prominent  place  with  the  popular  young 
men  of  Muncie. 


RANK  G.  JAGKSON,  M.  D.,  one  of 
the  most  efficient  members  -of  the 
medical  brotherhood  of  Muncie,  is  a 
native  of  Delaware  county,  Ind. , 
born  November  25,  1858,  the  son  of  William 
N.  and  Sarah  (Gollins)  Jackson.  The  father 
was  a native  of  Greenup  county,  Ky. , and  a 
descendant  of  an  old  Virginia  family  which 
emigrated  from  Loudoun  county,  that  state,  to 
Ohio  many  years  ago.  The  mother  of  the 
doctor  was  born  in  Delaware  county,  Ind., 
to  which  part  of  the  state  William  N. 
Jackson  had  come  with  his  parents  in 
the  year  1844.  Thomas  Jackson,  the  doctor’s 
grandfather,  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Mun- 
cie, in  which  city  William  N.  now  lives  re- 
tired from  active  life.  William  N.  Jackson 
was  a soldier  in  the  late  war,  entering  the 
army,  in  1862,  as  a member  of  company  E, 
Nineteenth  Indiana  infantry,  with  which  he 
served  until  the  cessation  of  hostilities.  His 
regiment  formed  a part  of  the  army  of  the 
Potomac,  and  took  part  in  all  the  Virginia 
campaigns  under  Gens.  Meade,  Hooker,  Me- 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


311 


Clellan,  Burnside  and  Grant,  and  participated 
in  forty-nine  battles,  in  all  of  which  Mr.  Jack- 
son  distinguished  himself  as  a brave  and  gal- 
lant soldier.  At  this  time  he  is  adjutant  of 
of  Williams  post,  G.  A.  R. , in  the  organiza- 
tion of  which  he  was  a leading  spirit,  and  in 
politics  he  wields  an  influence  for  the  republi- 
can party.  Religiously  he  is  an  active  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  church,  as  was  also  his 
wife,  who  died  in  the  year  1879. 

Dr.  Jackson  is  the  third  in  a family  of 
eight  children,  and  was  educated  in  the  l\Iun- 
cie  schools,  graduating  from  the  city  high 
school  in  1878.  His  early  inclinations  led 
him  to  select  the  medical  profession  for  a life 
work,  and  he  began  preparation  for  the  same 
in  1876  with  Dr.  H.  C.  Winans,  under  whose 
able  instruction  he  pursued  his  studies  for 
some  time  with  most  encouraging  results. 
Subsequently  he  enlarged  his  professional 
knowledge  by  attendance  at  the  Ohio  Medical 
college,  Cincinnati,  in  which  he  completed  the 
prescribed  course,  graduating  in  1882.  With 
a thorough  knowledge  of  his  profession  he 
entered  upon  the  practice  of  the  same,  imme- 
diately after  his  graduation,  at  Mt.  Summit, 
Henry  county,  Ind. , where  he  remained  six 
years,  at  the  expiration  of  which  period  he 
removed  to  Muncie,  where  he  has  since  resided 
and  where  he  now  enjoys  a large  and  lucra- 
tive practice,  yearly  becoming  better  known 
and  more  appreciated.  The  doctor  has  met 
with  much  more  than  ordinary  success  in  his 
chosen  calling,  and  stands  deservedly  high 
among  his  professional  brethern  of  Muncie  and 
Delaware  county.  He  keeps  fully  abreast  of 
the  times  in  all  matters  pertaining  to  his  pro- 
fession, is  a close  student  and  wide  reader, 
and  his  large  experience  has  won  for  him  a 
prominent  place  in  the  medical  fraternity  of 
eastern  Indiana.  The  doctor  is  a member  of 
the  Delaware  County  Medical  society,  and  is 
now  serving  as  secretary  of  the  same.  He 


was  complimented  by  an  offer  of  its  presiden- 
tial office,  but  was  compelled  to  decline  the 
honor  on  account  of  professional  duties,  which 
required  his  close  and  constant  attention.  He 
is  also  a member  of  the  Delaware  District  soci- 
ety, the  State  ISIedical  society  and  the 
American  Medical  association,  to  the 
last  named  of  which  he  has  been  chosen 
delegate  a number  of  times.  His  connection 
with  the  Masonic  order  is  very  prominent, 
having  served  in  different  official  capacities  at 
different  times,  and  in  1891  was  elected 
worshipful  master  of  Delaware  lodge.  No.  46. 
He  is  considered  one  of  the  brightest  blue 
lodge  Masons  in  Muncie,  and  is  widely  and 
favorably  known  in  the  order  throughout  the 
state.  The  doctor  is  a charter  member  of 
Walterhouse  camp,  S.  of  V.,  and  was  also  an 
original  member  of  New  Castle  lodge,  S.  of 
V. , in  the  organization  of  which  he  took  an 
active  part.  For  the  past  two  years  he  has 
been  surgeon  of  the  Indiana  division,  and  in 
1890  was  the  accredited  delegate  at  large  for 
the  state  of  Indiana  to  the  national  command- 
ery,  which  convened  at  St.  Joseph,  Mo.  In 
addition  to  the  above  fraternal  orders,  Dr. 
Jackson  is  also  a member  of  Twa  Twa  tribe 
of  Red  Men,  in  which  he  is  as  active  as  in  the 
other  societies  with  which  he  is  so  prominently 
identified. 

Politically  the  doctor  is  a republican,  and 
manifests  a lively  interest  in  public  affairs. 
He  has  been  successful  financially,  having  by 
close  attention  to  his  profession  succeeded  in 
accumulating  a valuable  property,  his  real 
estate  holdings  in  Muncie  being  considerable. 
In  1892  he  was  made  health  officer,  being  the 
first  official  of  the  kind  in  the  city,  and  he  has 
since  discharged  the  duties  of  the  position 
with  commendable  fidelity.  In  1883  Dr. 
Jackson  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Jesse  Ice,  daughter  of  E.  T.  Ice,  of  Mt.  Sum- 
mit, Ind. , to  which  union  two  children  have 


312 


MUNCIE  CITY 


been  born,  Lola  J.  and  Sarah  R.  The  family 
are  members  of  the  First  Baptist  church  and 
are  among  the  esteemed  residents  of  Muncie, 
where  they  enjoy  the  respect  and  esteem  of  a 
large  circle  of  friends. 


(D 


ILTON  JAMES,  M.  D. , late  a prom- 
inent physician  of  Muncie,  was 
born  March  4,  1836,  near  the  city 
of  Greenfield,  Ross  county,  Ohio, 
and  was  one  of  fourteen  children  born  to 
Reuben  and  Mary  James.  Eight  of  these 
children  are  living  at  this  time,  five  brothers 
and  three  sisters.  Dr.  Janies  was  reared  on  a 
farm  and  acquired,  during  his  minority,  a fair 
education,  and  before  reaching  manhood’s 
estate  entered  the  office  of  Dr.  Milton  Dun- 
lap, an  eminent  physician  of  eastern  Ohio, 
with  whom  he  began  the  study  of  medicine. 
After  a thorough  course  of  reading,  he  entered 
the  Ohio  Medical  college,  from  which  well 
known  institution  he  graduated  in  the  year 
1859.  After  completing  his  medical  course  he 
returned  to  the  office  of  Dr.  Dunlap,  with 
whom  he  effected  a co-partnership  in  the  prac- 
tice of  his  profession.  It  was  during  this 
time,  and  before  going  into  the  army,  that  the 
doctor  passed  through  a severe  spell  of  sick- 
ness, which  was  the  cause  of  much  suffer- 
ing and  distress  in  later  years.  After  recover- 
ing his  health.  Dr.  James  enlisted,  in  Decem- 
ber, 1863,  as  surgeon,  and  was  assigned  to  the 
Eighth  division,  Mississippi  squadron,  with 
headcjuarters  on  the  United  States  war  ship. 
Brilliant.  He  continued  in  the  service  until 
November  20,  1865,  when  he  was  honorably 
discharged  and  returned  to  his  former  home  in 
Ohio.  After  a short  visit  among  friends  and 
the  scenes  of  his  boyhood  days,  a trip  was 
taken  throughout  the  west,  during  which  he 
made  a visit  to  Muncie,  where  several  acquaint- 


ances of  his  had  previously  settled.  It  was 
while  making  this  visit  that  he  concluded  to 
open  an  office  in  Muncie,  and  in  the  spring  of 
1 866  his  shingle,  bearing  the  inscription, 
“ Doctor  M.  James,”  was  tacked  on  his  office 
door.  In  the  following  year,  although  a 
stanch  democrat,  he  had  so  won  the  esteem 
and  confidence  of  the  people  that  he  was 
elected  coroner  of  the  county,  which  position 
he  held  for  two  years.  He  also  served  the 
people  as  county  physician  for  a term  of  years, 
and  was  a member  of  the  city  council  for  some 
time,  having  been  elected  from  a republican 
ward. 

In  the  year  1874  Dr.  James  was  elected, 
by  the  Indiana  legislature,  as  one  of  the 
trustees  of  the  Deaf  and  Dumb  asylum  of 

the  state,  and  was  again  elected  in  1876 

and  1880,  serving  continuously  in  that  ca- 
pacity for  a period  of  ten  years,  eight  years 
of  which  time  he  was  treasurer  of  the 

board.  No  breath  of  suspicion  was  ever 
breathed  against  his  honesty,  integrity,  or 
capability,  and  when  he  servered  his  con- 
nection with  the  asylum,  in  1884,  the  record 
made  was  without  spot  or  blemish.  Dr. 

James  was  always  regarded  an  earnest  and 
hard  working  democrat,  and  he  served  his 
party  in  Delaware  county  for  twenty  years  as 
chairman  of  the  county  central  committee, 
and  only  relinquished  the  position  at  his  own 
request.  He  was  continued  in  party  work, 
however,  as  one  of  the  election  commissioners, 
which  position  he  held  at  the  time  of  his 
death.  After  the  election  of  Pres.  Cleve- 
land, 1884,  at  the  I'equest  of  friends.  Dr. 
James  became  a candidate  for  commissioner 
of  pensions,  his  claim  being  pressed  by  many 
old  soldiers  of  the  state.  He  failed,  however, 
of  the  appointment,  but  was  offered  by  the 
president  a deputy  commissionership,  which 
he  declined.  He  was  afterwards  tendered  the 
Muncie  postoffice  appointment  and  later  a 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


315 


position  in  the  interior  department  at  Washing- 
ton, but  saw  fit  to  decline  both  these  honors. 

In  politics,  the  doctor  was  a devoted  ad- 
herent to  his  party  and  a recognized  leader, 
and  while  he  took  a prominent  part  in  all 
political  contests,  yet  his  genial  and  forgiving 
disposition  won  confidence,  esteem  and 
friendship,  that  set  aside  all  feelings  of  party 
differences,  thus  marking  him  as  a man  of  big 
heart  and  generous  disposition.  In  hia  pro- 
fession, Dr.  James  stood  high  as  a successful 
practitioner,  and  at  the  time  he  was  taken 
sick  he  was  one  of  the  oldest  physicians  in  the 
city.  It  was  his  devotion  to  his  patients, 
whether  rich  or  poor,  that  acquired  for  him  a 
reputation  unconfined  to  classes,  and  while 
possessed  of  a large  practice,  yet  his  generous 
disposition  was  such  that  he  never  acquired 
more  than  a comfortable  competency  in  a 
quarter-century  in  his  profession.  He  was  a 
charter  member  of  the  DeEmber  tribe  of  Red 
Men,  in  the  deliberations  of  which  order  he 
always  took  an  active  and  prominent  part. 
Dr.  James  was  united  in  marriage  to  Martha 
M.  Kennedy,  youngest  daughter  of  the  late 
Hon.  Andrew  Kennedy,  on  the  29th  of  Octo- 
ber, 1867.  Andrew  Kennedy  was  a member 
of  congress  from  Indiana  from  1841  to  1847, 
and  in  the  latter  year  received  the  democratic 
caucus  nomination  of  the  Indiana  legislature 
for  United  States  senator,  but  died  before 
being  elected  to  that  body.  Dr.  and  Mrs. 
James  had  born  to  them  four  children;  Philip, 
Pearl,  Ned  and  Fanny,  the  two  former  dying 
in  childhood.  Ned  was  born  August  31,  1876, 
and  Fannie  July  6,  1880,  and  both  survive  to 
mourn  with  the  mother  and  wife  the  great  loss 
of  husband  and  father,  a trial  and  sorrow  that 
none  can  know  except  where  like  afflictions 
have  been  sustained.  Dr.  James  died  on  the 
1st  day  of  April,  1891,  and  his  death  was  felt 
as  an  almost  irreparable  loss  by  all  classes  in 
the  city  which  had  so  long  been  his  home. 


HBBOTT  L.  JOHNSON,  one  of  the 
prominent  and  successful  business  men 
of  Muncie,  Ind.,  and  one  who  has 
been  largely  instrumental  in  develop- 
ing her  resourses,  was  born  in  Herkimer 
county,  N.  Y. , August  26,  1852,  a son  of  Henry 
I.  and  Eliza  (Ferguson)  Johnson,  both  parents 
natives  of  the  same  state.  Mr.  Johnson,  Sr., 
was  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  in  New 
York,  but  subsequently,  in  1864,  rem.oved  to 
Ashtabula,  Ohio,  at  which  date  he  retired 
from  active  business  life.  In  1881  the  family 
once  more  removed,  locating  in  Muncie,  Ind., 
in  which  city  the  father  departed  this  life  in 
1886,  but  where  his  widow  still  resides.  Mrs. 
Johnson  is  a devout  member  of  the  Methodist 
church  and  has  raised  a family  of  eight 
children,  the  subject  of  this  mention  being  the 
seventh  in  order  of  birth. 

Abbott  F.  Johnson  was  reared  in  Ashta- 
bula, Ohio,  from  the  age  of  twelve  to  twenty- 
I one,  and  received  his  education  in  the  public 
I schools.  On  attaining  his  majority  he  started 
in  business  for  himself,  locating  at  Bluffton, 
Ind. , where  he  engaged  in  the  timber  trade. 
He  had  previously  been  engaged  with  the 
Bentwood  works  at  Ashtabula,  and  he  located 
at  Bluffton  for  the  purpose  of  assisting  in 
starting  a plant  in  that  place,  which  was 
afterwards  disposed  of  to  J.  H.  Smith  & Co., 
now  of  Muncie.  Soon  after  starting  the  Bent- 
wood works  he  engaged  in  the  lumber  busi- 
ness, remaining  in  Bluffton  four  years,  at  the 
end  of  which  time  he  removed  to  Montpelier, 
associating  with  himself  Mr.  J.  T.  Arnold, 
doing  business  under  the  firm  name  and  style 
of  A.  L.  Johnson  & Co.,  for  seven  years,  two 
years  of  which  Mr.  Johnson  spent  in  Montpe- 
lier. He  then  engaged  extensively  in  the  lum- 
ber business,  forming  a partnership  of  seven 
years’  duration  with  J.  T.  Arnold,  which  firm 
soon  became  widely  and  favorably  known  in 
business  circles  throughout  the  United  States. 


316 


MUNCIE  CITY 


On  locating  in  Muncie,  in  1878,  he  erected  a 
lumber  mill,  and,  in  partnership  with  Mr. 
Arnold,  operated  two  mills  under  the  firm 
name  A.  L.  Johnson  & Co.,  until  1885,  at 
which  time  he  purchased  the  entire  interest 
and  became  associated  with  his  brother,  J.  C. 
Johnson,  and  the  firm  thus  constituted  still 
exists,  being  one  of  the  leading  enterprises  of 
the  city. 

In  1883,  Mr.  Johnson,  in  partnership  with 
Mr.  W.  F.  Hitchcock,  engaged  in  the  manu- 
facture of  skeWers,  etc.,  and  they  now  do  an 
extensive  business  under  the  firm  name  of  the 
Muncie  Skewer  company.  Mr.  Johnson  is  one 
of  the  principal  stockholders  of  the  Muncie 
Natural  Gas  company,  being  vice-president  of 
the  same,  and  is  a stockholder  in  the  Muncie 
Water  Works  company,  the  Conger  Land 
company  and  the  Indiana  Iron  company.  In 
addition  to  the  above  enterprises,  he  is  identi- 
fied with  the  Citizens’  Enterprise  company,  in 
the  organization  of  which  he  was  a potent 
factor;  is  president  of  the  Live  Poultry  Trans- 
portation company,  of  Chicago,  which  owns 
one  hundred  and  fifty  cars  for  the  transporta- 
tion of  poultry,  and  is  also  interested  as  a 
stockholder  in  the  Ashtabula  Water  Works 
company,  of  Ashtabula,  Ohio.  Beside  the 
flourishing  and  important  enterprises  enumer- 
ated, Mr.  Johnson,  in  partnership  with  George 
F.  McCulloch,  is  largely  interested  in  real 
estate  transactions,  owning  Johnson’s  first  and 
second  additions  to  Muncie,  also  being  inter- 
ested in  the  Gray’s  addition,  one  of  the  very 
best  in  the  city. 

Throughout  his  long  and  successful  busi- 
ness career  Mr.  Johnson  has  been  actuated  by 
the  most  honorable  principles,  and  his  success, 
indeed  very  flattering,  is  the  result  of  carefully 
planned  purposes  and  dignified  business  trans- 
actions. In  business  circles  he  enjoys  much 
more  than  a local  reputation,  and  to  such  men 
is  due  the  credit  of  promoting  the  growth  and 


prosperity  of  the  enterprising  cities  of  the  gas 
belt,  of  which  Muncie  may  be  taken  as  a type. 

In  his  political  affiliations  Mr.  Johnson  is  a 
republican.  In  the  Masonic  order  he  stands 
high,  having  become  a member  of  the  chap- 
ter, commandery,  Scottish  rite  and  of  the 
Mystic  Shi'ine,  and  he  not  only  bears  the 
honors  of  these  degrees,  but  his  daily  life  is  a 
practical  exemplification  of  their  precepts. 

Mr.  Johnson  was  married,  in  1872,  to  Miss 
Florence  Merriman,  daughter  of  Chas.  Merri- 
man  of  Ashtabula,  Ohio;  a family  of  three 
children  has  blessed  this  union,  namely;  J. 
Edgar,  Ray  P.  and  Florence  Grace.  The 
family  are  members  of  the  First  Baptist 
church  of  Muncie,  in  which  Mr.  Johnson  holds 
the  offices  of  deacon  and  trustee.  He  was 
chairman  of  the  building  committee  of  the 
new  church  and  contributed  liberally,  both  in 
time  and  money,  to  the  successful  completion 
of  the  beautiful  edifice  in  which  the  congrega- 
tion now  worships. 


OHN  C.  JOHNSON.— The  thriving  city 
of  Muncie,  Ind. , is  very  proud  of  the 
long  list  of  prosperous  and  successful 
business  men  who  have  shown  such  an 
enterprising  and  progressive  spirit,  and  have 
caused  the  advancement  of  the  place  beyond 
all  reasonable  expectations.  Among  those  who 
have  largely  contributed  to  the  progress  of  the 
city,  John  C.  Johnson  deserves  extended 
mention.  He  was  born  in  Albany  county,  N. 
Y. , May  21,  1843,  son  of  Henry  I.  and  Ellax 
(Ferguson)  Johnson. 

At  the  age  of  seven  years,  he  accompanied 
his  parents  to  Herkimer  county,  N.  Y. , where 
he  received  a common  school  education,  and  at 
the  age  of  seventeen  he  enlisted  in  the  Union 
army,  entering  company  K,  Forty-fourth  New 
York,  known  as  the  “Ellsworth  Avengers,” 


MRS.  A.  L.  JOHNSON 


u 


.J, .. , 


I. 


\, 


■( 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


321 


and  served  one  year.  Being  wounded  at  the 
battle  of  Hanover  Court  House,  he  was  sent 
to  the  Albany,  N.  Y. , hospital,  and  from 
there  to  the  Lexington  Avenue  hospital,  in 
New  York  city,  from  which  he  was  discharged, 
after  recovery.  His  school  days  having  been 
so  rudely  interrupted,  he  felt  the  advisability 
of  continuing  his  studies,  consequently  he  en- 
tered the  Boys’  academy  at  Albany,  N.  Y. , 
where  he  continued  for  two  years,  making 
rapid  progress  in  the  meantime.  Following 
this,  he  took  a course  at  Bryant  & Stratton's 
Commercial  college,  and  then  entered  the 
quartermaster’s  department  at  City  Point,  Va. , 
under  Captain  C.  E.  Jones,  in  which  capacity 
he  continued  until  the  close  of  the  war. 

The  next  business  which  Mr.  Johnson 
undertook  was  a clerkship  with  the  lumber 
firm  of  H.  W.  Sage  & Co  , of  Albany,  N.  Y. , 
continuing  for  fifteen  years  with  the  same 
house  (with  the  exception  of  a short  time 
when  he  acted  as  bookkeeper  for  D.  Weidman 
& Co. , wholesale  grocers)  and  thus  obtained  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  the  lumber  business  in 
all  of  its  details.  In  1882,  he  removed  to 
Bridgeport,  Conn.,  and  became  one  of  the 
organizers  of  the  Bridgeport  Lumber  company, 
and  was  made  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the 
same.  He  sold  his  interests  in  that  concern 
in  1884,  and  purchased  an  interest  in  the  firm 
of  A.  L.  Johnson  & Co.,  of  Muncie,  moving 
to  this  city  in  that  year  and  immediately  be- 
coming interested  in  public  matters.  He  was 
one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Muncie  Skewer 
company,  and  in  1891  engaged  in  the  manu- 
facture of  mineral  paints  and  felt  roofing, 
which  business  was  placed  in  a stock  company  j 
organized  in  1892  and  known  as  the  Muncie 
Paint  & Roofing  company,  of  which  he  has 
since  acted  as  president.  He  was  formerly  a 
stockholder  in  the  Indiana  Bridge  company, 
but  sold  his  interest  in  that  in  1891,  and  is  now 
a stockholder  and  one  of  the  prime  movers  in 


the  Live  Poultry  Stock  Car  company,  and  is 
also  largely  interested  in  real  estate,  particu- 
larly in  the  Johnson  and  McCulloch  additions 
to  the  city  of  Muncie.  He  is  also  stockholder 
and  director  in  the  Farmers’  National  bank 
and  the  same  in  the  Delaware  County  Building, 
Savings  & Loan  association.  Mr.  Johnson  is 
a representative  type  of  that  substantial  class 
of  business  men  who,  in  a great  measure, 
mold  the  welfare  of  the  country,  for  upon  the 
efforts  of  such  citizens  depend,  in  a large 
degree,  the  vital  interests  of  the  people. 
Actuated  by  the  loftiest  motives,  he  has  ever 
conducted  his  transactions  in  an  honorable 
manner,  in  consequence  of  which  his  reputa- 
tion in  business  circles  is  that  of  an  upright 
and  dignified  Christian  gentleman. 

Politically,  Mr.  Johnson  is  a republican, 
and  has  served  as  a member  of  the  city  coun- 
cil for  the  past  four  years,  in  which  body  he 
has  been  chairman  of  the  finance,  street,  light, 
and  a member  of  the  sewer  and  drainage  com- 
mittees. Fraternally,  Mr.  Johnson  is  a mem- 
ber of  the  A.  F.  & A.  M.,  chapter  and  com- 
mandery,  and  a miember  of  the  George  S. 
Dawson  post.  No.  63,  G.  A.  R. , of  Albany, 
N.  Y. 

In  1873,  Mr.  Johnson  and  Miss  Martha  J. 
Hutchison,  daughter  of  David  Hutchison,  of 
Albany,  N.  Y. , were  united  in  the  holy  bonds 
of  wedlock,  and  one  child,  Mary  E.,  has  been 
born  to  their  union.  He  and  wife  are  active 
members  of  the  First  Presbyterian  church,  of 
Muncie,  of  which  Mr.  Johnson  is  a trustee 
and  member  of  the  building  committee. 


FORGE  R.  JONES,  one  the  ener- 
getic men  of  Muncie,  dealer  in  gen- 
eral groceries,  is  a native  of  this  city, 
and  dates  his  birth  from  October  3, 

I 1858.  His  father,  Thomas  Jones,  was  born 


822 


MUNCIE  CITY 


in  Greene  county,  Ohio,  March,  1 828 ; married, 
in  1850,  Eliza  Coffin,  and,  immediately 
thereafter  located  in  Mnncie  and  engaged  in 
coopering,  which  trade  he  followed  the  greater 
part  of  his  life.  He  is  now  living  a life  of 
retirement  in  North  View,  Mnncie,  and  can 
easily  recall  the  time  when  this  flourishing 
city  was  but  a country  town  of  a few  hundred 
inhabitants.  He  is  a democrat  in  politics, 
and  a member  of  the  Methodist  Protestant 
church;  his  wife  belongs  to  the  Christian 
church,  and  they  are  both  highly  regarded  by 
their  many  friends  and  neighbors  in  Mnncie. 
George  K.  Jones  received  his  educational 
training  in  the  country  schools  of  Centre  town- 
ship, Delaware  county,  and,  before  attaining 
his  majority,  learned  the  trade  of  coopering 
with  his  father,  and  became  quite  a skilled 
workman.  He  followed  his  chosen  calling  un- 
til his  twenty-second  year,  and  then  accepted 
a clerkship  in  the  grocery  and  feed  store  of  J. 
P.  Adamson,  of  Muncie,  in  which  capacity  he 
continued  for  a period  of  eight  years,  acquiring 
a thorough  knowledge  of  every  detail  of  the 
business  in  the  meantime.  Subsequently,  in 
partnership  with  his  employer,  Mr.  Adamson, 
he  purchased  the  property  on  Walnut  street 
now  owned  by  Gilpin  & Whetsel,  and  for  five 
years  sold  groceries  very  successfully.  In 
1891  he  moved  to  the  corner  of  Howard  and 
Liberty  streets,  where  he  purchased  a lot  and 
erected  a comfortable  and  commodious  store 
room,  which  is  well  stocked  with  a full  line  of 
choice  groceries,  notions,  etc. , and  has  since 
done  a very  comfortable  and  safe  business.  In 
fact,  Mr.  Jones  is  a successful  tradesman,  con- 
sults the  wishes  of  his  numerous  customers, 
and  always  keeps  on  hand  a full  line  of  gro- 
ceries, etc.,  found  in  first  class  establishments 
of  the  kind.  His  store  is  well  patronized,  and 
Mr.  Jones  is  certainly  entitled  to  great  credit 
for  the  active  part  he  has  taken  in  the  com- 
mercial and  industrial  developement  of  Mun- 


cie. He  is  what  may  truthfully  be  termed  an 
enterprising  business  man,  and  his  popularity 
has  for  years  been  a matter  of  comment 
among  his  fellow  tradesmen  of  the  city.  Mr. 
Jones  was  married  February  16,  1888,  to  Mag- 
gie McConnel,  a native  of  Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  daughter  of  David  and  Christina  (Saun- 
ders) McConnel.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jones  live  in 
a beautiful  home  on  Liberty  street  and  they 
have  a great  many  friends  in  Muncie.  Mr. 
Jones  is  a democrat  in  politics  and  a member 
of  the  Pythian  fraternity;  Mrs.  Jones  is  a com- 
municant of  the  Christian  church. 


EVI  J.  JONES,  general  contractor, 
Muncie,  Ind.,  was  born  in  Owen 
county,  Ind.,  on  a farm,  January  23, 
1847,  and  is  a son  of  Warren  and 
Sarah  (Stauffer)  Jones,  the  former  a native  of 
Virginia,  and  the  latter  of  Pennsylvania. 
When  Levi  J.  was  a lad  of  fifteen,  the  family 
settled  on  a farm  in  Randolph  county,  Ind., 
on  which  he  was  reared  until  reaching  man- 
hood. At  his  majority,  he  became  owner  of  a 
farm  in  Washington  township,  Randolph 
county,  on  which  he  lived  until  1883,  when  he 
sold  out  and  moved  to  Muncie,  Delaware 
county,  where  he  teamed  for  two  years,  and 
then  began  taking  contracts  for  street  improve- 
ments, cellar  excavations,  and  other  work  of 
like  character,  including  the  City,  Anthony, 
Ball  and  Opera  House  blocks.  Young  & Kess- 
ler’s, Darnell’s,  Wachtell’s  excavations,  and 
those  for  the  public  schools;  Maring  Hart 
glass  works;  crushed  stone  on  Ohmer  avenue, 
Blaine,  Tenth,  Walnut,  Hackley  and  Main 
streets,  Kirby  avenue  and  many  others;  side- 
walks on  Berlin  street ; constructed  the  McCul- 
loch boulevard  and  all  the  principal  streets  in 
Whitely’s  first  and  second  additions;  has  em- 
ployed from  fifteen  to  twenty  men,  run  six 


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GEO.  R.  JONES. 


MRS.  GEO.  R.  JONES 


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S.  C.  KEESLING 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


323 


teams  of  his  own  and  hired  ten  to  forty  others. 
He  has  planned  and  built  his  own  handsome 
residence  on  west  Jackson  street,  and  has  also 
had  erected  five  houses  on  five  acres  of  ground 
on  west  Main  street.  In  years  gone  by  he  also 
had  a contract  for  several  thousand  cross-ties 
for  the  railroad  from  Richmond  to  Portland, 
and,  later,  a contract  with  the  Grand  Rapids  & 
Indiana  road  for  a hundred  and  fifty  cords  per 
month  for  two  years. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Jones  took  place,  in 
1871,  in  Randolph  county,  to  Miss  Mary  A. 
Wood  (sister  of  W.  H.  H.  Wood,  city  engi- 
neer), a native  of  Richmond,  Ind.  To  this 
union  have  been  born  eight  children,  viz;  Nel- 
lie, Jessie  (died  at  eighteen  months),  Walter, 
Frances,  Thomas,  Clara,  Minnie  and  Ruby. 
The  parents  of  Mr.  Jones  came  to  Indiana 
with  their  parents,  located  in  Wayne  county, 
moved  to  Owen,  and  then  to  Randolph  coun- 
ty. The  father  is  now  seventy-three  years  of 
age  and  the  mother  seventy.  They  have  had 
born  to  them  eleven  children,  viz;  Melvina 
(Mrs.  Hinsnaw),  died  at  the  age  of  thirty; 
Levi  J. ; John  Henry,  farmer  of  Randolph 
county;  Edmond,  farmer  of  Jay  county; 
Jacob,  teacher  in  Muncie;  Granville,  farmer  in 
Randolph  county;  Lizzie,  at  home,  unmarried; 
Ruth  Ellen,  wife  of  Mr.  Duke,  farmer  of 
Wayne  county;  Herod,  painter,  Cheyenne, 
Wyo.  ; Hannah  (Bryant),  whose  husband  is  a 
farmer  in  Randolph  county,  and  Sarah,  wife 
of  a farmer  of  Wayne  county,  Ind. 

Mr.  Jones  has  acquired  an  enviable  reputa- 
tion as  a contractor,  gives  the  strongest  secur- 
ity for  the  faithful  performance  of  his  work, 
invariably  makes  his  promises  good,  and  does 
his  work  in  the  best  manner  possible  and 
always  in  accordance  with  the  specifications  in 
every  respect,  and  is  always  promptly  on  time. 
His  name  stands  without  a blemish  both  as  a 
business  man  and  a citizen,  and  his  position  in 
society  is  all  that  could  be  desired. 


TEPHEN  C.  REESLING,  proprietor 
of  an  establishment  for  the  manufac- 
ture of  vulcanized  rubber  roofing,  one 
of  the  well  known  enterprises  of  Mun- 
cie, is  a native  of  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  born 
Eebruary  2,  1850,  son  of  Martin  and  Coressal 
Reesling,  well  known  residents.  Mr.  Reesling’s 
boyhood  days  were  spent  amid  the  routine  of 
farm  labor  until  his  seventeenth  year,  and  he 
received  an  education  in  the  common  schools, 
which  he  attended  at  intervals  until  attaining 
his  majority.  He  remained  with  his  parents 
until  his  twenty,  first  year,  at  which  time  he 
began  life  for  himself,  working  for  a short 
time  at  different  occupations,  and  then  turned 
his  attention  to  the  mercantile  business,  which 
he  carried  on  for  a limited  period  in  Muncie. 
Later  he  was  interested  in  different  enter- 
prises, and  in  1886  went  to  California,  where, 
for  four  years,  he  was  overseer  of  a marble 
quarry,  in  which  he  also  purchased  an  inter- 
est. At  the  end  of  the  time  noted,  he  re- 
turned to  Indiana,  and,  for  one  year  thereafter 
was  engaged  in  merchandising  in  the  city  of 
Anderson,  and  then  opened  a merchant  tailor- 
ing establishment  in  Muncie,  which  business  he 
carried  on  until  the  early  part  of  1892.  In  that 
year  he  began  the  manufacture  of  the  well 
known  composition,  vulcanized  rubber  roofing, 
which  he  still  carries  on,  and  which,  as  already 
stated,  has  become  one  of  tne  well  known  and 
popular  enterprises  of  Muncie.  Mr.  Reesling’s 
business  is  already  of  large  proportions  and 
the  permancy  of  his  establishment  in  Muncie 
is  already  an  assured  fact.  He  has  a large  pat- 
ronage the  city  and  the  product  of  his  factory 
is  being  quite  extensively  introduced  through- 
out the  United  States  and  elsewhere. 

Mr.  Reesling  is  an  earnest  supporter  of  the 
republican  party  and  a prominent  member  of 
the  order  of  Red  IMen.  He  was  married  in 
Muncie  to  Catharine  M.  Eber,  daughter  of 
Henry  Eber.  One  child  was  born  to  this 


324 


MUNCIE  CITY 


union — Ray,  deceased — and  Mrs.  Keesling  de- 
parted this  life  June  i8,  1891. 


ENRY  J.  KELLER,  so  prominent 
among  the  self  made  men  of  the  gas 
belt  of  Indiana,  was  born  August  15, 
1861,  in  Winchester,  Randolph  coun- 
ty. His  father,  George  Godfried  Keller,  was 
born  in  Wurtemberg,  Germany,  June  8,  1827, 
came  to  the  United  States  in  1852,  and  located 
in  Bucyrus,  Ohio,  where  he  met  and  married 
Elizabeth  Kayser.  After  spending  two  years 
in  Bucyrus,  Mr.  Keller  removed  to  Winches- 
ter, Ind.,  where  he  was  engaged  in  the  boot 
and  shoe  business  until  the  spring  of  1869,  at 
which  date  he  embarked  in  the  retail  grocery 
trade.  In  1883  he  retired  from  business  and 
is  now  spending  his  days  in  the  city  of  Win- 
chester. George  G.  Keller  has  been  an  active 
man  of  affairs  and  has  borne  a conspicuous 
part  in  the  material  developement  of  the  city 
in  which  he  resides,  owning  considerable  prop- 
erty, including  residences  and  two  business 
blocks.  He  has  been  a leading  member  of  the 
German  Evangelical  church  for  a number  of 
years,  is  a geat  reader,  and  ranks  among  the 
most  intelligent  and  progressive  men  of  the 
county  of  Randolph. 

Henry  J.  Keller  was  reared  in  Winchester 
and  spent  his  youthful  years  alternately  in  the 
city  and  on  the  farm.  A common  school  edu- 
cation and  the  practical  knowledge  gained  in 
his  father’s  store  ended  in  the  development  of 
an  aptitude  for  mercantile  pursuits,  and  while 
still  young  he  became  a clerk  for  a dry  goods 
and  clothing  firm  in  Winchester.  Subse- 
quently he  was  similarly  employed  with  var- 
ious business  houses  of  that  city,  and  in  Janu- 
ary, 1888,  he  came  to  Muncie  and  entered  into 
partnership  with  George  W.  Bliss,  of  Indian- 
apolis, in  the  retail  clothing  trade,  opening  a 


large  stock  of  goads  in  the  New  Anthony  block 
on  Walnut  street.  Under  the  efficient  man- 
agement of  Mr.  Keller,  his  partner  being  on 
the  road  as  traveling  salesman  the  greater  part 
of  the  time,  the  business  grew  and  prospered, 
and  in  time  a new  and  more  commodious 
apartment  suitable  to  the  increasing  demands 
of  the  trade  was  procured  in  the  Little  block. 
As  a business  man,  Mr.  Keller  has  won  a con- 
spicious  place  among  the  successful  retail 
dealers  of  Muncie,  and  his  place  contains  one 
of  the  largest  and  most  complete  stocks  of  the 
kind  in  the  city.  He  began  life,  if  not  in  the 
field  of  adversity,  at  least  comparitively  un- 
aided and  dependent  almost  wholly  upon  self 
support,  his  capital  consisting  of  a full  share 
of  brain  power,  energy  and  an  inbred  determi- 
nation to  succeed.  Personally  Mr.  Keller  is 
very  popular,  eminently  sociable,  and,  in  every 
respect,  a kind  and  courteous  gentleman. 
He  belongs  to  the  B.  P.  O.  E. , F.  & A.  M. 
and  K.  of  P. , holding  official  position  in  the 
former  order;  and  he  was  a leading  spirit  in 
the  organization  of  the  Ball  Business  college 
of  Muncie,  of  which  he  was  made  treasurer  at 
the  time  of  incorporation. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Keller  and  Miss  Edna 
Haynes,  daughter  of  Jesse  G.  and  Matilda 
Haynes,  was  solemnized  on  the  2nd  day  of 
April,  1885;  three  children  gladden  the  home 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Keller,  namely:  Esther, 

aged  five  years;  Nellie,  aged  three,  and  Paul 
G. , an  infant  at  this  writing. 


ENERAL  WILLIAM  HARRISON 
KEMPER,  M.  D.,  is  a native  of 
Indiana,  born  in  Rush  county,  Decem- 
ber 16,  1839.  His  parents,  Arthur 
S.  and  Patience  (Bryant)  Kemper,  were  na- 
tives of  Kentucky  and  of  German  descent. 
The  doctor’s  early  life  was  similar  in  nearly 


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G.  W.  H.  KEMPER,  M.  D. 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


325 


every  respect  to  that  of  the  majority  of  coun- 
try boys,  having  been  reared  on  the  farm, 
with  the  rugged  usages  of  which  he  early  be- 
came familiar.  His  father  died  in  1849,  ^^nd 
at  the  early  age  of  ten  years  he  was  compelled 
to  rely  very  .largely  upon  his  own  rescources. 
During  the  succeeding  seven  years,  he  was 
employed  in  tilling  the  home  farm,  attending 
the  common  schools  at  intervals  in  the  mean- 
time, in  which  he  acquired  a practical  English 
education,  and,  later,  pursued  the  higher 
branches  of  learning  at  the  seminary  at 
Greensburg,  Indiana.  In  1 856  he  removed  to 
Iowa,  locating  at  the  town  of  Montezuma, 
where  for  one  year  he  was  employed  as  clerk 
in  a dry  goods  house,  at  the  end  of  which 
time  he  accepted  a position  in  a printing 
office,  in  which  he  continued  for  a period  of 
two  years.  He  returned  to  Indiana  in  the 
winter  of  1859,  from  which  time  until  January, 
1861,  he  resided  at  Greensburg,  attending 
school  as  above  noted.  Having  early  decided 
to  make  the  medical  profession  his  life  work, 
he  began  the  study  of  the  same,  at  the  age  of 
twenty-one,  in  the  office  of  John  W.  Moodey, 
M.  D.,  under  whose  instructions  he  continued 
until  the  breaking  out  of  the  war,  when  he 
responded  to  his  country’s  call,  enlisting  in 
company  B,  Seventh  regiment  Indiana  volun- 
teer infantry,  April  24,  1861.  This  was  the 
first  company  to  enter  the  service  from  Deca- 
tur county,  and  the  doctor  served  for  three 
months  in  the  capacity  of  a private.  On  Sept- 
ember 25,  1861,  he  re-enlisted  and  was  ap- 
pointed hospital  steward  of  the  Seventeenth 
regiment  Indiana  volunteers,  in  which  capaci- 
ty he  served  until  February  20,  1863,  when  he 
was  promoted  assistant  surgeon  of  said  regi- 
ment, a position  which  he  creditably  filled  un- 
til the  expiration  of  his  term  of  service,  July 
27,  1864.  While  in  the  army  the  doctor  ac- 
companied his  regiment  throughout  its  varied 
experiences,  participating  in  a number  of  hard- 


fought  battles,  including  Hoover’s  Gap,  Chat- 
tanooga, Rock  Spring,  Chickamauga,  McMinn- 
ville, Farmington,  Mission  Ridge,  Cleveland, 
siege  of  Knoxville,  Dallas,  Big  Shanty,  Noon- 
day Creek,  Kenesaw  Mountain,  and  the  vari- 
ous engagements  before  Atlanta. 

During  the  winter  of  1864-5  l^he  doctor 
further  increased  his  knowledge  of  the  healing 
art  by  attending  a course  of  lectures  at  the 
university  of  Michigan,  and  the  following 
spring  took  a course  at  the  Fong  Island  Col- 
lege hospital,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. , from  which 
well  known  institution  he  graduated  in  1865. 
In  the  latter  year  Dr.  Kemper  located  in  Mun- 
cie,  Ind. , where  he  has  since  been  engaged  in 
the  general  practice  of  his  profession.  He  was 
coroner  of  Delaware  county  from  1870  till 
1875,  and  was  one  of  the  examining  surgeons 
for  pensions  from  May,  1872,  to  June,  1893, 
with  the  exception  of  a period  of  two  years, 
when  he  was  removed  for  political  reasons. 
Dr.  Kemper  is  a member  of  the  Delaware 
County  Medical  society,  the  Indiana  State 
Medical  society,  the  American  Medical  associ- 
ation and  the  National  association  of  Railway 
Surgeons,  and  takes  an  active  interest  in  the 
deliberations  of  these  bodies.  In  1879  he  was 
elected  treasurer  of  the  Indiana  State  Medical 
society,  and  served  as  such  until  1886,  when 
he  was  honored  by  election  as  its  president, 
presiding  during  the  session  of  1887.  The 
doctor  is  not  unknown  in  the  field  of  medical 
literature,  having  at  different  times  contrib- 
uted a number  of  valuable  papers  on  various 
medical  subjects.  He  has  studied  much,  and 
carefully  examined  many  cases,  and  being  an 
original  thinker  and  a clear,  logical  writer,  he 
has  made  known  his  investigations  from  time 
to  time  in  a number  of  essays  contributed  to 
various  medical  journals  or  read  before  medi- 
cal societies. 

Among  the  contributions  from  his  pen  the 
following  were  much  discussed;  “Operation 


826 


MUNCIE  CITY 


for  the  Radical  Cure  of  Varicocele,”  “Ex- 
ophthalmic Goiter,”  “Labor  Complicated  by 
Peritoneal  Adhesions  of  the  Uterus,”  “ Biblical 
Medicine,”  “Case  of  Inversion  of  Uterus,” 
“Retention  of  Utero  of  the  Dead  Foetus, 
Considered  Particularly  with  Regard  to  its 
Effects  upon  the  Mother,”  “Is  Labor  Pro- 
tracted by  Early  Spontaneous  Rupture  of  the 
Membranes?”  “A  Case  Illustrating  the  Use  of 
Intrauterine  Injections  for  the  Arrest  of  Post 
Partum  Hemorrhage,”  “Sequel  to  a Case  of 
Retained  Foetus,”  “A  Case  of  Podolcoma, ” 
“A  Contribution  to  Medical  Jurisprudence,” 
“Four  Hundred  Obstretrical  Cases — Statis- 
tics and  Observations,”  “Affections  of  the 
Gall-bladder  Tending  to  Result  in  Cutaneous 
Biliary  Fistula,”  “Ligation  of  the  Femoral 
Artery,”  “Primary  Cancer  of  the  Lungs,” 
“Angel-wing  Deformity,”  “A  Case  of  Lodge- 
ment of  a Breech  Pin  in  the  Brain;  removal 
on  the  second  day;  recovery,”  “Antiseptics  in 
Normal  Labor,”  “One  Thousand  Cases  of 
Labor  and  their  Lessons,”  “A  Case  of  Senile 
Gangrene.”  The  above  papers  and  essays 
contain  much  which  is  of  value  to  the  medical 
fraternity.  They  are  the  fruits  of  reason  and  ■ 
experience  combined,  and  met  with  much  at- 
tention in  the  medical  journals  both  at  home 
and  abroad. 

The  doctor  has  not  neglected,  as  many 
practitioners  do,  to  record  the  result  of  his 
experience  for  the  benefit  of  others.  During 
the  session  of  1875-6,  he  was  assistant  to  the 
chair  of  obstetrics  and  diseases  of  women  and 
children  in  the  college  of  Physicians  and  Sur- 
geons of  Indiana,  and  he  has  achieved  flatter- 
ing success  in  the  varied  fields  of  surgery  and 
in  the  general  practice  of  the  healing  art.  In 
1872  he  formed  a co-partnership  in  the  prac- 
tice with  Dr.  Robert  Winton,  a successful  | 
physician  of  Muncie,  and  at  this  time  is  asso- 
ciated with  Dr.  Hugh  A.  Cowing.  The  doc- 
tor is  a member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 


church,  is  an  earnest  advocate  of  temperance 
reform,  and  labors  zealously  in  behalf  of  all 
religious,  educational  and  temperance  move- 
ments, thus  setting  an  example  worthy  of  imi- 
tation by  his  fellow  citizens.  In  his  person- 
ality, Dr.  Kemper  realizes  the  ideal  of  a suc- 
cessful physician  and  surgeon,  adding  to  a 
quick  apprehension  and  thorough  professional 
knowledge  the  gentle  manner  and  sympathetic 
heart  of  a true  healer.  In  every  relation  with 
his  fellow  man  he  has  borne  well  his  part,  and 
now  enjoys,  in  full  measure,  the  confidence 
and  esteem  of  his  brethren  in  the  profession 
and  of  his  fellow  citizens  in  all  the  walks  of 
life.  Dr.  Kemper  was  married  August  15, 
1865,  to  Hattie,  daughter  of  William  Kemper, 
Esq. , of  Oskaloosa,  Iowa,  a union  blessed 
with  the  birth  of  three  children,  namely; 
Georgette  Moodey,  Arthur  Thomson,  and 
William  Winton  Kemper. 


H’SBURY  L.  KERWOOD  traces  his 
ancestral  history  back  through  a 
number  of  generations  to  England, 
from  which  country  his  great-grand- 
father, Richard  Kerwood,  with  his  family, 
consisting  of  wife,  two  sons  and  four  daugh- 
ters, started  for  the  United  States  about  the 
year  1792.  During  the  voyage,  both  himself 
and  wife  fell  victims  to  ship  fever  and  died  a 
few  days  subsequent  to  their  arrival.  The 
captain  of  the  vessel,  who  was  a member  of 
the  Masonic  fraternity,  to  which  Mr.  Kerwood 
also  belonged,  took  a kindly  interest  in  the 
welfare  of  the  orphan  children  and  succeeded 
in  finding  them  homes.  Richard,  the  grand- 
father of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  ap- 
prenticed to  a blacksmith  of  Bordentown, 
N.  J.,  and  after  mastering  the  details  of  his 
trade,  moved  to  western  Pennsylvania,  locat- 
ing in  Washington  county,  where  he  became  a 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


327 


prominent  and  highly  respected  citizen.  He 
married  in  New  Jersey  Mary  Minor,  who  bore 
him  five  sons  and  two  daughters,  namely: 
Samuel,  William,  John  R. , Abia  M.,  Richard, 
Nancy  and  Elizabeth.  Richard  Kerwood  de- 
parted this  life  in  W ashington  county.  Pa. , in 
1838.  Mr.  Kerwood’s  maternal  ancestors 
were  of  Irish  nativity,  James  Peden,  the 
grandfather,  immigrating  to  the  United  States 
in  an  early  day  and  settling  in  Pennsylvania. 
He  married  Margaret  Love,  also  a native  of 
Ireland,  and  in  1835  removed  to  Ohio,  thence 
subsequently  to  Henry  county,  Ind. , where 
both  he  and  wife  died.  The  children  of  James 
and  Margaret  Peden  were  James,  Joseph, 
David,  Milton,  Reuben,  Hiram  and  Eliza- 
beth. 

Abia  Minor  Kerwood,  father  of  Asbury  L. , 
was  born  in  Washington  county.  Pa. , where 
he  grew  to  manhood,  working  with  his  father 
at  blacksmithing  until  attaining  his  majority. 
Later  he  went  to  Oxford,  Ohio,  where,  in  ad- 
dition to  working  at  his  trade,  he  attended  for 
some  time  the  Miami  university.  He  was 
married,  in  1840,  to  Miss  Rebecca  Peden  in 
Preble  county,  Ohio,  and  shortly  therafter  en- 
gaged in  mercantile  pursuits  at  Sugar  Valley, 
a town  of  that  county,  where  he  carried  on 
business  for  several  years,  subsequently  en- 
gaging in  farming.  In  1848  he  moved  to 
Wayne  county,  Ind.,  where  he  continued  the 
pursuit  of  agriculture,  varied  by  teaching 
school  at  intervals  during  the  winter  season, 
and  in  1852  purchased  and  removed  to  a 
home  on  West  river  in  the  county  of  Ran- 
dolph. In  the  fall  of  1854  he  entered  the 
ministry  of  the  Methodist  church,  in  which 
denomination  he  had  long  been  a local  preach- 
er and  traveled  various  circuits  for  a period  of 
twenty-five  years.  In  1879  he  was  placed  on 
the  superannuated  list  and  spent  the  closing 
years  of  his  life  in  Muncie,  where  he  died  in 
April,  1886.  The  family  of  Abia  M.  and 


Rebecca  Kerwood  consisted  of  four  sons — As- 
bury L. , David  L. , William  R.  and  Albert, 
and  two  daughters,  Mary  E.  and  Margaret  E. 

The  eldest  son,  Asbury  L. , was  born  June 
21,  1842,  in  Preble  county,  Ohio,  and  acquired 
a fair  English  education  in  the  common  schools 
of  that  and  Wayne  county,  Ind.,  attending 
one  term  at  Liber  college.  Jay  county,  after 
he  was  fifteen  5'ears  of  age.  In  October,  1859, 
he  was  apprenticed  to  Judge  John  Brady  of 
Muncie  to  learn  the  trade  of  saddler  and  har- 
ness making.  While  thus  employed  the  coun- 
try became  enveloped  in  the  clouds  of  civil 
war,  and  he  enlisted  April  6,  1861,  in  a com- 
pany raised  by  Gen.  Thomas  J.  Brady  for  the 
three  months’  service.  He  accompanied  his 
command  to  the  front  and  participated  in  one 
of  the  first  engagements  of  the  war — the  battle 
of  Rich  iMountain,  W.  Va. , where  he  received 
a wound  in . the  left  arm  and  right  breast, 
being  the  first  soldier  from  Delaware  county  to 
receive  injury  by  rebel  bullets. 

On  the  6th  of  August,  1861,  he  was  honor- 
ably discharged,  and  in  November  of  the  same 
year  he  enlisted  in  Company  F,  Fifty-seventh 
Indiana  volunteer  infantary,  as  duty  sergeant. 
His  regiment  went  into  camp  at  Richmond, 
Ind.,  thence  moved  to  Indianapolis  in  Decem- 
ber, 1861,  and  on  the  23d  day  of  the  same 
month  proceeded  to  the  scene  of  conflict,  the 
first  engagement  being  the  bloody  battle  of 
Shiloh,  which  was  reached  after  a forced 
march  of  thirty  miles.  Subsequently,  Mr. 
Kerwood  participated  with  his  regiment  in  the 
following  battles:  Perry ville,  Ky. , three  days’ 

battle  at  Stone  River,  where  for  gallant  con- 
duct he  was  promoted  to  rank  of  first  sergeant; 
Mission  Ridge,  Tenn.,  Rocky  Face  Ridge, 
Resaca,  New  Hope  Church,  Kenesaw  Moun- 
tain, and  other  battles  of  the  Atlanta  cam- 
paign, in  all  of  which  he  earned  laurels  as  a 
brave  and  gallant  soldier.  Later  he  was  with 
his  regiment  in  the  battles  of  Peachtree  Creek, 


MUNCIE  CITY 


siege  of  Atlanta,  Jonesboro,  Ga.,  Franklin, 
Tenn.,  Springhill,  Tenn.,  and  Nashville. 

February  4,  1865,  Mr.  Kerwood  was 

honorably  discharged  from  the  service,  and 
after  his  return  to  Indiana  was  engaged  at 
school  teaching  and  other  pursuits  in  Wabash 
and  Hamilton  counties,  and  devoted  his  time 
to  the  collection  of  material  for  the  history  of 
his  regiment,  which  he  completed  and  pub- 
lished in  the  spring  of  1868.  In  the  spring  of 
1866  Mr.  Kerwood  made  a tour  of  the  eastern 
states,  and  upon  his  return  temporarily  located 
at  Fairmount,  Grant  county,  where  he  worked 
at  his  trade  during  the  summer  of  that  year. 
In  October,  1867,  he  settled  at  Wheeling, 
Delaware  county,  where  he  made  his  residence 
until  1875.  July  22,  1868,  Mr.  Kerwood  and 
Mrs.  Susan  Craw,  daughter  of  William  P.  and 
Sarah  Reasoner,  and  widow  of  Ephraim  Craw, 
were  united  in  the  bonds  of  wedlock.  At  the 
republican  county  convention,  1874,  Mr.  Ker- 
wood received  the  nomination  for  the  office  of 
the  clerk  of  the  circuit  court,  and  in  October 
of  the  same  year  was  elected  by  the  largest 
majority  on  the  ticket.  He  was  re-elected  in 
1878  by  a very  large  majority,  and  discharged 
the  duties  of  his  position  in  a faithful  and 
able  manner  until  the  expiration  of  his  term  in 
August,  1883.  In  April,  1884,  he  was  elected 
a director  in  the  Citizens’  National  bank,  to 
fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the  death  of  Henry 
Hamilton.  In  April,  1885,  he  succeeded 
George  W.  Spilker  to  the  presidency  of  the 
bank,  and  has  since  filled  that  honorable  po- 
sition to  the  eminent  satisfaction  of  all  con- 
cerned. In  1887  Mr.  Kerwood  became  a 
member  of  the  city  school  board,  of  which  he 
is  now  treasurer,  and  to  him  is  largely  due 
much  of  the  ci'edit  of  bringing  the  schools  of 
Muncie  to  their  present  high  state  of  efficiency. 
He  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Muncie 
Land  company,  of  which  he  has  since  been  a 
director  and  vice-president.  For  the  past  five 


years  he  has  been  a member  of  the  firm  of  E. 
P,  Smith  & Co.,  manufacturers  of  hubs  and 
spokes,  and  was  one  of  the  original  directors 
of  the  Muncie  Exploring  company,  which 
drilled  the  first  gas  well  in  Muncie.  In  addi- 
tion to  the  above  enterprises  Mr.  Kerwood 
was  a member  of  the  first  advisory  board  of 
the  Citizens’  Enterprise  company.  It  will 
thus  be  seen  that  Mr.  Kerwood’s  career  has 
been  one  of  great  business  activity.  He  proved 
himself  a faithful  and  efficient  officer,  and  in 
all  relations  of  life,  whether  official,  business 
or  social,  he  has  shown  himself  to  be  worthy 
of  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  his  fellow  citi- 
zens, and  those  with  whom  he  comes  in  con- 
tact unite  in  pronouncing  him  a true  type  of 
the  intelligent  and  well  bred  gentleman. 


ORRIS  D.  KIDNOCKER,  a well- 
known  miller,  was  born  in  Morgan 
county,  Ohio,  October  2,  1837,  the 
son  of  Goodlief  and  Lucinda 
(Miller)  Kidnocker.  The  father  was  a native 
of  Germany  and  the  mother  of  Massachusetts. 
Goodlief  and  Lucinda  Kidnocker  were  married 
in  Marietta,  Ohio,  and  reared  a family  of  eight 
children,  as  follows:  Sarah  (deceased),  Robert, 
Malinda,  Morris  D. , David  (deceased),  Caro- 
line, Samantha  and  Luther.  The  father  was 
a man  of  unblemished  moral  character,  an 
earnest  supporter  of  the  republican  party,  and 
was  honored  by  all  who  formed  his  acquaint- 
ance. He  died  in  January,  1883;  his  wife 
died  in  March,  1865.  Like  her  husband,  she 
was  a member  of  the  U.  B.  church  and  a 
woman  of  eminent  respectability. 

Morris  D.  Kidnocker  was  reared  to  man- 
hood in  the  county  of  his  nativity,  in  the 
schools  of  which  he  received  a good  education, 
and  at  the  early  age  of  seventeen,  began 
teaching,  which  profession  he  followed  with 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


329 


creditable  success  for  several  years.  On  at- 
taining his  legal  majority  he  engaged  in  the. 
manufacture  of  lumber,  which  business,  in 
connection  with  agriculture,  he  pursued  until 
1865,  when  he  began  the  manufacture  of  flour 
in  Ross  and  Hawkins  counties,  Ohio,  to  which 
calling  he  has  since  devoted  his  attention. 
He  was  married  in  Hawkins  county,  Ohio,  in 
i860,  to  Clarissa  Jane  Wiggins,  who  was  born 
March  18,  1838,  the  daughter  of  John  T.  and 
Nancy  (Schnltz)  Wiggins.  The  parents  of 
Mrs.  Kidnocker  were  natives  respectively,  of 
Kentucky  and  Virginia,  and  were  among  the 
early  pioneers  of  the  Buckeye  state.  The 
wedded  life  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kidnocker  was 
blessed  with  the  birth  of  ten  children;  Ella, 
Albert,  Silas  (deceased),  Gilbert,  Hattie,  Lillie, 
Rosie,  Alma,  Ottie  and  Wilber  (deceased). 
The  mother  departed  this  life  December  22, 
1881,  and,  subsequently,  in  1884,  Mr.  Kid- 
nocker was  united  in  marriage  with  Mrs.  Anna 
Witt,  mother  of  Enoch  Witt,  a biographical 
mention  of  whom  appears  on  another  page  of 
this  volume.  Mr.  Kidnocker  is  a substantial 
citizen,  and  his  life,  though  comparatively 
uneventful,  has  not  been  unfruitful  of  good 
results  and  kind  deeds  in  behalf  of  his  fellow- 
man  wherever  he  has  resided.  He  thoroughly 
understands  the  business  to  which  so  many  of 
his  years  have  been  devoted,  and  the  confi- 
dence and  respect  of  the  community  are  his  in 
a satisfactory  degree.  He  is  a supporter  of 
the  republican  party  and  takes  an  intelligent 
interest  in  public  affairs. 


EDGE  DAVID  KILGORE,  late  of 
Delaware  county,  was  born  in  Harri- 
son county,  Ky. , April  3,  1804,  the 

second  in  a family  of  four  sons.  His 
father,  Obed  Kilgore,  was  a native  of  Pennsyl- 


vania, but  for  many  years,  was  a citizen  of 
Kentucky,  where  he  carried  on  farming  until 
1819,  when  he  removed  with  his  family  to 
Franklin  county,  Ind.,  then  a wilderness,  but 
soon  died  at  the  residence  of  his  son  David  at 
the  age  of  eighty-two.  Judge  Kilgore’s  mother 
was  Rebecca  (Cusic)  Kilgore;  she  died  in 
Franklin  connty,  in  1843.  After  the  usual 
course  of  study  in  the  common  schools  of  his 
native  place  and  of  Franklin  county,  Ind.,  Mr. 
Kilgore  commenced  reading  law  without  a 
preceptor,  but  was  occasionally  aided  by  Gov. 
James  B.  Ray  and  John  T.  McKinney,  the 
latter  afterward  judge  of  the  supreme  court  of 
Indiana.  In  1830,  having  finished  his  pre- 
paratory studies,  he  started  on  foot  for  Dela- 
ware county,  carrying  all  his  worldly  effects, 
which  consisted  of  a small  bundle  of  clothes, 
four  law  books  and  $4.75  in  money.  On 
reaching  his  destination,  he  secured  a pre- 
emption claim  and  located  upon  it,  but  com- 
menced the  practice  of  his  profession.  In 
1832  he  was  chosen  on  the  whig  ticket  to 
represent  Delaware  county  in  the  legislature, 
was  several  times  re-elected,  and  in  1836  be- 
came speaker  of  the  house.  In  1839  Mr. 
Kilgore  was  elected  judge  of  the  judicial  cir- 
cuit, composed  of  the  counties  of  Randolph, 
Delaware,  Grant,  Jay,  Blackford,  Madison, 
Wells  and  Adams,  and  served  seven  years.  In 
1850  he  was  a member  of  the  convention  that 
revised  the  state  constitution.  He  was  elected 
by  heavy  majorities  to  the  thirty-fifth  and 
thirty-sixth  congresses,  and  bore  a part  in  the 
exciting  discussions  that  there  occurred  during 
Buchanan’s  administration.  Judge  Kilgore 
was  very  active  as  one  of  the  original  builders 
of  the  Bee-Line  railway,  and  was  one  of  its 
directors  for  about  twenty  years.  He  was  a 
stockholder  in  the  Citizens’  National  bank  of 
Muncie,  and  also  a stockholder  in  the  Muncie 
Natinal  bank,  and  in  the  First  National  bank 
of  Indianapolis.  He  was  chiefly  instrumental 


S30 


MUNCIE  CITY 


in  establishing  the  Indiana  Hospital  at  Wash- 
ington during  the  first  year  of  the  civil  war. 

Judge  Kilgore  was  a member  of  the  Free 
and  Accepted  Masons  and  took  all  the  council 
degrees.  He  helped  organize  the  republican 
party,  to  which  he  remained  firmly  attached. 
He  was  born  within  the  pale  of  the  Presby- 
terian church,  but  afterward  changed  his  rela- 
tions and  became  connected  with  the  Metho- 
dist denomination.  He  married  July  4,  1831, 
Mary  G.  Van  Matre,  daughter  of  Absalom 
\’an  Matre,  a prominent  resident  of  Virginia. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kilgore  had  a family  of  six  sons: 
Henry  C,  who  died  in  infancy;  Alfred,  who 
was  a captain  in  the  Thirty-sixth  volunteers, 
afterward  a district  attorney  and  also  member 
of  the  legislature  three  terms;  Obed;  Tecum- 
seh,  a surgeon  of  the  Thirteenth  Indiana 
cavalry;  David,  also  a captain,  and  James,  a 
leutenant,  both  of  the  Nineteenth  infantry. 

Alfred  Kilgore,  late  of  Muncie,  will  always 
be  remembered  as  one  of  the  most  talented 
men  of  Indiana.  With  an  ordinary  English 
education,  he  arose  by  his  own  active  energies 
to  the  high  position  he  occupied  at  the  bar,  in 
political  circles,  and  in  the  army.  He  was  the 
son  of  Hon.  David  Kilgore,  and  was  born 
April  7,  1833,  on  the  homestead  farm,  in 
Mount  Pleasant  township,  Delaware  county, 
where  also  occurred  his  death,  August  22, 
1871.  During  boyhood  he  attended  the  old 
seminary  at  Muncie.  On  leaving  school  he 
engaged  for  a year  or  two  in  teaching,  then 
studied  law  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
1857  in  Muncie,  where  he  soon  gained  an 
enviable  reputation  as  a criminal  lawyer.  Mr. 
Kilgore  held  numerous  local  offices  in  the  city 
and  county,  prior  to  i860;  but  when  the  first 
alarm  of  war  was  sounded  in  1861,  he  was  one 
of  the  first  to  offer  his  services.  He  recruited 
a company,  which  was  assigned  as  company 
B,  of  the  Thirty-sixth  Indiana  volunteer 
infantry,  with  which  regiment  he  remained. 


and  participated  in  all  the  campaigns  of  the 
army  of  the  Cumberland  until  the  battle  of 
Shiloh.  Though  his  spirit  was  brave  his  body 
was  too  weak  to  endure  the  hardships  of  the 
camp  and  field.  Stricken  with  disease,  he 
lingered  in  the  hospital  for  months,  then  was 
brought  home  to  die.  His  strong  will  con- 
quered the  disease  in  a measure,  but  only  par- 
tially, for  it  was  the  cause  of  his  death.  In 
appreciation  of  his  talents  and  services,  his 
friends  elected  him  to  the  state  legislature  for 
two  terms.  Soon  after  the  expiration  of  his 
term  of  office  he  was  appointed  United  States 
attorney  for  the  district  of  Indiana.  Mr. 
Kilgore  married,  August  2,  1854,  Miss  Susan 
Shoemaker,  now  the  wife  of  Hon.  James  N. 
Templer.  Of  this  happy  marriage  two  chil- 
dren were  born — Charles  W. , a young  lawyer, 
who  seems  to  have  inherited  his  father's 
genius,  and  Vlollie  G.  (Mrs.  Davis),  a lady  of 
rare  beauty 


aHARLES  W.  KILGORE,  son  of  the 
late  Hon.  Alfred  Kilgore,  was  born 
February  20,  1855,  inYorktown,  Dela- 
ware county,  Ind.  He  received  his 
education  in  the  schools  of  Muncie  and  Smith- 
son  college,  Logansport,  and  at  the  age  of 
eighteen  began  the  study  of  law  in  the  office  of 
Templer  & Gregory,  under  whose  instructions 
he  continued  two  years,  making  rapid  progress 
in  the  meantime.  He  was  admitted  to  the 
Delaware  county  bar  in  1874,  and  his  abilities 
soon  won  for  him  an  extensive  legal  business 
as  well  as  a prominent  position  among  the 
successful  lawyers  of  Muncie.  In  1876  he  be- 
came assoqiated  in  the  practice  with  Hon. 
O.  |.  Lotz,  and  continued  the  relationship  un- 
der the  firm  name  of  Lotz  & Kilgore,  until  his 
election  as  mayor  in  1879,  when  he  retired 
from  active  participation  in  the  law  in  order  to 
devote  his  attention  to  the  discharge  of  his 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


381 


official  functions.  In  the  spring  of  1893 
Kilgore  became  interested  in  the  construction 
of  the  Chicago,  Indiana  & Eastern  railroad 
through  central  Indiana  and  Delaware  county, 
and  as  a director  of  the  same  he  was  chiefly  in- 
strumental in  pushing  the  enterprise  to  a suc- 
cessful completion.  The  legal  career  of  Mr. 
Kilgore  presents  a series  of  continued  suc- 
cesses, and  since  his  admission  to  the  practice 
has  been  a prominent  factor  in  the  Muncie 
bar,  standing  deservedly  high  in  the  profes- 
sion. Although  not  as  actively  engaged  in 
the  practice  as  formerly,  he  still  maintains  an 
office  and  gives  his  attention  to  the  prosecu- 
tion or  defense  of  cases  involving  interests  of 
great  moment  and  requiring  a high  order  of 
legal  talent.  For  a number  of  years  Mr.  Kil- 
gore has  been  identified  with  various  busi- 
ness enterprises  in  Muncie,  among  which 
are  the  Muncie  natural  gas  plant  and 
the  Muncie  Architectural  Iron  works — 
being  vice  president  of  the  latter,  and 
devoting  to  it  the  greater  piart  of  his 
attention.  He  was  active  in  behalf  of  the 
city's  interest  for  some  time  as  a member  of 
the  common  council  from  the  First  ward,  and 
while  -identified  with  that  body  was  instrumen- 
tal in  promoting  much  important  municipal 
legislation.  Mr.  Kilgore  is  a man  of  decided 
opinion  and  great  strength  of  character,  fear- 
less in  the  expression  of  what  he  believes  to 
be  right,  and  an  active  politician  of  the  Jeffer- 
sonian school  of  democracy.  His  personal 
popularity  is  very  great  in  Muncie,  a proof  of 
which  was  his  election  to  the  mayoralty,  also 
his  election  to  the  common  council  from  a 
ward  which  has  always  cast  a heavy  vote  in 
favor  of  the  republican  nominees.  Mr.  Kil- 
gore was  married  June  20,  1877,  to  Addie, 

daughter  of  Milton  Hess,  of  Henry  county,  a 
union  which  resulted  in  two  children — a son 
and  daughter;  Alfred  and  Archa. 


G'*HAS.  M.  KIMBROUGH,  clerk  of  the 
Delaware  circuit  court,  and  president 
and  general  manager  of  the  Indiana 
Bridge  company  of  Muncie,  was  born 
in  Clinton  county,  Ohio,  Nov.  5,  1847, 
is  a son  of  Ira  and  Clarissa  (Howland)  Kim- 
brough, natives  of  the  same  county  and  state. 
Mr.  Kimbrough  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools,  and  his  early  inclinations  leading  him 
to  mechanical  pursuits,  he  learned  the  trade  of 
blacksmithing,  in  which  he  acquired  skill  and 
proficiency,  and  which  he  followed  until  his 
twenty-sixth  year.  He  then  engaged  in  the 
mercantile  business  in  Connersville,  Ind., 
where  he  remained  until  1876,  on  April  4 of 
which  year  he  removed  to  Muncie  and  opened 
the  first  exclusive  book  and  paper  store  in  the 
city.  His  place  of  business  was  in  the  Walnut 
street  Opera  House  block,  and  Mr.  Kimbrough 
conducted  a very  successful  business  in  his 
line  until  1887,  at  which  time  he  disposed  of 
his  mercantile  interest  in  order  to  become 
manager  of  the  Indiana  Bridge  company,  of 
which,  two  years  later,  he  was  elected  presi- 
dent. This  company  was  established  in  1886, 
and  employs  about  i 50  persons. 

As  a loyal  citizen  Mr.  Kimbrough  did  serv- 
ice in  defense  of  the  national  Union  as  mem- 
ber of  company  I,  Eighteenth  Ohio  volunteer 
infantry,  with  which  he  served  for  a period  of 
eight  months,  being  discharged  at  that  time  at 
Augusta,  Ga.  His  official  career  began  in 
November,  1890,  at  which  time  he  was  elected 
to  the  responsible  position  of  clerk  of  the 
Delaware  county  circuit  court,  the  duties  of 
which  he  has  since  ably  discharged.  As  a 
member  of  the  common  council  representing 
the  Third  ward,  and  as  a member  on  the  com- 
mittee on  finance,  he  has  been  instrumental 
in  effecting  much  important  municipal  legisla- 
tion. In  matters  educational,  Mr.  Kimbrough 
was  also  very  energetic,  having  been  a member 
of  the  city  school  board.  As  a business  man 


332 


MUNCIE  CITY 


he  occupies  a deservedly  prominent  place  in 
the  estimation  of  the  people  Muncie,  and  as 
presiding  officer  of  the  large  manufacturing 
establishment  with  which  he  is  identified  has 
shown  executive  ability  of  a very  high  order. 
Personally,  Mr.  Kimbrough  enjoys  great  popu- 
larity, and,  irrespective  of  his  position  as  a 
leading  republican,  has  numerous  friends 
throughout  the  county,  irrespective  of  party 
affiliations.  He  is  one  of  the  busy,  thorough- 
going, reliable  men  of  Muncie,  and  as  a mem- 
ber of  the  Citizens’  Enterprise  company 
manifests  great  interest  in  everything  that 
pertains  to  the  material  welfare  of  this  thriving 
city.  Fraternally  Mr.  Kimbrough  stands  high 
in  Masonry,  in  which  he  has  taken  a number 
of  degrees,  including  both  chapter  and  com- 
mandery,  and  he  also  belongs  to  Williams 
post.  No.  78,  G.  A.  R.  In  1870  Mr.  Kim- 
brough and  Miss  Margaret  A.  Curry,  daughter 
of  James  and  Mary  Curry,  of  Clinton  county, 
Ohio,  became  man  and  wife,  and  their  union 
has  been  blessed  by  the  birth  of  three  children: 
Hal  C. , Frank  H.  and  James  Floyd.  Mr. 
Kimbrough  and  family  are  communicants  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  he  holds 
the  position  of  trustee  in  the  High  street  con- 
gregation. 


HOMAS  KIRBY  (deceased).— Proba 
bly  none  of  the  early  settlers  of 
Muncie  were  more  closely  identified 
with  the  town  and  its  growth  than 
Mr.  Kirby.  He  was  one  of  its  earliest  as  well 
as  one  of  its  most  prominent  citizens — having 
settled  here  when  Muncie  was  but  a small 
clearing  in  the  wilderness,  and  was  still  called 
by  its  aboriginal  name,  “Outainink,”  by  the 
Indians  who  lingei'ed  about  the  former  town 
of  the  Delaware  tribe.  He  was  a member  of 
the  first  mercantile  firm  in  Muncie,  and  a 
leader  in  all  public  enterprises.  If  a sub- 


scription was  to  be  raised  for  a turnpike,  rail- 
road, or  other  object  of  a public  nature,  he 
was  always  the  first  to  be  solicited  for  his 
patronage,  and  never  withheld  his  bounty. 
He  was  one  of  the  first  trustees  elected  in 
Delaware  county,  but  was  not  a politician, 
and  never  aspired  to  the  public  positions  to 
which  his  ability  entitled  him.  He  was  born 
in  the  town  of  Stockbridge,  Mass. , December 
25,  1804,  and,  at  the  age  of  ten  years,  became 
an  apprentice  in  a woolen  factory.  While 
thus  employed,  he  gained  an  early  education, 
by  attending  school  in  the  winter;  but  this  was 
supplemented  by  practical  experience  in  later 
years.  In  the  fall  of  1827  he  removed  to 
Richmond,  Ind. , and  accepted  employment  at 
his  trade  with  Fevinas  King.  One  year  later 
he  began  to  trade  in  furs,  deerskins  and  gin- 
seng, buying  about  six  thousand  pounds  of 
the  latter  article  every  year.  In  1830,  he 
removed  to  Muncie  and  was  engaged  in  the 
mercantile  business  for  five  years.  In  the 
meantime  he  had  acquired  a large  tract  of 
land  (a  portion  of  which  is  now  within  the  city 
limits),  and  retired  from  business  life,  and 
devoted  his  time  to  agricultural  pursuits.  He 
owned  about  one  thousand  acres  adjoining 
Muncie,  and  made  six  additions  to  the  town  at 
various  times,  and  donated  the  grounds  on 
which  were  erected  the  Universalist  and  Pres- 
b)  terian  churches.  He  was  a kind  hearted 
landlord,  and  was  repeatedly  known  to  sell 
lots,  and,  when  subsequent  developements 
convinced  the  purchasers  that  they  could  not 
meet  their  obligations,  instead  of  foreclosing 
the  mortgages,  he  would  refund  the  money 
already  paid  him,  purchase  the  partially  com- 
pleted buildings  at  their  actual  cost,  and  sell 
the  lots  to  some  one  else.  He  erected  the  first 
brick  store  in  Muncie,  and  also  a fine  hotel 
which  bears  his  name.  On  the  i 5th  of  July, 
1833,  he  married  Miss  Sarah  Tomlinson,  a 
native  of  North  Carolina,  and  daughter  of 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


Judge  Tomlinson,  one  of  the  ea^ly  associate 
and  probate  judges  of  Delaware  county.  They 
had  three  sons — Thomas  Hickman,  John  M. 
and  George,  now  prominent  business  men  of 
Muncie,  and  three  daughters — Martha  A. , " ife 
of  A.  H.  Hamilton;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  J.  A. 
Heinsohn,  proprietor  of  the  Kirby  house,  and 
Sarah,  who  died  quite  young. 

About  1829  Mr.  Kirby  traveled  through 
the  sparsely  settled  regions  of  eastern  Indiana, 
on  foot  and  on  horseback,  peddling  goods  for 
Stone  & Co.,  of  Dayton,  Ohio,  and  brought 
his  first  stock  of  merchandise  to  Muncie  by  ox 
teams  from  that  point.  He  was  uniformly 
kind  and  honorable  in  his  dealings  with  the 
world,  and  his  memory  is  treasured  in  the 
hearts  of  all  who  knew  him.  He  died  August 
19,  1879.  The  funeral  sermon  was  preached 
by  Rev.  Marion  Crosley,  of  Fort  Wayne,  at 
the  Universalist  church,  of  which  society  Mr. 
Kirby  was  a member.  His  remains  were  in- 
terred in  Beech  Grove  cemetery,  and  the  cas- 
ket containing  his  remains  was  borne  to  the 
grave  by  Minus  Turner,  Warren  Stewart,  Mar- 
tin Galliher,  John  Brady,  Thomas  S.  Neely, 
Daniel  Pittenger,  Robert  Meeks,  Joseph  Strad- 
ling,  Joseph  S.  Buckles,  J.  Henry  Wysor, 
Walter  March,  Marcus  C.  Smith,  Arthur  F. 
Patterson  and  Lloyd  Wilcoxson. 


OHN  M.  KIRBY,  a prominent  business 
man  of  Muncie  and  son  of  Thomas 
Kirby,  whose  sketch  appears  above,  is 
a native  of  Delaware  county,  Ind. , 
born  on  the  6th  day  of  November,  1839.  His 
educational  training  was  acquired  in  the  public 
schools  of  his  native  city,  supplemented  by  a 
two  years’  course  in  Farmer’s  college  of  Cin- 
cinnati, in  which  institution  he  obtained  a fair 
knowledge  of  the  higher  branches  of  learning. 
His  early  inclinations  led  him  to  embark  upon 
a business  career,  and  in  1 860  he  engaged  in 


the  hardware  trade  in  partnership  with  T.  E. 
Putnam,  and  the  firm  thus  constituted  soon 
became  one  of  the  leading  mercantile  estab- 
lishments of  Muncie.  He  continued  in  the 
hardware  business  very  successfully  until  1889, 
and  in  the  meantime,  1879,  became  interested 
with  his  brothers  in  the  lumber  business,  with 
wltich  line  of  trade  he  has  since  been  promi- 
nently identified.  As  a business  man  Mr. 
Kirby  enjoys  a reputation  more  than  local,  and 
to  him  is  due  in  a great  measure  the  present 
substantial  growth  of  Muncie,  in  the  material 
development  of  which  he  has  always  mani- 
fested a very  active  interest.  Quick  to  foresee, 
wise  to  plan,  and  possessing  business  qualifi- 
cations of  a high  degree,  he  has  wrought  wisely 
and  well,  and  in  him  have  been  reproduced  the 
sterling  qualities  which  for  so  many  years 
marked  the  career  of  his  father. 

In  his  political  belief  Mr.  Kirby  is  an  ar- 
dent supporter  of  the  republican  party,  but 
he  has  never  sought  nor  desired  official  prefer- 
ment. In  religion  he  subscribes  to  the  creed 
of  the  Episcopal  church,  in  which  faith  the 
different  members  of  his  family  have  been 
reared  and  educated.  Mr.  Kirby  is  promi- 
nently identified  with  several  fraternities,  in- 
cluding the  Ro}'al  Arcanum,  Independent 
Order  of  United  Workmen,  and  the  A.  F.  & 
A.  M. , in  the  last  of  which  he  stands  high, 
having  taken  the  Scottish  rite  degree,  also  that 
of  Sir  Knight.  On  the  14th  day  of  June, 
1866,  in  the  city  of  Muncie,  was  solemnized 
the  marriage  of  John  M.  Kirby  and  Mary  F. 
Putnam,  daughter  of  F.  E.  Putnam,  a union 
blessed  with  the  birth  of  the  following  chil- 
dren: Thomas  P. ; Ada,  wife  of  Fewis  Over; 
Susette  and  Sarah.  The  mother  of  these  chil- 
dren died  August  16,  1887,  and  on  the  iith 
day  of  March,  1891,  Mr.  Kirby  married  his 
present  wife,  Mrs.  Belle  J.  Gilbert,  who  was 
born  in  Muncie,  the  daughter  of  John  Jack, 
Esq.,  deceased. 


384 


MUNCIE  CITY 


EORGE  KIRBY,  prominent  among 
the  successful  business  men  and  rep- 
resentative citizens  of  the  county  of 
Delaware,  was  born  in  Muncie,  Ind. , 
on  the  6th  day  of  December,  i 844.  He  is  the 
son  of  Thomas  and  brother  of  T.  H.  and  J.  M. 
Kirby,  and  for  the  greater  part  of  his  life  has 
been  a valued  citizen  and  an  active  business 
man  of  the  city  of  his  nativity.  He  was 
reared  to  manhood  in  Muncie,  in  the  public 
schools  of  which  he  acquired  his  early  educa- 
tion, and  in  1863-4  attended  the  schools  of 
Aurora,  111.  Returning  home  in  the  latter 
year  he  entered  the  army,  enlisting  in  company 
B,  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-fourth  Indiana 
volunteer  infantry,  for  the  three  months’  serv- 
ice under  Capt.  Reese,  and,  after  remaining 
with  his  command  for  a period  of  four  months, 
was  honorably  discharged  in  September,  1864, 
at  Indianapolis.  On  severing  his  connection 
with  the  army  Mr.  Kirby  resumed  his  studies, 
and  after  completing  his  education  returned 
home  and  took  charge  of  his  father’s  business 
and  was  thus  employed  until  the  latter’s  death 
in  1879.  During  the  succeeding  year  he  man- 
aged the  home  farm,  and  in  1886  was  elected 
treasurer  of  Delaware  county,  and  immediately 
thereafter  removed  to  Muncie  and  took  charge 
of  the  office.  He  was  re-elected  in  1888,  and 
discharged  the  duties  of  the  office  in  a highly 
satisfactory  manner  until  1 890,  since  which 
time  he  has  been  extensively  engaged  in  real 
estate  transactions  in  paitnership  with  T.  F. 
Rose,  and  through  his  instrumentality,  aided 
by  the  efforts  of  other  progressive  men, 
a large  number  of  manufacturing  estab- 
lishments have  been  located  in  Muncie, 
thus  making  the  city  the  most  enterprising 
manufacturing  center  of  the  great  gas  belt. 
Mr.  Kirby  has  been  a prominent  and  active 
member  of  the  Citizens’  Enterprise  company, 
of  which  he  is  a director,  and  he  also  served 
as  trustee  of  the  Manufacturers’  association. 


much  of  the  success  of  which  is  directly  trace- 
able to  his  efforts.  He  is  almost  constantly 
conducting  some  enterprise  that  will  inure  to 
the  city’s  advancement,  and  in  him  Muncie 
and  Delaware  county  find  one  of  their  most 
substantial,  energetic  and  highly  respected 
representatives.  As  an  official  he  displayed 
ability  of  a high  order,  and  his  dealings  with 
his  fellows  in  all  relations  of  life  have  been 
marked  by  that  high  sense  of  honor  which  has 
made  him  deservedly  popular  with  all  with 
whom  he  has  come  in  contact.  Mr.  Kirby  is  a 
republican  in  politics,  and  fraternally  belongs 
to  the  Masonic  order,  in  which  he  occupies  a 
prominent  position,  being  a Knight  Templar 
and  a member  of  the  Scottish  rite  branch. 
He  was  married  January  14,  1866,  to  Miss 
Kate  W.  Whipple,  who  was  born  in  Washing- 
ton county,  N.  Y. , on  the  19th  day  of  March, 
1846,  the  daughter  of  Joab  T.  and  Maria 
(Wilson)  Whipple,  the  latter  a sister  of  the 
late  Volney  Wilson,  of  Muncie.  To  the  mar- 
riage of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kirby  have  been  born 
the  following  children:  Wilson  W. , teller  of 
the  Citizens’  National  bank;  Marion  E., 
Louise,  John  M.  and  Julius  T. 


HOMAS  P.  KIRBY  is  the  head  of  one 
of  the  leading  plumbing  and  gas  fit- 
ting establishments  of  Muncie  and  is 
entitled  to  mention  as  one  of  the 
city’s  1‘epresentative  young  men.  He  is  a son 
of  John  and  Mary  Kirby  and  was  born  in  Mun- 
cie, Delaware  county,  Ind. , on  the  4th  day  of 
April,  1867.  He  was  educated  in  the  city 
schools,  and  on  attaining  his  majority  began 
clerking  for  his  father,  in  whose  employ  he 
continued  for  a period  of  two  years,  and  then 
entered  upon  an  apprenticeship  for  three  years 
with  the  Muncie  Water  company  for  the  pur- 
pose of  learning  the  plumbing  trade,  in  which 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


835 


he  acquired  great  proficiency.  After  becoming 
familiar  with  the  details  of  the  business,  he 
established  his  present  plumbing,  gas,  steam  fit- 
ting and  sewer  work,  which,  as  already  stated, 
is  one  of  the  largest  and  most  successful  enter- 
prises of  the  kind  in  the  city  of  Muncie.  In 
his  business  Mr.  Kirby  has  displayed  commend- 
able energy  and  foresight,  and  he  has  met 
with  success  such  as  few  attain  in  a much 
longer  life.  He  retains,  in  a marked  degree, 
the  respect  and  confidence  of  his  fellow  citizens 
of  Muncie,  and  by  inheritance  as  well  as  by 
steady  application,  possesses  those  sterling 
qualities  essential  to  the  successful  manage- 
ment of  affairs,  and  which  undoubtedly  insure 
for  him  a future  of  much  promise  and  useful- 
ness. 

Mr.  Kirby  was  married  in  Muncie  on  the 
5th  of  July,  1888,  to  Miss  Gertrude  Maddy, 
whose  birth  occurred  in  the  year  1867.  Mrs. 
Kirby  is  the  daughter  of  William  R.  Maddy, 
and  she  has  borne  her  husband  two  children, 
namely:  Frederick  and  Edgar.  In  his  relig- 
ious views  Mr.  Kirby  subscribes  to  the  Episco- 
pal creed,  of  which  church  his  wife  is  also  a 
member,  and  in  politics  he  supports  the  princi- 
ples of  the  republican  party.  He  is  prominent 
in  the  Masonic  order,  having  taken  a number 
of  degrees,  including  that  of  Sir  Knight,  and 
he  is  also  an  active  worker  in  the  Pythian 
fraternity. 


W.  KIRBY,  receiving  and  paying- 
teller  of  the  Citizens’  National  bank 
of  Muncie,  Ind.,  was  born  Septem- 
ber 13,  1867,  in  Muncie  city,  where 
he  has  since  continued  to  reside.  He  attended 
the  Muncie  schools  during  the  years  of  his 
minority,  and  at  the  age  of  seventeen  obtained 
his  first  insight  into  the  practical  affairs  of 
life  as  an  assistant  to  his  father  in  the  stock 


business,  with  all  the  details  of  which  he  soon 
became  familiar.  Subsequently  he  took  a 
course  of  mechanical  engineering  in  the  Rose 
Polytechnic  institute,  Terre  Haute,  and  upon 
the  election  of  his  father  as  treasurer  of  Dela- 
ware county,  he  left  his  studies  and  became 
deputy  county  treasurer,  the  duties  of  which 
he  discharged  with  commendable  fidelity; 
within  a short  time  of  the  expiration  of  the 
term  of  office,  however  he  accepted  the  posi- 
tion of  receiving  and  paying  teller  in  the  Citi- 
zens’ National  bank  of  Muncie.  Mr.  Kirby  is 
an  accomplished  accountant,  understanding 
thoroughly  the  many  details  of  banking,  and 
has  already  made  a creditable  record  as  a safe 
and  reliable  business  man.  He  is  energetic 
in  all  he  undertakes,  enjoys  great  personal 
popularity  in  his  city,  and  by  his  honorable 
and  manly  course  has  succeeded  in  winning 
for  himself  a prominent  position  in  the  estima- 
tion of  the  public.  He  was  united  in  marriage 
January  i,  1890,  with  Miss  Carrie  Louise,  the 
accomplished  daughter  of  Dr.  Robert  and 
Elmira  Winton,  of  Afuncie.  (See  sketch  of 
George  Kirby,  father  of  W.  W.  Kirby.) 


aHARLES  A.  KITTS,  of  the  firm  of 
Kitts  & Everet,  real  estate  dealers, 
Muncie,  Ind.,  is  a son  of  Williard 
and  Lottie  (Adams)  Kitts,  and  was 
born  in  Oswego,  N.  Y. , March  8,  1861.  He 
graduated  from  Union  college,  Schenectady, 
N Y. , in  1884,  and  in  1885  began  the  manu- 
facture of  knit  underwear  at  Canastota,  N. 
Y. , on  his  own  account,  but  two  years  later 
moved  to  Piqua,  Ohio,  where  he  formed  a 
joint  stock  company,  with  $50,000  capital, 
which  was  incorporated  as  the  Piqua  Hosiery 
company,  and  of  which  he  was  made  general 
manager  and  vice  president,  and  was  active  in 
the  manufacture  for  two  years — the  company 


830 


MUNCIE  CITY 


being  still  in  operation.  While  in  Piqua  he 
also  laid  out  and  developed  two  or  three  addi- 
tions to  the  city.  At  the  end  of  six  years  he 
sold  out  his  interests  and  organized  a land 
syndicate,  with  a capital  of  $80,000,  and  went 
to  San  Antonio,  Tex.,  where  he  sub-divided 
Keystone  Park,  inaugurated  street  car  service, 
sold  a considerable  portion  of  the  tract,  and 
still  retains  quite  a number  of  the  choice  lots. 
He  was  also  interested  in  developing  Spring 
City,  Tenn.,  and  Kanawha,  West  Va. , 
and  his  efforts  resulted  in  substantial  gains 
for  both  places.  In  1891,  he  became  asso- 
ciated with  W.  N.  Whitely  in  his  Indiana 
gas  belt  enterprise,  Eaton,  Ind.,  being  the 
first  town  to  enter  into  negotiation,  and 
through  the  active  exertion  of  Mr.  Kitts,  a 
subscription  fund  of  $80,000  was  raised  and 
1,000  acres  of  land  optioned — the  largest 
bonus  ever  raised  by  an  equal  population  for 
the  purpose;  but,  owing  to  the  superior  bank- 
ing and  shipping  facilities  of  Muncie,  Mr. 
Whitely  decided  upon  that  city  as  his  head- 
quarters. Mr.  Kitts  thereupon  organized  the 
Fort  Wayne  Land  & Improvement  company, 
which  took  up  the  Eaton  properties,  located 
the  Paragon  Paper  company  and  other  indus- 
tries, and  established  a bank.  Mr.  Kitts  a’so 
actively  assisted  the  Whitely  Land  company  in 
developing  its  property.  After  Mr.  Whitely’s 
withdrawal,  Mr.  Kitts  formed  a syndicate  at 
Pittsburg,  Pa.,  with  $125,000,  which  pur- 
chased the  140-acre  tract  known  as  the  Wysor 
Heights,  together  with  the  interests  of  the 
original  company,  and  in  the  spring  of  1893 
located  the  Whitely  Malleable  Ironworks.  Of 
this  company  Mr.  Kitts  is  a director,  and  with 
his  partner,  E.  E.  Everet,  has  general  charge 
of  its  large  real  estate  interests.  Kitts  & 
Everet  were  also  the  prime  movers  in  devel- 
oping Parker,  Ind.,  where  they  formed  a land 
syndicate,  and  in  1893  disposed  of  over  200 
lots  at  public  sale  and  located  three  factories. 


Mr.  Kitts  was  married  in  Chittenango,  N. 
Y.,  in  1886,  to  Miss  Hattie  Walrath,  a gradu- 
ate of  Vassar  college  in  the  class  of  1884,  and 
the  accomplished  daughter  of  the  late  Frank- 
lin Walrath,  wholesale  grocer  of  Syracuse,  N. 
Y.  To  this  felicitous  union  has  been  born  one 
daughter — Frances.  Mr.  Kitts  is  a chapter 
Mason,  and  as  a business  man  enjoys  a most 
enviable  reputation,  not  only  in  Muncie,  but 
wherever  else  known. 


C.  KLEIN  is  a son  of  Armstead  M. 
and  Sarah  Klein,  and  was  born  in 
Delaware  county,  Ind.,  November  18, 
1842.  He  was  I'eared  to  manhood  in 
Muncie,  received  a good  education,  and  in 
1855  entered  as  apprentice  under  his  brother, 
John  A.  Klein,  to  learn  the  jewelry  trade,  in 
which  he  early  acquired  great  proficiency. 
After  serving  three  years  he  began,  in  1858,  to 
work  at  his  chosen  calling  at  Richmond,  Ind. , 
with  Charles  Dickenson,  and  one  year  later 
went  south,  locating  at  Vicksburg,  where  he 
carried  on  business  until  the  breaking  out  of  the 
war  in  1861,  when  he  returned  home  and  en- 
listed in  company  E,  Nineteenth  Indiana  vol- 
unteer infantry,  for  three  years.  Owing  to 
physical  disability,  he  was  discharged  after  a 
few  months’  service,  but,  after  regaining  his 
health,  re-enlisted  in  the  same  company  in 
October,  1861,  and  shared,  with  his  comrades, 
all  the  vicissitudes  of  war,  until  his  honorable 
discharge  at  the  cessation  of  hostilities  in  1865. 
During  his  period  of  service  he  participated  in 
many  of  the  leading  battles  of  the  Virginia 
campaign,  including,  among  others,  second 
battle  of  Bull  Run,  South  Mountain,  Antietam, 
Fredericksburg,  Fitz  Hugh  Crossing,  Chancel- 
lorsville,  and  Gettysburg,  in  the  last  of  which 
he  received  a severe  wound  in  the  hip,  which 
necessitated  his  being  sent  to  the  United  States 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


3B7 


hospital  of  Philadelphia.  Later  he  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  hospital  at  Indianapolis,  and  was 
absent  from  his  command  for  a period  of  about 
four  months.  After  having  sufficiently  recov- 
ered, he  rejoined  his  regiment  and  took  part 
in  the  bloody  battles  of  Mine  Run,  Wilderness, 
Spottsylvania,  Cold  Harbor,  Petersburg,  Wel- 
don Railroad,  Hatcher's  Run,  and  a number  of 
lesser  engagements,  in  all  of  which  his  conduct 
was  that  of  a,  brave  soldier. 

He  has  in  his  possession  a beautiful  record, 
in  silkj  containing  the  names  of  corps,  brigade 
and  regiment  to  which  he  belonged,  and  all 
the  battles  in  which  his  command  took  part. 
On  returning  home  he  resumed  the  jewelry 
business,  being  at  this  time  the  leader  in  that 
line  in  Muncie.  Since  1878  he  has  been  sole 
proprietor  of  a large  establishment  which  con- 
tains a magnificent  stock,  calculated  to  meet 
all  the  demands  of  the  current  trade.  Mr. 
Klein  is  also  interested  in  the  manufacture  of 
artificial  ice  in  Muncie,  beside  which  he  has 
been  a liberal  promoter  of  the  various  enter- 
prises which  have  given  Muncie  its  present 
high  standing  as  the  leading  manufacturing 
city  of  Indiana.  Mr.  Klein  is  a republican, 
and  fraternally  belongs  to  the  Masonic  order, 
in  which  he  stands  high,  having  taken  the 
Thirty-second  degree.  He  also  belongs  to  the 
society  of  Elks.  Mr.  Klein  was  married  Feb- 
ruary 19,  1866,  to  Sarah  C.  Spilker,  of  Mun- 
cie, and  sister  of  Geo.  W.  Spilker,  mention  of 
whom  is  found  on  another  page  of  this  volume. 
This  marriage  was  blessed  with  the  birth  of 
live  children,  whose  names  are  as  follows: 
Effie,  deceased;  Geo.  A.,  Edward  M.,  Arm- 
stead M.  and  Fred  A.  Mrs.  Klein  died  No- 
vember 17,  18^7,  and  July  29,  1889,  Mr. 

Klein  was  united  in  marriage  with  Flora  Pat- 
terson, of  Virginia.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Klein  are 
members  of  the  Presbyterian  and  Methodist 
Protestant  churches,  respectively. 

Armstead  Mason  Klein,  the  pioneer  jeweler  [ 


of  Muncie,  was  born  at  the  town  of  Water- 
ford, Loudoun  county,  Va. , on  the  26th  day 
of  June,  1817.  His  father  kept  a hotel  at 
that  town,  and  apprenticed  his  son  for  eight 
years  to  a jeweler  at  Leesburg,  Va.  Armstead 
reached  Newark,  Ohio,  early  in  1837,  and, 
within  a few  months  thereafter,  married  Sarah 
E.  Ethell.  In  the  fall  of  the  same  year  he 
located  at  Evansville,  Ind. , and  late  in  the 
fall  of  1838  came  to  Muncie.  There  were  a 
few  clocks  and  watches  to  be  repaired  in  the 
village  and  county,  and  he  found  sufficient 
work  to  do  to  provide  a very  good  livelihood 
for  his  family.  About  1846  he  opened  a shop, 
the  first  of  its  kind  in  Delaw'are  county,  and 
situated  on  west  Main  street  in  a little  frame 
house.  He  kept  abreast  of  the  times,  increas- 
ing his  stock  as  occasion  demanded,  until  he 
carried  a fine  line  of  goods  valued  at  thousands 
of  dollars.  He  worked  at  the  bench  sixteen 
and  eighteen  hours  a day,  for  many  years, 
and  only  gave  up  the  laborious  part  of  his 
business  to  his  sons,  five  years  ago. 

His  first  wife  died  March  2,  1859,  leaving 
him  with  the  care  of  five  children,  one  of  whom 
has  since  followed  her  to  the  grave,  leaving 
Henry  C.,  Madison  C.,  William  C.,  and  Sarah 
E.  On  the  26th  day  of  June,  1859,  he  married 
Justina  Hardy.  This  union  w’as  blessed  with 
two  children,  both  now  deceased. 

Mr.  Klein  was  a well  known  citizen,  and 
no  words  of  eulogy  from  our  pen  could  add  to 
his  popularity,  or  the  high  grade  in  w'hich  he 
was  held  by  all  w'ho  know  him.  He  was  a per- 
sistent worker,  always  honest  and  upright  in 
his  business  transactions,  and  in  his  social  rela- 
tions genial  and  hospitable.  In  the  summer 
of  1853  he  united  with  the  Masonic  and  Odd 
Fellows'  fraternities  at  Muncie.  He  was  a 
Knight  Templar  in  the  former,  and  in  the  lat- 
ter took  all  the  degrees  in  the  subordinate 
lodge  and  encampment,  and  was  a member  of 
1 the  grand  lodge  of  Indiana.  He  was  an  ardent 


338 


MUNCIE  CITY 


republican  in  ])olitics,  and  served  four  years  as 
a member  of  the  city  council  of  Muncie. 


UDCxE  GEORGE  H.  KOONS  was  born 
April  2,  1848.  His  parents  are  Peter 
and  Katharine  (Rinard)  Koons,  both 
natives  of  Henry  county,  Ind. , where 
they  still  live  in  the  old  homestead  in  Blue 
River  township,  respected  by  all,  and  loved 
most  by  those  who  know  them  best;  they  are 
honest,  industrious,  hospitable,  unpretentious 
people.  His  ancestors  were  lovers  of  rural 
life,  tillers  of  the  soil,  and  were  noted  for 
industry,  thrift  and  the  prompt  payment  of 
debts.  He  is  of  German  and  Anglo-saxon 
descent.  His  grandparents  on  his  father’s  side 
were  George  and  Mary  Koons,  and  on  his 
mother’s  side  were  Nancy  (Reddy)  Rinard  and 
George  Rinard,  who  was  a local  preacher,  and 
a very  ardent  abolitionist.  His  grandmother, 
Mary  Koons,  was  a woman  of  remarkable 
memory,  always  keeping  herself  thoroughly 
posted  in  the  doings  of  her  ten  children  and 
her  numerous  grandchildren,  being  able,  up  to 
the  time  of  her  death,  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
five  years,  to  give  in  detail  the  condition  of  the 
affairs  of  each  and  all  of  them,  which  she  took 
great  delight  in  doing,  taking  to  the  last  the 
keenest,  liveliest  interest  in  their  welfare. 

Judge  Koons  received  his  education  in  the 
common  schools  and  at  the  New  Castle  acad- 
emy in  Henry  county,  and  at  the  State  univer- 
sity at  Bloomington.  At  the  age  of  fourteen 
he  began  teaching  in  the  common  schools  of 
Henry  county.  While  a student  at  the  New 
Castle  academy,  he  taught  in  the  country 
schools  during  the  winter,  and  became  well 
known  as  a successful  common  school  teacher. 
After  finishing  his  course  of  academic  study, 
he  served  four  years  as  superintendent  of  the 
schools  of  Middletown,  Henry  county,  Ind., 


where  he  gained  an  enviable  reputation  as  a 
thorough  and  capable  instructor.  Having  pre- 
viously pursued  his  legal  studies  under  Messrs. 
Brown  & Polk,  attorneys  at  New  Castle,  he 
entered  the  law  department  of  the  State  uni- 
versity in  1 869,  where  he  graduated  with 
honors  in  1871,  in  a class  of  thirty-three,  re- 
ceiving the  degree  of  LL.  B.  After  leaving 
the  university  he  studied  law  during  that  sum- 
mer under  the  instruction  and  guidance  of 
Hon.  Jehu  T.  Elliot,  of  New  Castle.  In  the 
of  fall  ’71  he  again  accepted  the  position  as  su- 
perintendent of  the  Middletown  schools  for 
another  year,  at  the  close  of  which  he  began 
the  practice  of  law  in  that  town  and  remained 
there  until  June  of  1874,  when  he  removed  to 
Muncie,  where  he  has  since  remained  in  the 
enjoyment  of  a large  portion  of  the  legal  busi- 
ness of  the  city  and  county.  For  a few  years 
after  coming  to  Muncie,  he  struggled  along 
with  apparently  indifferent  success,  but  by  dint 
of  industry,  pluck,  energy  and  perseverance, 
he  gradually  arose  to  the  front  rank  among  the 
lawyers  of  the  Delaware  county  bar. 

Politically,  the  judge  has  been  a life-long 
republican,  and  at  one  time  was  a candidate 
for  the  nomination  by  his  party  for  the  state 
legislature,  but  was  defeated  in  the  contest  by 
the  Hon.  John  W.  Ryan.  In  1892  he  defeat- 
ed the  Hon.  J.  N.  Templer  for  the  nomina- 
tion for  judge  of  the  Forty-sixth  judicial  cir- 
cuit of  Indiana,  at  the  primary  election  held  in 
Delaware  county,  receiving  the  nomination  of 
his  party  by  a large  majority  of  all  the  votes 
cast,  and  in  the  fall  of  that  year  was  elected 
by  a majority  of  2,024votes  over  his  democrat- 
ic competitor,  the  Hon.  Chas.  W.  Kilgore, 
Rev.  E.  Holdstock,  candidate  on  the  prohibi- 
tion ticket,  receiving  a vote  of  214.  After  his 
election,  upon  receiving  his  commission  he 
immediately  assumed  the  duties  of  his  office 
and  has  continued  to  discharge  the  same  with 
the  wisdom  and  dignity  expected  of  him  by  the 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


343 


people.  As  a judge  he  is  popular  alike  with 
the  lawyers  and  the  litigants.  He  possesses  a 
clear,  judicial  mind  and  enunciates  his  rulings 
with  clearness  and  impartiality,  is  strictly  up- 
right and  honest  and  commands  the  respect 
and  confidence  of  the  people.  He  is  blessed 
in  a high  degree  with  those  qualities  which  are 
so  necessar)'  to  success  in  the  profession  of 
law,  and  has  been  recognized  for  many  years 
as  a sound  advocate,  an  able,  safe  and  wise 
counselor  and  adviser.  He  is  a man  of  broad, 
humanitarian  views,  thoroughly  democratic  in 
feeling,  and  in  close  sympathy  with  his  fellow 
men;  a lover  of  all  that  is  real,  noble  and 
good  in  humanity,  and  a steadfast  friend  of 
humble,  lowly,  well-meaning  men  in  all  the 
walks  of  life.  Fraternally,  the  judge  is  a 
member  of  the  A.  O.  U.  W.  and  of  the  Im- 
proved Order  of  Red  Men,  and  while  at  col- 
lege became  a member  of  the  Phi  Kappi  Psi 
Greek  fraternity.  He  was  a charter  member 
of  the  Literary  and  Scientific  association  of 
Muncie,  out  of  which  grew  the  Literary  Fire- 
side, the  Literary  Home  Circle,  and  finally  the 
Ethical  society,  with  the  last  three  of  which 
societies  he  and  his  wife  have  been  prominent- 
ly identified,  both  being  charter  members. 

He  was  united  in  marriage  September  6, 
1871,  to  Josinah  V.  Hickman,  daughter  of 
William  H.  and  Clarissa  W.  Hickman.  They 
have  four  children,  three  of  whom  a e living. 
He  is  a kind  husband  and  father,  and  his 
home  life  is  a beautiful,  quiet,  and  happy  one. 


^ E 'V  RS.  y.  V.  PI.  KOONS  is  number  three 
■ I ■ in  a family  of  nine  children.  Her 
V £ ^ father  was  William  H.  Hickman, 
whose  mother  was  Josinah  Van- 
matre  Hickman  and  whose  father  was  Joshua 
Lewis  Hickman,  a pioneer  Baptist  preacher. 


and  whose  grandfather  was  Ezekiel  Hickman, 
a captain  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  who 
mortgaged  a tract  of  land  in  Alleghany  county. 
Pa.,  to  one  Isaac  Mason  and  raised  a company 
of  seventy-five  men  and  furnished  them  with 
hoi'ses  at  his  own  e.xpense. 

Her  mother  was  Clarissa  Williams,  daugh- 
ter of  Rachael  (Ball)  Williams  and  David 
Williams  of  Lebanon,  Ohio,  whose  paternal 
grandfather  was  William  Williams,  who  was 
also  a soldier  of  the  Revolution,  and  came 
from  Wales  and  was  of  the  family  of  Roger 
Williams.  From  her  mother  she  inherits  her 
taste  and  talent  for  poetry.  Her  childhood 
was  spent  in  the  old  home  where  she  was  born 
near  Springport,  Henry  count}",  Ind.  She 
attended  the  district  schools  and  availed  her- 
self of  the  meager  advantages  they  afforded, 
afterward  teaching  successfully  in  the  country 
schools.  Once  she  received  fifteen  dollars 
more  than  the  sum  she  had  agreed  to  teach 
for,  because,  in  the  language  of  one  of  the 
trustees  “She  has  teached  the  school  better 
than  a rrian  could  teach  it.” 

She  early  began  to  write  original  verses. 
The  first  to  receive  favorable  mention  ap- 
peared in  the  Lebanon  (Ohio)  Western  Star, 
February  23,  i860,  and  since  that  time,  as 
, fancy  has  dictated  or  opportunity  afforded, 
she  has  written  stories,  sketches  and  poems, 
some  of  which  have  gone  the  rounds  of  the 
papers,  receiving  their  full  meed  of  praise. 

Little  can  be  said  of  interest  to  biography 
lovers  of  a woman  wholly  devoted  to  her  home 
and  domestic  duties,  doing  through  all  the  best 
years  of  her  life  the  lowly  work  that  lay  be- 
fore her.  Only  through  her  poems  may 
glimpses  here  and  there  be  had  of  the  heart’s 
struggle  and’  the  soul’s  great  hope.  She  has 
shown  us  her  creed  in  her  peom  entitled 
“White  Days,”  in  which  she  defines  the  word 
as  follows:  “ The  creeds  are  but  notes  in  the 

world’s  hymn  of  praise.  ” 


844 


MUNCIE  CITY 


The  Muncie  Times  says  of  her; 

MRS.  J.  V.  H.  KOONS. 

In  Indiana’s  annals, 

“In  the  long- 

Hereafter  of  her  speech  and  song,” 

besides  the  names  of  her  Wallace,  her  Eggles- 
ton and  her  Riley,  many  will  stand  forth  as 
representatives  of  all  that  is  best  and  purest 
in  the  literature  of  our  state.  Muncie  can  at 
least  boast  one  truly  inspirational  poet  in  the 
person  of  Mrs.  J.  V.  H.  Koons.  At  her  beau- 
tiful home  in  Riverside  she  creates  without 
any  study  or  effort  those  gems  of  melodious 
versification  which  glow  with  the  “humanity 
of  her  sympathy,”  and  which  show  a delight- 
ful familiarity  with  all  that  is  artistic,  tender 
and  elevating  in  song.  With  a magnetic 
touch  she  charms  the  ear  and  shows  the  warm 
and  tender  heart  of  noble  woman  and  the 
friend  as  well  as  the  true  poet.  Whatever  is 
best,  purest  and  truest  is  voiced  in  her  fervid 
and  loving  strains. 

She  is  the  wife  of  Judge  George  H.  Koons, 
and  the  mother  of  four  children,  three  of 
whom  are,  Clara,  Reda,  and  George  Koons, 
jr.  Mary  Maud,  the  eldest,  died  in  babyhood. 

The  reader  will  view  with  pleasure,  on  the 
following  pages,  the  life-like  portrait  of  Mrs. 
J.  V.  H.  Koons,  and  also  that  of  her  husband. 
Judge  George  H.  Koons. 


•’ILLIAM  P.  KOONS,  a prominent 
mm  \ rnember  of  the  Delaware  county 
bar  and  a rising  lawyer  of  eastern 
Indiana,  was  born  in  the  county  of 
Henry,  this  state,  on  the  loth  day  of  Decem- 
ber, 1862.  He  is  the  son  of  Peter  Koons  and 
brother  of  Hon.  G.  H.  Koons,  the  present 
judge  of  the  Delaware  circuit  court.  Mr. 
Koons  attended  the  country  schools  and  re- 


mained on  the  home  farm  in  Henry  county 
until  his  fourteenth  year,  at  which  early  age 
he  began  to  teach,  and  was  thus  employed  four 
consecutive  years  at  the  same  place.  The 
school  over  which  young  Koons  exercised  super- 
vision had  an  unsavory  reputation,  and  before 
he  accepted  the  position  four  teachers  had 
already  been  compelled  to  withdraw  on  ac- 
count of  the  insubordination  of  a class  of 
young  men  who  attended  for  the  purpose  of 
creating  a disturbance.  Mr.  Koons’  success 
as  an  instructor  is  attested  by  the  fact  that, 
during  the  four  terms  which  he  taught  at  that 
point,  he  was  never  compelled  to  resort  to  cor- 
poral punishment  of  any  kind,  a record  unpre- 
cedented in  that  locality.  Subsequently  Mr. 
Koons  attended  three  successive  years  the 
Muncie  high  school,  after  which  he  resumed 
educational  work,  teaching  six  terms  in  Henry 
county  at  the  towns  of  Messick  and  Hillsboro, 
reading  law  in  the  meantime  with  his  brother, 
Hon.  George  H.  Koons,  of  Muncie.  After 
becoming  familiar  with  the  principles  of  his 
profession  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1889, 
and  began  the  practice  with  his  brother,  with 
whom  he  remained  until  appointed,  by  Joseph 
Leffler,  deputy  prosecuting  attorney.  He  dis- 
charged the  duties  of  that  position  in  a very 
able  and  satisfactory  manner  until  the  election 
of  his  brother  to  the  judgeship,  after  which  he 
resigned  and  took  charge  of  the  latter’s  exten- 
sive legal  business,  and  has  been  one  of  the 
active  practitioners  at  the  Muncie  bar  ever 
since.  Mr.  Koons  is  ambitious  and  zealous  in 
his  chosen  profession,  and  as  a rising  lawyer 
has  undoubtedly  a promising  future.  He  is 
well  grounded  in  the  principles  of  the  law,  is 
a ready  advocate,  a wise  and  safe  counselor, 
and  his  abilities  are  frequently  recognized  by 
his  retention  in  many  important  and  intricate 
cases.  Mr.  Koons  was  married  June  28,  1892, 
to  Miss  Jennie,  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Cath- 
erine (Allender)  Downs,  of  Hillsboro,  Ind. 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


345 


EORGE  F.  LEAGER,  deceased,  the 
famous  restaurateur  of  Muncie,  was 
born  in  Caroline  county,  Mar}'land, 
August  12,  T840.  His  parents,  Ris- 
dom  and  Susan  (Digging)  Leager,  were 
also  natives  of  Maryland  and  were  mar- 
ried in  1835.  The  father,  however,  died 
eleven  years  later,  leaving  his  widow  with  two 
sons,  George  F.  and  Thomas,  and  a daughter, 
Mary.  George  F.  Leager  was  reared  on  the 
old  homestead  and  early  inured  to  hard  work 
on  the  farm  before  the  war,  he  being  the  oldest 
male  member  of  the  family  after  his  father’s 
death.  At  the  outbreak  of  hostilities  he  en- 
listed in  company  D,  First  regiment  Maryland 
Eastern  Shore  volunteers,  September  ii,  1861, 
and  served  until  honorably  discharged,  Novem- 
ber 2,  1864.  He  participated  in  the  battle  of 
Gettysburg  and  others,  but  was  chiefly  on 
duty  in  guarding  the  peninsula  of  Maryland 
and  Virginia.  While  thus  employed  he  there 
met,  in  1861,  Miss  Sarah  E.  Melson,  a daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Margaret  (Kelley)  Melson, 
who  reside  at  Accomac  C.  H.,  she  being  then 
but  thirteen  years  of  age.  Mr.  Leager  was  at 
that  time  suffering  from  some  slight  disability 
incurred  in  the  performance  of  his  duty  as 
guard,  and  was  in  the  habit  of  calling  at  the 
dwelling  of  the  Melson  family  to  obtain  supplies 
of  butter,  milk,  etc.,  and  thus  during  his  year’s 
detail  as  guard,  an  acquaintanceship  sprang 
up  between'himself  and  the  young  lady.  Af- 
ter the  war  was  over  Mr.  Leager  entered  a 
dry  goods  store  at  Greensboro,  Md.,  where  he 
was  employed  some  time  as  clerk,  and,  in 
1871,  came  to  Muncie,  where  he  engaged  as 
dry-goods  clerk  for  B.  Smith  for  a year. 

In  1872  he  started  a lunch  room  and  con- 
fectionery in  the  Patterson  block,  opposite  the 
Walnut  street  opera  house,  and  at  once  be- 
came popular  with  the  public.  He  began 
with  a capital  of  $600  or  $700,  but  his  place 
became  a favorite  resort,  and  he  kept  the 


same  room  seventeen  years.  In  the  mean- 
time, about  1874,  a brother-in-law.  Rev.  R.  C. 
Jones,  who  had  been  in  the  same  regiment 
with  Mr.  Leager,  had  occasion  to  visit  Virgin- 
ia, and  while  in  that  state  called  on  the  Mel- 
son family,  met  the  young  lady,  who  was  but 
a mere  child  when  Mr.  Leager  had  been  doing 
guard  duty,  and  found  her  still  single.  Mr. 
Jones  recalled  to  her  mind  the  Yankee  soldier 
(if,  indeed,  she  needed  any  reminder)  and  sug- 
gested a correspondence.  The  suggestion  was 
adopted  and  the  result  was  the  union,  in  1878, 
of  the  southern  belle  with  the  northern  war- 
rior. 

Mr.  Leager,  however,  had  been  in  delicate 
health  ever  after  leaving  the  army,  and  August 
2,  1890,  succumbed  to  the  disorder  therein 
incurred,  at  the  age  of  fifty  years,  lacking  ten 
days.  He  was  an  active  member  of  the  High 
street  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  was  a 
class  leader,  and  a member  of  the  official 
board  for  many  years.  He  was  also  a charter 
member  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men 
of  Muncie,  and  a member  of  the  Royal  Arca- 
num and  the  G.  A.  R.  Mr.  Leager  had  been 
the  mainstay  of  his  widowed  mother  from  the 
time  of  his  father's  death,  and  the  support  of 
the  other  bereaved  members  of  the  family. 
He  brought  them  all  with  him  to  Muncie  in 
1871,  and  here  the  mother  passed  away  in 
April,  1888,  at  the  age  of  seventy-three  years, 
a devout  Methodist. 


OSEPH  G.  LEFFLER,  a prominent 
lawyer  of  IMuncie  • and  prosecuting  at- 
torney of  Delaware  county,  was  born 
in  Hamilton  township,  Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  December  26,  1864,  son  of  Philip  and 
Mary  (Girard)  Leffler,  natives  of  Ohio,  both  of 
whom  were  brought  to  this  state  by  their  par- 
ents in  early  childhood.  The  mother  of  Joseph 


346 


MUNCIE  CITY 


G.  died  when  he  was  but  four  years  of  age. 
Philip  Leffler  has  always  been  engaged  in  ag- 
ricultural pursuits  in  Hamilton  township,  where 
his  father,  also  named  Philip  Leffler,  settled 
many  years  ago,  having  been  one  of  the  pio- 
neers of  that  section.  The  latter  purchased  a 
large  tract  of  land  of  the  government  in  the 
township  of  Hamilton,  developed  a fine  farm, 
and  in  connection  with  agriculture  carried  on 
the  tanner’s  trade,  in  both  of  which  he  was 
very  successful.  The  father  of  Joseph  G. 
Leffler  was  a stanch  republican  in  his  political 
belief,  and  proved  his  loyalty  to  his  country, 
in  1863,  by  enlisting  and  serving  gallantly  until 
the  close  of  the  rebellion.  Two  of  his  three 
children  are  still  living,  namely : James  Harvey, 
a hardware  merchant  of  Albany,  and  Joseph  G. 
Joseph  G.  Leffler  passed  the  years  of  his 
youth  and  early  manhood  on  his  father’s  farm, 
received  his  primary  education  in  the  public 
schools,  with  some  further  instruction  at  the 
Danville  Normal,  but  he  is  chiefly  self-educated. 
When  eighteen  years  of  age  he  was  sufficiently 
advanced  in  his  studies  to  secure  a teacher’s 
license,  and  was  employed  four  consecutive 
terms  as  teacher  of  the  Center  school,  Hamil- 
ton township,  where  he  earned  a reputation  of 
a careful  and  painstaking  instructor. 

In  1884  he  began  reading  law  in  the  office 
of  W.  W.  Orr  and  J.  C.  Mallette,  was  admit- 
ted to  the  Delaware  county  bar  in  1888,  and 
by  diligent  attention  to  his  profession  soon 
won  for  himself  a conspicuous  place  among  the 
successful  attorneys  of  Muncie.  Politically 
Mr.  Leffler  is,  like  his  father  before  him,  a re- 
publican, and  takes  an  active  interest  in  the 
welfare  of  the  party,  which,  recognizing  his 
efficient  services,  has  rewarded  him  by  an 
election  to  an  important  official  position.  In 
1890  he  was  elected  to  the  office  of  county 
prosecutor,  and  in  November,  1892,  was 
honored  by  a re-election  to  the  same  position, 
the  duties  of  which  he  has  discharged  in  a 


manner  highly  creditable  to  himself  and  satis- 
factory to  the  people  of  the  county.  Mr. 
Leffler  is  an  active  political  worker,  an  effect- 
ive and  forcible  speaker,  and  his  ability  in  this 
direction  has  been  very  effectually  employed  in  a 
number  of  campaigns.  He  is  well  informed 
in  the  principles  of  his  profession,  untiring  in 
his  efforts  to  mete  out  justice  to  violators  of  the 
law,  and  has  before  him  a future  fraught  with 
much  promise.  Fraternally,  Mr.  Leffler  is  a 
member  of  Welcome  lodge,  Knights  of  Pythias, 
is  identified  with  the  Improved  Order  of  Red 
Men,  belongs  to  the  Sons  of  Veterans,  and  is 
a charter  member  of  the  Ancile  club.  In  1890 
Mr.  Leffler  and  Miss  Laura  Emerson,  daugh- 
ter of  Joseph  Emerson,  were  united  in  the 
holy  bonds  of  wedlock,  to  which  marriage  one 
child,  Mary  Eugenia,  has  been  born.  Mrs. 
Leffler  is  a valued  member  of  the  Eirst  Baptist 
church  and  is  one  of  the  popular  ladies  of 
Muncie. 


OHN  OSBORN  LEWELLEN.— The 
county  of  Delaware,  Ind. , has  within 
its  borders  many  men  of  prominence  in 
business  circles,  well  known  manufact- 
urers, skillful  physicians  and  lawyers  of  state 
reputation;  and  she  is  not  lacking  in  those 
who  have  obtained  prominence  on  account  of 
intellectual  merit  in  other  and  just  as  impor- 
tant callings.  Among  the  latter  Prof.  John 
Lewellen,  the  present  efficient  county  superin- 
tendent of  schools,  occupies  a conspicuous 
place.  Prof.  Lewellen’s  birth  occurred  in  the 
town  of  Smithfield,  Liberty  township,  Dela- 
ware conty,  Ind.,  on  the  31st  of  July,  1852,  a 
son  of  Z.  M.  and  Sarah  Ann  (Truitt)  Lewellen, 
natives  of  Virginia  and  Indiana,  and  of  Welsh 
and  English  lineage  respectively.  These  par- 
ents settled  in  Delaware  county  a number  of 
years  ago;  the  mother  died  June  3,  1893,  but 


JNO,  0.  LEWELLEN. 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


347 


the  father  is  still  living,  being  among  the  old 
and  substantial  residents  of  Selma,  Liberty 
township.  Prof.  Lewellen  is  the  eldest  of  a 
family  of  six  children.  He  was  reared  in 
Liberty  and  Harrison  townships,  and  enjoyed 
excellent  educational  advantages,  attending 
first  the  schools  of  the  township  and  subse- 
quently the  Methodist  college  at  Xenia,  Ohio, 
the  National  Normal  school  of  Lebanon,  the 
same  state,  and  the  Northern  Indiana  Normal 
at  Valparaiso,  Ind.,  in  the  last  named  of  which 
he  finished  the  scientific  course,  graduating  in 
1877.  Following  this  excellent  preparation. 
Prof.  Lewellen  taught  one  term  of  school  at 
the  town  of  Eaton,  and  then  accepted  a simi- 
lar position  at  Albany,  where  he  followed  the 
profession  successfully  for  a period  of  six 
years,  conducting  a normal  school  for  teachers 
in  the  meantime.  In  1883  he  was  elected 
county  superintendent  of  Delaware  county, 
and  has  since  discharged  the  duties  of  that 
position  in  a highly  satisfactory  manner,  hav- 
ing been  unanimously  re-elected  each  succeed- 
ing term,  which  fact  is  not  only  a compliment 
to  his  ability  as  an  official,  but  attests  his 
great  personal  popularity  with  the  people. 

Prof.  Lewellen  is  a man. of  great  force  of 
character,  possesses  executive  ability  of  a very 
high  order,  and  under‘his  able  supervision  the 
schools  of  the  county  have  been  brought  to 
their  present  state  of  efficiency.  The  recent 
improvements  in  the  grading  of  the  country 
schools  have  been  brought  about  altogether  by 
his  efforts,  and  through  his  influence,  a class 
of  teachers  of  exceptional  professional  ability 
has  been  secured,  and  the  present  high 
standard  attained  by  the  schools  of  Delaware 
county  will  compare  favorably  with  that  of 
any  other  part  of  the  state.  Mr.  Lewellen  is 
the  originator  of  an  outline  course  of  study  for 
district  schools,  which  he  has  had  copy- 
righted, and  which  is  being  extensively 
adopted  in  a number  of  counties  of  Indiana 


and  other  states.  As  a school  official.  Prof. 
Lewellen  is  widely  and  favorably  known 
throughout  Indiana,  and  his  suggestions  per- 
taining to  matters  educational  are  respectfully 
listened  to  in  all  the  conventions  of  county 
superintendents  which  he  attends.  Politically, 
he  is  a republican,  and  as  such  wields  a 
potent  influence  for  his  party  in  Delaware 
county.  He  is  a member  of  the  Literary 
Fireside,  and  of  the  Pythian  fraternity,  in  the 
latter  of  which  he  is  past  chancellor.  He  also 
belongs  to  Heart  and  Hand  lodge.  No.  361,  of 
Albany,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  being  past  grand  in  the 
same,  and  is  an  active  member  of  Muncie 
tribe.  No.  144,  of  Red  Men,  also  of  F.  &. 
A.  M.  Prof.  Lewellen  was  united  in  marriage 
December  25,  1877,  to  Miss  Huldah  Eleanor 
Crampton,  daughter  of  Mahlon  Crampton,  of 
Harrison  township,  to  which  union  two  chil- 
dren have  been  born,  namely;  Albert  Ross  and 
Harry  Crampton  Lewellen.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Lewellen  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church,  and  for  the  past  two  years  have 
been  teachers  in  the  Sunday  school.  While 
residing  in  Albany,  Prof.  Lewellen  officiated 
as  Sunday  school  superintendent,  and  did 
much  in  awakening  and  keeping  alive  the 
religious  interest  in  that  place. 


OHN  W.  LITTLE,  a prominent  real 
estate  dealer  of  Muncie,  was  born  in 
the  city  of  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  March  13, 
1844,  the  son  of  John  L.  and  Mary  A. 
(Wilson)  Little.  John  L.  Little  was  a native 
of  New  Jersey,  born  in  the  year  1818,  and  his 
ancestors  for  several  generations  lived  in  that 
state.  His  parents  were  John  and  Mercy 
(Herbert)  Little,  both  natives  o'^  New  Jersey 
and  the  father  a farmer  by  occupation.  John 
L.  Little  also  was  reared  on  a farm,  and 
when  a young  man  learned  the  saddler’s  trade, 


348 


MUNCIE  CITY 


which  he  followed  successfully  in  the  city  of 
Philadelphia.  In  after  years  he  engaged  in 
general  merchandising  for  a coal  company  in 
the  interior  of  the  state,  but  subsequently  re- 
turned to  Philadelphia,  where  he  engaged  in 
business,  and  in  the  spring  of  1858  came  to 
Muncie,  Ind.,  where  until  1866  he  dealt  quite 
extensively  in  dry  goods.  In  the  latter  year 
he  began  dealing  in  sewing  machines,  and  was 
thus  employed  until  1870,  at  which  time  he 
began  the  manufacture  of  feather  dusters,  es- 
tablishing the  first  and  only  enterprise  of  the 
kind  ever  operated  in  the  city  of  Muncie.  He 
disposed  of  his  interest  in  this  concern  in  1882, 
and  opened  an  insurance  office  and  did  a very 
flourishing  business  in  that  line  until  1892,  on 
September  16  of  which  year  his  death  oc- 
curred. He  was  married  in  the  city  of  Phila- 
delphia, in  1840,  to  Mary  Ann  Wilson,  who 
bore  him  five  children,  namely:  William  L. , 
boot  and  shoe  dealer  of  Muncie;  johnW. , 
whose  name  introduces  this  sketch;  H.  W. , 
deceased;  Mary,  wife  of  Dr.  A.  J.  Finney; 
and  D.  B.  F.,  of  Elwood,  Ind.  The  mother 
of  these  children,  at  the  age  of  sixty-eight 
years,  died  in  Muncie.  Mr.  Little  was  a man 
of  local  prominence  in  Delaware  county,  took 
an  active  part  in  the  material  development  of 
Muncie,  and  erected  several  buildings  which 
are  among  the  most  substantial  in  the  city. ' 
He  was  noted  for  his  eminent  social  qualities, 
which  made  him  popular  with  all,  and  his  be- 
nevolence endeared  him  to  a number  of  fami- 
lies of  Muncie  that  received  many  tokens  of 
his  favor.  He  was  the  first  man  to  introduce 
the  use  of  coal  oil  in  this  city,  and,  in  partner- 
ship with  Thomas  E.  Neely,  bought  the  first 
sewing  machine  that  was  ever  used  in  Dela- 
ware county.  Eollowing  ai'e  the  names  of  the 
brothers  and  sisters  of  John  L.  Little:  Gilbert 
C.,  J.  H.,  Maria,  Catherine,  Ann,  Hannah  L., 
Elizabeth  and  Jane,  all  deceased  but  Hannah, 
Elizabeth  and  Jane. 


John  W.  Little  spent  the  first  fourteen 
years  of  his  life  in  his  native  state,  where  he 
received  his  early  educational  training,  and  in 
1858  accompanied  his  father  to  Muncie,  in  the 
schools  of  which  city  he  pursued  his  studies 
until  the  breaking  out  of  the  late  rebellion.  In 
August,  1861,  he  responded  to  the  country’s 
call  for  volunteers,  enlisting  in  company  B, 
Thirty-sixth  Indiana  volunteer  infantry,  for  the 
three  years’  service.  He  was  with  his  com- 
mand until  honoi'ably  discharged,  September, 
1864,  at  Indianapolis,  a period  of  three  years 
and  one  month,  during  which  time  he  partici- 
pated in  a number  of  bloody  battles,  including 
Shiloh,  Perryville,  Murfreesboro,  Lookout 
Mountain,  Mission  Ridge,  Chickamauga,  and 
the  various  engagements  of  the  Atlanta  cam- 
paign. In  1864,  at  Resaca,  Ga. , he  received  a 
severe  wound  in  the  arm,  which  necessitated 
his  remaining  in  the  hospital  for  a period  of 
three  months.  After  his  discharge,  he  returned 
to  Muncie  and  embarked  in  the  dry  goods 
business,  which  he  continued  until  1866,  when 
he  went  to  Chicago,  thence  to  Memphis,  Tenn., 
where  he  clerked  in  a dry  goods  house  until 
1868.  Erom  the  latter  year  until  1871,  he 
traveled  for  a sewing  machine  company,  selling 
machines  and  attachments,  and  then  became  a 
partner  with  his  father  in  the  manufacture  of 
feather  dusters  at  Muncie,  a relationship  which 
continued  until  1882,  when  the  son  became 
sole  proprietor.  After  operating  his  factory 
until  1889,  he  sold  out  to  Chicago  parties,  and 
engaged  in  real  estate  and  loan  business,  to 
which  he  has  since  devoted  his  entire  attention, 
and  in  which  he  has  met  with  most  gratifying 
success. 

Mr.  Little  was  married,  in  1866,  to  Miss 
Elora  Case,  who  died  January  2,  1868.  On 
the  I ith  day  of  June,  1871,  Mr.  Little  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Cornelia  Long- 
streth  of  Lebanon,  Ohio,  who  departed  this 
life  on  the  i6th  day  of  June,  1889.  Mr. 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


349 


Little’s  third  marriage  was  solemnized  on  the 
28th  day  of  December,  1891,  in  Muncie,  with 
Miss  Eva  Hageman  of  Lebanon,  Ohio,  daugh- 
ter of  Joseph  and  Amanda  J.  Hageman.  Mr. 
Little  has  been  a member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F. 
for  twenty-five  years,  and  is  a member  of  the 
G.  A.  R.  of  Muncie,  his  name  appearing  on 
the  charter  of  the  post  of  this  city.  From 
1885  to  1887  and  from  1890  to  1892,  he  was  a 
member  of  the  common  council  of  Muncie, 
and,  during  that  time,  looked  after  the  city’s 
interest  by  promoting  some  very  important 
municipal  legislation.  A republican  in  politics, 
he  has  never  sought  official  recognition,  but 
his  party  has  always  found  in  him  a wise  coun- 
selor and  earnest  supporter.  His  religious 
faith  is  that  of  the  Presbyterian  creed,  and  he 
and  wife  are  active  members  of  the  congrega- 
tion worshiping  in  Muncie.  Possessing  an 
active  mind  and  having  been  trained  to  habits 
of  industry,  Mr.  Little  has  made  a success  of 
life,  and  in  the  city  of  Muncie,  where  so  many 
of  his  years  have  been  passed,  few  enjoy  the 
confidence  and  esteem  of  the  public  in  a more 
generous  degree.  He  is  always  intei'ested  in 
everything  that  pertains  to  the  welfare  of  the 
city  and  county,  and  his  many  sterling  quali- 
ties of  manhood  have  rendered  him  one  of 
Muncie’s  most  useful  and  respected  citizens. 


ON.  ORLANDO  JAY  LOTZ,  judge 
of  the  appellate  court  of  Indiana, 
representing  the  Fourth  judicial  dis- 
trict, was  born  January  15,  1851,  in 
Jay  county,  Ind. , son  of  Jeremiah  and  Melissa 
A.  Lotz.  The  father,  whose  birth  occurred 
December,  1824,  in  Gallia  county,  Ohio,  is  a 
son  of  Abraham  Lotz,  who  left  the  Buckeye 
state  as  early  as  the  year  1830,  immigrating  to 
Indiana  and  locating  m the  county  of  Jay. 
For  a number  of  years  Jeremiah  Lotz  followed 


the  farmer’s  vocation,  but  subsequently,  about 
1863,  entered  the  internal  revenue  service  of 
the  United  States,  with  which  he  is  still  iden- 
tified, being  the  oldest  living  official  in  that 
department  of  the  government.  His  wife, 
whom  he  married  about  the  year  1845, 
whose  maiden  name  was  Melissa  A.  Schutt, 
was  born  of  German  and  French  parentage 
and  departed  this  life  in  the  year  1877  in  Ran- 
dolph county. 

Orlando  J.  Lotz  spent  his  youthful  years 
amid  the  active  duties  of  the  farm,  received 
his  rudimentary  education  in  the  common 
schools,  and  later  pursued  the  more  advanced 
branches  of  learning  in  the  high  school  of 
Fort  Recovery,  Ohio.  Subsequently,  he  was 
engaged,  for  a limited  period,  as  a teacher, 
but  having  early  chosen  the  legal  profession 
for  his  life  work,  he  began  the  study  of  law  in 
1873.  Having  gained  a knowledge  of  the 
principles  of  his  profession,  Mr.  Lotz  entered 
the  National  Law  school  of  Washington,  D. 
C. , in  which  he  completed  his  prescribed 
course,  graduating  in  1874,  and  the  following 
year  began  the  practice  in  Muncie,  Ind.  From 
the  beginning  of  his  professional  life  Mr.  Lotz 
exhibited  a high  order  of  talent,  and  won  for 
himself  the  reputation  of  an  able  and  success- 
ful lawyer. 

In  March,  1885,  upon  the  creation  of  the 
Forty-sixth  judicial  circuit,  Mr.  Lotz  was  ap- 
pointed judge  of  the  same,  and  at  the  ensuing 
election,  in  1886,  was  duly  chosen  his  own 
successor  by  the  direct  vote  of  the  people. 
He  adorned  the  circuit  bench  for  a period  of 
seven  years  and  eight  months,  at  the  end  of 
which  time  he  was  called  to  a higher  position 
of  usefulness,  being  elected,  in  1892,  judge  of 
the  appellate  court  of  Indiana  from  the  Fourth 
judicial  district.  As  a lawyer.  Judge  Lotz  is 
studious,  careful  and  judicious  in  the  prepara- 
tion of  legal  papers,  and  painstaking  and 
thorough  in  their  presentation  to  the  court. 


350 


MUNCIE  CITY 


He  was  successful  in  the  practice  and  came  to 
the  bench  with  the  knowledge  that  fitted  him 
for  a good  judge.  Few  judges  of  his  age  have 
acquired  so  high  a reputation  for  soundness  in 
the  knowledge  of  the  law,  and  for  careful  ap- 
plication of  principles  in  the  investigation  and 
determination  of  questions  sumitted  for  his 
disposal.  Always  ready  in  grasping  facts  per- 
tinent to  the  issues  involved,  and  fortified  by 
his  convictions  of  right,  he  seldom  committed 
errors  of  sufficient  import  to  justify  reversal  at 
the  hands  of  the  supreme  court.  As  the  out- 
growth of  his  legal  acumen  and  power  of  anal- 
ysis, he  came  iq)on  the  bench  at  a conrpara- 
tively  early  age,  and,  leaving  that  position  with 
well  earned  judicial  honors,  it  is  but  reasonable 
to  predict  for  him  a career  of  distinction  as  a 
member  of  the  high  tribunal  to  which  he  has 
so  recently  been  called.  Eminently  popular 
in  the  profession.  Judge  Lotz  is  equally  so  as  a 
man  and  citizen,  and  is  held  in  great  esteem 
by  his  fellow  citizens.  Politically,  he  is  a 
democrat,  and  as  such  is  recognized  as  a 
potent  factor  in  the  councils  of  his  party  in 
Indiana. 

Judge  Lotz  was  united  in  marriage  May  i6, 
1878,  in  Muncie,  to  Miss  Amanda  Inlow, 
daughter  of  Walter  and  Rachael  Inlow,  resi- 
dents of  Delaware  county;  one  child  has  been 
born  of  this  marriage,  a son,  Walter  J.  Lotz. 


AMES  B.  LUDLOW,  the  senior  part- 
ner of  the  firm  of  Ludlow  & Glass, 
general  contractors  and  builders,  with 
office  at  501  South  Jefferson  street, 
Muncie,  Ind.,  is  the  son  of  Israel  D.  and  Eliza 
(McMillen)  Ludlow,  and  was  born  in  Miami 
county,  Ohio,  December  4,  1832.  He  was 

reared  on  a farm,  but  received  an  education  at 
the  common  schools,  which  was  somewhat 
above  the  ordinary  training  of  farm  lads  of 


that  day.  In  1850  he  entered  upon  an  ap- 
prenticeship of  three  years  with  Lane  & 
Buckles,  carpenters,  at  Piqua,  Ohio,  and, 
after  fully  learning  the  trade,  took  a position 
as  foreman  in  the  door  factory  of  Diltz  & Sons, 
with  whom  he  remained  three  years;  then  fol- 
lowed his  trade  in  Troy,  Ohio,  for  nine 
months;  in  April,  1856,  he  went  to  Galesburg, 
111.,  and  assisted  in  the  erection  of  Knox  col- 
lege, and  in  the  fall  of  1856  went  to  Peoria, 
and  for  eight  years  was  foreman  for  A.  J. 
Hodges,  one  of  the  heaviest  contractors  of 
that  city.  In  the  spring  of  1864  he  came  to 
Muncie,  where  he  worked  for  P.  H.  D.  Bandey 
and  also  for  Martin  Young;  later  had  charge 
of  the  wood  work  and  repairs  of  the  bagging 
mill  of  James  Boyce.  After  this  he  engaged 
for  six  years  years  in  manufacturing  and  deal- 
ing in  furniture,  and  later  was  pattern  maker 
and  millwright  for  the  Wysor,  Haines  & Patter- 
son machine  shop.  About  1883  he  went  to 
Llorida,  and  for  five  or  six  years  was  a con- 
tractor in  St.  Augustine,  Chulooto  and  Oviedo, 
meeting  with  the  most  flattering  success. 
About  1888  he  returned  to  Muncie,  and  for  a 
year  did  contracting  on  his  sole  account.  In 
1 88$  he  formed  a partnership  with  Mr.  Lee 
M.  Glass,  and  established  the  present  thriving 
business.  Among  the  edifices  erected  by  this 
enterprising  firm  ma}'  be  named  those  for 
J.  W.  Heath,  M.  E.  Vandercook,  Vernon 
Davis,  Carl  A.  Spilker,  P.  S.  Heath,  Bowers 
Bros.,  Muncie  Glass  factory  and  Young  & 
Kessler.  The  firm,  which  is  a progressive  one, 
pride  themselves  on  the  superior  character  of 
their  work,  and  consider  it  their  best  recom- 
mendation, and  this  is  verified  by  the  fact 
that,  in  1892,  their  contracts  amounted  to 
$150,000.00.  They  employ,  in  the  busy 
season,  from  twenty  to  fifty  hands,  and  all  of 
them  are  first-class  workmen.  Much  credit  is 
due  to  both  partners  for  their  industry  and 
intelligent  management  of  their  business,  as 


i-;' 


JAS.  H.  MCCLUNG, 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


353 


they  had  no  outside  financial  aid  at  the  start; 
and,  as  an  illustration  of  Mr.  Ludlow’s  indomi- 
table spirit,  it  may  be  mentioned  that  when  he 
came  to  Muncie  to  remain  he  walked  four 
miles  to  his  work  night  and  morning,  receiving 
$1.  50  per  day  for  his  labor. 

In  1855  Mr.  Ludlow  was  happily  united  in 
marriage  with  Harriet  Merriweather,  at  Piqua, 
Ohio.  To  this  union  have  been  born  four 
children,  viz;  Lizzie,  who  was  born  in  Piqua, 
Ohio,  but  died  at  Peoria,  111. , at  the  age  of 
seven  years;  Ida,  born  at  Peoria,  and  now  at 
home  with  her  parents;  George  W.,  who  was 
born  at  Peoria  in  1 862 ; he  was  a machinist  in 
the  Indiana  Bridge  works,  but,  sad  to  relate, 
was  killed  while  performing  his  duty,  leaving 
a bride  whom  he  had  married  only  six  weeks 
previously.  The  youngest  child  of  Mr.  Lud- 
low is  Lottie  M.,  who  was  born  in  Muncie,  and 
is  the  wife  of  Ed.  B Tyler,  bookkeeper  for 
the  Iron  Bridge  company.  Mr.  Ludlow  is  a 
member  of  Delaware  lodge,  A.  F.  & A.  M.  ; 
and  he  has  been  a member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  congregation  for  forty-two  years,  is 
a trustee  of  the  High  street  church,  and  a 
member  of  the  building  and  loan  improvement 
committee. 

To  refer  to  the  proximate  genealogy  of 
Mr.  Ludlow,  it  is  proper  to  state  that  his  par- 
ents were  natives  of  Cincinnati,  and  that  the 
paternal  grandparents  came  from  New  Jersey 
at  a very  early  date,  with  subject’s  great- 
grandfather, who  erected  the  first  frame  dwell- 
ing in  that  then  infant  city.  They  were  of 
Scotch-Irish  stock,  and  by  marriage  Salmon 
P.  Chase  was  connected  with  the  family.  The 
maternal  ancestors  bore  the  name  of  McMillen, 
and  were  of  Irish  Presbyterian  descent.  Grand- 
father McMillen  was  a magistrate  in  Cincin- 
nati, and  at  one  time  had  the  unbounded  au- 
dacity to  order  William  Henry  Harrison,  then 
a lieutenant,  to  be  whipped  for  insubordina- 
tion, but  the  sentence  was  suspended. 


AMES  H.  McCLUNG,  of  the  firm  of 
Wildman  & McClung,  publishers  and 
proprietors  of  the  Muncie  Times,  was 
born  in  New  Albany,  Ind. , February  7, 
1834.  His  father,  also  named  James  H.,  was 
a native  of  Rockbridge  county,  Va. , born 
September  23,  1807;  his  mother,  who  bore  the 
maiden  name  of  Mary  Collins,  was  born  in 
1810,  in  Madison  county,  Ky..  whither  her 
parents  had  emigrated  from  Virginia.  The 
father  died  at  Fredericksburg,  Ind.  ; the  mother, 
who,  after  her  husband's  death,  had  been 
married  to  W.  H.  Green,  a prominent  news- 
paper man  of  the  state,  died  at  Brookville, 
Ind.,  June  5,  1887.  James  H.,  Jr.,  led  the 
uneventful  life  of  a boy  about  a printing  office, 
with  intervals  of  attendance  at  school  in  win- 
ter, until  sixteen  years  of  age,  when  he  was 
placed  on  the  footing  of  a journeyman  printer 
and  was  paid  journeyman’s  wages,  at  that 
time  eight  dollars  per  week.  With  the  excep- 
tion of  an  additional  attendance  at  school  in 
1852,  he  worked  as  a journeyman  until  twenty- 
two  years  of  age,  and  then  purchased  a half 
interest  in  the  office  of  the  Connersville  Times, 
and  in  connection  with  Mr.  Green,  his  step- 
father, conducted  the  paper  until  December, 
1856,  when  he  purchased  the  office  of  the 
Liberty  Herald,  then  called  the  Union  County 
Herald,  which  he  owned  and  conducted  for 
almost  eleven  years.  In  August,  1856,  Mr. 
McClung  was  married  to  Miss  Clarissa  Good- 
lander  at  Connersville.  To  their  happy  union 
were  born  three  children,  two  sons  and  a 
daughter,  all  married  and  with  families  of 
their  own.  Mr.  McClung  enlisted  in  the  early 
part  of  the  war  in  company  G,  Thirty-sixth 
Indiana  volunteers.  He  acted  as  orderly  ser- 
geant of  his  company  at  Camp  Wayne,  but 
before  leaving  camp  was  commissioned  as 
second  lieutenant.  He  served  in  various  ca- 
pacities in  the  field,  being  for  a time  A.  A.  A. 
G.  on  the  staff  of  Gen.  Jacob  Ammen;  adjut- 


354 


MUNCIE  CITY 


ant  of  his  regiment,  and  captain  of  his  original 
compaii}’ — G.  His  company  was  with  the 
first  of  Buell’s  troops  to  reach  the  battle  field 
of  Shiloh,  and  besides  many  skirmishes  and 
small  engagements  was  present  at  Stone  River, 
Lookout  Mountain,  Missionary  Ridge  and 
Chickamauga.  On  the  26th  of  January,  1864, 
Mr.  McClung  resigned  his  commission  in  the 
army,  and  returned  to  Liberty  and  assumed 
charge  of  his  paper.  He  has,  since  selling  the 
Liberty  Herald  office  in  1867,  been  connected, 
as  part  owner,  with  the  Connersville  Times, 
Wabash  Plain  Dealer  and  the  Muncie  Daily 
and  Weekly  Times,  purchasing  in  connection 
with  his  son,  Charles,  a half  interest  in  the 
latter  October  24,  1887. 

William  H.  McClung,  the  eldest  son  of 
James  H.  McClung,  was  born  in  Liberty,  Ind., 
in  September,  1857,  and  was  married  at  the 
same  place  to  Miss  Georgia  Pierce,  who  is  now 
the  mother  of  four  children.  William  H.  is 
now  the  foreman  of  the  composition  room  of 
the  Muncie  Times.  Charles  T.  McClung  was 
born  in  Liberty,  Ind.,  September  28,  1864; 
was  educated  in  the  common  schools  in  his 
native  town,  and  spent  his  boyhood  days  in 
the  office  of  his  father.  He  was  married  in 
Muncie,  Ind.,  March,  1890,  to  Miss  Minnie 
Smith,  born  in  Liberty,  Ind.,  in  June,  1864, 
daughter  of  E.  P.  Smith,  a prominent  manu- 
facturer of  the  city.  May  McClung,  the  only 
daughter  of  James  H.  and  Clarissa  McClung, 
is  the  wife  of  F.  H.  Barton,  a bookkeeper  of 
Champaign,  Ilk,  and  is  the  mother  of  six 
children. 


OHN  McConnell  was  bom  March 
22,  1832,  in  Scioto  county,  Ohio,  the 
son  of  William  and  Aide  (Armstrong) 
McConnell.  William  McConnell  was 
born  April  10,  1807,  and  his  parents  were 
John  and  Barbara  (Bowman)  McConnell,  the 


father  of  Scotch-Irish  and  the  mother  of  Ger- 
man ancestry.  John  McConnell  had  a family 
of  seven  children,  all  of  whom  have  passed  to 
that  bourne  from  which  no  traveler  ever  re- 
turns. In  the  year  1832  William  McConnell, 
came  to  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  and  entered 
eighty  acres  of  land  in  section  20,  township 
20,  range  10,  and  the  following  year,  moved 
from  Ohio  to  his  new  home,  in  what  was  then 
an  almost  unbroken  wilderness.  He  lived 
upon  this  place  the  greater  part  of  his  remain- 
ing life,  and  in  his  declining  years  moved  to 
Muncie,  where  his  death  occurred  in  1878. 
On  moving  to  this  county  the  present  prosper- 
ous city  of  Muncie  was  but  a mere  hamlet  of 
a few  inhabitants,  and  surrounding  the  village 
was  a dense  forest,  through  which  wild  ani- 
mals and  the  scarcely  less  wild  Indian  roamed 
at  pleasure.  Mr.  McConnell  added  to  his 
original  purchase  from  time  to  time,  and 
became  the  possessor  of  160  acres  of  valuable 
land,  also  some  good  town  property.  He  was 
a man  of  local  prominence,  popular  with  his 
friends  and  neighbors,  and  served  as  justice  of 
the  peace  for  a number  of  years.  His  wife 
was  a member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  and  died  on  the  26th  day  of  February, 
1863.  William  and  Aire  McConnell  reared 
the  following  children:  Jeremiah,  deceased; 
Rosanna,  deceased;  John;  Abraham,  of  West 
Virginia;  Sarah,  wife  of  George  Wilhelm; 
Moses,  who  is  living  a retired  life  in  Muncie; 
Catherine,  wife  of  Samuel  Huston.  Three 
others  are  dead — Levi,  Geoi'ge  and  William. 

As  will  be  seen,  by  reference  to  the  above 
dates,  John  McConnell  was  but  one  year  old 
when  brought  by  his  parents  to  Delaware 
county,  in  the  growth  and  development  of 
which  he  has  borne  no  inconsiderable  part. 
Reared  to  manhood  amid  the  scenes  of  pio- 
neer times,  his  early  life,  of  necessity,  was  one 
of  hard  work  and  considerable  privation,  and 
such  educational  advantages  as  the  country  at 


j.  McConnell. 


■■ 

"■  . w'*'  ' 

■"?  i*. 


» 

\ 


,1' 


V 


i 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


355 


that  time  afforded  were  obtained  in  the  old  log 
school  house,  which  he  attended  at  intervals  of 
about  two  months  of  the  year  during  his  mi- 
nority. He  recalls  the  primitive  log  structure, 
with  puncheon  floor,  greased  paper  windows, 
slab  benches,  and  large  fire  place,  which  took 
up  about  one-fourth  of  the  end  of  the  building, 
while  the  writing  desk  was  made  of  unplaned 
plank,  laid  upon  pins  fastened  into  the  wall. 
In  keeping  with  the  building  and  its  rude  fur- 
niture was  the  instruction  imparted  therein, 
notwithstanding  which  Mr.  McConnell  laid  the 
foundation  of  a practical  education.  He  at- 
tended school  in  Muncie  for  a brief  period  and 
remained  with  his  parents  until  his  twenty-first 
year,  at  which  time  he  began  life  for  himself 
as  a farmer,  purchasing  eighty  acres  of  land  in 
Blackford  county,  for  which  he  paid  the  sum 
of  $550.  Subsequently  he  exchanged  this  land 
for  eighty  acres  in  Monroe  township,  Delaware 
county,  which  he  improved,  and  upon  which  he 
lived  until  his  removal  to  his  present  farm  in 
section  28,  Centre  township.  His  first  pur- 
chase in  the  latter  township  consisted  of  eighty 
acres,  to  which  he  afterward  added  forty  acres, 
thus  making  him  a very  comfortable  home  and 
valuable  farm.  Besides  this  he  owns  his 
father’s  old  homestead,  a part  of  which  has 
been  laid  out  in  lots  under  the  name  of  McCon- 
nellsville.  This  addition  consists  of  132  lots, 
and  such  has  been  the  growth  and  develop- 
ment of  the  city  that  what  a few  years  ago  was 
a cultivated  field,  is  now  a town  of  itself. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  McConnell  was  sol- 
emnized October  7,  1857,  in  Muncie,  with 
Margaret  Bowers,  who  was  born  December  4, 
1835,  iri  Perry  county,  Ohio.  The  parents  of 
Mrs.  McConnell  were  George  and  Margaret 
(Foster)  Bowers,  the  former  of  Pennsylvania 
and  the  latter  a native  of  Maryland.  The  father 
died  in  Ohio  in  1837,  and  the  mother  subse- 
quently came  to  Indiana  and  died  in  Muncie 
November  5,  1883.  Her  birth  occurred  in  1 809. 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  McConnell  are  the  parents  of 
the  following  children:  Oliver;  William  R. , 
deceased;  Charles  E.,  deceased;  Laura,  wife 
of  Levi  Stipp;  Emily,  deceased,  and  Nellie. 
Mr.  and  Mrs  McConnell  are  among  the  few 
pioneers  of  Delaware  county  who  live  to  tell 
the  story  of  their  early  trials  and  struggles  in 
laying  a foundation,  upon  which  the  prosperi- 
ty and  high  state  of  civilization  of  the  western 
country  has  been  builded.  Mr.  McConnell  is 
an  intelligent  and  enterprising  man,  and  for 
one  of  his  years  retains  undiminished  all  his 
faculties,  both  mental  and  physical.  He  is  a 
man  of  fine  presence,  and  it  is  but  just  to 
state  that  few  citizens  of  his  township  are  as 
highly  and  universally  respected  as  he.  A 
democrat  in  politics,  he  has  never  been  a 
seeker  after  official  position,  preferring  to  give 
his  entire  attention  to  his  farm.  He  belongs 
to  the  I.  O.  O.  L.  and  the  Improved  Order  of 
Red  Men. 


AMES  McCULLOCH,  M.  D.,  deceased, 
was  born  in  Springfield,  Cumberland 
county.  Pa.,  in  1813,  one  of  a large 
family,  of  Scotch  ancestry.  His  earlier 
days  were  passed  on  a farm;  merchandising 
succeeded,  and  then  teaching,  after  which  he 
was  elected,  as  a democrat,  recorder  of  his  na- 
tive county,  without  solicitation  on  his  part, 
and  served  his  term  of  office  at  Carlisle,  the 
county  seat.  In  1856,  he  became  a republi- 
can. In  the  meantime  he  read  medicine  with 
Dr.  Baughman,  and  attended  lectures  in  Phil- 
adelphia, receiving  his  diploma  from  the  uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania  in  that  city.  He  com- 
menced practice  in  Carlisle,  and  at  once  arose 
to  distinction.  In  1851  he  married  Miss  Car- 
oline J.,  the  youngest  daughter  of  Dr.  George 
D.  Eoulke,  and  soon  afterward  removed  to 
Kingston,  in  the  same  county,  resided  there 


35G 


MUNCIE  CITY 


three  years,  and  in  the  fall  of  the  third  re- 
moved to  Lancaster,  Ohio,  and  the  following 
April,  a year,  after  living  a few  weeks  in  Leb- 
anon, Ind.,  he  became  a resident  of  Mnncie, 
with  his  family,  in  1856,  forming  a partnership 
with  Dr.  George  \V.  Edgerly  for  a few  months. 
He  then  continued  alone  in  the  active  practice 
of  his  profession  until  failing  health  compelled 
him  to  retire.  He  died  on  the  3rd  day  of 
May,  1877,  leaving  one  son — George  F. — 
and  four  daughters. 


FORGE  F.  McCULLOCH  was  born 
on  the  25th  day  of  September,  1855, 
in  Lancaster,  Ohio.  His  father, 
James  McCulloch,  was  a native  of 
Pennsylvania  but  left  that  state,  emigrating  to 
Ohio,  thence,  about  1856,  to  Indiana,  locating 
in  the  city  of  Mnncie,  where  he  continued  to 
reside  for  some  years.  George  F.  was  then 
six  months  old,  and  in  the  schools  of  Mnncie 
he  received  a liberal  education,  completing  the 
high  school  course  in  1870.  Meanwhile  he 
received  his  first  introduction  to  practical  life 
as  a clerk  in  the  queensware  house  of  W.  J. 

H.  Cassady,  and  after  his  graduation  in  the 
year  noted,  he  accepted  a position  with  Will- 
iam Steward  as  a deliverer  of  groceries,  also 
carried  the  mail,  delivered  express  matter,  and 
handled  baggage  as  his  services  were  required. 
In  the  spring  of  1871,  he  engaged  with  J.  L. 
Little  as  a salesman  of  sewing  machine  at- 
tachments for  a limited  period,  and  then  as  a 
clerk  with  the  firm  of  Todd  & Powers,  dealers 
in  general  merchandise,  remaining  in  their  em- 
ploy until  the  fall  of  the  same  year.  Mr.  Mc- 
Culloch was  next  apprenticed  to  learn  photog- 
raphy with  Lon  M.  Neeley,  of  Muncie,  in 
whose  gallery  he  pursued  the  study  until  May, 
1872,  at  which  date  he  became  deputy  clerk 
of  the  Delaware  county  circuit  court  under  G. 


W.  Greene.  After  the  expiration  of  that 
gentleman’s  official  term,  Mr.  McCulloch  was 
retained  by  A.  L.  Kerwood,  the  successor  of 
Mr.  Greene,  with  whom  he  remained  until 
January,  1881,  severing  his  connection  with 
the  office  at  that  time  and  effecting  a copart- 
nership in  the  law  with  John  McMahon,  Esq. 
The  firm  thus  constituted  lasted  until  August, 
1883,  at  which  time  he  assumed  the  duties  of 
clerk,  to  which  office  he  had  been  elected  the 
year  previous. 

Mr.  McCulloch  proved  himself  both  capa- 
ble and  popular,  and  in  1 886  he  was  re-elected 
his  own  successor.  Retiring  from  the  office  at 
the  expiration  of  his  term  in  1891,  Mr.  McCul- 
loch turned  his  attention  almost  entirely  to  the 
industrial  development  of  Mnncie.  In  the 
organization  of  the  Citizens’  Enterprise  com- 
pany, he  was  a prominent  factor,  having  been 
made  secretary  of  the  soliciting  committee,  a 
position  which  he  held  for  some  time  at  the 
earnest  solicitation  of  his  associates.  In  1892, 
he  became  interested  in  the  Whitely  Land 
company  as  general  manager  of  the  same,  and 
to  him  as  much  as  to  any  other  man  is  the  city 
indebted  for  the  present  town  of  Whitely,  one 
of  the  most  flourishing  of  the  several  suburbs 
of  Muncie.  In  addition  to  those  noted  above, 
he  is  prominently  identified  with  the  Indiana 
Bridge  company,  the  Nelson  Glass  works,  the 
Muncie  Natural  Gas  company,  the  Street  rail- 
way of  Muncie,  of  which  he  is  secretary,  and 
for  a period  of  three  years  was  connected  with 
the  Muncie  Transfer  company. 

Mr.  McCulloch’s  marriage  was  solemnized 
September,  ii,  1883,  with  Miss  Cora,  only 
daughter  of  Arthur  Patterson,  of  Delaware 
county,  the  result  of  which  is  two  children — 
one  deceased.  Mrs.  McCulloch  is  a highly 
accomplished  lady  and  is  a leader  in  the 
society  of  Muncie.  Her  parents  are  members 
of  one  of  the  oldest  families  in  the  county  of 
Delaware. 


I 


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I 


T.  McKILLUP, 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


359 


HOMAS  McKILLIP,  founder  of  the 
Muncie  Herald,  and  formerly  a most 
successful  farmer  and  stock  dealer, 
has  had  a remarkably  varied  as  well 
as  prosperous  career.  He  was  born  in  Fayette 
county,  Ohio,  in  1840.  His  father,  Thomas 
McKillip,  also  an  extensive  farmer  and  stock 
breeder,  was  born  in  North  Carolina  in  1809, 
but  when  young  was  taken  by  his  parents  to 
Fayette  county,  Ohio.  The  mother  of  our 
subject  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Sarah  Pow- 
ell, and  was  of  Scotch- Irish  descent. 

Thomas  McKillip  received  a somewhat 
limited  education,  as  school  houses  were  few 
and  far  between  in  the  wilds  of  Ohio  in  his 
youthful  days,  and  they  of  the  rudest  construc- 
tion, with  tutors  of  a caliber  to  correspond. 
The  school  term  consisted  of  three  months 
during  the  winter,  and  yet  many  of  the  hours 
of  this  limited  time  were  spent  in  caring  for 
the  live  stock  on  the  home  place — the  after- 
noons only,  when  available,  being  devoted  to 
school.  Thus  the  earlier  years  of  Mr.  McKil- 
lip’s  life  were  passed  away  until  his  majority 
was  reached,  when,  in  1861,  he  married  Miss 
Margaret  A.  Homey,  of  Jeffersonville,  Fayette 
county,  Ohio.  But  this  matrimonial  bliss  was 
of  short  duration,  as  Mrs.  McKillip  was  called 
away  in  January,  1864,  leaving  behind  her  one 
child  about  two  years  old.  The  following 
year,  1865,  Mr.  McKillip  came  to  Indiana  and 
purchased  a ' 400-acre  tract  of  land  on  the 
south  side  of  Indian  Prairie,  in  Sugar  Creek 
township,  Clinton  county,  where  he  did  a very 
extensive  business,  both  at  farming  and  at 
handling  cattle,  sheep,  hogs  and  mules,  selling 
in  the  Cincinnati,  Pittsburg,  Buffalo,  Indian- 
apolis, Chicago  and  New  York  markets  for 
sixteen  consecutive  years.  He  was  regarded 
as  an  expert  in  judging  live  stock,  and  for  a 
number  of  years  was  a member  of  the  Clinton 
County  Agricultural  association.  In  politics 
he  has  always  been  a pronounced  democrat, 


and  as  such  served  three  successive  terms  as 
township  trustee,  or  six  years  in  all.  For  a 
number  of  years,  also,  he  was  a member  of 
the  democratic  county  committee  of  Clinton 
county,  and  has  always  been  an  active  and 
ardent  worker  for  the  good  of  the  party. 

The  second  marriage  of  Mr.  McKillip  took 
place  in  1867,  to  Cyenda  A.  Wilson,  of  Clin- 
ton county,  Ohio,  the  result  being  a daughter 
and  a son. 

The  panic  of  1873  brought  to  Mr.  McKillip, 
as  it  did  to  thousands  of  others,  reverse  of  for- 
tune, and  caused  him  to  change  the  base  of 
his  operations,  and  to  make  a new  financial 
start.  In  1882  he  removed  to  Muncie,  and, 
after  sundry  business  ventures,  he  decided,  in 
1885,  to  purchase  the  outfit  of  the  New  Castle 
(Henry  county)  Mercury,  which  he  transferred 
to  Muncie,  and,  placing  the  plant  in  the  Mitch- 
ell block,  on  south  Walnut  street,  issued  the 
first  number  of  the  Muncie  Democrat-Herald, 
October  2,  1885. 

In  March,  1886,  he  issued  the  first  number 
of  the  Daily  Herald,  which  immediately  sprang 
into  popular  favor,  and,  being  newsy  and  ably 
edited,  it  has  come  to  be  one  of  the  leading 
dailies  of  eastern  Indiana,  although  the  journal 
was  nurtured  in  the  lap  of  poverty.  Mr. 
McKillip,  ever  persistent  and  energetic,  abso- 
lutely “footed  it”  all  through  the  county,  so- 
liciting subscriptions  and  business  for  the 
paper,  and  at  last  succeeded  in  establishing  on 
a sure  foundation  this  journalistic  “little 
giant,”  that  has  so  triumphantly  withstood  the 
onslaught  of  its  political  foes  in  this  over- 
whelmingly republican  county.  Mr.  McKillip 
is  the  present  chairman  of  the  Delaware  county 
democratic  committee.  His  energetic  con- 
duct in  pushing  forward  the  interests  of  the 
Herald  has  won  for  him  the  confidence  of  his 
party,  and  the  support  of  the  party  given  to 
the  Herald  has  been  fully  reciprocated  on  its 
part. 


360 


MUNCIE  CITY 


OEL  R.  McKIMMEY,  ex-sheriff  of 
Delaware  county,  Ind. , is  a son  of 
James  and  Susan  (Adamson)  McKim- 
mey,  and  was  born  in  Henry  county, 
Ind.,  on  the  present  site  of  New  Lisbon, 
August  5,  1834.  In  October  of  the  same  year 
the  father,  with  his  wife  and  family  of  seven 
children,  moved  to  Salem  township,  Delaware 
county,  and  entered  100  acres  in  the  woods  on 
the  Range  line  road,  as  it  is  now  called.  On 
this  farm  Mr.  McKimmey  was  reared,  going  to 
the  old  log  school,  two  miles  away  through 
the  woods,  but  going  only  in  inclement 
weather,  being  required  to  assist  in  clearing 
up  the  farm  when  the  days  were  fair.  When 
twenty  years  of  age,  Joel  began  the  affairs  of 
life  on  his  own  account,  and  bought  forty 
acres  of  woodland,  and  in  1855  married  a 
girl  who  owned  forty  adjacent  acres.  He  set- 
tled on  this  farm  in  1856,  and  by  1874  had 
cleared  and  improved  over  half  of  it.  In  this 
year,  also,  he  moved  to  Muncie,  carried  on  a 
meat  market  for  a year,  and  in  1875  began 
riding  as  deputy  for  sheriff  A.  J.  Slinger,  was 
with  him  two  years,  and  then  for  four  years 
was  deputy  for  Sheriff  John  W.  Dungan.  In 
the  spring  of  1880,  Mr.  McKimmey,  who  is  a 
stalwart  republican  and  cast  his  first  presi- 
dential vote  for  John  C.  Fremont,  was  nomi- 
nated in  the  republican  primary  as  candidate 
for  sheriff  over  nine  contestants  by  a good 
plurality,  and  at  the  polls  was  elected  by  1,670 
majority.  In  1882  he  was  renominated  with- 
out opposition,  was  re-elected  in  the  fall,  and 
served  until  August  27,  1885,  when  his  second 
term  expired.  During  his  ten  years’  experi- 
ence as  deputy  and  principal,  during  the 
greater  portion  of  which  time  he  was  com- 
pelled to  take  his  prisoners  to  New  Castle, 
there  being  then  no  jail  in  Muncie,  he  never 
permitted  a man  to  escape  or  break  jail.  In 
his  incumbency  of  four  years  as  sheriff,  he 
handled  655  men  in  confinement,  and  during 


two  years  of  his  service  the  new  jail  was  in 
course  of  construction.  For  some  time  after 
the  expiration  of  his  second  term  he  was 
employed  by  his  successor  and  b}  the  county 
commissioners  in  adjusting  and  arranging  the 
records  pertaining  to  the  various  county  offices, 
and  was  also,  for  a term,  deputy  assessor  for 
Centre  township.  For  a year  following,  he 
was  in  the  employ  of  C.  Haines  in  the  ice 
trade,  and  about  1890  became  proprietor  of 
the  Muncie  Lake  Ice  company.  In  May,  1893, 
he  disposed  of  this  lucrative  branch  of  indus- 
try, and  is  now  temporarily  retired  from  active 
business.  Mr.  McKimmey  has  been  a member 
of  Delaware  lodge,  F.  & A.  M.,  since  1856, 
and  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  since  1878. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  McKimmey  took 
place  in  Delaware  county,  in  1855,  to  Miss 
Anna  Modlin,  who  was  born  in  Henry  county, 
Ind.,  and  who  came  to  Delaware  county,  in 
1850  or  1851,  with  her  parents,  John  and 
Rachael  (Parmer)  Modlin,  who  were  natives 
of  North  Carolina,  had  a family  of  four  sons 
and  one  daughter,  and  died  in  Delaware 
county,  Ind.  To  the  union  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
McKimmey  have  been  born  five  children — 
Finley  W. , who  was  for  six  years  in  the  sher- 
iff’s office  and  is  now  in  the  employ  of  the 
Lake  Erie  & ’Western  Railroad  company; 
Mary  M.,  now  the  wife  of  L.  A.  Perdiue,  of 
Muncie;  Sarah  C. , was  wife  of  W.  A.  'William- 
son, of  Muncie — died  in  February,  1892,  at 
the  age  of  thirty-four;  William  H. ; and  John, 
who  died  when  about  three  years  old. 

The  paternal  grandparents  of  Mr.  McKim- 
mey came  from  Ireland  and  settled  in  North 
Carolina,  where  the  grandmother  died.  The 
father  of  Mr.  McKimmey,  also  a native  of 
Ireland,  was  but  three  years  of  age  when 
brought  to  America.  In  1816,  the  latter 
came  to  Indiana  and  located  at  Connersville; 
in  1817,  he  went  to  Indianapolis  with  old  John 
McCormick,  and  there  helped  the  latter  to 


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AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


365 


make  a clearing  before  the  city  had  been  de- 
cided upon  as  the  state  capital,  and  was  so 
employed  about  a year;  then  returned  to  the 
settlements  in  Henry  and  Wayne  counties; 
was  married,  first,  in  Henry  county,  where 
New  Lisbon  now  stands,  and  came  to  Dela- 
ware county  in  1834,  as  has  been  stated.  He 
had  born  to  him,  by  his  first  marriage,  nine 
children,  of  whom  six  only  are  now  living. 
He  lost  his  wife  about  1840,  and  his  second 
marriage  was  to  Mrs.  Nancy  Gabon,  who  bore 
him  five  children.  The  father,  who  had  been 
a justice  of  the  peace  for  a number  of  years  in 
Monroe  township,  died  in  1875,  in  his  eighty- 
second  year,  as  highly  • honored  and  respected 
in  his  day  as  are  his  descendants  in  theirs. 


X) 


A.  McLAIN, 

Dentist, 

1 1/2  East  Jackson  street, 

Muncie,  Ind. 


@EORGE  N.  McEAUGHLIN.— The 
efficient  trustee  of  Centre  township, 
and  one  of  the  popular  citizens  of 
Muncie,  was  born  in  Delaware  coun- 
ty, Ind.,  April  23,  1845.  His  father,  John 

McEaughlin,  was  a native  of  Ohio,  born  near 
the  city  of  Chillicothe,  of  Irish  and  German 
parentage.  James  McEaughlin,  the  grand- 
father of  George  N.,  came  to  the  United 
States  from  Ireland  many  years  ago,  and  was 
one  of  the  early  settlers  of  southern  Ohio. 
John  McLaughlin  was  by  occupation  a farmer; 
he  grew  to  manhood  in  his  native  county, 
where,  in  early  life,  he  married  Rachael 
Beeler  and,  in  1834,  moved  with  his  family  to 
Delaware  county,  Ind.,  locating  in  the  town- 
ship of  Mount  Pleasant,  of  which  he  was  one 


of  the  pioneers.  He  purchased  120  acres  of 
government  land,  from  the  woods  of  which  he 
redeemed  a comfortable  home,  where  he 
reared  his  family,  and  upon  which  the  remain- 
der of  his  life  was  spent.  He  was  a man  of 
local  importance  in  his  community  for  a num- 
ber of  years,  was  an  earnest  supporter  of  the 
old  whig  party,  and,  for  some  time,  served  the 
people  of  his  township  as  a justice  of  the 
peace.  He  was  a man  noted  for  his  integrity 
and  high  sense  of  honor;  supported  with 
energy  all  improvements  of  a public  nature, 
and  exemplified  in  his  daily  life  and  conduct 
the  teachings  of  the  Methodist  church,  in 
which  he  held  the  position  of  class-leader  for 
a great  many  years;  his  wife  survived  him  and 
continued  to  reside  on  the.  home  farm,  keeping 
the  family  together  and  looking  after  their  in- 
terests. Of  the  five  sons  and  three  daughters 
born  to  John  and  Rachael  McLaughlin  all 
grew  to  maturity  except  one,  who  died  in  in- 
fancy. The  following  are  their  names:  Will- 

iam H. , Orlando  L. , George  N.  and  Thomas 
J.,  all  of  whom  served  with  distinction  in  the 
late  war  from  this  county.  James  S.  was 
captured  in  Georgia  while  on  picket  duty,  and 
shot  to  death  by  the  enemy.  The  names  of 
the  sisters  are,  Maria,  Priscilla  and  Sarah  A., 
all  living  at  this  time. 

George  N.  McLaughlin  inherits  in  a marked 
degree  many  of  the  traits  which  distinguished 
his  ancestors,  and  in  his  veins  the  blood  of  the 
Celt  mingles  with  that  of  the  Teuton.  Like 
the  majority  of  country  lads,  the  years  of  his 
boyhood  were  comparatively  uneventful,  and 
amid  the  rugged  experiences  of  farm  life,  he 
learned  the  lessons  of  industry  and  economy 
which  served  as  a foundation  for  much  of  his 
success  in  subsequent  years.  Being  but  five 
years  of  age  when  his  father  died,  he  early 
did  his  share  of  farm  work,  contributing  to 
the  support  of  his  widowed  mother  and 
younger  brothers  and  sisters,  and  during  his 


866 


MUNCIE  CITY 


minority  attended  the  common  schools,  in 
which  he  obtained  a practical  English  educa- 
tion. In  the  dark  days  of  the  rebellion,  when 
the  ship  of  state  was  almost  stranded  on  the 
rugged  rocks  of  disunion,  Mr.  McLaughlin, 
with  commendable  patriotism,  responded  to 
his  country’s  call  for  volunteers,  enlisting,  at 
the  age  of  eighteen,  in  company  G,  One  Hun- 
dred and  Thirty-fourth  Indiana  volunteer  in- 
fantry, for  the  hundred  days’  service.  He  was 
mustered  in,  in  March,  1862,  and  upon  the 
expiration  of  his  term  of  enlistment  veteranized 
in  company  C,  One  Hundred  and  Fortieth  regi- 
ment, Indiana  infantry,  with  which  he  served 
until  honorably  discharged  on  the  i ith  of  July, 
1865,  with  the  rank  of  corporal.  His  first 
engagement  of  any  note  was  the  bloody  battle 
of  Murfreesboro,  and  subsequently  he  partici- 
pated in  a number  of  battles,  including  Ft. 
Anderson,  Twin  Creek,  Goldsborough,  Rolla 
and  Greensborough,  N.  C. , being  at  the  last 
named  place  when  Lee  surrendered  his  army 
at  Appomattox. 

After  his  discharge  Mr.  McLaughlin  re- 
turned home  and  resumed  his  studies,  and  in 
the  fall  of  I 866  taught  his  first  school  in  the 
Bethel  neighborhood,  Harrison  township.  He 
followed  the  profession  very  successfully  for  a 
period  of  twenty-two  years,  and  earned  the 
reputation  of  a very  careful  and  painstaking 
instructor.  With  the  exception  of  one  year, 
1883,  when  he  was  principal  of  the  Strong 
City  high  school,  Kansas,  his  work  in  the  edu- 
cational field  was  principally  confined  to  Dela- 
ware county,  and  such  was  his  efficiency  that 
his  services  were  always  in  demand  while  he 
remained  in  the  profession.  While  teaching  in 
1888,  he  was  elected  trustee  of  Centre  town- 
ship, the  duties  of  which  position  he  dis- 
charged with  such  commendable  fidelity  that, 
in  1890,  he  was  re-elected  by  a largely  in- 
creased majority.  Mr.  McLaughlin  proved 
himself  a trustful  custodian  of  the  township 


pi'operty,  and  he  built  several  school  houses, 
which  were  among  the  best  buildings  of  the 
kind  in  the  county.  In  politics  Mr.  McLaugh- 
lin is  a republican,  and  as  such  his  counsels 
have  contributed  to  his  party’s  success  in  a 
number  of  general  and  local  campaigns.  He  is 
a member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  belonging 
to  the  chapter,  commandery  and  Scottish  rite 
branches,  and  has  arisen  to  the  thirty-second 
degree  in  his  order.  He  also  belongs  to  the 
I.  O.  O.  F.,  K.  of  P. , the  G.  A.  R.  and  Patri- 
otic Sons  of  America.  He  was  first  married 
April  18,  1867,  to  Eliza  A.  Thomason,  but  a 
few  months  later  the  marriage  tie  was  severed 
by  mutual  consent.  December  3,  1870,  Mr. 
McLaughlin  and  Miss  Orintha  J.  Kilgore, 
daughter  of  George  W.  and  Tabitha  (Van- 
Matre)  Kilgore,  were  happily  made  man  and 
wife  and  their  superb  portraits  will  be  found  on 
pages  adjacent.  Mrs.  McLaughlin  was  born 
September  5,  1850,  and  is  the  mother  of  one 
child,  a daughter,  Minnie  F.,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  three  years.  Mr.  McLauglin  is  an  effi- 
cient and  courteous  official,  an  affable  and 
popular  gentleman,  universally  liked  by  all 
with  whom  he  comes  in  contact.  He  feels  de- 
servedly proud  of  his  success  in  life,  possesses 
excellent  judgment  of  men  and  things,  well 
balanced  by  knowledge  and  experience.  He  is 
a gentleman  of  good  personal  appearance  and 
courteous  address,  and  is  certainly  entitled  to 
mention  with  the  representative  men  of  Dela- 
ware county. 


ON.  WALTER  MARCH  (deceased) 
was  born  August  5,  1814,  at  the  town 
of  Millbury,  Mass.,  in  Worcester 
county.  His  father,  Samuel  March, 
was  a native  of  the  same  county,  and  a lineal 
descendant  of  Hugh  March,  who  came  to  the 
colony  of  Massachusetts  from  England  in  the 


4'J‘ 


JUDGE  WALTER  MARCH 


MRS.  M.  MARCH. 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


367 


year  1635;  and  his  mother,  whose  maiden 
name  was  Zoa  Parks,  was  a native  of  Harvard, 
Mass.  The  parents  were  industrious  and 
frugal,  and,  while  the  proceeds  of  their  farm 
did  not  elevate  them  to  opulence,  they  were 
very  comfortably  situated,  and  desired  to  afford 
their  children  better  educational  advantages 
than  they  had  themselves  enjoyed.  The  latter 
improved  well  their  opportunities,  and  grew 
up  to  fill  important  and  responsible  positions. 
The  eldest  son  is  a manufacturer  and  farmer  at 
Charlton,  Mass.,  another  is  a farmer  near 
Oshkosh,  Wis.  ; another  is  a well  known  min- 
ister of  the  gospel  at  Woburn,  Mass. ; and 
Walter,  the  second  son,  is  the  subject  of  this 
sketch.  His  boyhood  was  passed  in  a manner 
quite  uneventful,  amid  pastoral  scenes  at 
home.  What  time  could  be  spared  from  farm 
work  was  devoted  to  the  improvement  of  his 
mind  and  the  acquisition  of  a primary  educa- 
tion at  the  common  schools  and  the  academy 
at  Millbury.  He  entered  Amherst  college  and 
graduated  in  1837,  after  a course  of  four  years, 
during  wTich  time  he  taught  trvo  terms  in  the 
common  schools,  and,  after  graduating,  again 
took  up  the  vocation  of  school  teaching,  which 
he  pursued  two  terms  longer.  During  this 
time  and  subsequently  he  studied  law  with 
Judge  Ira  M.  Barton,  of  Worcester,  and  after- 
wards attended  lectures  at  Cambridge,  Mass. 
In  1840,  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  at  Wor- 
cester, and,  in  November  of  the  same  year, 
removed  to  Indianapolis,  Ind.  He  engaged  in 
the  practice  in  that  city,  and  remained  until 
March  of  the  following  year,  when  he  removed 
to  Muncie.  Here,  in  January,  1845,  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Margaret  J., 
daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Ann  Sayre.  Her 
parents  both  died  at  the  age  of  ninety-one 
years,  and  resided  with  Walter  March  until 
their  death. 

Although  a young  man  .when  he  began  the 
practice  at  Muncie,  in  1841,  Mr.  March 


handled  the  most  complicated  cases  success- 
fully, and,  as  confidence  was  established,  he 
soon  built  up  a large  practice.  One  rule  has 
marked  his  entire  career:  He  w'ould  never 

undertake  the  cause  of  a client  whom  he 
thought  was  in  the  wrong;  and  under  no  cir- 
cumstances would  he  accept  a case  that  he 
could  not  conscientiously  defend.  In  1850, 
he  was  elected  a member  of  the  constitutional 
convention  from  the  district  composed  of  the 
counties  of  Delaware  and  Grant.  He  was  a 
democrat,  and  although  this  was  a whig  dis- 
trict, he  was  elected  by  a goodly  majority  over 
the  candidate  of  that  party.  At  heart  he  was  an 
abolitionist,  and,  much  against  his  convictions, 
fealty  to  party  and  public  trust  induced  him  to 
support  measures  not  entirely  in  harmony  with 
his  will — especially  those  discriminating 

against  the  colored  race.  The  open  antago- 
nism of  his  party  to  his  own  principles  finally 
culminated  in  his  withdraw'al  from  it,  about 
the  time  of  the  Kansas  and  Nebiaska  troubles. 
He  was  intensely  in  earnest  in  his  support  of 
the  party,  and,  as  a public  speaker,  did  more 
effectual  w'ork  and  accomplished  more  good  in 
its  behalf,  pei'haps,  than  any  other  man  in  the 
district;  for  he  w'as  an  extraordinarily  fine 
speaker,  and  a thorough  scholar;  and  when  he 
joined  the  ranks  of  the  republican  party,  he 
brought  with  him  the  same  energy  and  the 
same  ability,  and  devoted  himself  as  earnestly 
to  the  success  of  the  newly  espoused  cause, 
and  with  results  equally  fruitful. 

While  a member  of  the  state  constitutional 
convention,  he  advocated  a change  in  the  sys- 
tem of  law  practice  then  prevalent,  by  which 
the  old  English  system  should  be  abolished. 
With  the  assistance  of  his  associates,  this 
measure  was  ■ carried  through,  and  the  first 
legislature  that  assembled,  after  the  adoption 
of  the  new  constitution,  appointed  him  one  of 
the  committee  to  draft  a code  of  principles 
and  practice  which  should  obtain  throughout 


8G8 


MUNCIE  CITY 


the  state.  Among  other  things  he  incorpor- 
ated a danse  investing  circuit  judges  with  the 
power  to  settle  disputed  points  by  arbitration, 
by  which  means  a great  deal  of  needless  liti- 
gation conld  be  avoided.  It  was  tried  in 
many  of  the  counties — Delaware  among  the 
number — with  good  results;  and  this  private 
and  friendly  mode  of  settlement  was  almost 
uniformly  productive  of  better  fellowship  be- 
tween the  plaintiff  and  defendant  than  a suit 
at  law.  But  attorneys’  fees  were  diminished 
in  consequence  of  this  peaceful  mode  of  litiga- 
tion, and  it  was  antagonized  by  attorneys 
throughout  the  state.  Finally  such  was  the 
pressure  brought  to  bear  that  it  was  repealed 
by  the  general  assembly  of  1865. 

In  1852,  he  was  elected  judge  of  the  court 
of  common  pleas,  on  the  democratict  ticket, 
and  served  four  years.  In  1856  he  was 
elected  state  senator.  He  had  then  with- 
drawn from  the  democratic  party,  and  was 
elected  as  an  independent  friend  of  the  Union. 
He  served  four  years,  then  became  the  candi- 
date of  the  republican  party  for  the  same 
position.  He  was  returned  for  another  term 
of  four  years,  and  served  throughout  that 
stormy  period  in  the  history  of  the  Indiana 
senate  embraced  between  the  years  1 860  and 
1864.  Within  this  period,  the  democrats, 
who  were  in  the  majority,  attempted  to  de- 
prive the  governer  of  his  power  over  the  state 
militia,  and  invest  it  in  the  four  offices  of  the 
state.  They  were  only  prevented  from  ac- 
complishing their  plan  by  the  republican  mem- 
bers absenting  themselves  from  the  senate, 
and  thus  breaking  the  quorum.  Judge  March 
was  among  the  number,  and  was,  in  fact  the 
leader  of  the  “bolt.”  While  in  the  senate  he 
occupied  many  important  positions,  among 
which  was  that  of  chairman  of  the  judiciary 
committee.  He  was  a recognized  leader  of 
his  party  and  in  many  ways  proved  himself 
the  soldier's  friend.  His  career  in  the  senate 


was  characterized  by  dignity  and  ability,  and 
the  following  tribute  was  paid  him  by  the 
Cincinnati  Gazette:  “One  of  the  clearest 

headed  and  coolest  members  of  the  Indiana 
senate  is  Walter  March,  senator  from  the 
district  of  Delaware,  Blackford  and  Grant. 
He  speaks  not  half  so  often  as  others  on  the 
floor,  but  always  to  the  point,  and  with 
strength  and  force.  He  wastes  no  time  by 
idle  bombast,  and  has  not  the  inordinate 
vanity  possessed  by  some  men,  of  loving  to 
hear  himself  talk. 

“When  Mr.  March  rises  to  make  a speech, 
every  member  expects  to  hear  something  that 
will  strike  the  sense  of  every  one,  and  com- 
mand the  attention  of  all.  Although  he  is  a 
solid  speaker,  he  is  yet  almost  poetical,  and 
uses  better  language  and  a choicer  selection  of 
words  than  any  other  man  on  the  floor  of  the 
senate.  ” 

At  the  close  of  his  senatorial  service,  in 
1 864,  he  resumed  the  practice  of  his  profes- 
sion at  Muncie,  and  in  1867,  formed  copart- 
nership relations  with  Maj.  Jonathan  W.  Gor- 
don and  Martin  Ray,  of  Indianapolis,  under 
the  firm  name  of  Gordon,  Ray  & March,  re- 
taining at  the  same  time  his  practice  at  Mun- 
cie. In  the  fall  of  1878,  he  was  elected  by 
the  republicans  of  this  district  as  their  repre- 
sentative in  the  general  assembly  of  the  state, 
by  a majority  of  1,250  votes. 

His  was  indeed  a busy  and  a model  life. 
He  devoted  himself  assiduously  to  his  profes- 
sion, and  stood  at  the  head  of  the  bar  of  Dela- 
ware county.  He  was  scrupulously  conscien- 
tious in  all  his  dealings  with  mankind,  and  has 
won  the  regard  of  all  classes.  He  was  firm  in 
his  judgment,  and  fearless  in  the  advocacy  of 
his  convictions.  He  was  a radical  temperance 
man,  and  a friend  to  the  deserving  poor,  but 
a relentless  hater  of  impostors,  or  sham  and 
hypocrisy  in  any  guise.  His  private  acts  of 
charity  were  many,  and  will  long  live  in  the 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


369 


hearts  of  those  who  have  been  the  recipients 
of  his  bounty.  He  was  ever  a friend  to  what- 
ever had  a tendency  to  benefit  and  elevate 
mankind,  and  many  of  the  public  improve- 
ments of  this  county  number  him  among  their 
warmest  coadjutors.  He  was  ever  a lover  of 
sciences,  and  found  his  chief  recreation  in 
study  and  reflection  upon  this  theme.  He 
was  elected  first  president  of  the  Literary  and 
Scientific  society  of  Muncie  in  1879,  and  was 
a director  of  the  Library  Association  of  Mun- 
cie from  the  time  of  its  organization  until  his 
death.  A man  of  strong  individuality,  a fin- 
ished scholar  and  a polished  gentleman,  he 
occupied  a special  niche  in  society  that  none 
other  can  fill.  He  died  March  31,  1883. 

Mrs.  March,  a lady  of  many  admirable  traits 
of  character,  contributed  in  no  small  degree  to 
her  husband’s  success  in  life.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
March  had  no  children  of  their  own,  but  in 
1867  they  adopted  the  motherless  son  of  John 
Pyle,  of  Indianapolis,  at  that  time  ten  years 
old  and  now  grown  to  manhood.  His  father 
died  in  1891,  since  which  time  he  has  known 
no  parent  except  Mrs.  March  who  so  kindly 
reared  him.  The  parents  of  Mrs.  March,  na- 
tives respectively  of  New  Jersey  and  New 
York,  came  to  Muncie  in  December,  1840, 
and  engaged  in  the  hotel  business. 


OHN  MARSH,  late  cashier  of  the  Citi- 
zens’ National  bank  of  Muncie,  was 
born  in  Preble  county,  Ohio,  August 
22,  1811.  In  his  veins  the  blood  of  the 
Anglo-Saxon  mingles  with  that  of  the  Teutonic 
race.  His  father,  Timothy  Marsh,  was  the 
son  of  John  Marsh,  who  came  to  this  country 
from  England,  and  settled  in  what  is  now  Ger- 
mantown, Montgomery  county,  Ohio.  He 
afterward  served  in  the  American  army  all 
through  the  Revolution.  The  mother  was 


Mary  Clawson,  who  was  born  near  the  mouth 
of  the  Little  Miami  river,  August  22,  1787,  and 
is  said  to  be  the  first  white  child  born  in  the 
territory  of  Ohio.  Cincinnati  was  not  then 
laid  out,  and  the  country  was  the  home  of  wild 
beasts  and  of  the  red  man.  She  died  at  the 
age  of  ninety,  at  the  residence  of  her  son.  Sear- 
ing Marsh,  near  Logansport,  Ind. , September 
15,  1877.  Her  father  was  John  Clawson,  a 
German,  who  settled  first  in  Kentucky  and 
afterward  in  Ohio,  and  took  part  in  the  long 
struggle  by  which  the  colonies  threw  off  the 
British  yoke.  John  Marsh  was  not  allowed  to 
spend  all  his  boyhood  in  school,  but  only  the 
winter  term  of  every  year,  the  remaining  time 
being  employed  in  work  on  the  farm.  Yet  the 
school  he  attended  was  the  best  in  the  county, 
and  there  he  obtained  a good  education  in  the 
common  English  branches.  At  the  age  of 
seventeen  he  went  to  Eaton,  and  served  an 
apprenticeship  of  five  years  at  the  hatter’s 
trade.  During  this  period  his  spare  hours  were 
not  wasted  in  the  society  of  the  vicious  or  the 
frivolous,  but  were  devoted  to  the  acquisition 
of  useful  knowledge.  At  length  Mr.  Marsh 
commenced  business  as  a hatter  in  Camden, 
and  continued  it  successfully  until  1847,  when 
he  entered  upon  the  dry  goods  trade.  After 
one  year  he  was  elected  treasurer  of  Preble 
county,  and  held  the  office  by  re-election  three 
terms.  So  faithfully  and  well  did  he  discharge 
his  duties  that,  at  the  last  election,  he  re- 
ceived all  the  votes  cast  in  the  county  except 
thirty-six.  During  this  time  he  was  a stock- 
holder and  a director  of  the  Preble  county 
branch  of  the  State  bank  of  Ohio.  In  October, 
1854.  he  removed  to  Wayne  county,  Ind.,  and 
was  made  president  of  the  Cambridge  City 
bank,  one  of  those  that  withstood  the  crisis  of 
1857. 

Mr.  Marsh  removed  to  Delaware  county  in 
1856,  and  organized  the  Muncie  branch  of  the 
State  bank  of  Indiana,  becoming  its  president. 


B70 


MUNCIE  CITY 


111  1865  it  was  converted  into  the  Miincie 
National  bank,  and  he  remained  its  president 
until  1874.  He  then  sold  his  interest,  intend- 
ing to  retire  from  business;  but  after  a few 
weeks  of  recreation,  at  the  earnest  solicitation 
of  a number  of  prominent  men,  he  organized, 
with  them,  in  November,  1874,  the  Citizens’ 
bank,  (converted  into  Citizens’  National  March 
15'  *875),  and  being  given  his  choice  of 

positions,  accepted  that  of  cashier.  Mr. 
Marsh  had  always  been  an  active  politician. 
His  first  ballot  was  cast  for  Henry  Clay;  he 
aided  in  the  organization  of  the  republican 
party,  and  ever  after  was  in  accord  with  the 
principles  set  forth.  In  1838  he  joined  the 
Masonic  fraternity  and  ten  years  later,  at  Day- 
ton,  Ohic,  took  the  commandery  degrees. 
He  was  treasurer  of  Delaware  lodge,  of  Mun- 
cie  chapter,  and  of  Muncie  commandery,  and 
helped  organize  the  latter,  of  which  he  was 
treasurer  until  his  death.  After  1854  he  was 
connected  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  of  which  he  was  trustee.  Mr.  Marsh 
was  an  able  financier  and  secured  a handsome 
competence.  He  had  no  small  mental  capac- 
ity, and  might  have  achieved  equal  success  in 
more  important  callings.  Few  were  so  en- 
dowed with  qualities  that  inspire  respect  and 
friendship,  and  none  lived  in  happier  domestic 
relations  than  Mr.  Marsh — his  family  being  a 
model  one,  in  which  perfect  harmony  existed. 
He  married.  May  25,  1835,  Miss  Margaret, 
daughter  of  Nathan  and  Jane  (Carr)  Mitchell, 
both  of  Maryland,  originally,  but  afterward 
pioneers  of  Ohio.  Four  children  were  born  of 
this  marriage,  two  of  whom  are  living.  Their 
mother  died  of  cholera,  July  29,  1849.  Mr. 
Marsh  was  again  united  in  marriage  August  29, 
1854,  to  Mrs.  Mary  Mutchner,  by  whom  he 
had  four  children.  The  kindness  of  heart  of 
Mr.  Mai'sh  was  proverbial,  and  hundreds  re- 
vere his  memory  on  that  account  alone,  if  for 
nothing  else. 


w^IFFIAM  M.  MARSH,  son  of  John 
B m I Marsh,  was  born  in  Cambridge  City, 
Wayne  county,  Ind.,  on  the  8th 
day  of  November,  1855.  He  spent 
his  boyhood  days  in  Muncie,  where  he  en- 
joyed the  advantages  of  a liberal  education, 
graduating  from  the  city  schools  in  1873,  after 
which  he  began  with  the  bank  in  the  capacity 
of  messenger,  the  duties  of  which  position  he 
discharged  with  commendable  fidelity  for 
some  time.  Subsequently,  he  became  book- 
keeper for  the  same  institution,  and  was  thus 
employed  until  the  death  of  his  father,  having 
in  the  meantime,  for  a period  of  two  years, 
acted  in  the  capacity  of  assistant  cashier. 
Upon  the  death  of  his  father  he  became 
cashier.  Mr.  Marsh  was  married  on  the  loth 
day  of  October,  1883,  to  Miss  Martha  R. 
Wysor,  daughter  of  Jacob  H.  Wysor,  of  whom 
a sketch  appears  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 
Mrs.  Marsh’s  birth  occurred  in  Muncie,  Decem- 
ber 12,  1859,  and  she  has  borne  her  husband 
two  children,  namely:  Henry  Wysor  and 

John  Edwin.  The  reputation  of  Mr.  Marsh 
for  energy  and  business  capacity  marks  him  as 
among  the  foremost,  and  socially  he  is  deserv- 
edly popular  with  his  fellow  citizens,  both 
of  the  city  of  Muncie  and  throughout  the 
county.  He  is,  at  this  time,  vice-president  of 
the  Citizen’s  Enterprise  company,  is  connected 
with  the  Ball  Glass  works,  of  which  he  was  a 
charter  officer,  and  is  prominently  identified 
with  the  Indiana  Iron  company.  Mr.  Marsh 
has  alway."^  manifested  an  active  interest  in 
the  material  development  of  Muncie,  to  which 
he  has  contributed  liberally  of  his  means,  and 
in  1889-90,  he  erected  on  one  of  the  principal 
thoroughfares  of  the  city  a large  and  imposing 
brick  structure  known  as  the  New  Southern 
hotel.  Mr  Marsh  stands  high  in  Masonry, 
belonging  to  the  Blue  lodge,  Muncie  chapter, 
Muncie  council  and  commandery,  and  is  also 
an  active  member  of  the  Society  of  Elks. 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


371 


OHN  ROLLIN  MARSH,  chief  engineer 
of  the  Indiana  Bridge  company,  was 
born  January  13,  1863,  in  the  city  of 
Muncie,  Delaware  county,  Ind.  He 
grew  to  manhood  in  his  native  city,  in  the 
schools  of  which  he  obtained  his  early  educa- 
tional training,  completing  the  prescribed 
course  and  graduating  from  the  high  school  in 
1879.  On  quitting  school  he  accepted  the 
position  of  deputy  clerk,  Delaware  county  cir- 
cuit court,  later  became  duputy  county  record- 
er, in  both  of  which  capacities  he  served 
several  terms  under  different  officials,  proving 
himself  a very  efficient  and  capable  assistant. 
Actuated  by  a desire  to  complete  his  educa- 
tion in  the  special  line  of  engineering,  Mr. 
Marsh  in  the  fall  of  1883  entered  the  school 
of  Mines,  Columbia  college.  New  York,  where 
he  pursued  his  technical  studies  for  several 
years,  graduating  in  1887,  after  which  he 
accepted  the  position  of  chief  engineer  of  the 
Indiana  Bridge  company  of  Muncie.  In  his 
theoretical  and  practical  knowledge  of  engi- 
neering Mr.  Marsh  has  few  equals  in  Indiana, 
and  his  name  is  well  and  favorably  known 
among  the  experts  of  the  profession  through- 
out the  state.  He  is  a finished  scholar,  a 
polished  gentleman,  possesses  the  necessary 
traits  of  character  which  insure  success  and 
popularity,  and  enjoys  the  confidence  of  the 
large  and  well  known  company  with  which 
he  is  identified. 

He  married  August  5,  1889,  Miss  Susie 
Ryan,  daughter  of  John  W.  Ryan,  of  Muncie, 
and  is  the  father  of  two  bright  children,  John 
Rodney  and  Mildred  Ryan.  With  the  excep- 
tion of  a college  fraternity,  Mr.  Marsh  belongs 
to  no  society  or  order;  he  and  wife  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Episcopal  church  of  Muncie,  in 
which  they  are  highly  respected,  and  their 
hands  and  hearts  are  ever  ready  to  respond  to 
the  cry  of  distress  or  want,  as  well  as  to 
plain  charity. 


^^y^ILLIAM  E.  H.  MARSH,  the  genial 
mm  I popular  proprietor  of  the  Na- 

tional  Hotel,  Muncie,  Ind.,  is  a 
native  of  Chelsea  (Boston),  Mass., 
was  born  May  14,  i860,  and  is  the  only  child 
of  William  E.,  Jr.,  and  Ellen  Maria  Winship 
(Toppan)  IMarsh,  of  whom  the  former  was  born 
at  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  November  ii,  1836,  of 
English  and  Scotch  parentage,  and  the  latter 
born  at  Newburyport,  Mass.,  August  13,  1839, 
of  English  descent.  William  E.  Marsh,  Jr., 
was  but  ten  years  of  age  when  taken  east  b}^ 
his  parents.  For  four  years  he  attended  school 
in  Virginia,  one  year  in  New  York  state,  and 
four  years  in  Massachusetts,  of  the  latter  period, 
two  years  at  Harvard  university.  On  finishing 
his  literary  education  he  began  his  business 
life  by  entering  the  wholesale  grocery  estab- 
lishment owned  by  his  father  at  Cincinnati, 
and  for  nine  years  assiduously  devoted  his  at- 
tention to  acquiring  a knowledge  of  mercantile 
affairs;  the  following  nine  years  were  passed  in 
real  estate  transactions  at  Plainfield,  N.  J.,  and 
the  fifteen  subsequent  years  in  the  hotel  busi- 
ness, for  which  he  seemed  to  be  peculiarly 
adapted.  In  1877  he  became  proprietor  of  the 
Galt  House,  in  Cincinnati,  which  he  conducted 
until  1892,  when  he  went  to  Chicago  and  leased 
the  Hotel  Brewster,  which  he  retained  eighteen 
months.  He  then  came  to  Muncie,  Ind. , where 
he  is  now  interested  with  his  son  in  the  National, 
still  retaining  his  interest  in  the  Galt  House, 
Cincinnati.  As  a business  man  he  has  but  few 
equals,  as  a host  he  is  unexcelled  anywhere, 
being  attentive,  hospitable,  obliging,  and  liberal 
in  his  consideration  of  the  needs  of  his  guests. 
The  marriage  of  Mr.  Marsh  occurred  December 
I,  1859;  to  Miss  Toppan,  and  their  union,  as 
stated,  was  fruitful  in  the  birth  of  only  one 
child,  a son.  Mrs.  Marsh  is  a consistent  mem- 
ber of  the  Baptist  church,  and  in  politics  Mr. 
Marsh  is  liberal  in  his  views,  relying  on  his  own 
judgment  in  such  matters,  as  in  everything  else. 


372 


MUNCIE  CITY 


William  Edward  Henry  Marsh  is  a gentle- 
man of  splendid  executive  abilities,  and  has 
been  thoroughly  schooled  in  all  those  graceful 
accomplishments  and  that  pleasing  tact  that 
constitute  the  perfect  hotel  manager.  His 
boyhood  was  passed  in  Newburyport,  Mass., 
and  he  was  educated  by  private  tutors  to  a 
high  standard  in  literature  and  in  the  German 
and  English  classics,  which  training  was  sup- 
plemented by  a course  of  study  at  the  Nelson 
Business  college  at  Cincinnati.  At  the  age  of 
sixteen  he  became  associated  with  his  father 
in  the  management  of  the  Galt  House,  corner 
of  Sixth  and  Main  streets,  Cincinnati,  where 
he  became  so  well  versed  in  his  vocation,  and 
in  1890  came  to  Muncie,  Ind.,  leased  the  now 
favorite  National  Hotel,  which  he  rehtted  and 
converted  into  the  elegant,  and  above  all,  the 
comfortable  establishment  it  now  is.  His  in- 
tuitive apprehension  of  the  wants  of  his  guests 
and  anticipation  of  their  wishes  have  placed 
him  at  the  very  head  and  front  of  hosts,  and 
created  a demand  for  accommodations  at  his 
house  that  at  times  taxes  even  his  ingenuity 
to  meet.  Affable,  urbane,  and  anxious  to 
please,  he  has  won  golden  opinions  from  all 
comers.  He  is  a member  of  the  Knights  of 
Maccabees  and  the  Ancile  club  of  Muncie. 
In  politics  he  affiliates  with  the  republicans. 


OHN  S.  MARTIN,  M.  D.,  the  profes- 
sional gentleman  whose  name  intro- 
duces this  sketch,  is  a well  known  and 
highly  valued  citizen  of  Muncie,  where 
his  skill  and  medical  knowledge  are  frequently 
called  into  exercise.  Dr.  Martin  was  born  in 
Johnson  county,  Ind.,  November  21,  1851, 
and  is  a son  of  Samuel  C.  and  Jane  (Haw- 
thorne) Martin,  both  parents  natives  of  Henry 
county,  Ky.  He  enjoyed  superior  educational 
advantages,  attending  first  the  schools  of  his 


native  county,  and  subsequently  pursuing  the 
higher  branches  of  learning  in  Eranklin  col- 
lege, in  which  institution  he  made  commenda- 
ble progress.  After  completing  his  literary 
education.  Dr.  Martin  began  teaching,  which 
profession  he  successfully  followed  for  seven 
years,  leaving  it  only  to  begin  his  medical 
studies  with  Dr.  J.  D.  George,  a well  known 
and  successful  practitioner  of  Eranklin,  Ind. 
With  a laudable  desire  to  increase  his  knowl- 
edge of  his  profession,  the  doctor  entered  the 
Cleveland(Ohio)  Homeopathic  Hospital  college, 
graduated  in  1883,  and  immediately  thereafter 
located  in  Muncie,  where  he  has  since  prac- 
ticed with  flattering  success  and  financial 
profit.  He  began  the  practice  at  Indianapolis 
some  time  before  completing  his  professional 
course  in  the  above  institution,  and  since 
locating  in  the  gas  belt  his  abilities  have  been 
recognized  beyond  the  limits  of  Delaware 
county,  and  he  is  now  one  of  the  leading  rep- 
resentatives of  his  school  in  this  part  of  the 
state.  The  doctor’s  personal  characteristics 
have  won  him  many  friends,  and  among  his 
professional  brethren  he  is  recognized  as  a 
man  of  energy  and  determination,  fully  abreast 
of  the  times  and  active  in  upholding  the  dig- 
nity of  the  healing  art.  He  is  of  good  person- 
al presence,  has  an  unblemished  character, 
and  is  a man  of  high  moral  and  social  stand- 
ing among  his  fellow  citizens  of  Muncie.  Dr. 
Martin  is  a member  of  the  Indiana  institute  of 
Homeopathy,  also  of  the  American  institute, 
in  the  deliberations  of  which  body  he  takes  an 
active  part,  and  of  which  he  is  now  serving  as 
treasurer.  He  is  a prominent  member  of  the 
K.  of  P.  and  Red  Men  fraternities,  and  exer- 
cises the  elective  franchise  in  behalf  of  the 
democratic  party.  The  doctor  was  married, 
in  1874,  to  Miss  Laura  A.  Clark,  daughter  of 
John  R.  and  Keziah  Clark,  of  Johnson  county, 
Ind. , the  result  of  which  union  is  one  child,  a 
son,  Samuel  Albert  Martin.  Mrs.  Martin  is  a 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP, 


375 


member  of  the  Presbyterian  church  of  Muncie, 
and  is  a lady  of  social  prominence  in  the  city. 


✓"^AMUEL  MARTIN,  retired,  was  born 
in  Clarke  county,  Ohio,  July  29,  1827, 
y and  is  a son  of  Stephen  R.  and  Nancy 
(Kirkpatrick)  Martin.  His  father  was 
born  near  Cincinnati  on  October  ii,  1804, 
and  was  a son  of  Samuel  Martin,  a native  of 
New  Jersey,  who  settled  in  Clarke  county,  Ohio, 
in  1805,  where  he  entered  a tract  of  land,  and 
also  entered  a tract  of  land  in  Miami  county. 
Stephen  R.  Martin  moved  to  Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  in  1834,  and  settled  upon  a farm  in  Hamil- 
ton township,  and  entered  several  tracts  of  land. 
He  was  one  of  the  originators,  the  treasurer, 
and  a director  in  the  Granville  pike,  and  a 
stockholder  in  the  Bee  Line  railway.  He  was 
one  of  the  original  stockholders  of  the  Citizens’ 
National  bank  of  Muncie,  and  a trustee  in  the 
Christian  church  for  many  years.  He  was  a 
democrat,  and  was  trustee  of  his  township.  His 
first  wife  died  in  June,  1867,  and  he  remarried 
to  Susan  Spoor,  of  Iowa,  who  survives  him. 
His  family  consisted  of  si.x  daughters  and  two 
sons.  The  living  are  : Samuel,  Phoebe,  Ellen, 
Mary,  wife  of  John  Pittinger,  of  Hamilton 
township,  and  Emily.  Stephen  R.  Martin 
died  October  19,  1877.  Samuel  Martin  was 
reared  in  Delaware  county,  and  received  his 
education  in  its  early  schools.  When  twenty- 
two  years  of  age  he  went  to  California,  where 
he  spent  several  years  in  farming  and  mining, 
and  then  returned  to  Delaware  county.  In 
1857  he  married  Miss  Mary  Wilhamson,  daugh- 
ter of  Peter  Williamson,  of  Hamilton  town- 
ship, and  cleared  a farm  in  that  township,  upon 
which  he  resided  until  1879,  when  he  moved 
into  the  city  of  Muncie,  and  engaged  in  the 
manufacturing  of  pumps,  under  the  firm  name 
of  Puckett,  Smell  & Martin.  He  was  also  a 


member  of  the  hardware  firm  of  Martin,  Young, 
& Kessler.  In  1 886  he  withdrew  from  all  active 
business,  and  has  since  lived  a retired  life.  He 
is  a stockholder  in  the  Co-operative  Gas  com- 
pany, and  has  large  real  estate  interests  in  the 
city.  Politically  a democrat,  he  has  repre- 
sented the  First  ward  in  the  city  council ; is  a 
member  of  the  A.  F.  & A.  M.  chapter  and  com- 
mandery.  He  and  wife  are  members  of  the 
High  street  IM.  E.  church,  and  he  is  the  present 
treasurer  of  the  same;  also  one  of  the  trustees, 
and  was  a member  of  the  building  committee. 


OSCAR  L.  MEEKS,  the  gentleman  for 
whom  this  biographical  sketch  is  pre- 
pared, is  a native  of  Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  born  December  7,  1853.  the  son 
of  Isaac  Meeks.  He  grew  to  manhood  in  his 
native  city,  in  the  public  schools  of  which  he 
received  a practical  English  education,  and, 
having  early  manifested  a decided  preference 
for  mechanical  pursuits,  entered  a furniture 
factory,  and  while  still  a boy  became  profi- 
cient as  a workman.  The  proprietor  of  this 
factory  was  his  father,  Isaac  Meeks,  with  whom 
Oscar  L.  subsequently  effected  a co-partner- 
ship, and  the  firm  thus  constituted  continued 
until  the  destruction  of  the  establishment  by 
fire,  which  event  occurred  a short  time  before 
the  senior  member’s  death.  Mr.  Meeks  then 
engaged  with  the  Bandey  Planing  Mill  com- 
pany as  foreman,  in  which  capacity  he  has 
since  continued.  He  is  a skillful  mechanic, 
familiar  with  all  the  details  of  the  business 
with  which  he  is  connected,  and  is  one  of  the 
highly  respected  citizens  of  Muncie.  Politically 
j a republican,  he  cast  his  first  vote  for  Benja- 
j min  Harrison  for  governor;  and  religiously  a 
i Methodist,  he  is  one  of  the  leading  members  of 
I the  High  street  congregation  of  Muncie.  Mr. 

I Meeks  was  married  in  June,  1876,  to  Miss 


376 


MUNCIE  CITY 


Alice  Kemper,  daughter  of  William  Kemper,  to 
which  union  three  children  have  been  born, 
namely:  Bessie,  Emily  and  Harold,  the  first 

named  of  which  is  deceased. 

Isaac  Meeks  is  a native  of  Monongalia  county, 
W.  Va. , born  July  9,  1 829.  At  the  age  of  ten  years 
he,  with  his  parents,  Amos  and  Nancy  Meeks, 
immigrated  to  Indiana,  locating,  in  the  fall  of 
1832,  in  the  eastern  part  of  Delaware  county. 
They  erected  a log  cabin  in  the  heart  of  the 
forest  and  set  about  clearing  off  i 50  acres  of 
land.  There  being  a large  family  (eight  broth- 
ers and  seven  sisters,  and  one  half-brother  and 
half-sister),  there  w'as  not  enough  employment 
for  them  on  the  farm,  so  Isaac,  at  the  age  of 
fifteen,  decided  to  come  to  Muncie  and  learn 
the  cabinet  making  trade.  Being  naturally  a 
mechanic,  he  soon  became  skilled  in  his  work 
and  entered  into  a partneship  with  his  brother 
Robert  in  the  cabinet  business,  a union  which 
lasted  for  forty-five  years.  He  married  Mary 
E.  McProud,  of  Randolph  county,  this  state, 
to  whom  w'ere  born  five  children — two  boys 
and  three  girls.  In  politics  he  was  a strong 
republican — the  party  of  his  father.  He  was 
a member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  for 
over  forty-five  years,  filling  different  positions 
in  the  church  with  a true  Christian  zeal,  until 
death  claimed  him,  January  16,  1891. 


OBERT  MEEKS.— Without  a thought 
of  disparagement  for  the  many  excel- 
lent characters  herein  illustrated, 
perhaps  none,  taken  as  a whole,  are 
more  noteworthy  and  more  favorably  and 
extensively  knowm  than  the  Meeks  family.  As 
the  oldest  representative  of  that  family  now 
living,  w'e  begin  our  group  of  their  biographies 
with  that  of  Robert  Meeks. 

The  parent  stem  of  this  sturdy  old  pioneer 
started  in  the  eternal  hills  of  West  Virginia. 


He  is  the  son  of  Amos  and  Nancy  Meeks.  His 
mother’s  maiden  name  was  Means.  He  was 
born  in  Monongalia  county,  of  that  state,  on 
July  8,  1822.  The  educational  facilities  of 
that  time  and  place  were  very  meager,  and  he 
attended  subscription  school  in  winter  only. 
He  was  the  eldest  of  fifteen  children,  nine  of 
whom  were  born  in  West  Virginia.  He  immi- 
grated to  Delaware  county,  with  his  father’s 
family,  in  the  year  1839,  when  about  seven- 
teen years  of  age.  The  whole  journey  was 
made  in  an  old  fashioned  Virginia  wagon 
drawn  by  four  horses,  and  it  occupied  sixteen 
days  to  make  the  trip.  They  located  about 
three  miles  northeast  of  what  is  now  the  town 
of  Selma,  on  or  near  what  is  known  as  Sugar 
Ridge.  The  country  was  then  simply  a vast 
wilderness,  and  the  next  five  years  were  spent 
in  helping  to  clear  up  his  father’s  farm,  he 
being  the  main  dependence  of  his  father  in 
this  work,  as  his  brothers  were  younger,  and 
hence  unable  to  contribute  much  in  this  direc- 
tion. He  came  to  Muncie  in  May,  1844,  and 
began  his  career  for  himself  as  an  apprentice 
with  Nottingham  & Swain,  to  learn  the  trade 
of  cabinet-making,  in  a two  story  frame  build- 
ing, located  then  on  the  ground  where  the 
Boyce  block  now  stands.  He  worked  thus 
about  one  year,  and  about  eighteen  months 
later  bought  an  interest  in  the  firm  of  John 
Nottingham.  The  partnership  • with  Swain 
continued  less  than  a year,  when  Nottingham 
purchased  the  interest  of  Job  Swain.  During 
this  partnership,  Robert’s  brother,  Isaac 
Meeks,  was  apprenticed  to  the  firm  to  learn 
the  trade  also.  Still  later  on,  Robert  bought 
the  interest  of  Nottingham,  and  was  then  the 
owner  of  the  shop — building  and  ground.  The 
firm  then  became  known  as  R.  & I.  Meeks, 
and  continued  thus  to  be  successfully  operated 
for  a series  of  years,  during  which  time  the 
old  sign  board,  which  hung  out  from  the  old 
shop,  bearing  the  letters  of  this  old  firm,  was 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


377 


synonymous  with  honesty  and  fair  dealing. 
About  tt^e  year  1871,  James  W.  Meeks,  the 
son  of  Robert,  became  a partner,  and  the 
style  of  the  firm  was  then  changed  to  R.  & I. 
Meeks  & Co.  At  this  time  a two  story  brick 
building  was  erected  on  the  southeast  corner 
of  Washington  and  Elm  streets  and  supplied 
with  engine,  boiler,  and  all  the  latest  improved 
machinery,  and  the  work  of  making  furniture 
began  on  a scale  up  to  the  requirements  of  the 
times  and  the  increasing  demands  for  their 
products.  In  the  meantime,  Isaac  Meeks  was 
in  charge  of  the  sales  department  and  storage 
rooms,  located  in  their  brick  business  block  on 
east  Main  street,  while  Robert  and  his  son 
James  were  in  charge  of  the  manufacturing 
shops  as  described. 

This  partnership  between  the  elder  Meeks 
brothers  lasted  until  the  death  of  Isaac,  on 
the  1 6th  day  of  January,  1891.  It  is  a curious 
fact  that,  while  the  business  of  making  and 
selling  furniture,  in  connection  with  their  large 
undertaking  business  and  funeral  directorship, 
has  increased  to  almost  abnormal  proportions, 
Amos  Meeks,  the  old  father  of  Robert  and 
Isaac,  nearly  fifty  years  ago  seriously  wondered 
what  they  would  do  with  the  vast  accumula- 
tion of  furniture  after  they  had  once  supplied 
the' local  demand;  when  the  real  fact  is,  the 
demand  has  always  increased  in  a ratio  faster 
than  their  facilities  were  able  to  supply.  The 
factory  was’  run  to  its  full  capacity  until  1 890, 
when  it  took  fire  and  was  totally  consumed. 
It  was  never  rebuilt,  and  on  January  2,  1892, 
old  uncle  Robert  Meeks,  as  he  is  familiarly 
called,  accidentally  met  with  a fall,  by  which 
his  leg  and  hip  were  broken,  which  confined 
him  to  his  bed  and  house;  since  which  time, 
owing  to  extreme  lameness,  he  has  lived  in 
retirement,  resting  as  well  as  possible  on  his 
well  earned  competency.  This  can  certainly 
be  all  the  better  appreciated,  when  it  is  con- 
sidered that  Mr.  Meeks  worked  the  first  winter. 


after  he  learned  his  trade,  and  received  only 
seventy-five  cents  in  money,  and  took  the  rest 
due  him  in  other  articles.  During  his  term  of 
apprenticeship,  he  got  only  his  board  and  the 
making  of  one  overcoat,  and  at  the  end  of  the 
first  year,  as  such,  he  was  as  good  a workman 
as  any  man  in  the  shop,  and  was  able,  in  1848, 
to  pay  $450  for  a half  interest  in  their  shop  and 
building,  and  now  the  entire  business  of  the 
concern,  including  undertaking,  which  he  had 
carried  on  from  the  very  start,  is  under  the 
exclusive  management  of  his  three  sons,  James 
W. , William  A.,  and  IMartin  L.  Meeks,  the 
last  two  having  joined  the  firm  of  R.  Meeks  & 
Son  in  the  year  1880,  while  his  youngest  son, 
Jacob  Arthur,  is  associated  in  business  with 
James  Boyce,  of  Muncie,  a sketch  of  each  of 
them  appearing  in  our  lists  of  biographies. 
Robert  Meeks  was  married,  in  1 846,  to  Miss 
Sarah  Jones,  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Beersheba 
Jones,  who  has  been  a faithful  and  devoted 
wife  and  mother  and  a helpmate,  indeed,  to  a 
worthy  husband. 


AMES  W.  MEEKS  is  the  eldest  son  of 
Robert  and  Sarah  Meeks.  He  was 
born  in  Muncie,  Ind. , December  14, 
1848,  and  received  a common  school 
education,  graduating  from  the  Muncie  high 
school  in  the  class  of  1870.  He  had  spent 
most  all  his  vacations  and  other  spare  time  in 
the  furniture  factory  of  R.  & I.  Meeks,  of 
which  firm  his  father  was  a member,  and  after 
graduation  went  into  the  employ  of  said  firm 
and  worked  one  year.  In  the  year  1871,  he 
became  a member  of  the  firm,  when  it  was 
1 changed  to  R.  & I.  Meeks  & Co.,  and  has 
I been  actively  engaged  in  this  occupation  ever 
I since.  From  1871  to  1890,  he  was  superin- 
tendent and  foreman  of  the  furniture  factory, 

1 which  was  established  about  1871,  located  on 


878 


MUNCIE  CITY 


Washington  and  Elm  streets,  and  is  now  the 
oldest  active  member  of  the  firm  of  R.  Meeks 
& Sons,  which  is  the  oldest  furniture  and  un- 
dertaking establishment  in  the  county,  cover- 
ing, as  it  does,  a half  century  of  continuous 
operation,  and  therefore  one  of  the  best  and 
most  favorably  known  institutions  in  eastern 
Indiana.  Their  storage  and  sales  departments 
occupy  the  first,  second  and  third  floors  of 
their  large  brick  business  block.  No.  1 1 5 east 
Main  street,  in  Muncie,  where  they  carry  a 
most  complete  line  of  the  latest  style  and  best 
made  furniture  and  caskets,  and  from  their 
well  established  reputation  for  honesty  and  fair 
dealing,  do  a very  extensive  retail  business. 
He  and  all  his  brothers  are  practical  under- 
takers and  funei'al  directors.  They  furnish  a 
free  ambulance,  and  are  often  called  to  the 
most  remote  parts  of  the  county.  He  was 
married  on  June  27,  1876,  to  Louisa  C., 

daughter  of  Joseph  and  Mary  Hummel. 
Three  children  have  been  born  to  them — 
Amelia  B. , Sarah  M.  and  Robert  H.  Meeks. 
He  h as  a beautiful  home,  and,  being  a tireless 
worker  and  having  a taste  for  horticulture,  has 
beautiful  surroundings  and  all  the  home  com- 
forts, and  takes  great  delight  in  showing  speci- 
mens of  his  home-grown  grapes  and  other 
fruits.  He  is  a worthy  member  of  the  I.  O. 
O.  F.  and  its  encampment,  and  in  the  lodge 
he  has  passed  all  the  officers’  chairs.  He  was 
one  of  the  incorporators  of  the  Merchants’ 
National  bank  of  Muncie,  and  is  one  of  the 
board  of  directors  of  the  same.  Mr.  Meeks 
is  also  a faithful  and  consistent  member  of  the 
High  street  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and 
at  present  fills  the  office  of  steward,  and  is 
treasurer  of  the  Preachers’  Aid  society  of  the 
North  Indiana  conference  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church.  Charity  never  makes  a 
call  in  vain  on  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Meeks,  and  both 
are  untiring  in  church  work,  while  Sunday 
schools  receive  much  of  their  attention. 


m. 


■^ILLIAM  A.  MEEKS,  second  son  of 
Robert  and  Sarah  Meeks,  was  born 
in  Muncie,  Ind. , April  8,  1851,  and 
received  the  educational  benefits  of 
the  Muncie  schools,  graduating  in  the  higher 
branches  in  the  class  of  1870.  He  worked  six- 
teen months  at  the  harness  making  trade,  then 
entered  the  furniture  factory  of  his  father  and 
brother  in  the  year  1872,  where  he  continued 
to  work  until  the  steadily  increasing  demands 
made  upon  the  Main  street  store  and  under- 
taking department  had  caused  it  to  grow  to 
such  proportions  that  he  was  compelled  to 
transfer  his  help  to  that  department,  where  he 
has  remained  ever  since.  He  became  a part- 
ner in  the  concern  in  the  year  1881,  and  by  his 
zeal  and  efficient  help  has  contributed  his  full 
share  to  the  success  of  the  business.  He  was 
married  on  October  17,  1883,  to  Miss  Mary  C. 
Dungan,  daughter  of  ex-Sheriff  John  W.  Dun- 
gan.  Her  mother’s  maiden  name  was  Edith 
Dragoo,  who  was  a sister  to  John  W.  and  Will- 
iam Di'agoo,  the  latter  being  ex-auditor  of 
Delaware  county.  He  is  a member  of  the  I. 
O.  O.  F.  and  K.  of  P.  lodges,  and  is  now  the 
recording  steward  and  secretary  of  the  official 
board  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  of 
this  city. 


(D 


ARTIN  L.  MEEKS  is  the  third  son 
of  Robert  and  Sarah  Meeks,  and 
was  born  in  Muncie,  Ind.,  October 
I,  1853,  and,  like  his  brothers,  grad- 
uated from  the  Muncie  high  school  in  1872. 
In  the  fall  of  the  same  year  he  went  into  the 
furniture  factory  of  R.  & I.  Meeks  & Co.  and 
learned  the  wood  turning  trade.  Immediately 
thereafter  he  took  charge  of  the  undertaking 
business  of  that  firm,  and  for  the  last  twenty 
years  has  had  exclusive  charge  of  the  same. 
During  this  time  he  has  attended  personally 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


379 


a large  number  of  the  funerals  that  have  occur- 
red at  various  times  in  Muncie.  He  has  re- 
ceived instructions  in  this  art  from  the  most 
eminent  professional  embalmers,  and  keeps  up 
with  all  the  improved  methods  that  are  con- 
stantly being  made  in  the  line  of  his  profession. 
He  became  a partner  in  the  firm  of  R.  & I. 
Meeks  & Co.  in  i88i,  and  now  owns  a one-  | 
third  interest  in  the  whole  concern.  He  was 
married  November  21,  1876,  to  Miss  Carrie 
Clark,  daughter  of  Robert  and  Fannie  Clark, 
of  Delaware  county.  Four  children  have  been 
born  to  them,  two  sons  and  two  daughters: 
Arthur  C.,  Earnest  S.,  Mary  W.  and  Fannie, 
the  latter  having  died  October  29,  1887,  at  the 
age  of  eight  years,  seven  months  and  fifteen 
days.  Martin  L.  Meeks  and  family,  in  com- 
mon with  all  of  the  families  of  the  name,  are 
active  and  consistent  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church. 


ACOB  ARTHUR  MEEKS,  the  young- 
est son  of  Robert  and  Sarah  Meeks, 
was  born  in  Muncie,  January  15,  1856. 
He  attended  the  public  schools,  and 
graduated  from  the  high  school  in  1873.  His 
vacations  from  boyhood  had  been  utilized  by 
clerking  in  a grocery,  and  he  was  thus  largely 
employed  by  Maddy,  Burt  & Kirby  until  1877. 
In  that  year  he  completed  a commercial  course 
in  the  Miami  Commercial  college,  at  Dayton, 
Ohio.  In  1878  he  was  bookkeeper  for  a 
wholesale  hat  house  at  Toledo,  Ohio.  March 
I,  1880,  he  entered  the  employ  of  James  Boyce 
as  bookkeeper  in  his  bagging  factory,  and  on 
August  I,  1881,  he  purchased  an  eighth  inter- 
est in  the  plant.  The  day  following  his  pur- 
chase the  entire  factory  burned  down,  entailing 
a heavy  loss,  as  the  ratio  of  insurance  was 
small,  and  the  year  following  another  dis- 
astrous conflagration  occasioned  a loss  of  $20,- 


000,  principally  on  manufactured  stock.  Mr. 
Meeks  continued  in  the  manufacture  of  bagging 
with  Mr.  Boyce  until  1885,  when  they  sold 
their  entire  plant  to  the  Muncie  Bagging  com- 
pany. In  the  same  year  he  purchased  a half 
interest  of  James  Boyce  in  the  Muncie  Handle 
works,  and  operated  that  plant  successfully 
until  it  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  April,  1893. 
The  loss,  however,  was  largely  covered  by  in- 
surance, and  in  six  weeks  thereafter  the  works 
were  rebuilt  and  ready  for  operation.  They 
employ  a complement  of  thirty  hands,  and  an- 
nually make  from  50,000  to  75,000  dozen  of 
“D”  and  long  shovel  handles.  Mr.  Meeks  is 
also  interested  in  the  Boyce  Rivet  company, 
and  devotes  his  entire  time  to  the  management 
of  these  industries.  He  was  married,  in  1879, 
to  Miss  Lydia  Gray,  daughter  of  J.  M,  Gray, 
now  a resident  of  Anderson,  and  of  this  union 
there  is  one  son,  Erie  G.  Meeks. 


IRx\M  MESSERSMITH,  real  estate 
dealer  of  Muncie,  was  born  near  the 
Tippecanoe  battle  ground,  Tippeca- 
noe county,  Ind. , September  1 1 , 1 840. 
His  ancestors  were  early  settlers  of  Virginia, 
from  which  state  his  grandparents  immigrated 
to  Indiana  many  years  ago,  locating  in  the 
county  of  Eayette.  His  father,  Samuel  Messer- 
smith,  was  born  in  the  year  1807,  and  early  in 
life  became  a skillful  manufacturer  of  edged 
tools,  in  which  line  of  work  his  antecedents  for 
several  generations  had  excelled.  Samuel 
Messersmith  married  Miss  Charity  Freeman,  a 
native  of  New  York,  and  began  housekeeping 
at  Metamora,  Franklin  county,  Ind.,  where 
I Mr.  Messersmith  for  some  time  carried  on  a 
j general  blacksmithing  business.  Subsequently 
I he  removed  to  Connersville  and  worked  at  his 
trade,  and  later  moved  to  the  country  and  for 
I several  years  carried  on  farming  in  connection 


380 


MUNCIE  CITY 


with  blacksinithing.  His  next  move  was  to 
Tippecanoe  county,  where  he  resided  until  one 
year  after  the  birth  of  Hiram,  at  which  time 
he  emigrated  to  Iowa  and  entered  government 
land  in  the  vicinity  of  Des  Moines,  a part  of 
which  city  now  occupies  a portion  of  his  origi- 
nal purchase.  Two  years  later  he  returned  to 
Indiana  and  located  in  Kush  county,  where, 
owing  to  sickness,  superinduced  by  the  expo- 
sure incident  to  his  constantly  moving  from 
place  to  place,  he  died  in  the  fall  of  1843.  Six 
children  were  born  to  Samuel  and  Charity 
Messersmith,  namely:  Almarine,  Ephraim, 

Nancy,  Sarah,  Hiram  and  Clarissa;  of  these 
Nancy  and  Sarah  are  dead;  the  mother  still 
survives  and  makes  her  home  with  her  young- 
est daughter  at  Connersville.  She  has  reached 
the  ripe  old  age  of  eighty-two  years  and  pos- 
sesses, in  a marked  degree,  her  physical  and 
mental  faculties. 

Hiram  Messersmith  was  but  three  years  of 
age  when  his  father  died,  after  which  event  he 
was  taken  by  his  mother  to  Columbia,  Fayette 
county,  where  his  boyhood  days  were  passed. 
He  w'orked  at  various  occupations  until  the 
age  of  sixteen,  when  he  learned  the  plasterer's 
trade,  which  he  followed  at  Connersville  and 
vicinity  until  1865,  in  the  meantime  spending 
thirteen  months  in  the  army.  In  that  year  he 
went  to  Danville,  111.,  and,  after  becoming 
comfortably  located  in  that  city,  returned  to 
Indiana  and  married,  on  the  4th  day  of  Octo- 
ber, 1865,  Miss  Sarah  H.  Lister,  who  accom- 
panied him  to  his  new  home.  In  1869  Mr. 
Messersmith  purchased  a farm  about  six  miles 
southwest  of  Connersville,  near  his  old  home, 
and  for  eight  years  thereafter  was  engaged  in 
agricultural  pursuits.  He  abandoned  farming 
in  1877,  and,  moving  to  Glenwood,  Rush 
county,  embarked  in  the  drug  business,  which 
he  carried  on  for  a period  of  eleven  years. 
Disposing  of  his  drug  stock  in  1888,  Mr. 
Messersmith  came  to  Muncie  and  engaged  in 


the  grocery  trade,  but  after  a few  months 
severed  his  connection  with  merchandising 
and  opened  a real  estate  office  and  has  since 
been  extensively  engaged  in  real  estate  trans- 
actions in  Delaware  and  other  counties.  The 
following  are  the  names  of  the  children  born 
to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Messersmith;  Della,  wife  of 
K.  L.  Gwymi;  Gustave  and  a deceased  infant. 
Mr.  Messersmith  is  a democrat  in  politics  and 
a member  of  the  I.  O O.  F.  While  not  a 
member  of  any  church  he  is  a believer  in  the 
truths  of  the  Bible  and  contributes  liberally  to 
all  religious  and  charitable  purposes.  His  wife 
is  a member  of  the  Presbyterian  denomination 
— a lady  highly  respected  by  all  who  know  her. 

At  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  Mr.  Messer- 
smith enlisted,  at  the  age  of  twent3^  in  company 
E,  One  Hundred  and  Sixteenth  Indiana  volun- 
teer infantry,  which  was  mustered  in  at  Con- 
nersville for  the  three  months’  service.  His 
military  record  began  at  the  first  call  of  the 
president  for  volunteers,  three  days  after  the 
firing  on  Fort  Sumter.  While  he  was  absent 
at  home  on  a furlough  his  regiment  left  for  the 
front.  In  company  with  five  others  he  solic- 
ited aid  from  the  citizens  of  Richmond  to  enable 
him  to  rejoin  it.  He  rode  in  a cattle  car  to 
Baltimore,  Md.,  but  on  reaching  that  city 
learned,  to  his  great  surprise  and  vexation, 
that  the  regiment  had  left  sometime  previous. 
Accordingly,  he  remained  with  the  Twenty-first 
regiment  for  two  weeks,  in  the  meantime 
doing  his  utmost  to  ascertain  the  whereabouts 
of  his  command.  Through  the  kind  offices  of 
Gen.  Hicks  he  secured  transportation  to  Point 
of  Rocks,  Md. , but  the  only  information  he 
received  there  was  that  the  regiment  had  passed 
through  the  place  about  two  weeks  before. 
He  at  once  formed  the  resolution  of  following 
on  foot,  and  after  a number  of  days’  rambling 
from  place  to  place,  at  length  succeeded  in  over- 
taking his  comrades  one  nightfall  in  camp  near 
what  was  then  known  as  Sugar  Loaf  Mountain. 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


381 


Mr.  Messersmith  was  in  the  army  for  a period  of 
thirteen  months  and  received  an  honorable 
discharge  from  the  service  at  Washington,  D.  C. 


AMES  MILLER,  a brief  review  of 
whose  life  is  herewith  presented,  was 
born  October  27,  1836,  in  Dayton, 

Montgomery  county,  Ohio.  James 
Miller,  the  father,  a farmer  by  occupation, 
was  a native  of  Adams  county,  Ohio,  and  later 
became  a resident  of  Dayton,  to  which  city  he 
removed  about  the  year  1830.  He  married, 
in  his  native  state,  Martha  J.  Lynn,  who  bore 
him  eleven  children,  six  of  whom  are  living  at 
this  time,  James  being  the  sixth  member  of 
the  famil}'.  James  Miller,  Sr.,  died  in  1876, 
while  on  a tour  through  the  west  in  search  of 
a location;  Mrs.  Miller  is  still  living  at  her 
home  in  Dayton,  Ohio. 

James  Miller  was  reared  on  a farm  n'^ar 
Dayton,  and  received  his  education  in  the 
schools  of  that  city.  When  the  war  cloud 
appeared  in  1861,  he  enlisted  in  the  fall  of 
that  year  in  the  Seventy-fourth  Ohio  volun- 
teer infantry,  was  mustered  into  the  service  at 
Xenia,  Ohio,  after  which  the  regiment  went 
into  camp  at  Columbus.  Lrom  Camp  Chase 
the  command  went  to  Nashville,  Tenn.,  and 
joined  the  army  of  the  Cumberland  under 
Gen.  Rosecrans,  and  its  first  active  participa- 
tion in  the  war  was  at  Bowling  Green,  Ky. 
Mr.  Miller  took  part  at  Stone  River,  Chicka- 
mauga,  Mission  Ridge,  Buzzard’s  Roost, 
Resaca,  Big  Shanty,  Kenesaw  Mountain, 
Manetta,  Chattahootchee,  Atlanta,  Jonesboro, 
Savannah  and  Bentonville,  and  was  with 
Sherman  in  the  celebrated  march  from 
Atlanta  to  the  sea.  He  was  fortunate  in 
escaping  with  but  a single  wound,  received  at 
Stone  River,  and  he  points  with  pride  to  the 
fact  that  during  the  long  period  of  service 


he  never  missed  a muster,  or  a battle 
in  which  his  regiment  was  engaged. 
Mr.  Miller  received  his  discharge  at  Golds- 
boro, N.  C.,  and  immediately  returned  to 
Ohio  and  resumed  the  pursuit  of  agriculture 
in  Montgomery  county.  After  three  years 
thus  spent  he  located  on  a farm  in  Madison 
county,  Ind.,  not  far  from  Anderson,  where  a 
little  later  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Nancy  jane  Myer.  After  farming  there  seven 
years  he  removed  to  the  city  of  Muncie,  where 
for  a period  of  live  years  he  followed  the  tim- 
ber business,  buying  extensively  throughout 
Delaware,  Madison  and  other  counties  of  cen- 
tral and  eastern  Indiana.  In  the  spring  of 
1883  Mr.  Miller  was  appointed  a patrolman  of 
Muncie,  served  with  great  credit  for  eight 
years,  and  was  then  elected  city  marshal. 
His  popularity  with  the  people,  irrespective  of 
political  affiliation,  is  sufficiently  attested  by 
the  fact  of  his  having  been  elected  to  the 
office  of  marshal  as  a democrat,  overcoming  a 
republican  majority  of  700,  and  receiving  622 
more  votes  than  his  competitor.  Mr.  Miller 
proved  himself  a very  capable  and  efficient 
guardian  of  the  peace,  was  popular  with  all, 
courteous  in  the  discharge  of  his  official  func- 
tions, and  it  is  a compliment  well  deserved  to 
accord  him  a prominent  place  among  the 
most  capable  and  painstaking  officials  of  Mun- 
cie, having  been  appointed  superintendent  of 
police  March  17,  1893,  and  holding  that  posi- 
tion at  present.  Mr.  Miller  belongs  to  the 
G.  A.  R.  and  I.  O.  R.  M.,  in  both  of  which 
fraternities  he  is  an  active  worker.  The  fol- 
lowing are  the  names  of  the  children  born  to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Miller;  Margaret  Jane,  Charles 
Andrew,  James  Lranklin,  John  Andrew,  IMary 
Lrances,  William  Wilbert,  Earl  Clarence  and 
Harry  Miller.  It  will  be  seen  from  the  above 
that  James  Miller  was  not  only  a brave  soldier 
in  conquering  a peace,  but  has  been  equally 
brave  in  preserving  it. 


882 


MUNCIE  CITY 


ARIUS  CLINTON  MITCHELL  oc-  | 
cupies  a very  important  position  [ 
among  the  well  known  and  promi-  ■ 
nent  business  men  of  Mimcie,  Ind. 
He  was  born  in  Clarke  county,  Ohio,  April  3, 
1851,  son  of  Joseph  R.  and  Sarah  (Saylorj  j 
Mitchell,  natives  of  that  county,  who  in  1865' 
came  to  Muncie,  where  the  father  was  engaged  j 
in  contracting  and  building  for  about  twelve  ! 
years,  but  is  now  living  retired.  The  mother  ] 
passed  from  earth  in  1880.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Mitchell  reared  four  sons,  as  follows:  William 
H.,  superintendent  of  the  Indiana  Bridge] 
company,  of  Muncie;  Alpheus,  of  Detroit, 
Mich.  ; Joseph,  a resident  of  Indianapolis,  and 
Darius  C.  Darius  C.  Mitchell  was  educated 
in  the  public  schools  of  Muncie,  served  an 
apprenticeship  to  the  trade  of  carpenter  in  1 
Indianapolis,  and  as  early  as  1872  began  con-  ^ 
tracting  in  Muncie,  which  has  resulted  in  the 
following  record  of  hne  buildings  erected  by 
him;  The  New  Southern  hotel,  at  a cost  of  I 
$17,000;  Central  block,  at  a cost  of  $16,000; 
Fred  Klopfer’s  building,  $9,800;  George  Bow- 
er’s block,  $7,000;  Eagle  block,  $9,000; 
Branch  Brothers'  block,  $8,000;  Leager  Block, 
$5,000;  Boyce  block  (rebuilt),  $9,000;  Or- 
phans’ Home,  $8,500;  Architectural  Iron 
works,  $7,500;  Shoe  factory,  $7,000;  Muncie 
Glass  factory,  $4,500;  Muncie  Casket  factory, 
$10,000;  Ball  Bros.  Glass  works,  $5,000; 
Muncie  Rubber  works,  $3,000;  David  Cam- 
mack,  residence,  $5,000;  twenty-five  houses 
in  Boyceton,  $15,000;  twenty  houses  in  Avon- 
dale, $16,000;  fifty  houses.  Homestead  com- 
pany, $28,000;  the  Common  Sense  Engine  I 
works;  J.  H.  Smith’s  residence;  William  E. 
Hitchcock’s  residence;  the  R.  E.  Hill  Knit- 
ting works,  and  the  Nelson  Glass  works. 

Mr.  Mitchell  has  always  taken  a prominent  j 
part  in  everything  that  has  seemed  to  offer  | 
benefit  to  the  city,  and  was  one  of  the  lai'gest  | 
contributors  to  the  Citizens’  Enterprise  com-  ! 


pany,  and  was  a stockholder  in  the  first  gas 
well  company.  In  politics  Mr.  Mitchell  is  a 
firm  republican,  and  stanchly  upholds  the  prin- 
ciples of  his  party  upon  ever}’  occasion.  In  a 
social  way,  he  is  a prominent  member  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity,  having  gone  from  the  Blue 
lodge  on  to  the  Mystic  Shrine,  and  takes  a deep 
interest  in  the  workings  of  the  different  lodges. 
Mr.  Mitchell  was  married,  in  1872,  to  Miss 
Elmira  Newcomb,  a daughter  of  Lyman  B. 
Newcomb,  of  Yorktown,  Ind..  and  he  is  the 
father  of  four  children,  as  follows  : Lillian, 

Gertrude,  Fern  and  Horace  Irvin.  He  and 
family  are  members  of  the  High  street  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  church,  in  which  he  holds  the 
office  of  steward.  He  is  a free  supporter  of 
all  churches  and  benevolent  organizations,  and 
is  considered  one  of  the  most  enterprising  and 
valuable  of  the  business  men  of  the  city  of 
Muncie. 

The  high  standing  in  the  social  circles  of 
Muncie  occupied  by  Mr.  Mitchell  and  his  family 
has  been  worthily  won  by  that  gentleman,  and 
the  citizens  may  well  congratulate  themselves 
on  the  fact  that  he  so  early  took  up  his  resi- 
dence among  them,  for  his  presence  here  has 
certainly  done  much  toward  lifting  the  city  to 
its  present  high  position  as  the  chief  among  the 
manufacturing  points  of  the  natural  gas  belt. 


ARVEY  MITCHELL,  M.  D.,  was 
born  in  Greene  county.  Pa.,  July  21, 
1825,  and  is  the  son  of  Thomas  and 
Sarah  Mitchell,  both  parents  natives 
of  the  same  county  and  state.  Thomas  Mitchell 
was  born  March,  1801,  married  in  1822  Sarah 
Shideler,  whose  birth  occurred  in  the  year  1802, 
and  in  1830  emigrated  to  Ohio,  locating  in 
Miami  county,  where  he  engaged  in  the  pursuit 
of  agriculture.  He  died  in  Ohio,  September, 
1861,  after  which  event  his  widow  went  to 


D.  C.  MITCHELL. 


MRS.  ELMIRA  MITCHELL. 


* ■■■  ■" 

, . iV;  .:>.. 


3 


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\ 


: 

*-^ 

-.  :^| 
■M 

■ 


; I 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


383 


California,  where  she  departed  this  life  at  the 
home  of  her  only  daughter,  Mrs.  Carl,  in  the 
year  1866.  Thomas  and  Sarah  Mitchell  were 
people  of  sterling  worth  and  for  many  years 
leading  members  of  the  Christian  church. 
They  reared  the  following  children:  John  A., 

a successful  farmer  of  Troy,  Ohio;  Dr.  Harvey, 
the  subject  of  this  mention;  Isaac,  a w'ell 
known  physician  of  Greenville,  Ohio;  Margaret, 
wife  of  Wesley  Carl,  a miner  of  California; 
Shadrach,  farmer,  residing  in  Dane  county, 
Mas.,  and  David,  a railroad  engineer,  w'hose 
home  is  in  California. 

The  early  years  of  Dr.  Mitchell  were  spent 
on  the  home  farm,  and  his  educational  train- 
ing embraced  the  studies  usually  taught  in  the 
common  schools  of  that  period.  At  the  age  of 
seventeen  he  yielded  to  an  inclination  of  sev- 
eral years’  standing  and  began  the  study  of 
medicine,  subsequently  taking  a full  course  in 
the  Medical  college  at  Columbus,  Ohio,  from 
which  he  was  graduated  in  1850.  Thoroughly 
prepared  for  the  active  duties  of  his  chosen 
calling,  the  doctor  began  the  practice  of  the 
same  at  the  town  of  Granville,  Delaw’are  count}', 
Ind.,  in  1850,  and  continued  there  with  most 
flattering  success  for  a period  of  fourteen  years, 
removing  to  Muncie  in  1864.  From  that  date 
until  1890  he  continued  in  the  active  practice, 
but  in  the  latter  year,  on  account  of  failing 
health,  was  compelled  to  take  a long  needed 
rest,  since  which  time  he  has  gradually  retired 
from  the  profession.  In  1893  he  met  wdth  a 
painful  accident,  resulting  in  the  fracture  of 
the  bone  in  one  of  his  lower  limbs,  the  effect 
of  which  has  made  him  an  invalid,  though  he 
still  retains,  unimpaired,  all  of  his  strong  mental 
faculties.  Dr.  Mitchell  has  met  with  encour- 
aging success  in  his  profession,  and  financially 
his  expectations  have  been  more  than  realized, 
being  at  this  time  one  of  the  wealthy  men  of 
Muncie.  He  is  largely  interested  in  real  estate, 
owning  valuable  property  in  the  country  and 


city,  among  his  improvements  in  the  latter 
being  the  w'ell  known  Mitchell  block.  Orig- 
inally he  was  a supporter  of  the  democratic 
party,  but  of  late  years  has  gradually  drifted 
from  the  prnciples  of  that  political  faith,  and 
is  now  a republican.  In  his  religious  view's  he 
adheres  to  the  Christian  church,  of  w'hich  he 
has  been  a consistent  member  for  a number  of 
years. 

Dr.  Mitchell  w'as  married  in  Granville, 
Delaware  county,  Ind,,  October  9,  1853,  to 
Miss  Catherine  Ash,  who  was  born  in  Green 
county,  Ohio,  May  30,  1837,  daughter  of 

William  Ash.  Two  children  resulted  from  this 
union;  Sarah  Florence,  deceased,  and  Har- 
riet B.,  wife  of  C.  H.  Anthony. 


AMES  F.  MOCK,  senior  member  of  the 
firm  of  IMock  Bros.,  manufacturers  of 
brick  and  brick  machinery,  Muncie, 
Ind. , was  born  in  Clarke  county,  Ohio, 
October  4,  1843,  the  son  of  Peter  and  Sarah 
(Ayers)  Mock.  These  parents  were  married  in 
the  above  county  and  state  and  resided  upon 
a farm  there  until  1845,  at  w'hich  date  they  re- 
moved to  Delaw'are  county,  Ind.,  and  pur- 
chased I 20  acres  of  land  in  Centre  tow'nship, 
now  Boyceton.  They  resided  upon  this  place 
until  1851,  when  they  moved  to  what  is  now 
known  as  Mock  avenue,  Muncie,  thence,  in 
1864,  to  the  corner  of  Macedonia  and  Kirby 
avenues,  w'here  the  widow  now  resides,  Mr. 
Mock  having  died  November  ii,  1885.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Mock  were  the  parents  of  six  chil- 
dren, namely:  Mary,  wife  of  J.  Russell;  James 
F. , John  D.,  Martin  G.,  Riley  (deceased)  and 
Andrew'.  James  F.  Mock,  was  reared  to  agri- 
cultural pursuits,  received  his  education  in  the 
common  schools,  and  on  attaining  his  legal 
majority  entered  into  partnership  with  his 
father  and  brother  in  the  manufacture  of  brick 


B84 


MUNCIE  CITY 


and  drain  tile,  with  which  business  he  was  con- 
nected for  a period  of  twelve  years.  Disposing 
of  his  interest  in  the  above  business,  he  went 
to  Indianapolis  and  there  engaged  with  Cooper, 
Lamb  & Co.  in  the  manufacture  of  brick,  and 
after  one  year  thus  spent  he  was  for  the  same 
length  of  time  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
carriages.  He  then  returned  to  Mnncie  and 
continued  in  the  same  line  for  a period  of  two 
years,  meeting  with  success  in  the  meantime. 
His  next  venture  was  as  a manufacturer  of 
farm  implements,  which  he  carried  on  with  a 
fair  degree  of  success  until  i88i,  at  which 
time,  in  partnership  with  his  brother,  John  D. 
Mock,  he  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  brick 
and  brick  machinery,  a business  which  is  still 
conducted  by  the  same  firm,  and  which  has  be- 
come one  of  the  well  known  industries  of  Mun- 
cie.  The  Messrs.  Mock  employ  foity  men 
continually,  and  the  output  of  their  mill  is  es- 
timated at  over  six  million  brick  per  year, 
nearly  all  of  which  find  ready  sale  in  the  local 
market.  Mr.  Mock  was  married  November  6, 
1876,  to  Elizabeth  C.  Vannort,  who  was  born 
in  Brookville,  Ohio,  on  the  i6th  day  of  Janu- 
ary, i860,  the  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Mary 
(Williams)  Vannort.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mock 
have  been  born  the  following  children:  Annie, 
Arthur  and  Leo  C.  Politically  Mr.  Mock  is  a 
democrat,  and  as  a business  man  his  reputation 
is  not  confined  altogether  to  Mnncie  and  Dela- 
ware county,  but  extends  throughout  the  vari- 
ous parts  of  the  United  States. 


* OHN  D.  MOCK,  brother  of  the  pre- 
4 ceding,  was  born  in  Delaware  county 
A 1 February  28,  1846.  He  grew  to  man- 
hood in  his  native  county  and  early 
effected  a business  partnership  with  his  father 
and  brother,  and  for  many  years  has  been  a 
prominent  manufacturer  of  Muncie.  Mr. 


Mock  was  married  May  2,  1^70,  to  Mary 
Jackson,  daughter  of  William  and  Sarah  (Col- 
lins) Jackson,  of  Delaware  county.  Mrs. 
Mock  was  born  March  23,  1852,  in  the  county 
of  Delaware,  and  is  the  mother  of  seven  chil- 
dren, whose  names  are  as  follows:  James 
Frank,  now  bookkeeper  for  the  firm;  Wini- 
fred, deceased;  Harvey;  Jesse,  deceased;  Mil- 
dred, and  two  infants  who  died  unnamed. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mock  are  members  of  the  Bap- 
tist church  of  Muncie,  and  are  most  estimable 
and  highly  esteemed  people.  Mr.  Mock  has 
shown  commendable  energy  in  connection  with 
the  manufacturing  establishment  with  which 
he  is  identified  and  is  recognized  in  business 
circles  as  a man  of  honesty  and  integrity  of 
purpose.  He  is  a democrat  in  politics  and  a 
member  of  the  Pythian  fraternity.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Order  of  Maccabees,  and  for 
fifteen  years  has  been  a deacon  of  the  Baptist 
church  of  Muncie,  also  holding  the  position  of 
trustee  in  the  same  at  this  time.  John  D.  and 
James  F.  Mock  recently  purchased  a valuable 
tract  of  land,  consisting  of  sixty  acres,  known 
as  the  Cooper  farm,  north  of  the  city,  where 
they  now  operate  an  extensive  brick  factory, 
the  capacity  of  which  is  over  40,000  per  day, 
being  one  of  the  largest  establishments  of  the 
kind  in  Delaware  county. 


(D 


ARTIN  G.  MOCK,  a representative 
business  man  of  Muncie,  and  the 
largest  collector  of  ancient  relics, 
curios,  etc.,  in  the  west,  is  a native 
of  Delaware  county,  Ind. , a son  of  Peter  and 
Sarah  Mock,  mention  of  whom  appears  in 
connection  with  a preceding  sketch.  Martin 
G.  Mock  was  born  in  Gentre  township  on  the 
1st  day  of  May,  1848,  and  after  obtaining  an 
education,  embracing  the  curriculum  of  the 
common  schools,  engaged  with  his  father  in 


JAS.  F.  MOCK. 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


385 


the  manufacture  of  brick,  which  business  he  cal,  archaeological,  geological,  marine  and 
continued  until  1874.  From  the  latter  year  ; general  scientific  value,  and  his  large  collec- 
until  1878,  he  followed  carriage  making  with  ‘ tion,  which  is  always  open  to  the  inspection 
financial  profit  in  the  citv  of  Muncie,  and  then  , of  the  public,  represents  an  expenditure  of 


MAKTIN  G.  MOCK. 

began  dealing  in  hardware  and  furniture,  with 
which  lines  of  trade  he  was  prominently  identi- 
fied for  a period  of  nine  years.  At  the  end 
of  that  time  he  discontinued  the  hardware 
business  and  has  since  given  his  attention 
almost  exclusively  to  furniture  and  stoves  of 
all  kinds,  being  at  this  time  the  proprietor  of 
one  of  the  largest  and  best  stocked  houses  of 
the  kind  in'the  city — known  as  the  “World's 
Fair.”  His  store  rooms,  situated  on  the  cor- 
ner of  Walnut  and  Wall  streets,  are  stocked 
with  a full  line  of  all  articles  of  furniture, 
ranges,  stoves,  etc. , demanded  by  the  general 
trade,  and  his  business  has  been  conducted 
with  a wisely  directed  energy  that  has  borne 
results  of  a most  satisfactory  financial  char- 
acter. 

For  a number  of  years  Mr.  Mock  has  de- 
voted much  time  and  attention  to  the  collect- 
ing of  ancient  relics  and  curiosities  of  histori- 


MK.S.  ?.IARTH.\  D.  MOCK. 


several  thousand  dollars  in  money,  and  exten- 
sive travel  throughout  nearly  every  state  of 
the  Union.  The  collection  is  the  largest 
owned  by  any  individual  in  the  state,  if  not  in 
the  United  States,  and  compares  favorably 
with  the  public  collection  of  the  different  his- 
torical societies  throughout  the  country.  It  is 
a museum  within  itself,  and  to  enumerate  the 
man}?  curious  and  interesting  objects  with 
which  his  cabinets  are  stored  would  far  tran- 
scend the  limits  of  a sketch  of  this  character. 
As  alread}'  stated,  the  collection  is  the  result  of 
much  travel,  wide  correspondence  and  pains- 
taking research,  which  certainly  would  have 
discouraged  any  one  but  a man  actuated  by 
the  most  intense  enthusiasm  in  this  valuable 
and  fascinating  pursuit.  His  collection  of 
historical  relics  includes  many  articles  not  ob- 
tainable in  any  part  of  the  country,  embracing 
ancient  arms  of  warfare,  old  muskets,  which 


886 


MUNCIE  CITY 


did  valiant  service  in  the  hands  of  onr  fore- 
fatliers  in  the  struggle  to  throw  off  the  British 
yoke;  swords  wielded  by  the  sturdy  hands  of 
the  colonists  in  their  contests  with  the  savages 
in  ante-revolutionary  times;  curiously  wrought 
fire  arms  from  nearly  all  nations  of  the  world, 
rude  knives,  clubs,  spears,  slings  and  other 
weapons,  representing  many  of  the  savage 
tribes  in  different  parts  of  the  earth;  imple- 
ments of  domestic  use  and  instruments  of  tor- 
tile, grewsome  relics  of  savage  butchery  in  the 
early  history  of  the  country,  musical  instru- 
ments used  by  the  ancients,  interesting 
mementoes  from  the  leading  battle  fields  of  the 
United  States  and  other  countries,  and  from 
scenes  of  great  national  disasters,  personal 
belongings  of  many  of  the  leading  men  of  this 
and  other  times,  autograph  letters  of  eminent 
soldiers,  statesmen  and  other  men  of  renown, 
books,  whose  value  cannot  be  estimated,  printed 
long  before  the  existence  of  the  American  con- 
tinent was  known  to  the  civilized  world,  ancient 
coins,  bearing  the  stamp  of  rulers  who  swayed 
the  destinies  of  the  Roman  empire  before  the 
dawn  of  the  Christian  era,  old  land  grants 
bearing  the  signatures  of  the  early  presidents 
of  the  United  States,  writs  of  attachment 
issued  by  the  courts  of  the  colonies,  numerous 
missiles  picked  up  on  many  southern  battle 
fields,  remnants  of  flags  which  annimated 
brave  soldiers  in  many  bloody  struggles  of  the 
late  war,  and  hundreds  of  other  curious  and 
interesting  articles,  the  mere  mention  of  which 
would  be  an  exceedingly  difficult  undertaking. 

Among  the  many  articles  in  the  historical 
collection  deserving  of  specific  mention  the 
following  may  be  noted:  a flintlock  pistol 
made  in  1712  and  carried  by  one  of  Gen. 
Braddock’s  men  in  the  disastrous  expedition 
against  Fort  Duquesne,  a sword  carried  by 
Capt.  Riggins  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  gun 
barrel  and  six  pound  shot  found  at  Fort  Recov- 
ery, Ohio,  1791,  German  gun  elegantly  inlaid 


with  silver  bearing  the  date  of  1791,  pair  of 
pistols  made  in  London  in  1746,  a pair  of 
candelabrums  that  belonged  to  John  Quincy 
Adams — while  he  was  president  of  the  United 
States,  also  snuffer  and  trays,  and  the  hammer 
that  made  Washington’s  shoes  while  general 
of  the  army. 

The  archaeological  department  is  especially 
rare,  and  contains  many  valuable  articles  such 
as  are  found  in  no  other  private  collection  in 
the  country,  and  the  counterparts  of  which 
are  to  be  seen  in  but  few  state  historical  col- 
lections. The  collection  of  relics  from  mounds 
in  different  parts  of  the  United  States  is  es- 
pecially valuable,  and  the  well  preserved 
specimens  of  pottery,  axes,  knives,  spear  and 
arrow  heads,  and  various  stone  implements  of 
domestic  use,  speak  eloquently  of  a strange 
and  numerous  people  whose  civilization  ante- 
dated that  of  ancient  Egypt,  but  whose  his- 
tory is  forever  wrapped  up  in  the  silent 
mystery  of  the  past.  Stone  tomahawks,  flint 
knives,  darts,  pipes,  scrapers,  hoes,  war  clubs 
and  other  arms  and  numerous  specimens  of 
skillful  as  well  as  rude  ornaments,  are  among 
the  hundreds  of  relics  of  the  aboriginal  period, 
while  implements  and  arms  of  a more  recent 
type,  namely,  iron  and  brass  hatchets,  bows 
and  arrows,  knives,  guns,  etc. , etc. , represent 
the  more  modern  status  of  the  Indian  tribes 
of  the  United  States.  A lover  of  books  could 
desire  no  greater  pleasure  than  to  linger  awhile 
among  the  ancient  and  rare  volumes  in  Mr. 
Mock’s  collection,  some  of  which  represent  the 
earliest  stages  of  the  art  preservative,  and 
speak  of  an  age  when  only  the  wealthy  could 
afford  to  gratify  the  taste  for  literature.  In 
this  department  may  be  noted  a Latin  book 
250  years  old,  Luther’s  translation  of  the 
Bible  346  years  old,  a complete  set  of  Peter 
Pindar’s  works,  very  rare;  school  books  of  all 
kinds,  readers  and  spellers  used  in  our  country 
in  pioneer  times,  papers  printed  during  the 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


887 


Revolutionary  period,  complete  files  of  the 
Illustrated  Press  printed  during  the  late  war, 
and  other  publications,  manuscripts,  etc. , too 
numerous  to  mention. 

In  addition  to  the  numerous  articles,  of 
which  but  a mere  mention  has  been  made,  Mr. 
Mock  has  a large  and  valuable  collection  of 
geological  specimens,  many  varieties  of  marine 
plants  and  animals  of  great  scientific  value, 
many  of  which  were  gathered  by  himself,  in 
his  travels  and  search  after  treasures.  His 
large  collection  of  ancient  clocks,  watches  and 
sun  dials  is  very  valuable,  and  other  specimens 
of  skilled  workmanship  from  many  countries 
cannot  be  duplicated  in  any  other  collection  in 
the  west.  All  in  all,  the  collection  is  a very 
creditable  one  and  its  value  cannot  be  estimated 
in  dollars  and  cents.  Mr.  Mock  certainly 
deserves  great  credit  for  getting  together  so 
many  rare  and  interesting  articles,  and  the  col- 
lection represents  the  labors  of  no  ordinary 
mind  in  this  field  of  research. 

Mr.  Mock  was  married  October  19,  1871, 
to  Miss  Martha  D.  Langdon,  a native  of  Law- 
rence county,  Ohio,  born  September  5,  1855, 
daughter  of  Elijah  J.  and  Lucinda  (Yingling) 
Langdon.  The  wedded  life  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Mock  has  been  crowned  with  the  birth  of  four 
children:  Pearl  (dead),  Robert  (living),  and 

Minnie,  and  an  infant  that  died  unnamed.  Mr. 
Mock  wields  an  influence  for  the  democratic 
party,  but  has  never  been  an  aspirant  for  politi- 
cal recognition  or  a seeker  after  the  emolu- 
ments of  office.  Religiously  he  is  a Baptist, 
to  which  church  his  wife  and  son  also  belong, 
both  being  valuable  members  of  the  Muncie 
congregation.  He  is  an  active  worker  in  sev- 
eral fraternal  orders,  in  which  he  has  held 
important  official  positions:  He  is  P.  G.  S., 

Improved  O.  R.  M.  ; P.  C.,  K.  of  P. ; member 
of  the  I.  O.  O. ; F.  P.  M.  W.,  A.  O.  U.  W. ; 
S.  V.  K. , K.  of  P.  ; second  vice-chieftain  Na- 
tional Chieftains’  League,  I.  O.  R.  M.  Per- 


sonally Mr.  Mock  enjo}'S  popularit}^  with  all 
classes,  and  his  life  has  been  characterized  by 
a uniform  kindness  and  courtesy  that  are  com- 
mendable in  every  respect.  His  many  sterling 
qualities  of  mind  and  heart  have  won  for  him 
the  confidence  and  esteem  of  all,  and  it  is  with 
pleasure  that  his  biographical  sketch  is  here- 
with presented  with  those  of  other  representa- 
tive citizens  of  Delaware  county. 


R.  ANDREW  R.  MOCK,  son  of  Peter 
and  Sarah  M.  (Ayers)  Mock,  was 
born  near  Muncie,  March  13,  1859, 
and  received  his  early  education  in 
the  common  schools  of  the  city.  In  his  youth 
and  earl}'  manhood  he  was  employed  in  farm- 
ing and  brickmaking,  and  in  his  maturer  years 
became  a street  contractor.  But  medicine 
early  attracted  his  attention,  and  for  some 
time  he  was  a student  in  the  office  of  Dr.  D. 
Schaub,  of  Muncie.  In  1882  he  graduated 
from  the  vitapathic  school  of  the  American 
Health  co’lege,  and  for  three  years  was  engaged 
in  active  practice,  and  still  occasionally  con- 
sents to  give  professional  advice  in  urgent 
cases.  The  system  includes  the  clairvoyant 
diagnosis  of  diseases  and  the  magnetic  and 
massage  treatment.  In  1888  he  entered 
largely  upon  taking  street  contracts,  and  im- 
proved several  of  the  principal  avenues  of  the 
city,  graveling  Ohmer  avenue  three  miles, 
Macedonia  avenue  one-half  mile,  and  finishing: 
Heekin  avenue  over  a half  mile,  and  also 
graveling  other  streets  and  sidewalks,  employ- 
ing in  active  times  twelve  to  fifteen  men,  five 
teams  of  his  own,  and  hiring  others. 

The  doctor  was  married,  in  1883,  to  Miss 
Lillie  F.  Stewart,  daughter  of  Mark  O.  and 
Hannah  M.  (Beerner)  Stewart,  and  this  union 
has  been  blessed  with  the  birth  of  five  chil- 
dren, viz:  Calaburn,  George  A.,  Ada  May, 


388 


MUNCIE  CITY 


Mabel  and  Grover  Mock.  The  doctor  and 
his  wife  are  among  the  respected  members  of 
Mnncie  society,  and  enjoy  the  rejmtation  of 
being  among  the  foremost  to  forward  every 
enterprise  calculated  to  advance  the  moral  and 
material  progress  of  the  city  of  Mnncie. 


^V^AKKHK  kfOOKE,  one  of  the  oldest 
1 M ami  most  respected  agriculturists  of 
M Centre  township,  Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  deserves  to  the  full  a brief 

notice  among  those  other  worthies  of  the 

township  of  whom  mention  is  made  in  these 
pages.  He  was  born  February  28,  1826,  in 
Scioto  county,  Ohio.  His  father,  Lewis 
Moore,  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  January  4, 
1797,  and  on  the  4th  day  of  January,  1816, 
married  Patience  Truitt,  a native  of  Arm- 
strong county,  Pa.,  then  residing  in  Scioto 

county,  Ohio.  They  were  the  parents  of  ten 

children,  namely:  Nancy,  Aaron,  Amanda, 

Khoda,  Parker,  John,  Lewis,  Sarah,  Mary  and 
Patience,  of  whom  Nancy,  Aaron  and  John 
are  deceased.  The  father  was  a farmer,  and 
followed  that  occupation  during  life.  He 
sometimes  built  flat  boats  while  living  in  Ohio, 
and,  loading  them  with  produce,  sold  it  to 
towns  along  the  river.  He  came  with  his 
family  to  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  in  1829,  and 
entered  land  in  Centre  township,  where  he 
claimed  and  proved  a farm.  He  died  Novem- 
ber 20,  1841.  His  wdfe  died  September  22, 
1874. 

Parker  Moore  w'as  but  three  years  of  age 
when  he  came  to  this  country,  and  grew  up 
with  but  very  limited  educational  advantages. 
At  the  age  of  twenty-three  years  he  married 
Miss  Martha,  daughter  of  John  and  Harriet 
Smith,  who  died  December  10,  1871,  leaving 
four  children — Caroline,  William  R. , George 
W.  and  Parker  T.  August  8,  1872,  he  was 


united  in  marriage  wdth  Mrs.  Christina,  daugh- 
ter of  Gilpin  E.  Cook,  and  widow  of  the  late 
Andrew  N.  Ribble,  of  this  county.  Her  par- 
ents came  to  Delaware  county  in  1846,  where 
the  mother  died  in  1854.  The  father  then 
i moved  to  Blackford  county,  Ind. , where  he 
was  engaged  in  milling  operations  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  1861.  Mrs.  Moore 
died  July  17,  1876.  April  16,  1887,  Mr. 

Moore  was  wedded  to  his  present  companion. 
Miss  Mary  Cook,  of  this  county,  and  the 
daughter  ot  Gilpin  and  Sarah  (Bush)  Cook, 
who  were  natives  of  Pennsylvania  and  who 
are  both  now  deceased.  Mr.  Moore  is  one  of 
the  representative  men  of  this  township  and 
j occupies  the  old  homestead  farm.  He  is  a 
j successful  farmer  and  an  active  friend  to  pub- 
I lie  improvements  and  the  cause  of  education. 
He  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  and  they  enjoy  the  good 
will  of  all  who  know  them.  He  is  one  of  the 
earnest  republicans  of  this  county  and  has 
been  voting  that  ticket  since  the  organization 
of  the  party  in  i 854. 


■^ILLIAM  R.  MOORE,  the  subject  of 
of  this  sketch,  is  an  old  Delaware 
county  boy,  born  and  reared  in  this 
county,  where  he  has  spent  all  of 
his  life,  with  the  exception  of  about  eighteen 
years.  He  is  one  of  a family  of  eight  children, 
the  son  of  William  J.  and  Sarah  Moore,  nee 
Wilcoxon,  both  of  wTom  are  now  deceased. 

His  parents  were  born  and  raised  in  Scioto 
county  , Ohio.  They  came  west  with  their 
parents  and  settled  in  this  county  in  1832. 
John  Moore,  the-  paternal  grandfather,  who 
W'as  quite  well  to  do,  located  on  the  old  State 
road,  about  three  miles  southeast  of  Muncie, 
and  built  for  himself  a substantial  brick  dwell- 
ing on  what  is  now  known  as  the  James  Boyce 


V ^ 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


389 


farm.  Loyd  Wilcoxon,  senior,  grandfather  on 
the  maternal  side,  located  on  the  same  road  a 
little  east  of  the  other  grandfather. 

William  J.  was  given  the  farm  by  his  father 
about  one-half  mile  east  of  the  old  homestead, 
now  known  as  the  Charles  W.  Cecil  farm,  to 
which  he  added,  by  purchase,  land  enough  to 
make  in  all  400  acres.  He  built  for  himself  a 
comfortable  two-story  frame  dwelling,  which 
has  been  moved  back  to  give  place  for  IMr. 
Cecil’s  elegant  farm  dwelling. 

There  was  quite  a colony  of  Scioto  county 
people  located,  about  the  same  }'ear,  near  and 
around  the  Moores  and  Mhlcoxons,  nearly  all 
related  to  them  by  blood  or  marriage  ties,  of 
whom  we  will  mention  the  Truitts,  Parker, 
George  and  James;  Jackson’s,  Mahlon  and 
Lemuel  G.,  the  latter  an  uncle  of  William  J., 
and  one  of  the  founders  of  Muncietown,  the 
Jackson  donation  to  Muncie  cornering  at  the 
northwest  corner  of  Walnut  and  Jackson 
streets,  being  a part  of  his  farm. 

In  1822,  when  what  is  now  a part  of  the 
Big  Four  railway  system,  then  known  as  the 
Indianapolis,  Pittsburg  & Cleveland  railroad, 
was  being  constructed  through  this  county, 
William  J.  removed  from  his  farm  (which  was 
at  that  time  well  stocked,  some  eighteen  head 
of  horses,  with  cattle,  sheep  and  hogs  in  propor- 
tion), to  Selma,  a new  station  on  that  road, 
six  miles  east  of  Muncie,  where  he  engaged  in 
general  merchandising  and  continued  for  many 
years.  Uunfortunately  for  him  he  could  not 
deny  any  one  credit;  the  result  was  a large 
number  of  his  customers  afterward  removed  to 
the  far  west,  owing  him  in  the  aggregate  thou- 
sands of  dollars.  At  about  the  same  time 
he,  like  many  others,  put  his  hne  farm 
and  some  Muncie  property  into  a railroad 
company  then  proposed  building  between  Cin- 
cinnati and  Chicago,  via  Muncie,  receiving 
therefor  stock  and  bonds  of  the  fraudulent 
corporation,  which  are  still  amongst  the  papers 


of  his  estate,  and  if  they  bore  interest  at  six 
per  cent,  would  amount  to  more  than  $75,000, 
and  yet  they  are  not  worth  the  paper  they  are 
engraved  on.  He  was  of  the  kind  that  never 
became  discouraged,  and  possessed  indomitable 
will  power.  Possessing  the  conhdence  and  re- 
spect of  all  who  knew  him,  he  set  himself  the 
task  of  retrieving  his  lost  fortune,  which  he  ac- 
complished by  slow  but  sure  degrees.  He  and 
his  life  partner  lived  happily  together  for  nearly 
fifty-eight  years,  both  departing  this  life  in  the 
same  year,  i 893,  in  the  firm  belief  that  ‘ ‘ Death 
does  not  end  all.  ” 

William  Roby,  or  “Robe,”  as  many  are  in 
the  habit  of  calling  him,  was  the  fifth  child, 
was  born  on  the  farm  referred  to,  March  9, 
1845.  He  received  a good  common  school 
education,  becoming  ver}'  proficient  in  mathe- 
matics. After  leaving  school  he  learned  the 
blacksmith’s  trade.  At  the  breaking  out  of 
the  war  of  the  rebellion,  in  ’61,  his  father’s 
patriotism  was  such  that  he  volunteered  his 
services  to  help  put  down  the  rebellion,  which 
was  then  thought  to  be  a matter  that  could  be 
squelched  before  breakfast.  He  was  too  old 
to  be  received  into  the  service.  Roby  was 
then  but  little  past  sixteen,  too  young,  but 
owing  to  the  trade  that  he  was  working  at  was 
remarkably  well  developed,  physically,  for  his 
years.  Patriotism  was  in  the  air,  the  war 
news  and  the  fife  and  drum  worked  upon  him 
until  he  finally  persuaded  his  father  to  permit 
him  to  go  in  his  stead.  He  enrolled  himself 
in  Capt.  Samuel  J.  Williams’  company,  who 
was  a near  neighbor  of  the  Moores.  On  the 
2d  day  of  July,  ’61,  Capt.  Williams  proceeded 
to  the  state  capitol  with  hiscompan)'.  It  was 
ordered  into  camp  at  Camp  Morton.  The 
various  companies  that  were  encamped  there 
were  being  drilled  daily  in  the  arts  and  tactics 
of  war  by  experienced  drill  masters.  On  July 
28,  Capt.  Mhlliams’ company  was  mustered  into 
the  United  States  service  for  three  years  or 


890 


MUNCIE  CITY 


during  the  war.  The  company  was  assigned 
to  the  Nineteenth  regiment  Indiana  volunteer 
infantry  and  drew  place  as  Co.  K.  Sol.  Mere- 
dith, of  WMyne  county,  an  intimate  friend  of 
the  governor,  was  commissioned  as  its  colonel. 
The  regiment  left  for  the  seat  of  war  on 
August  5,  arriving  in  Washington  city,  D.  C., 
on  the  7th,  and  went  into  camp  on  Kolorama 
Heights  where  daily  drills  continued.  At  the 
time  that  this  regiment  was  organized,  the 
United  States  government  had  not  adopted 
any  particular  uniform  for  its  troops.  The 
state  of  Indiana,  through  the  indomitable  will 
power  of  its  great  chief  executive  officer,  that 
grandest  of  war  governoi'S,  Oliver  P.  Morton, 
although  handicapped  by  rebel  svmpathizers,  at 
its  own  expense  uniformed,  armed  and  equip- 
ped its  own  volunteers  and  sent  them  to  the 
front.  The  Nineteenth  was  supplied  with  a 
gray  uniform  which  proved  to  be  a rebel  color. 
The  first  engagement  that  the  regiment  was  in 
it  was  necessary  to  tie  strips  of  white  muslin 
around  their  arms  to  distinguish  them  from  the 
rebel  soldiers.  The  Second,  Sixth,  and  Sev- 
enth Wisconsin  regiments,  the  Nineteenth 
Indiana  and  the  Twenty-fourth  Michigan,  com- 
posed the  famous  Iron  Brigade,  being  given 
this  name  after  withstanding  the  furious  on- 
slaught of  a whole  division  of  Stonewall  jack- 
son's  corps  at  the  battle  of  Gainesville,  Va. 
At  the  time  of  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  this 
brigade  was  the  First  brigade.  First  division  of 
the  First  armycorps.  The  First  and  Eleventh 
army  corps  opened  the  battle  at  Gettysburg 
and  did  heroic  work  in  stemming  the  rebel 
advance  during  the  first  day  until  the  Union 
army  came  up  and  secured  position  to  wage 
successfully  the  decisive  battle  of  the  war. 

Young  Moore  took  part  with  his  regiment 
in  various  heavy  battles — those  of  Gainesville, 
Chancellorsville,  Fredericksburg,  Second  Bull 
Run,  South  Mountain,  Antietam  and  other 
minor  engagements,  thirteen  in  all,  without 


receiving  so  much  as  a scratch,  until  the  bat- 
tle of  Gettysburg,  in  the  afternoon  of  the  first 
day’s  fight,  while  bearing  the  regimental  ban- 
ner, he  had  the  index  finger  of  his  left  hand 
shot  away;  was  shortly  after  taken  prisoner 
and  held  in  the  town  of  Gettysburg  during  all 
of  the  heavy  engagements  following.  On  the 
morning  of  the  4th  day  of  July,  1863,  the 
Union  army  having  been  victorious,  he  walked 
away  from  the  place  of  his  confinement,  out 
through  the  streets  of  the  little  town,  viewing 
I the  battle  field  covered  with  its  thousand  upon 
I thousands  of  valiant  dead  soldiers — a battle 
field  of  historic  renown,  a battle  field  where 
! the  noble  martyr  Lincoln  in  his  unapproach- 
able gem  of  a dedication  address  of  the  Nation- 
al cemetery  said;  “But  in  a larger  sense  we 
I cannot  dedicate,  we  cannot  consecrate,  we 
cannot  hallow  the  ground  The  brave  men, 
living  and  dead,  who  struggled  here,  have  con- 
secrated it  far  above  our  power  to  add  or  de- 
tract. The  world  will  little  note,  nor  long 
remember,  what  we  say  here,  but  it  can  never 
forget  what  they  did  here.” 

From  Gettysburg  young  Moore  was  sent  to 
Philadelphia,  where  he  was  given  a clerkship 
after  his  wound  healed.  The  last  six  months 
of  his  service  were  spent  in  Indianapolis  as 
chief  clerk  for  Dr.  P.  H.  Jameson,  surgeon  in 
charge  of  the  soldiers’  home.  He  was  must- 
ered out  of  the  service  in  August,  1864,  and 
immediately  secured  a position  on  what  is  now 
the  main  line  of  the  Big  4 system.  After- 
wards he  went  to  Cincinnati  and  took  a com- 
mercial course  in  Bryant,  Stratton  & DeHans’ 
Commercial  college.  Good  luck  seemed  to 
follow  him.  He  has  seldom  had  to  seek  a 
situation.  In  1865  he  returned  to  his  old 
home  on  a visit;  while  passing  through  Indian- 
apolis the  superintendent  of  the  Bee  Line 
tendered  him  the  agency  of  his  road  at  Selma. 
His  parents  persuaded  him  to  accept  it,  which 
he  concluded  to  do.  In  connection  with  that 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


891 


he  engaged  in  buying  and  shipping  grain  and 
prospered  in  his  business. 

In  1866,  he  married  Susanna,  daughter  of 
William  Miller,  who  was  at  one  time  county 
commissioner.  Two  children,  girls,  blessed 
this  union,  but  they  were  soon  called  to  Him 
who  gave  them.  In  1873  he  was  promoted 
and  sent  to  take  charge  of  the  station  at  Sidney, 
Ohio.  Two  years  after  moving  there  the  direc- 
tory of  the  First  National  bank  of  that  place 
tendered  him  a position  as  cashier  of  their  bank 
at  a salary  greatly  in  advance  of  any  that  they 
had  ever  paid  previously.  He  accepted  the 
position,  and  the  earnings  of  the  bank  during 
his  management  was  the  greatest  in  its  history. 
The  Resumption  act,  to  take  effect  in  1879, 
scared  hundrds  of  National  banks  into  liquida- 
tion. This  bank  went  into  voluntary  liquida- 
tion, paying  its  shareholders  one  hundred  and 
seventy-five  cents  on  the  dollar.  He  after- 
wards engaged  in  the  grain  trade  on  an  exten- 
sive scale,  subsequently  taking  a partner  in- the 
business.  They  operated  several  grain  eleva- 
tors, and  owned  and  operated  a line  of  boats 
in  connection  with  their  business.  Having- 
splendid  banking  facilities,  they  engaged  e.xten- 
sively  in  buying  track  grain  of  other  dealers 
throughout  Ohio  and  Indiana,  and  shipping  it  1 
to  the  seaboard.  During  the  large  crop  }'ears 
of  1879-80,  they  got  caught  in  a blockade  with 
large  quantities  of  grain,  which  they  could  not 
get  into  the  seaport  markets  in  time  to  apply 
on  their  sales,  in  consequence;  they  were 
squeezed  badly,  crippling  them,  which  event- 
ually ended  in  an  a.ssignment.  Mr.  Moore, 
when  prosperous,  had  often  said  that  he  would 
not  give  shucks  for  a young  man  who  could  not 
get  on  his  feet  again  after  a financial  failure, 
not  knowing  that  he  would  so  soon  have  a 
chance  of  trying  it  for  himself.  The  loss  of  all 
of  his  money  was  as  nothing  as  compared  with 
the  anguish  and  humiliation  that  he  felt  reflect- 
ed on  his  business  judgment,  on  which  he 


prided  himself.  Two  days  after  his  failure  a 
friend  from  another  town  came  over  expressly 
to  offer  him  employment,  knowing  that  it  was 
needful  for  him  to  do  something  at  once  to  ward 
the  wolf  from  the  door.  The  friend  pretended 
that  it  was  doing  him  a favor,  but  it  was  princi  - 
pally  in  the  fact  of  his  enjoyment  of  the  con- 
sciousness that  he  had  done  a kind  act  to  a fellow 
man  in  distress.  The  offer  of  employment  was 
appreciated  and  promptly  accepted  and  afforded 
time  for  the  “ lame  duck  " to  get  its  bearings. 
After  traveling  a few  weeks  another  friend  volun- 
tarily offered  him  money  for  him  to  engage  in 
his  former  business  on  a small  scale;  within  six 
months  he  had  cleared  his  first  thousand  dollars, 
passing  the  Rubicon.  Mr.  Moore  had  inherited 
from  his  father  father  pluck,  preseverance  and 
good  common  sense,  and  with  practical  knowl- 
edge gained  in  his  varied  business  experiences 
was  soon  on  the  road  to  prosperity  once  more. 
He  removed  to  Union  City,  Ind.,  where  he 
remained  two  and  one-half  years,  and  where 
splendid  opportunities  offered  for  regaining- 
lost  wealth. 

In  the  spring  of  1887  he  removed  to  Mun- 
cie,  and  at  the  present  time  is  devoting  all  of 
his  business  ability  to  official  duties  of  the 
Delaware  County  Building,  Savings  and  Loan 
association,  one  of  the  largest  in  the  state,  of 
which  he  was  the  promotor  and  principal  or- 
ganizer, he  holding  the  principal  office,  that 
of  secretary.  He  has  had  many  years'  experi- 
ence in  various  capacities  in  the  building  and 
loan  business,  and  has  the  reputation  of  being 
the  best  posted  in  this  particular  line  of  business 
of  any  one  in  the  state. 

Susanna  Moore,  the  wife  of  William  R.,  is 
the  daughter  of  William  and  Anna  Miller,  nee 
Janney.  Her  parents  were  born  and  reared  in 
Stark  county,  Ohio,  and  removed  to  Harrison 
township,  Delaware  county,  many  years  ago, 
where  they  continued  to  reside  up  to  the  year 
1865,  when  they  removed  to  Selma.  Her 


892 


MUNCIE  CITY 


mother  was  of  English  descent  and  was  a re- 
markably beautiful  woman  in  her  day.  She 
died  at  her  home  in  Selma,  June  4,  1882,  and 
was  interred  in  Mount  Tabor  cemetery.  Her 
father  jiossesses  a vigorous  constitution  and  is 
still  living  at  an  advanced  old  age.  He  is  en- 
dowed with  good  common  sense,  has  a cultiva- 
ted mind  and  a large  fund  of  general  informa- 
tion. Susanna  takes  an  active  part  in  church 
work,  in  literary  clubs  and  her  domestic  duties, 
and  enjoys  the  confidence  and  respect  of  all 
who  know  her. 


EORGE  W.  MUNN,  route  agent  for 
the  United  States  Express  company 
for  all  its  lines  within  the  state  of 
Indiana,  was  born  on  a farm  near 
Eradford,  Vt.,  where  he  lived  until  he  reached 
his  eighteenth  year,  attending  school  in  the 
meantime.  In  1870,  he  went  to  Chicago, 
whither  his  brothers  had  preceded  him,  and 
just  after  the  tremendous  conflagration  which 
swept  that  city  in  October,  187';  was  ap- 
pointed messenger  by  the  American  Express 
company  for  the  run  between  Chicago  and 
Cairo,  111.  In  1873  he  was  appointed  deputy 
internal  revenue  collector  for  the  first  district 
of  Illinois,  and  held  the  position  until  October, 
1875.  1876  he  went  to  Emporia,  Kans., 

was  employed  by  the  Adams  Express  com- 
pany as  messenger  on  the  run  from  Atchison, 
Kans.,  to  Pueblo,  Colo.,  for  a year,  and  then 
between  Emporia  and  Denison,  Tex.  ; he 
was  then  agent  for  the  same  company  at  Jop- 
lin, Mo.,  for  six  months,  and  in  January,  1878, 
accepted  a position  with  the  Baltimore  & 
Ohio  Expi'ess  company  as  messenger  between 
Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  Parkersburg,  W.  Va., 
filling  the  position  two  years;  the  next  nine 
months  he  was  transfer  agent  at  Cincinnati 
for  the  Baltimore  & Ohio  and  Ohio  & Missis- 


sippi companies,  and  then  auditor  of  express 
accounts  at  Cincinnati  for  the  Ohio  & Missis- 
sippi company  and  for  a time  was  acting 
superintendent.  April  10,  1882,  he  became 
route  agent  for  the  Baltimore  & Ohio  Express 
company  on  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  division 
between  Cincinnati  and  St.  Louis,  and  filled 
that  position  until  March,  1887;  later  he  was 
appointed  route  agent  of  the  Baltimore  & 
I Ohio  Express  company  for  all  of  the  Cincin- 
I nati,  Hamilton  and  Dayton  territory,  covering 
I 400  miles,  with  headquarters  at  Hamilton, 
Ohio.  In  September,  1887,  the  United  States 
Express  company  succeeded  the  Baltimore  & 
Ohio  company  and  Mr.  Munn  was  placed  in 
j charge  at  Deshler,  Ohio.  April  i,  1891,  he 
t was  transferred  to  Indiana,  with  headquarters 
at  Muncie,  where  he  has  ever  since  had  cha  ge 
of  the  lines  of  the  combined  express  companies 
for  the  state  of  Indiana,  controlling  805  miles 
of  road  and  103  offices  and  all  the  employees. 

Mr.  Munn  was  married  in  July,  1873,  to 
Miss  Jane  E.  Shants,  of  Willamette,  111.,  the 
result  being  five  children,  of  whom  two  are 
sons:  Amos  S.,  and  Clark  C.  The  other 

three,  daughters,  are  deceased. 

Clark  Munn,  the  father  of  G.  W.  Munn, 
was  born  in  New  Hampshire,  in  1801,  and  led 
the  life  of  a farmer  in  the  Green  Mountain 
state  until  within  the  last  ten  years  of  his  life. 
He  was  highly  honored  by  his  fellow  towns- 
men, was  their  selectman  and  trustee.  He 
ended  his  days  with  his  children  in  Ghicago, 
111.,  at  the  age  of  seventy-seven.  His  wife, 
who  was  born  in  West  Fairly,  Vt.,  February 
1 , 1 804,  was  a daughter  of  Randall  Wild,  and 
survived  until  December,  1892.  Both  were 
interred  in  Rose  Hill  cemetery,  ten  miles  from 
Ghicago.  The  family  were  Gongregational- 
ists  on  both  paternal  and  maternal  sides,  and 
Glark  and  his  wife  died  in  that  faith.  Of 
their  family  of  seven  sons  and  four  daughters 
four  are  living,  George  W.  being  the  seventh 


I 


V- 


; 


1^’  ' ' 


t- 


. i 
t?t 


x 


i«',  — 


C.  F.  W.  NEELY 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


898 


boy;  of  the  others,  Benjamin  M.  Munn  is  a 
member  of  the  noted  law  firm  of  Munn  & 
Mapledom,  of  Chicago.  Daniel  W.  is  a mem- 
ber of  the  criminal  legal  firm  of  Munn  & 
Wheeler,  of  the  same  city,  and  James  Monroe 
Munn  is  in  charge  of  the  records  of  Cook 
county.  111.  Each  of  these  boys  was  a faith- 
ful soldier  in  the  Union  army  during  the  civil 
war.  Of  the  deceased  children  all  expired  in 
early  youth  excepting  two — Mary,  wife  of 
Daniel  Hastings,  of  Corinth,  Vt.,  who  died 
about  1853,  leaving  two  children,  Hallie,  and 
the  other  daughter  was  the  wife  of  Sergeant 
Peabody,  superintendent  of  the  Baltimore  & 
Ohio  railroad  at  Columbus,  and  died  May  22, 
1893,  leaving  three  children. 


aHARLES  F.  W.  NEELY,  editor  and 
proprietor  of  the  Morning,  the  Sunday 
and  the  Weekly  News,  Muucie,  Ind., 
is  a native  of  the  city,  born  January  4, 
1859,  and  a son  of  Moses  L.  and  Mary  A. 
(Kenower)  Neely.  He  was  educated  at  the  city 
schools,  and  after  graduating  at  the  Muncie 
high  school,  in  1877,  studied  law  for  three 
years  in  the  office  of  Blount  & Templer. 
About  the  time  he  was  well  prepared  to  enter 
upon  the  practice  of  his  chosen  profession,  he 
found  the  city  of  Muncie  overcharged  with  legal 
aspirants,  and  he  found  employment  at  other 
business  at  other  points,  including  St.  Louis, 
Mo  , for  one  year,  and  Kansas  City,  in  the 
same  state,  for  one  year,  and  elsewhere.  In 
1885  he  purchased  the  Evening  News,  of  Mun- 
cie, from  N.  F.  Ethell,  who  founded  that 
journal  in  1872.  It  was  continued  as  an  even- 
ing newspaper  until  July  5,  1892,  when  it  was 
changed  to  the  Morning  News.  To  venture 
upon  the  publication  of  a morning  journal  was 
a somewhat  precarious  undertaking,  as  many 
sad  failures  of  similar  ventures  had  occurred  in 


cities  much  larger  than  Muncie,  and  therefore 
the  success  of  the  Morning  News  has  been  a 
source  of  much  gratification  to  its  proprietor. 
In  August,  1892.  Mr.  Neely  associated  with 
himself  Frank  J.  Claypool,  and  together  they 
began  the  publication  of  the  Farmers’  Record, 
which  was,  for  the  time,  the  official  organ  of 
the  F.  M.  B.  A. , but  when  that  political  and 
economic  organization  began  to  show  evidences 
of  loss  of  vigor,  Messrs.  Neely  & Claypool  dis- 
posed of  their  organ  to  the  American  Farmer 
company,  of  Springfield,  Ohio. 

In  politics,  Mr.  Neely  has  always  been  an 
earnest  republican,  and  for  five  years  has  been 
chairman  of  the  city  central  republican  com- 
mittee; fraternally,  he  is  a member  of  the  B. 
P.  O.  E.,  and  of  the  I.  O.  R.  M.  He  has 
alwa}'S  manifested  a lively  interest  in  the  in- 
dustries of  Muncie,  and  has  done  much  toward 
forwarding  them,  both  by  the  use  of  his  pen 
and  other  means.  He  is  a sprightly  and 
j incisive  writer,  a shrewd  politician,  and  a 
I born  newspaper  man.  His  marriage  occurred 
I March  23,  1886,  to  Miss  Sarah  E.  Morgan,  of 
Muncie,  a daughter  of  Thomas  Morgan,  of 
of  Madison  county,  Ohio. 

Moses  L.  Neely,  father  of  Charles  F.  W. 
Neely,  was  born  in  Adams  county.  Pa.,  April 
30,  1816,  and  was  a son  of  Moses  and  Jane 
(Smith)  Neely,  who  left  Penns}dvania  in  1834, 
and  with  their  son,  Moses,  and  other  members 
of  their  family  settled  in  Clarke  county,  Ohio. 
He  was  married  March  20,  1838,  to  Mary  A. 
j Kenower,  a native  of  Cumberland  county.  Pa. , 
born  March  7,  1818,  and  taken  to  Clarke 
j county,  Ohio,  in  1835,  by  her  parents,  Jacob 
I and  Sarah  Kenower.  In  February,  1839, 
i Moses  L.  Neely  came  to  Muncie,  Ind.,  and 
j was  the  second  cabinet  maker  in  the  town. 

I After  some  years  he  engaged  in  general  mer- 
I chandising  at  the  corner  of  Main  and  Walnut 
streets,  carrying  on  the  business  for  eighteen 
1 years,  and  then  purchased  a farm  near  town. 


394 


MUNCIE  CITY 


to  which  he  retired  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  the 
labor  of  his  earlier  days,  but  in  the  short  space 
of  five  years,  on  January  9,  1869,  he  passed 
away,  leaving,  to  mourn  his  loss,  a widow  and 
ten  children,  the  names  of  the  latter  being: 
Cyrus  G.,  Carey  O. , Charles  F.  W.,  Sarah 
1'.,  Mary  J.,  Laura  S.,  Wilma  E.,  Leonora  I., 
Emma  and  Kate  W.  Mr.  Neely  was  a repub- 
lican from  the  organization  of  that  party,  and 
a pious  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church, 
of  which,  also,  his  widow  is  a consistent 
member. 


HOMAS  S.  NEEEY  was  born  Sep- 
tember 13,  1811,  in  Adams  county. 
Pa.,  of  which  county  his  grandfather, 
Thomas  Neely,  and  his  father,  Moses 
Neel)',  were  also  natives.  His  father  married 
Jane  Smith  in  that  county,  and  was  engaged 
in  agricultural  pursuits,  owning  a farm  within 
eleven  miles  from  Gettysburg.  In  1831,  he 
moved  with  his  family  to  Miami  county,  Ohio, 
and,  about  the  year  i 840,  to  Randolph  county, 
Ind.,  settling  near  the  town  of  Windsor.  His 
family  consisted  of  four  sons  and  five  daughters, 
of  whom  Thomas  S.  is  the  only  survivor. 

In  early  life  Thomas  S.  Neely  was  engaged 
in  the  labor  of  farm  work  at  home,  attending 
the  district  school  in  the  winter  until  seventeen 
years  of  age,  when  he  was  apprenticed  to  a 
blacksmith  at  Petersburg,  Pa.,  to  learn  the 
trade.  He  remained  with  him  for  nearly  three 
years,  and  having  acquired  a good  knowledge 
of  the  trade,  he  began  to  work  on  his  own  ac- 
count, and  in  1831  removed  with  his  parents 
to  Miami  county,  Ohio.  He  worked  at  his 
trade  in  Troy,  Urbana,  and  other  Ohio  towns, 
and,  in  1833,  returned  to  his  former  home  in 
Pennsylvania,  and  was  wedded  to  Miss  Matilda 
Wierman.  He  lived  in  Miami  county  six  years, 
and,  in  Eebruary,  1839,  came  to  Muncie,  with 
whose  interests  he  has  long  been  identified. 


He  at  first  engaged  in  the  grocery  trade, 
but  the  town  was  small  and  the  merchants 
plenty,  and  he  was  soon  convinced  that  there 
was  a better  opening  for  the  mechanic  than 
the  merchant,  and  decided  therefore  to  devote 
himself  to  his  trade.  He  accordingly  opened 
a blacksmith  shop,  and  followed  his  trade  for 
over  twenty  years.  From  1842  to  1848  he 
served  as  a member  of  the  board  of  county 
commissioners  of  Delaware  county,  and  as 
school  director  subsequent  to  that  time.  In 
June,  1878,  he  was  elected  as  a member  of  the 
board  of  education.  His  first  purchase  of  real 
estate  was  the  lot  now  occupied  by  the  Abbott 
house,  where  he  had  his  residence,  and,  at  a 
later  date,  he  erected  the  brick  block  on  Main 
street,  in  which  the  photographic  rooms  of  E. 
S.  Smith  are  now  located.  In  this  building 
Mr.  Neely  established  a daguerreotype  gallery, 
and  made  the  first  pictures  in  Muncie,  and 
was  the  leading  photographer  of  this  city  until 
about  twenty  years  ago,  when  he  transferred 
the  gallery  to  his  son,  Lon  M. 

While  carrying  on  the  trade  of  black- 
smithing  in  Muncie,  he  was  compelled  to  send 
to  Cincinnati  for  iron,  hauling  it  home  by 
teams,  and  often  had  to  leave  his  work  here 
and  make  a personal  visit  to  that  city,  when 
important  purchases  were  to  be  made.  This 
slow  and  expensive  method  of  transportation 
set  him  to  thinking,  and  with  characteristic 
promptness,  his  thoughts  developed  into 
action.  In  the  spring  of  1 847  he  determined 
to  move  to  secure  the  location  of  a railroad  to 
Muncie,  by  some  practical  route;  and  acting 
upon  this  determination,  circulated  a subscrip- 
tion paper  to  secure  funds  with  which  to  pay 
for  posters  to  advertise  a railroad  mass  meet- 
ing, to  be  held  at  Muncie.  A hard  canvass 
resulted  in  his  securing  only  a part  of  the  funds 
necessary,  and,  contributing  the  balance  from 
his  own  purse,  he  had  the  bills  struck  and 
posted  up,  designating  June  26,  1847,  as  the 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


395 


day  of  meeting.  This  meeting  was  almost 
barren  of  results,  and  was  adjourned  to  August 
20,  when  men  of  talent  and  public  spirit  from 
abroad  were  invited,  resolutions  were  passed 
recommending  Delaware  county  to  vote  a tax 
of  $12,000,  at  the  ensuing  fall  election,  to  aid 
the  enterprise.  Mr.  Neely,  although  unac- 
customed to  public  speaking,  yet  led  in  the 
public  discussion  of  this  question  throughout 
the  county,  and  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  it 
settled  by  an  affirmative  vote. 

The  happy  choice  of  a companion  in  early 
life  proved  the  solace  of  other  years;  and  they 
were  each  spared  to  bless  the  other,  and  see 
their  children  grow  to  honorable  and  useful 
maturity.  Eliza  is  the  wife  of  A.  J.  Wachtell, 
of  Muncie;  M.  Jennie  resides  with  the  father; 
Thaddeus  A.,  prominent  manufacturer  of 
Muncie,  married  Miss  Harriet  Huston,  of  Par- 
is, 111.;  Leonidas  M.,  married  Miss  Welthy 
Berkey,  of  Grand  Rapids,  Mich. , and  resides 
in  Muncie.  Mrs.  Neely  died  September  19, 
1886,  since  when  Mr.  Neely  has  lived  with 
his  daughter,  Miss  M.  Jennie. 


EREMIAH  FULLER  NICKEY  (de- 
ceased), for  many  years  an  active  busi- 
ness man  and  prominent  citizen  of 
Muncie,  was  a native  of  Pennsylvania, 
born  on  the  3d  day  of  March,  1826,  in  the 
county  of  Cumberland.  His  parents  were 
Samuel  and  Elizabeth  Nickey,  both  natives  of 
the  Keystone  state,  where  their  ancestors  had 
resided  from  an  early  period  in  the  history  of 
the  country.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  Jeremiah 
F.  Nickey  left  the  parental  roof  and  located  at 
Fairfield,  Greene  county,  Ohio,  but  previous  to 
that  time  he  had  learned  the  tailor’s  trade  in 
the  county  of  his  nativity.  Owing  to  circum- 
stances, over  which  he  had  no  control,  his 
means  of  obtaining  a literary  education  were 


greatly  limited,  but  possessing  a mind  of  great 
activity,  and  desirous  of  acquiring  a knowledge 
of  books,  he  devoted  his  leisure  moments  to  the 
accumulation  of  knowledge,  freqnently  poring 
over  his  studies  at  a late  hour,  with  no  other 
light  than  that  afforded  by  a blazing  pine  knot. 
After  becoming  proficient  in  his  trade,  he 
worked  at  the  same  for  four  years,  in  Ohio, 
and,  at  the  same  time,  read  medicine  under 
the  instruction  of  Dr.  McElhaney,  of  Fairfield. 
Later,  he  added  to  his  literary  knowledge  by 
a course  in  Wesleyan  college,  Delaware,  Ohio, 
which  institution  he  attended  for  some  time, 
and  after  his  marriage,  in  1850,  with  Miss 
Christina  Miller,  he  located  at  the  town  of 
Quincy,  Ohio,  where,  in  addition. to  working 
at  his  trade,  he  taught  school  until  his  removal 
to  Muncie,  Ind.,  in  the  year  1858. 

On  locating  in  this  city,  Mr.  Nickey  ef- 
fected a co-partnership  in  the  drug  business 
with  Dr.  William  Craig,  which  relationship 
terminated  after  five  years’  duration,  the  place 
of  business  being  on  Main  street.  After  the 
retirement  of  his  partner,  Mr.  Nickey  con- 
tinued on  the  half  square  between  Walnut 
and  Mulberry  streets,  where  he  carried  on 
business  until  his  death.  Mr.  Nickey’s  life 
was  characterized  by  energy  and  probity,  and 
by  his  long  residence  in  Muncie  and  active 
association  with  the  people  became  widely 
known.  He  fairly  solved  the  problem  of  suc- 
cess, so  far  as  material  wealth  is  concerned, 
earned  the  reputation  of  a man  of  honor  and 
integrity,  and  ended  a well  rounded  life  on 
the  7th  of  July,  1886.  He  was  a life-long 
member  of  the  Methodist  church,  and  in  the 
Masonic  fraternity  he  was  for  many  years  an 
active  worker,  having  taken  a number  of  de- 
grees, including  that  of  Knight  Templar. 
Politically  he  was  a republican.  Mrs.  Nickey, 
who  survives  her  husband,  was  born  in  Greene 
county,  Ohio,  April,  1830,  and  is  the  mother 
of  three  living  children;  Vinton  I.,  Mary  V. 


396 


MUNCIE  CITY 


and  Frank  B.  ; a dauj^^hter,  Arternissa,  is  de- 
ceased. 

I'rank  B.  Nickey,  third  child  of  Jeremiah 
F.  and  Christina  Nickey,  was  born  June  9, 
1867,  in  Muncie,  Ind.,  in  which  city  his  life 
has  been  passed  to  the  present  time.  His  lit- 
erary elucation  was  received  in  the  Muncie 
schools,  and  in  1889  he  graduated  from  the 
St.  Louis  college  of  Pharmacy,  since  May  of 
which  year  he  has  been  actively  engaged  in 
the  drug  trade.  He  is  a Mason,  being  a mem- 
ber of  both  chapter  and  commandery,  belongs 
to  Welcome  lodge.  No.  37,  K.  of  P. , and  is  also 
connected  with  the  K.  O.  E.  M.  Mr.  Nickey 
was  married,  in  1889,  to  Miss  Ina  C.,  daughter 
of  James  N.  and  Sarah  (Mills)  Cropper,  the 
fruit  of  which  union  is  one  child,  a daughter, 
Pauline. 


OBERT  I.  PATTERSON.— “ Biog- 
raphies should  not  be  published  unless 
there  is  something  in  the  life  or  char- 
acter of  the  individual  worthy  of  emu- 
lation or  imitation  by  others  under  like  circum- 
stances— certainly  not  for  self  aggrandizement.  ” 
Such  were  the  woi'ds  of  Mr.  Patterson  when 
approached  by  the  publishers  of  this  work,  l)ut 
sufficient  was  drawn  from  him  to  learn  that 
there  was  something  in  the  inner  life  of  the 
man  worthy  of  more  than  incidental  mention. 
Robert  I.  Patterson  was  born  in  Muncie,  Ind., 
March  28,  1843.  His  father,  S.  R.  Patterson, 
was  a native  of  Vermont,  and  his  mother  was 
born  in  Lexington,  Ky.,  to  which  place  her 
father.  Burns  Turner,  moved  with  his  family 
from  the  state  of  Delaware  to  assist  in  build- 
ing a house  for  that  sterling  patriot  and  states- 
man, Henry  Clay.  Here  her  mother  died, 
and  upon  the  completion  of  the  building  the 
family  came  to  Indiana  and  located  near  Econ- 
omy, Randolph  county,  but  later,  in  1828  or 


1829,  moved  to  Muncie,  where  her  father,  and 
her  brothers.  Minus  and  William  Turner, 
engaged  in  burning  brick,  brick  laying  and 
plastering.  At  that  time  Muncie  was  little 
more  than  an  Indian  trading  post,  containing 
but  a few  log  houses,  and  they  built  the  first 
brick  dwelling  ever  erected  in  Delaware  county 
— the  dwelling  being  on  Main  street  and  the 
business  house  on  the  ground  now  occupied  by 
the  Delaware  County  National  bank.  Minus 
Turner  also  built  the  first  hotel  (or  tavern),  on  the 
present  site  of  the  Pattei'son  block,  corner  Main 
and  Walnut  streets.  In  this  hotel  the  parents  of 
our  subject  first  met  and  were  married.  After 
a few  years  of  hardship  and  privation  incident 
to  pioneer  life,  they  moved  in  a covered  wagon 
to  Chicago,  111.,  where  the  father  went  into 
the  tin  and  stove  business,  and  became  the 
owner  of  several  lots  at  the  corner  of  Lake 
and  State  streets.  Here,  also,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  (then  a child)  strayed  from  home 
and  was  lost  for  tw'o  days  and  a night,  an 
event  which  so  prostrated  the  mother  that  she 
was  confined  to  her  bed  for  many  months. 
Disheartened  by  sickness  and  business  losses, 
the  father  sold  what  little  was  left  him  and 
endeavored  to  retrieve  his  fortune  at  various 
points  in  Illinois.  In  Bloomington  he  was 
associated  with  the  great  land  owner  and 
cattle  king,  Isaac  Funk,  and  later  became  ac- 
quainted with  the  then  young  lawyer,  Abra- 
ham Lincoln.  Being  the  only  whig,  or 
republican,  at  that  time  in  a family  of  eight 
brothers,  he  was  always  an  ardent  supporter 
of  this  great  and  good  man,  and  finally  was 
killed  at  Kenesaw  Mountain,  Ga. , in  the  serv- 
ice of  this  great  chieftain.  Robert  I.  Patter- 
son inherited  this  love  of  country  and  the 
cause  of  human  freedom,  and  he,  too,  at  the 
age  of  seventeen  years,  enlisted,  in  1861,  and 
served  his  country  four  years  in  the  Nine- 
teenth Indiana  infantry,  and  re-enlisted  in  the 
field  for  three  years  more.  He  was  wounded 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


897 


at  Antietam  and  Gettysburg,  and  at  the  latter 
place  was  also  taken  prisoner. 

The  services  -of  Mr.  Patterson  throughout 
the  war  were  rendered  in  the  celebrated  Iron 
brigade,  it  being  the  First  brigade.  First  di- 
vision of  the  First  army  corps  of  the  army  of 
the  Potomac,  being  the  hrst  brigade  organized 
in  the  Union  army,  and  the  official  records 
show  that  it  sustained  a greater  loss  in  actual 
killed  than  any  other.  He  has  an  individual 
record  of  fourteen  general  engagemets,  beside 
the  minor  battles  and  skirmishes  in  which  the 
brigade  took  part.  Up  till  the  time  of  his 
enlistment,  the  life  of  Robert  I.  Patterson  was 
passed  in  helping  to  batter  the  wolf  of  hunger 
and  privation  from  his  cabin  home,  and  he  was 
consequently  deprived  of  even  a common 
school  education,  but  his  father  having  been  a 
school  teacher,  and  the  son  being  of  a very 
studious  nature,  the  latter  mastered  the  rudi- 
ments of  an  English  education,  which  were 
later  supplemented  by  knowledge  gained  in 
the  great  school  of  experience.  The  precepts 
and  examples  of  an  earnest  Christian  mother 
were  fortitude  and  devotion  at  all  times, 
especially  through  the  dark  days  of  the  Rebel- 
lion, when  she  was  left  at  home  with  eight 
small  children  to  care  for,  one  of  whom  died 
just  before  the  father  was  killed  and  while  the  I 
subject  was  lying  wounded  in  the  United  , 
States  hospital.  The  good  people,  however, 
have  been  considerate  of  the  claims  of  worthy 
soldiers,  and  Mr.  Patterson  has  been  honored  1 
by  them.  Being  an  ardent  but  consistent 
partisan  and  writer,  his  influence  was  appreci-  [ 
ated,  and  he  was  appointed  to  a clerkship  in 
the  Indiana  house  of  representatives  during  ! 
its  session  of  1876-77,  a part  of  which  term,  i 
however,  he  resigned  to  accept  a position  as 
railway  postal  clerk  between  Pittsburg,  Pa. , j 
and  St.  Louis,  Mo.  He  was  subsequently  ' 
transferred  and  distributed  mail  between  In- 
dianapolis, Ind. , and  Cleveland,  Ohio.  The  ; 


service  was  severe  and  the  strain  on  his  nerv- 
ous and  physical  system  immense,  aggravating 
his  army  injuries,  and  he  was  compelled  to  re- 
sign. About  this  time  his  name  was  men- 
tioned as  a candidate  for  county  treasurer,  but 
the  convention  was  corrupted  and  he  lost  the 
nomination.  February  7,  1882,  he  was  ap- 
pointed postmaster  at  Muncie  by  President 
Arthur,  and  filled  the  office  very  satisfactorily, 
and  a change  of  administration  alone  prevented 
his  re-appointment.  The  faculty  of  invention 
and  construction  is  largely  developed  in  Mr. 
Patterson,  and  he  is  the  patentee  of  several 
useful  inventions,  among  which  are  the  J.  I.  C. 
steel  wire  curry-comb,  and  two  patents  on 
fruit  jar  fastenings,  the  complete  jar,  with  its 
fastening,  being  now  manufactured  at  West 
Muncie  by  the  Patterson  Glass  company,  and 
being  pronounced  b}  experts  the  most  simple, 
cheap  and  durable  of  any  invented.  Mr.  Pat- 
terson, however,  is  perhaps  best  known  as  a 
poet,  and  many  of  his  poems  have  had  an  ex- 
tensive publication  in  the  poetical  and  secular 
press,  some  of  them  in  the  Indianapolis  Jour- 
nal, the  Judge,  Cosmopolitan  and  other  peri- 
odicals. Some  have  become  more  favorably 
known  through  their  rendition  by  his  daughter. 
Pearl,  (now  Mrs.  W.  R.  Bean)  who  has  earned 
a wide  reputation  as  an  elocutionist. 


WALLACE  PERKINS  is  a native  of 
Delaware  county,  Ind. , born  in  the 
city  of  Muncie  on  the  8th  day  of  Octo- 
ber, 1846,  the  son  of  William  H.  and 
Susan  (Russey)  Perkins.  The  father  was  a 
native  of  Kentucky  and  located  in  Muncie 
when  it  was  but  a mere  village  and  started  the 
first  tailoring  establishment  in  the  place.  He 
followed  his  trade  in  Muncie  continuously  until 
Lebruary,  1855,  when  he  moved  to  Vandalia, 
Mich.,  thence  two  years  later  to  the  city  of 


898 


MUNCIE  CITY 


Niles,  that  state,  where  he  resided  until  his 
death  in  1875.  William  H.  Perkins  displayed 
commendable  energy  in  his  chosen  calling  and 
his  death  was  the  result  of  over  exertion  and 
exhaustion  brought  on  by  the  sickness  of  his 
wife,  who  for  a number  of  weeks  had  required 
his  constant  attention.  He  was  the  first  man 
to  introduce  the  sewing  machine  into  Indiana, 
and  the  one  he  operated  in  Muncie  cost  him 
the  snm  of  $250.  He  died  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
three;  his  widow  still  survives,  having  reached 
the  good  old  age  of  seventy-five  years,  and  at 
this  time  resides  with  her  youngest  daughter 
in  the  town  of  Carthage,  Ind.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Perkins  reared  a family  of  three  sons  and  three 
daughters,  namely:  Harvey  W.,  Mary  A.,  John 
S.,  J.  Wallace,  Martha],  and  Minnie  E.  Of 
the  above  sons,  Harvey  W.  and  John  S.  served 
in  the  late  war  as  members  of  Michigan  regi- 
ments. 

J.  \V.  Perkins  spent  the  first  nine  years  of 
his  life  in  Muncie,  and  in  1855  was  taken  by 
his  parents  to  Michigan,  in  which  state  he  re- 
ceived his  educational  training,  attending  the  ! 
common  schools  until  his  fourteenth  year.  On 
(juitting  school  he  entered  a printing  office  in 
St.  Joseph,  Mich.,  where  he  worked  for  six 
months  for  $12.50  and  board,  and  then  se- 
cured a position  in  an  office  at  Niles,  where  he 
was  employed  for  about  a half  year  at  $30 
and  board.  He  remained  at  Niles  until  1868, 
and  for  one  year  thereafter  worked  in  a job 
office  at  Indianapolis,  thence  came  to  Muncie, 
where  for  six  months  he  held  a position  in  the 
office  of  the  Mnncie  Times.  Returning  to 
Indianapolis  at  the  end  of  that  period,  he  fol- 
lowed his  trade  in  that  city  until,  in  partner- 
ship with  William  Chandler,  he  became  asso- 
ciate publisher  of  the  Muncie  Telegraph,  with 
which  paper  he  was  identified  for  about 
eighteen  months.  On  the  suspension  of  the 
Telegraph,  Mr.  Perkins  again  accepted  a posi- 
tion on  the  Times,  with  which  he  remained 


until  1877,  when  he  accepted  a place  in  the 
government  printing  office  at  Washington,  D. 
C.,  where  he  remained  for  a limited  period. 
Returning  to  Muncie,  he  again  engaged  with 
the  Times,  and  in  1880,  started  a job  office, 
which  he  has  since  successfully  conducted,  and 
with  judicious  management  has  made  one  of 
the  leading  printing  establishments  of  the 
city.  Mr.  Perkins  is  a practical  printer,  thor- 
oughly familiar  with  all  the  details  of  the  trade, 
and  his  office  is  equipped  with  all  the  modern 
improvements  and  latest  appliances,  and  its 
reputation  for  first  class  work  is  second  to  no 
other  printing  house  in  eastern  Indiana. 

Mr.  Perkins  is  a republican  in  his  political 
convictions  and  stands  high  in  the  councils  of 
his  party  in  Muncie  and  Delaware  county.  He 
is  prominent  in  the  Masonic  order,  having 
taken  all  the  degrees  of  the  York  and  Scottish 
rites  of  the  fraternity,  including  the  thirty- 
second  degree.  He  held  the  responsible  posi- 
tion of  eminent  commander  of  Muncie  com- 
mandery.  No.  18,  for  two  years,  and  for  the 
past  twelve  years  has  served  as  secretary  of 
Muncie  lodge.  No.  403.  Mr.  Perkins  was  mar- 
ried on  October  25,  1877,  to  Miss  Mary  L. 
Winton,  daughter  of  Dr.  R.  Winton,  a late 
prominent  physician  of  Muncie,  whose  sketch 
appears  elsewhere  in  these  pages.  Mrs.  Per- 
kins was  born  in  the  town  of  Wheeling,  Dela- 
ware county,  and  has  passed  the  greater  part 
of  her  life  in  Muncie,  to  which  city  she  was 
brought,  when  a mere  child,  by  her  parents. 
Mr.  Perkins  has  an  enviable  reputation  both 
as  a citizen  and  business  man,  and  his  success 
in  life  has  been  altogether  due  to  his  own 
efforts.  He  may  be  truly  styled  a self  made 
man,  in  all  the  term  implies,  and  his  example 
should  serve  to  encourage  others  who  start  out 
to  fight  life’s  battles  empty  handed.  Person- 
ally, he  enjoys  great  popularity  in  Muncie  and 
is  highly  esteemed  by  all  for  his  integrity, 
good  character  and  sterling  qualities  of  man- 


JOHN  S.  PETTY 


V 


B 


• -fv 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


399 


hood.  He  is  strictly  temperate  in  his  habits, 
having  always  abstained  from  the  nse  of  all 
intoxicants  and  tobacco,  and  with  his  wife  be- 
longs to  the  Episcopal  church,  in  which  he 
holds  the  office  of  vestryman.  In  a financial 
sense,  Mr.  Perkins  has  met  with  well  deserved 
success  and  owns  several  valuable  pieces  of 
property  in  the  city. 


OHN  S.  PETTY,  deceased,  was  probably 
one  of  the  most  extraordinary,  as  well 
as  one  of  the  most  successful  business 
men  that  ever  resided  in  the  city  of 
Muncie.  He  was  a son  of  Joshua  and  Sarah 
E.  (Sheets)  Petty,  was  born  at  New  Paris, 
Ohio,  July  12,  1830,  and  when  a child  was 
taken,  by  his  father,  to  Wayne  county,  Ind., 
where  he  was  reared  on  the  home  farm  and 
received  a good  common  school  education. 
At  the  age  of  eighteen  years,  his  father  having 
a large  family  to  maintain,  he  was  given  his 
“freedom,”  and  his  first  business  venture  was 
to  work  one  hundred  days,  at  fifty  cents  per 
day,  for  Alvah  Macy;  he  also  worked  for 
a while  in  the  saw  mill  at  Economy,  Ind., 
near  Hagerstown,  and  even  at  that  early  day 
the  spirit  of  speculation  was  made  manifest 
within  him.  He  was  commissioned  by  an  old 
Quaker  gentleman  to  make  a purchase  of  live 
stock,  and  his  great  success  in  filling  this  order 
confirmed  this  spirit.  His  father,  who  origi- 
nally came  from  near  Winston,  N.  C. , and 
was  married  at  New  Paris,  Ohio,  moved  from 
Wayne  county  to  Miami  county,  Ind.,  and 
thither  young  Petty  followed,  and  began  buy- 
ing stock  in  a comparatively  small  way,  on 
his  own  account,  realizing  handsome  profits 
on  every  venture.  At  the  age  of  twenty-three, 
April  22,  1855,  he  made  his  first  venture  on 
the  sea  of  matrimony,  and  wedded  Miss  F"ran- 
ces  Bailey,  of  AVayne  county,  Ind. , and  then 


made  his  appearance  in  the  city  of  Muncie, 
the  scene  of  his  future  business  exploits 
and  triumphs.  Here  he  was  employed 
as  a clerk  in  the  diy  goods  store  of  S. 
P.  & E.  xAnthony,  whom  he  served  about 
two  years,  and  while  with  them  sus- 
tained the  most  serious  accidental  injury  of 
his  life.  The  firm  carried,  in  addition  to  their 
stock  of  dry  goods,  a line  of  groceries,  and  in 
an  effort  to  lift  a barrel  of  rice  somewhat 
heavier  than  the  scope  of  his  strength,  Mr. 
Petty  strained  his  spine,  and  for  a year  after- 
ward was  invalided.  The  effect  of  this  injury 
was  to  reduce  his  stature  and  to  render  his 
posture  a stoop,  but  he  recovered  his  health 
in  a general  sense,  albeit  somewhat  malformed 
physically.  On  his  coming  to  Muncie,  with 
his  usual  astuteness  Mr.  Petty  had  invested 
his  early  earnings  in  western  lands,  and  these 
he  sold  at  the  proper  time  at  handsome  profits. 
AVith  the  proceeds  he  embarked  in  the  dry 
goods  trade  about  a year  before  the  breaking- 
out  of  the  Civil  war.  As  an  instance  of  his 
business  sagacity,  it  may  be  mentioned  that 
on  one  occasion  during  the  war  he  had  pur- 
chased a bill  of  dry  goods  from  a firm  in  Cin- 
cinnati, foreseeing  the  advance  in  prices 
forthcoming,  and  at  the  same  time  took  an 
option  at  duplicating  the  order — which  he  did 
- — but  the  Cincinnati  firm  saw  how  they  had 
been  overreached  by  a superior  tradesman, 
and  offered  Mr.  Petty  $2,000  to  be  released 
from  the  contract — but  Air.  Petty  was  too  far- 
seeing  to  consent  to  any  such  scheme,  and 
realized  a handsome  profit.  His  surplus  earn- 
ings were  wisely  and  judiciously  invested  in 
town  and  city  real  estate,  and  with  invariably 
remunerative  results.  So  well  established  was 
his  reputation  for  sagacity  in  business,  that  he 
was  constantly  consulted  by  his  fellow  mer- 
chants and  others  on  all  important  ventures, 
and  his  advice  never  went  amiss.  During  his 
mercantile  career  he  never  lost  sight  of  the 


400 


MUNCIE  CITY 


fact  that  there  was  money  in  live-stock,  and 
his  farm  was  in  a great  measure  devoted  to 
grazing  and  breeding,  and  profitably  so. 

April  3,  1865,  Mr.  Petty  had  the  misfortune 
to  lose  his  wife  by  consumption.  Her  four 
children  were  also  swept  away  by  the  same 
fell  disease,  two  in  infancy  and  two  after  having 
reached  the  years  of  maturity.  The  second 
marriage  of  Mr.  Petty  took  place  September 
24,  1 867,  to  Melissa  A.  Lewis,  but  a second 
time  death  deprived  him  of  his  companion. 
May  28,  1868.  August  i,  1869,  he  was  most 
happily  married  to  Melissa  J.  Bole,  daughter 
of  William  Bole,  Esq.,  of  Delaware  county, 
Ind. , and  to  this  felicitous  union  two  children 
were  born,  Wilbur  A.  and  Walter  E.,  both 
now  at  home.  Mr.  Petty  continued  in  active 
business  until  1875,  when  failing  health  warned 
him  to  retire,  and  the  last  seventeen  years  of 
his  life  were  devoted  to  the  care  of  his  farm 
and  vast  city  property,  not  so  much  for  the 
purpose  of  adding  to  his  already  large  fortune, 
but  more  for  the  reason  that  he  was  of  that 
nervous  temperament  that  precluded  his  being 
unemployed.  He  could  not  abstain,  indeed, 
from  working  early  and  late,  and  while  his 
health  was  unimpaii'ed,  he  was  vigorous  to  an 
extreme.  When  the  time  came,  however,  as 
it  must  come  to  all,  he  went  to  Martinsville  for 
a week’s  rest  and  recuperation,  but  he  went  too 
late.  Tired  nature  asserted  herself,  and  for 
two  years  had  tampered  with  his  stomach  and 
eventually  with  his  heart,  and  on  September 
13,  1892,  the  strong  man  yielded  to  the  inevi- 
table, and  passed  to  the  spirit  land  at  the  age 
of  sixty-two  years  and  two  months.  He  had 
been  a life  long  communicant  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  and  had  lived  faithfully  up 
to  its  precepts,  and  yet  he  had  had  an  abiding 
faith  in  the  return  to  earth  of  the  disembodied 
spirits  of  those  who  had  gone  before,  and  with 
whom  he  felt  assured  that  he  was  in  constant 
communication.  Mr.  Petty  was  a member  of 


the  I.  O.  O F. , and  was  fully  in  accord  by 
nature  with  that  benevolent  fraternity,  exercis- 
ing the  doctrine  of  friendship,  love  and  truth 
in  and  out  of  the  order,  none,  really  deserving, 
appealing  to  him  in  vain. 


EV.  ABNER  PERDUIE  was  born, 
reared  and  married  in  Guilford  county, 
N.  C.  He  obtained  a most  ecxellent 
classical  education  and  was  trained  to 
preach  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
when  about  seventeen  years  of  age.  He  was 
actively  engaged  in  the  ministry  in  his  native 
state  and  Virginia  until  about  1831,  when  he 
removed  his  family  to  Indiana,  stopping  first, 
for  a few  years,  in  Henry  county,  then  coming 
to  Delaware  county.  He  entered  land  and 
settled  two  miles  west  of  Muncie,  where  he 
made  a good  farm.  He  taught  several  schools 
and  did  much  preaching,  and  after  his  remov- 
al to  Indiana  changed  his  relation  in  church 
from  his  early  choice  to  the  Protestant  Meth- 
odist. In  this  relation  he  organized  and 
started  most  of  the  churches  of  that  denomi- 
nation in  Delaware  and  Henry  counties.  Mr. 
Perdiue  was  a good  orator,  fine  preacher,  well 
versed  in  the  theology  of  the  Bible,  always 
earnest  for  what  he  believed  was  the  right, 
and  popular  in  the  pulpit  and  out.  In  his  day 
he  preached  more  funeral  sermons  and  solem- 
nized more  marriages  than  any  minister  in  this 
part  of  Indiana.  He  died  in  1876,  aged  72 
years. 


EV.  NER  H.  PHILLIPS,  retired 
Methodist  Episcopal  divine,  of  Mun- 
cie, Ind.,  was  born  in  Washington 
township,  Randolph  county,  Ind. , 
September  ii,  1829,  and  is  a son  of  Thomas 
and  Rebecca  (Hammitt)  Phillips,  natives  of 


REV.  NER  H.  PHILLIPS 


' • I 


\ • 


\ 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


408 


Burlington  county,  N.  J.,  and  pioneers  of  In- 
diana, who  entered  i6o  acres  of  land  in  Ran- 
dolph county  in  i8i8,  and  made  settlement 
thereon  in  1819.  On  this  farm  the  father 
passed  the  remainder  of  his  life,  being  called  to 
his  final  home  April  9,  1874,  and  the  mother 
followed  him  to  his  heavenly  abode  October 
10,  1886.  They  were  parents  of  nine  chil- 
dren, viz:  Lydia  A.,  wife  of  William  Millman; 
Thomas,  who  died  at  the  age  of  six  years; 
Welsey,  deceased,  and  William,  twins;  Rebec- 
ca, widow  of  John  H.  Bakehorn;  Ner  H.,  the 
reverend  gentleman  whose  name  opens  this 
sketch;  M.  H.,  a merchant  of  Warsaw;  Ancil 
B.,  a grocer  of  Muncie,  and  Hester  Ann,  wid- 
ow of  John  Hudson,  of  Lynn,  Ind.  The  par- 
ents were  both  sincere  in  their  belief  in  the 
tenets  of  the  Methodist  church.  The  father 
was  an  industrious,  hard-working  man,  had 
cleared  from  the  wilderness  over  100  acres  of 
his  160  acre  farm,  and  paid  for  his  land  twice 
over  through  going  security  for  either  unscru- 
pulous or  unfortunate  neighbors. 

Ner  H.  Phillips  assisted  in  the  clearing  and 
the  cultivating  of  his  father’s  farm  until  he 
had  attained  twenty-four  years  of  age,  in  the 
meantime,  however,  availing  himself  of  the 
means  of  education  that  the  neighboring 
schools  of  the  period  afforded.  He  never  at- 
tended college,  as  the  expense  of  tuition  would 
be  too  great  a hardship  for  his  father  to  meet; 
but,  following  an  opposite  course,  became  a 
mechanic  by  learning  the  carpenter’s  trade, 
which  he  followed  as  an  adjunct  to  farming 
from  the  age  of  eighteen  until  that  of  twenty- 
four — working  in  the  spring  and  fall,  or  before 
and  after  the  crops  had  been  cared  for.  Dur- 
ing the  winters  of  1850-51-52  he  taught 
school,  and  then  at  twenty-four  years  of  age 
entered  the  ministry  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal church,  receiving  appointments  to  circuits 
and  stations  in  the  following  consecutive  order: 
Selma  circuit,  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  one 


year;  Windsor,  Randolph  county,  one  year; 
Peru  station,  one  year;  Selma,  again  one  year; 
Albany,  Delaware  county,  one  year;  Marion 
station,  one  year;  Pendleton,  Ind.,  two  years; 
Williamsburg  and  Centreville  circuit,  one 
year;  Knightstown  station,  two  years;  Pearl 
street,  Richmond,  Ind.,  two  years;  Berry 
street.  Fort  Wayne,  two  years;  thence  to  the 
Simpson  chapel,  now  High  Street  church, 
Muncie,  and  was  presiding  elder  of  the  IMuncie 
district  for  four  years;  then  on  the  Warsaw 
district  for  four  years,  two  years  in  Goshen, 
Ind.,  and  then  again  at  Rnightstown,  for  two 
years,  but  during  his  second  year  here  his 
health  broke  down  and  he  was  compelled  to 
rest  for  a year  and  one  half;  he  then  went  to 
Hartford  City  for  three  years,  then  to  Kendall- 
ville,  Ind.,  two  years;  to  Fishersburg  three 
years,  and  finally  was  retired  to  Muncie  with 
impaired  health.  But  he  remains  actively  em- 
ployed in  church  work.  During  all  these  years 
of  labor  in  the  ministerial  field  his  piety  and 
eloquence  have  been  duly  recognized,  and  his 
work  in  the  vineyard  of  the  Ford  perforce  ac- 
knowledged. He  holds  membership  in  North 
Indiana  conference,  w'hich  came  to  him  with- 
out seeking  for  it,  and  was  twice  a delegate  to 
and  member  of  the  general  conference — once 
in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  in  1872,  and  once  in 
Baltimore,  Md. , in  1876 — an  honor  not  to  be 
slightingly  looked  upon. 

Rev.  Phillips  was  joined  in  the  holy  bonds 
of  matrimony,  August  14,  1851,  in  Blooming- 
ton, Randolph  county,  Ind.,  to  Mary  Garrett, 
who  bore  him  five  children,  of  whom  three  are 
living,  viz:  Ratie,  wife  of  O.  B.  Thacher,  of 
Spokane,  Wash.,  Mary  J.,  wife  of  A.  B. 
Kline,  of  Bluffton,  Ind.,  and  Emma  G.,  at 
home  with  her  father.  The  mother  of  this 
family  was  called  from  earth  January  24,  1879, 
at  Goshen,  Ind.,  and  her  mortal  remains  lie 
interred  at  that  place.  The  second  marriage 
of  Mr.  Phillips  was  solemnized  April  13,  1880, 


404 


MUNCIE  CITY 


in  Circleville,  Clinton  county,  Ind. , with  | 
Nancy  E.  (Wilson)  White,  widow  of  Dr.  J. 

B.  White.  This  lady  is  also  a devout  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  church.  In  politics  Mr. 
Phillips  is  a republican.  He  is  at  present  a 
non-affiliating  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F. , but 
before  his  voluntary  withdrawal  from  active  j 
work  in  the  order  was  an  honored  and  promi-  j 
nent  member  and  had  attained  a high  rank  in  ' 
the  brotherhood.  Mr.  Phillips  is  a strong  ad- 
vocate of  temperance.  He  has  never  tasted 
an  intoxicant  during  all  his  life,  and  never  loses 
an  opportunity  to  inveigh  against  the  accursed 
traffic  in  liquor. 


R.  ARTHUR  JOHN  PHINNEY,  phy- 
sician, botanist  and  geologist,  of 
Muncie,  Ind.,  was  born  in  Russell 
township,  Geauga  county,  Ohio,  Au- 
gust 27,  1850.  He  was  reared  on  the  home 
farm  until  of  age,  receiving  in  the  meantime  a 
good  common  school  education,  supplemented 
by  an  attendance  at  Geauga  seminary  and  two 
terms  at  Oberlin  college,  and  at  Allegheny  col- 
lege, Meadville,  Pa.,  until  he  reached  the  ju- 
nior year,  devoting  special  attention  to  the 
sciences  and  mathematics.  During  his  colle- 
giate course,  also,  he  employed  his  spare  time  i 
in  teaching  in  the  common  schools  of  Geauga 
and  adjoining  counties  for  six  terms.  In  1875 
he  took  his  first  course  of  medical  lectures,  be- 
ginning in  the  medical  department  of  Wooster 
university;  his  second  course  was  at  Pulte 
Medical  college,  of  Cincinnati,  in  1876-77, 
from  which  he  graduated  in  the  last  named 
year.  For  little  over  a year  he  practiced  in 
Gabon,  Ohio,  and  in  October,  1878,  come  to 
Muncie,  where  he  has  had  an  excellent  prac- 
tice ever  since.  He  turned  his  especial  atten- 
tion to  botany  at  the  time  he  left  college,  and 
his  last  work  in  this  line  ended  with  1882, 


when  he  was  employed  to  prepare  a complete 
record  of  the  flora  of  Delaware  county,  Ind., 
which  was  published  in  the  report  of  the  state 
geological  survey  of  that  year.  In  this  record 
he  classified  720  plants,  including  grasses, 
sedges,  rushes  and  flowers,  and  the  task  occu- 
pied him  several  years.  The  doctor  has  been 
a student  of  geology  for  many  years,  but  his 
first  official  recognition  was  in  1881,  when  he 
was  employed  to  make  a geological  survey  of 
Delaware  county,  which  proved  to  be  so  satis- 
factory that  he  was  subsequently  employed  to 
survey  Randolph,  Grant,  Henry  and  the  north- 
ern portion  of  Wayne,  and  the  results  were  in- 
cluded in  the  state  report  of  1882,  1883  and 
' 1885-86  (two  in  one).  This  was  a labor  of 
five  or  six  years,  taken  in  connection  with  the 
practice  of  his  profession.  On  the  discovery 
of  natural  gas,  the  doctor  began  the  study  of 
the  phenomenon  minutely  and  scientifically, 
keeping  a record  of  all  the  data  obtainable 
throughout  the  state  of  Indiana,  including 
records  of  all  the  geological  strata  passed 
through  in  drilling — thickness,  altitude,  depth 
of  Trenton  limestone;  whether  gas,  oil 
or  water  was  found,  total  depth  of  well,  and 
other  minute  facts,  and  securing  and  label- 
ing samples  of  drillings.  By  these  data  he 
was  enabled  to  determine  the  limits  of  the 
field,  and  was  the  first  to  accurately  define  it. 
These  reports  were  made  the  base  of  a series 
of  articles,  by  the  doctor,  published  in  the 
American  Manufacturer  and  Iron  World,  in 
December,  i 887,  and  afterward,  in  full,  in  the 
Indianapolis  News,  and  in  the  Petroleum  Age, 
at  Bradford,  Pa.,  and  attracted  profound  at- 
tention throughout  the  country.  Major  J.  W. 
Powell,  director  of  the  United  States  geologi- 
cal survey,  impressed  with  the  thoroughness 
of  the  work  done,  appointed  the  doctor  United 
States  geological  surveyor  for  a continuation 
of  the  survey  of  the  Indiana  gas  field  and  di- 
rected a complete  report  to  be  made  thereon. 


Vi-'  . 


I 


THOS.  PORT. 


MRS.  THOS.  PORT. 


It 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


405 


This  was  a labor  of  three  years,  and  forms  a 
part  of  the  eleventh  annual  report  of  the 
United  States  geological  survey.  It  is  amply 
illustrated  with  maps  and  sectional  views,  and 
embraces  everything  of  interest  in  relation  to 
the  gas  field.  The  doctor  has  also  been 
called  to  different  parts  of  the  United  States 
at  various  times,  in  connection  with  his  work. 
He  has  secured  one  of  the  most  comprehen- 
sive working  geological  libraries  in  the  state, 
and  has  collected  an  extensive  variety  of  fos- 
sils, minerals  and  fresh  water  and  land  shells, 
embracing  over  17,000  species,  all  classified 
and  labeled.  In  the  fall  of  1892,  this  collect- 
ion was  sold,  and  donated  to  Buchtel  college, 
Akron,  Ohio.  The  bulk  of  this  immense  re- 
search, study  and  labor  has  been  accomplished 
within  the  past  twelve  years,  and  yet  the 
doctor  has  assidiously  attended  to  his  daily 
professional  duties,  to  which  he  now  exclu- 
sively devotes  himself,  and  in  which  he  holds 
high  rank.  Music  affords  him  his  only  pastime. 

The  marriage  of  Dr.  Phinney  took  place, 
October  16,  1879,  to  Miss  Mary  E.  Little, 
daughter  of  John  L.  Little,  of  Muncie,  and  to 
this  union  one  child,  Louise,  has  been  born. 


^ILLIAM  N.  PIXLEY,  painter,  was 
born  in  Adams  county,  Ohio,  Sep- 
■ tember  ii,  1851,  son  of  Elijah  and 
Harriet  A.  (Abbot)  Pixley.  Elijah 
and  Harriet  Pixley  were  born  and  married  in 
the  above  county  and  state  and  reared  a fam- 
ily of  three  children:  William  N.,  Jennie, 

(deceased),  and  James,  who  resides  in  Tacoma, 
Washington.  The  father  died  of  cholera  July 
4,  1855,  and  the  mother  is  living  at  this  time 
with  her  son  in  the  city  of  Tacoma.  William 
N.  received  his  education  in  the  common 
schools  of  Ohio,  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  began 
learning  the  painter’s  trade,  which  he  has  made 


his  life  work.  In  Eebruary,  1869,  Mr.  Pixley 
came  to  Muncie  and  engaged  in  painting  with 
Alexander  Wiley,  and  three  years  later  became 
one  of  the  principal  workmen  for  the  firm  of 
Slinger  & Wiley,  and  was  thus  employed  until 
1892,  when  he  became  a member  of  the  firm. 
Mr.  Pixley  is  a skillful  painter,  as  is  proved  by 
the  many  specimens  of  his  handiwork,  as  seen 
in  the  signs  he  has  turned  out.  He  is  a repub- 
lican in  his  political  affiliations,  a member  of 
the  Odd  Eellows’  fraternity,  and,  for  some 
years,  has  been  an  active  worker  in  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church.  Mr.  Pixley  was  mar- 
ried July  3,  1861,  to  Miss  Rebecca  J.  Riche_y, 
of  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  and  their  home  has 
been  gladdened  by  two  children:  Gertrude  and 
Arvil. 


*HOMAS  PORT  began  life  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  ladder,  which  he  has 
climbed  to  the  top  with  no  help  but  a 
brave  heart,  industrious  hands  and 
an  intelligent  brain,  and  is  a living  example  of 
what  may  be  accomplished  in  this  country  by 
thrift  and  perseverance,  even  under  discour- 
aging circumstances.  He  was  born  in  Belfast, 
Ireland,  May  3,  1836,  a son  of  John  and  Mary 
Jane  (Carlton)  Port.  The  parents  were  na- 
tives of  the  same  place,  married  there  and 
were  in  comfortable  circumstances,  but  the 
long  trip  across  the  water  to  America  pretty 
well  drained  their  resources.  They  located  in 
Fayette  county,  Ind.,  where  they  engaged  in 
a general  merchandise  business,  and  Mr.  Port 
followed  this  all  of  his  life,  wt>ich  ended  in 
1839,  his  wife  dying  in  1841,  and  they  were 
buried  in  Fayette  county.  They  had  been 
members  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  in 
his  political  views  he  was  a tory.  Four  chil- 
dren were  born  to  them — William,  Margaret 
and  Eliza  J. , all  deceased,  Thomas  being  the 


406 


MUNCIE  CITY 


only  one  yet  living.  The  mother  afterwards 
married  Jacob  Troxall,  and  Thomas  was  reared 
by  his  step-father  until  he  was  seventeen  years 
old,  when  he  left  home,  possessing  one  pair  of 
pants,  one  shirt  and  a straw  hat,  and  reached 
the  home  of  his  sister,  the  wife  of  William 
Wilson,  in  the  same  county,  bare-footed. 
Here  he  was  given  a good  home  and  worked 
for  a year  for  his  board  and  clothes,  at  which 
time  he  decided  to  begin  farming  for  himself. 
He  engaged  to  l)uy  an  old  horse  for  $6o  on 
one  year’s  time,  and  rented  twenty-five  acres 
of  land.  He  tended  a crop  on  this  piece  of 
land,  sold  it  for  $20  per  acre,  and  thus  gained 
a start  in  life. 

Coming  to  Muncie  the  next  winter,  his 
quick  intelligence  showed  him  that  money  could 
be  made  in  the  buying  and  selling  of  horses, 
and  he  traded  all  winter,  buying  in  Muncie  and 
selling  in  Fayette  county,  but  when  summer 
came  he  engaged  in  farming  again.  In  i 860  he 
bought  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Centre  town- 
ship, Delaware  county,  paying  $2,400  for  it, 
and  was  able  to  pay  down  $1,  100,  with  notes 
for  the  balance,  which  long  before  they  became 
due  were  fully  paid.  In  1864  he  sold  this  land 
and  then  bought  in  Mount  Pleasant  township 
120  acres,  upon  which  he  lived  until  1885, 
owning  at  that  time  400  acres,  and  then  he 
came  to  where  he  now  resides.  Here  he  bought 
160  acres  and  has  made  a pleasant  home.  In 
1891  he  sold  140  acres,  the  city  of  Muncie 
having  so  encroached  upon  him,  and  for  this 
land  he  received  $225  per  acre.  He  has  reserv- 
ed twenty  acres  around  his  home  just  outside 
the  city,  and  he  also  owns  100  acres  in  Mount 
Pleasant  township,  which  he  has  well  improved. 

In  1870  Mr.  Port  began  the  buying  and 
selling  of  stock  very  extensively,  and  has  made 
it  very  profitable,  managing  his  business  with 
good  judgment  and  unceasing  care.  He  was 
married  September  4,  1859,  in  Centre  town- 
ship, to  Miss  Catherine  Williams,  a native  of  I 


the  township,  born  March  i i,  1842,  a daughter 
of  William  Y.  and  Sarah  (Tomblison)  Will- 
iams, who  were  natives  of  Ohio  and  early 
pioneers  of  Delaware  county.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Port  had  a family  of  seven  children,  as  follows: 
Laura  M. , wife  of  Charles  Koontz,  a glass 
manufacturer  of  Muncie,  who  was  deputy  treas- 
urer for  the  term  of  eight  }mars;  Ellsworth, 
deceased;  John  W. . the  secretary  of  the  Port 
Glass  works;  Charles  H.  and  two  infants,  de- 
ceased, and  Maud,  who  resides  at  home.  Politi- 
cally, Mr.  Port  is  a believer  in  the  principles  of 
the  democratic  party,  which  he  cordially  sup- 
ports Mr.  Port  is  one  of  the  stockholders  in 
the  Port  Glass  works  and  is  considered  one  of 
the  strong  financial  men  of  Muncie.  The 
father  of  Mrs.  Port  was  born  in  18  i i,  and  now 
resides  in  Centre  township.  The  mother  of 
Mrs.  Port  died  in  this  township  in  1856,  at 
about  forty-one  years  of  age.  They  had  a 
family  of  nine  children,  as  follows:  John  (de- 
ceased), Zadoc,  Isaac,  Catherine,  Henry,  Sarah 
Ann,  William  (deceased).  Perry  and  Nathan. 
Mr.  Williams  is  a republican  and  a member  of 
the  Protestant  Methodist  church. 


RICE  PETTIJON  POWERS,  an  old 
and  highly  respected  citizen  of  Centre 
township,  a native  of  Monongalia 
county,  Va.  (now  W.  Va.),  was  born 
january  13,  1815,  and  is  a son  of  Nehemiah 
and  Cassandra  (Holland)  Powers.  Nehemiah 
Powers  was  a representative  of  an  old  pioneer 
family  of  (then)  Virginia,  and  first  saw  the 
light  of  day  in  a fort  which  had  been  erected 
to  protect  the  settlement  from  the  incursions 
of  the  savages.  By  occupation  he  was  a 
farmer,  and  he  followed  that  useful  calling  all 
of  his  life.  He  moved  to  Indiana  in  1823, 
settling  in  Wayne  county,  thence,  five  years 
later,  moved  to  the  county  of  Henry,  where  his 


sk 

: 

u . 

I' 

V! 


M.  POWERS. 


MRS.  M.  E.  POWERS. 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


411 


death  occurred  in  September,  1846.  His  wife, 
whom  he  married  in  his  native  state,  was  a 
daughter  of  Jacob  and  Mary  (Gordon)  Hol- 
land, natives  of  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia 
respectively.  She  became  the  mother  of 
twelve  children,  six  of  whom  are  living  at  this 
time,  viz:  Brice  P. ; Reason  H.  ; Maria,  wife 
of  John  Williams,  a retired  farmer  living  in 
Muncie;  James,  a resident  of  Blackford  coun- 
ty, Ind.,;  Joshua  H.,  of  Oregon;  and  Mary, 
wife  of  Noah  Branson,  a farmer  living  in  Kan- 
sas. 

Brice  P.  Powers  was  but  a lad  of  about 
eight  years  when  his  parents  moved  to  Indiana, 
and  he  received  the  principal  part  of  his  edu- 
cational training  in  the  schools  of  Centreville, 
Wayne  county,  which  he  attended  about  two 
years.  His  first  practical  experience  in  life 
was  acquired  in  a tan  yard,  where  he  was  em- 
ployed for  two  years,  after  which  he  engaged 
in  agricultural  pursuits  in  Henry  county,  where 
he  resided  until  his  removal  to  the  county  of 
Delaware  in  1852.  Upon  becoming  a resident 
of  the  latter,  he  located  where  he  now  lives  in 
Centre  township,  and  has  since  become  the 
possessor  of  328  acres  of  finely  improved  and 
highly  cultivated  land,  the  result  of  his  own  in- 
dustry and  successful  financial  management. 
Mr.  Powers  has  been  a hard  worker,  and  his 
labors  have  ever  been  directed  by  prudent 
forethought,  the  legitimate  result  of  which  is 
the  comfortable  competence  he  now  enjoys. 
On  the  4th  of  May,  1844,  Mr.  Powers  and 
Hannah  Lewis,  of  Delaware  county,  Ohio, 
were  united  in  marriage.  Mrs.  Powers  is  the 
daughter  of  John  and  Naomi  (Kelly)  Lewis, 
both  natives  of  Ohio,  the  former  of  Delaware 
and  the  latter  of  Butler  county.  The  follow- 
ing are  the  names  of  the  brothers  and  sisters 
of  Mrs.  Powers:  James,  deceased;  Nancy, 

wife  of  James  Rosebraugh;  Zeziah,  deceased; 
Phebe,  widow  of  David  Daily;  John,  a resident 
of  Iowa;  Stephen  G.,  who  lives  in  the  same 


state,  and  Rachael,  wife  of  H.  Simpson.  John 
Lewis,  the  father,  died  in  Randolph  county, 
Ind.,  September  15,  1876;  his  wife  died  in 

Delaware  county,  Ohio,  in  September  of  1834. 
To  the  union  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Powers  five 
children  were  born,  namely;  Naomi,  wddow 
of  J.  H.  Helm,  of  Muncie;  Mark,  deceased; 
Nehemiah,  a contractor  of  Muncie;  Amelia, 
deceased,  and  John,  who  resides  with  his  father 
on  the  home  place.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Powers  are 
communicants  of  the  Baptist  church,  and  their 
lives  have  been  fraught  with  kind  acts  and 
good  deeds.  They  are  among  the  highly 
respected  residents  of  Centre  township,  and 
all  with  whom  they  have  come  in  contact  unite 
in  praising  them  for  their  many  virtues. 

John  Powers,  the  youngest  son;of  Brice  P. 
and  Hannah  Powers,  was  born  May  28,  1858, 
in  Delaware  county.  His  early  educational 
training  in  the  high  school  of  Muncie,  where 
he  graduated  in  1877,  was  supplemented  by  a 
thorough  course  in  the  literary  department  in 
the  State  university  at  Bloomington,  which  he 
completed  in  the  spring  of  1881.  He  taught 
school  in  Yorktown  for  two  years,  and  is  one 
of  the  intelligent  and  progressive  young  men  of 
Delaware  county.  He  lives  with  his  father 
upon  the  homestead,  in  the  management  of 
which  he  displays  the  energy  and  thrift  of  the 
successful  agriculturist. 


ARK  POWERS,  the  popular  treas- 
urer of  Delaware  county,  of  which 
he  is  a native,  was  born  in  Wash- 
ington township,  on  the  4th  day  of 
June,  1845,  is  a son  of  Uriah  and  Syl- 
vania  (Wilson)  Powers,  natives  respectively 
of  Virginia  and  Pennsylvania.  Uriah  Powers 
immigrated  to  Indiana  as  early  as  1826,  set- 
tling in  Henry  county,  where  he  entered  and 
improved  a farm,  but  in  1 834  disposed  of  his 


412 


MUNCIE  CITY 


interest  in  that  part  of  the  state,  and  removed 
to  Washington  township,  Delaware  county, 
where  Mr.  Powers  became  a prominent  busi- 
ness man,  having  been  one  of  the  pioneers  of 
that  section.  For  many  years  he  was  engaged 
in  mercantile  jnirsuits,  married  in  Washington 
township,  and  aftei'ward  built  the  Elizabeth 
mills,  which  he  operated  until  his  death  in 
i860;  his  wife  preceded  him  to  the  grave,  de- 
parting this  life  in  1856.  Politically  Mr. 
Powers  was  a republican,  Init  could  never  be 
induced  to  accept  any  political  office,  jirefer- 
ring  to  give  his  entire  attention  to  his  various 
business  interests.  He  adhered  to  the  creed 
of  the  Baptist  church,  while  his  wife  was  an 
active  member  of  the  Presbyterian  denomina- 
tion. They  reared  six  children  to  maturity, 
as  follows:  Bryce,  a member  of  company  B, 

Eighth  Indiana  infantry,  was  taken  sick  at  the 
siege  of  Vicksburg  and  died  in  the  St.  Louis 
hospital;  John,  who  died  in  1865;  Ann,  died 
in  1861  ; Mary,  now  Mrs.  Keesling  of  Perry 
township;  Mark,  the  subject  of  this  mention, 
and  George,  a well  known  resident  of  the 
township  of  Washington. 

Mark  Powers  received  his  primary  educa- 
tion in  the  township  schools,  later  attended  the 
Muncie  academy,  and  subsecpiently  pursued 
his  studies  for  two  years’  in  the  schools  of 
Marion,  Ind.,  in  all  of  which  he  made  substan- 
tial progress  in  the  various  branches  of  learn- 
ing. In  1861  he  went  to  live  with  an  uncle  in 
Henry  county,  this  state,  and  in  the  spring  of 
1 864  he  entered  the  army  as  a member  of 
company  B,  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-fourth 
Indiana  volunteer  infantry,  with  which  he 
served  four  months,  and  in  1865  enlisted  in 
company  E,  One  Hundred  Eorty-seventh 
regiment,  with  which  he  served  until  honorably 
discharged  at  the  close  of  the  war.  On  severing 
his  connection  with  the  army,  he  returned  to 
Delaware  county  and  engaged  in  farming  and 
stock  raising  in  Washington  township,  where 


he  has  since  made  his  home.  In  Eebruary, 
1 869,  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Powers  was  solem- 
nized with  Miss  Mary  E.  Eurgeson,  step- 
daughter of  Henson  Lewis,  of  Washington 
township,  and  a lady  widely  and  favorably 
known  for  her  many  excellent  traits  of  charac- 
ter. Politically  Mr.  Powers  is  a republican, 
and  as  such  was  elected  to  the  office  of  trustee 
of  Washington  township,  the  duties  of  which 
position  he  discharged  with  credit  to  himself 
and  satisfaction  to  the  people  for  the  period  of 
eight  years.  In  1890  Mr.  Powers  was  compli- 
mented by  his  fellow  citizens  by  being  called 
to  a more  exalted  official  station,  namely, 
treasurer  of  Delaware  county,  to  which  he  was 
elected  in  November  of  that  year,  was  again 
elected  in  1892,  and  still  fills  the  office  in  a 
manner  gratifying  to  his  friends  as  well  as  to 
those  who  differ  with  him  politically.  Frater- 
nally, he  is  a member  of  Lookout  Mountain 
post,  G.  A.  R. , No.  345,  New  Corner,  belongs 
to  the  Masonic  order  of  Muncie,  and  is  also 
identified  with  the  Improved  Order  of  Red 
Men  of  Muncie.  Mr  and  Mrs.  Powers  have 
an  interesting  family  of  seven  children,  whose 
names  are  as  follows;  George,  Burt,  Webb, 
Susan,  Paul,  Bruce  and  John.  Mrs.  Powers 
belongs  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  of 
Muncie,  of  which  she  is  a valued  member. 


LISHA  J.  PUCKETT,  M.  D.,  a 
prominent  physician  and  surgeon  of 
Muncie,  was  born  January  31,  1843, 
in  the  town  of  Cadiz,  Henry  county, 
Ind.  His  father  was  Dr.  Henry  L.  Puckett, 
a native  of  Clinton  county,  Ohio,  and  his 
mother,  whose  maiden  name  was  Elizabeth 
Comer,  was  also  born  in  the  same  state. 
Henry  L.  Puckett  received  his  pi'ofessional 
education  in  the  Botanic  Medical  college,  Cin- 
cinnati, and  began  practicing  at  the  town  of 


LEWIS  REES. 


MRS.  LEWIS  REES. 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


418 


Martinsville,  Ohio,  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
’thirties,  moving  thence  to  Indiana,  locating 
first  in  Henry  county  and  later  in  the  Indian  Re- 
serve in  the  present  county  of  Howard.  At 
the  close  of  the  late  war,  he  went  to  Rich- 
land county,  Wis. , where  his  death  occurred 
in  1887.  , Mrs.  Puckett  preceded  her  husband 
to  the  grave,  departing  this  life  in  the  year 
1861  at  her  home  in  Tipton  county,  Ind. 
Plenry  L.  and  Elizabeth  Puckett  were  the 
parents  of  four  sons  and  three  daughters; 
Elisha  J.,  John  L. , J.  Barkley  and  George  B., 
all  of  whom  entered  the  medical  profession; 
John  L.  resides  at  Kokomo,  Ind.  ; J.  Barkley 
lives  in  Iowa,  and  George  B.,  in  Minneapolis; 
Maria,  Letha  and  Margaret  are  deceased. 

Dr.  Elisha  J.  Puckett  spent  his  youthful 
years  on  the  Indian  Reserve,  and  on  the  death 
of  his  mother  went  to  Anderson,  where  he  en- 
listed, at  the  bi'eaking  out  of  the  great  rebel- 
lion, in  company  G,  Eighth  Indiana  infantry, 
Capt.  H.  VanDevender,  for  the  three  months’ 
service.  At  the  expiration  of  his  enlistment, 
he  re-entered  the  army  for  three  years  or 
during  the  war,  joining  company  K,  Sixteenth 
Indiana  volunteer  infantry,  with  which  he 
served  until  honorably  discharged  at  New 
Orleans  in  1865.  His  command  formed  part 
of  the  Fourteenth  army  corps,  department  of 
the  gulf,  and  he  shared  with  his  comrades  the 
fortunes  and  vicissitudes  of  war  on  a number 
of  sanguinary  fields  and  throughout  several 
hotly  contested  campaigns. 

On  severing  his  connection  with  the  army. 
Dr.  Puckett  returned  to  Anderson,  Ind. , and 
for  three  years  thereafter  studied  medicine 
with  Dr.  J.  C.  Cullon,  under  whose  able  in-  j 
struction  he  made  such  commendable  progress 
that,  before  the  expiration  of  the  t'ime  noted,  ; 
he  began  the  practice  of  his  profession  as  as- 
sistant to  his  preceptor.  During  the  succeed- 
ing four  years  he  practiced  at  the  town  of  New  j 
Corner,  Delaware  county,  and  with  the  pecun- 


iary capital  thus  acquired  and  actuated  by  a 
laudable  ambition  to  drink  more  deeply  at  the 
fountain  of  professional  knowledge,  he  entered 
college  at  Indianapolis,  where  in  due  time  he 
graduated,  receiving  his  diploma  in  1878. 
Subsequently  he  took  a post-graduate  course, 
and  in  the  winter  of  1888  located  in  Muncie, 
where  he  has  since  resided,  building  up  a large 
and  lucrative  practice  in  the  city  and  through- 
out Delaware  county  in  the  meantime. 

Dr.  Puckett  was  married  in  1861,  while 
home  on  furlough,  to  Miss  Malinda  Harris, 
daughter  of  Washington  and  Sarah  (Gifford) 
Harris,  to  which  union  seven  children  were 
born,  five  living  at  this  time;  x\nnie  L. , 
Frances,  Ida  Blanch,  Bertha  and  F.  W. 
Since  beginning  the  practice  of  the  healing 
art  Dr.  Puckett  has  continued  to  enjoy  a well 
merited  reputation  for  success  in  his  calling. 
He  has  always  been  an  ardent  supporter  of  the 
democratic  party,  and  during  President  Cleve- 
land’s first  administration  was  a member  of 
the  pension  examining  board  of  Delaware 
county.  He  is  identified  with  the  Methodist 
Protestant  church,  belongs  to  the  I.  O.  O.  F. 
and  Red  Men  order,  and  was  initiated  into 
the  mysteries  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  a num- 
ber of  years  ago  at  Anderson. 


EWIS  REES,  a prominent  citizen  of 
Centre  township,  and  a member  of 
one  of  the  oldest  and  best  known 
pioneer  families  of  Delaware  county, 
is  a native  of  Ohio  and  a son  of  Lewis  and 
Mary  Rees.  His  paternal  ancestors  were  among 
the  early  settlers  of  Virginia,  and  on  the 
mother’s  side  he  is  a descendant  of  the  sturdy 
pioneers  of  Pennsylvania.  Lewis  and  Mary 
Rees  emigrated  to  Ohio  many  years  ago,  and 
as  early  as  1821  came  to  Delaware  county, 
Ind. , locating  in  the  township  of  Perry,  of  which 


414 


MUNCIE  CITY 


tliey  were  among  the  very  first  settlers.  Their 
first  home  was  located  in  the  woods,  and  after 
developing  a farm,  Mr.  Rees,  Sr.,  moved  to 
another  part  of  the  township  and  purchased 
i6o  acres  of  government  land,  which  was  also 
in  a primitive  condition.  Being  a man  of 
much  more  than  ordinary  thrift  and  business 
foresight,  Mr.  Rees  made  a number  of  judi- 
cious purchases,  and  in  time  became  the  owner 
of  over  600  acres  of  valuable  land,  the  greater 
part  of  which,  under  his  successful  manage- 
ment, was  brought  to  a successful  state  of 
cultivation.  Upon  the  home  farm  in  Perry 
township,  Lewis  Rees,  Sr.,  died  in  1852,  and 
his  wife  was  summoned  to  her  final  reward  in 
I 876.  Lewis  Rees  was  a prominent  factor  in 
in  the  early  history  and  development  of  Del- 
aware county,  and  at  one  time  filled  the  office 
of  probate  judge  with  ability.  He  became  a 
republican  upon  the  formation  of  that  party, 
and  was  an  earnest  supporter  of  its  principles 
until  the  close  of  his  life. 

Lewis  Rees  was  born  March  i i,  1820,  and 
has  spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life  in  Dela- 
ware county.  Like  all  people  reared  on  a farm, 
he  was  early  in  life  made  familiar  with  the 
many  labors  and  duties  incident  thereto,  and 
until  his  marriage,  at  the  age  of  thirty,  he  re- 
sided upon  the  home  place  and  managed  the 
same.  His  marriage  was  solemnized  August  i, 
1850,  with  Mary  A.  Smith,  who  was  born  in 
Liberty  township,  Delaware  county,  January 
2,  1831,  the  daughter  of  Lewis  aud  Serepta 
(Preston)  Smith,  natives  of  Vermont,  who 
moved  to  this  part  of  the  state  at  an  early 
period  of  its  history.  Immediately  after  his 
marriage,  Mr.  Rees  purchased  a farm  of  eighty 
acres,  to  which  he  at  once  removed,  and  upon 
which  he  resided  for  a period  of  eighteen  years, 
and  then  moved  to  his  present  place  in  Centre 
township,  w'here  he  has  since  made  his  home. 
In  the  meantime  Mr.  Rees  accumulated  valu- 
able real  estate  in  various  parts  of  the  county, 


and  became  the  owner  of  over  300  acres  of 
fine  land,  which  he  divided  among  the  various 
members  of  his  family.  Since  moving  to  his 
present  place  in  Centre  township,  he  has  added 
to  his  original  purchase  from  time  to  time  until 
he  how  has  in  his  possession  over  377  acres 
adjoining  the  city  of  Muncie,  all  of  which  is 
substantially  improved  and  represents  a great 
value.  In  the  true  sense  of  the  word,  Mr. 
Rees  is  a self  made  man  and  as  such  ranks 
with  the  most  successful  agriculturists  of  Dela- 
ware count}c  He  possesses  financial  ability  of 
a high  order,  has  always  been  a man  of  great 
industry,  and  his  example  is  well  worthy  of 
imitation  by  those  who  are  just  beginning  the 
struggle  of  life  for  themselves.  He  is  one  of 
the  oldest  and  best  known  citizens  of  the 
county  living  at  this  time,  and  is  fully  entitled 
to  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  his  fellow 
citizens,  which  he  enjoys  in  a very  marked 
degree.  He  is  a republican  in  politics  and  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  church,  to  which  his 
wife  also  belongs.  Six  children  have  been 
born  to  Mr.- and  Mrs.  Rees,  namely:  Elwood, 
Perlina,  Randson,  Serepta  (deceased),  Lucetta 
(deceased)  and  Emma. 


G^’HRISTOPHER  RIBBLE,  one  of  the 
farmers  of  Delaware  county,  Ind. , 
now  living  a life  retired  from  active 
business  in  the  pleasant  city  of  Mun- 
■cie,  Ind.,  was  born  in  Montgomery  county, 
Va.,  November  16,  1817,  son  of  David  and 
Mary  (Surfess)  Ribble,  natives  of  the  same 
county,  who  removed  to  Delaware  county  in 
1830  and  settled  in  Perry  township,  where 
they  entered  a tract  of  land  in  1829.  David 
Ribble  was  a man  of  more  than  ordinary  edu- 
cation for  that  period,  and  was  prominently 
identified  with  the  business  and  political  life  of 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


415 


the  count}’.  He  was  a republican  in  politics 
and  was  the  representative  of  the  people  of 
his  district  for  one  term.  He  died  in  March, 
1839.  The  mother  of  Christopher  Ribble 
was  a consistent  member  of  the  Pre'sbyterian 
church,  a good  woman  and  a kind  neighbor, 
and  her  death  occurred  in  1852.  They  reared 
a family  of  six  children,  as  follows;  Elizabeth, 
now  Mrs.  Ingraham  Sissell,  of  Tennessee; 
Martin,  a resident  of  Muncie;  Nancy,  now 
Mrs.  Joseph  Thomas,  of  Iowa;  Christopher, 
William,  of  Centre,  and  John  of  Iowa. 

Christopher  Kibble  came  to  Delaware 
county  when  about  thirteen  years  of  age,  and 
received  his  education  in  the  early  schools  of 
the  county.  In  1839  he  married  Miss  Martha 
VanArsdol,  daughter  of  Cornelius  and  Jane 
(McClellan)  VanArsdol,  who  settled  in  Perry 
township,  Delaware  county,  in  1820.  Mr.  Van 
Arsdol  was  born  in  Kentucky  and  removed, 
when  a child,  with  his  parents,  to  Ohio,  where 
he  grew  to  maturity  and  married.  After  com- 
ing to  Indiana  he  built  a house  upon  his  claim 
and  cleared  a farm.  He  served  as  justice  of 
the  peace  and  as  county  commissioner;  was 
also  a minister  in  the  Christian  church,  being 
the-  first  preacher  of  the  county.  His  death 
occurred  in  1869.  He  had  been  a soldier  in 
the  war  of  1812. 

After  marriage,  Mr.  Ribble  located  in  Perry 
township,  \vhere  he  cleared  a farm,  and  here 
the  family  resided  until  1873,  when  he  retired 
from  business  and  removed  into  Muncie.  He 
is  a stockholder  in  the  Five  Points  Gas  Well 
company.  Politically  he  is  a republican  and 
takes  much  interest  in  public  affairs.  One  son, 
Cornelius  W.,  was  born  in  1842  and  enlisted  in 
1861  in  company  K,  Nineteenth  Indiana  volun- 
teer infantry,  and  died  with  typhoid  fever, 
December  31,  1861,  at  Washington,  D.  C. 
Another  son,  Mhlliam  T. , is  a carpenter  and 
contractor  in  the  city  of  Muncie.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Ribble  are  members  of  the  High  street  Metho- 


dist Episcopal  church,  and  always  take  great 
interest  in  religious  affairs. 


ILLIAM  RIBBLE,  a prominent 
farmer  of  Centre  township,  and  one 
of  the  oldest  and  best  known  citi- 
zens of  Delaware  county,  is  a na- 
tive of  Montgomery  county,  Va. , born  Octo- 
ber 10,  1819.  He  is  of  German  descent  and 
the  son  of  David  and  Mary  (Surfess)  Ribble. 
His  grandparents  located  in  Miami  county, 
Ohio,  in  1828,  and  in  1830  his  parents  re- 
moved to  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  locating 
near  Smithfield,  Perry  township.  David  Rib- 
ble died  in  1839  at  the  age  of  fifty-two,  and  his 
wife  in  1852,  when  sixty-three  years  old. 
David  Ribble  followed  farming  his  entire  life, 
and  was  chosen  representative  of  Delaware 
county,  Ind. , in  the  general  assembly  from 
1835  to  i837-  He  reared  a family  of  six  chil- 
dren, viz;  Elizabeth,  Martin,  Nancy,  Christo- 
pher, William  and  John. 

William  Ribble  received  the  most  impor- 
tant part  of  his  instruction  in  the  common 
schools  of  Virginia,  as  the  advantages  afforded 
in  the  newly  settled  districts  of  Indiana  were 
very  meager,  and  much  of  his  time  was  em- 
ployed in  the  work  of  the  farm.  After  the 
death  of  his  father,  he  assumed  the  manage- 
ment of  the  farm  and  at  once  began  purchas- 
ing the  shares  owned  by  his  brothers  and  sis- 
ters. He  set  to  work  clearing  and  improving 
the  place,  and  from  time  to  time  purchased 
adjoining  tracts  until  1881,  until  he  was  the 
possessor  of  344  acres  of  choice  land.  In 
1858,  he  formed,  with  his  brother-in-law,  the 
firm  of  Hutchings  & Ribble,  at  Selma,  and 
engaged  in  the  sale  of  general  merchandise 
and  in  buying  and  selling  grain  and  wool, 
carrying  on  the  farm  in  the  meantime.  At  the 
death  of  Mr.  Hutchings,  which  occurred  in 


416 


MUNCIE  CITY 


1865,  he  sold  his  interest  in  the  business  and 
again  turned  his  whole  attention  to  agricult- 
ural pursuits. 

In  1843,  Mr.  Kibble  was  elected  justice  of 
the  peace  on  the  whig  ticket,  and  later  by 
appointment  of  Gov.  Whitcomb  became  major 
of  the  state  militia.  He  assisted  in  the  organ- 
ization of  the  republican  party,  and  in  1874 
was  elected  on  that  ticket  to  the  general 
assembly.  Mr.  Kibble  has  been  foremest  in 
various  public  improvements,  among  which 
were  the  Smithheld  & Burlington  turnpike,  of 
which  he  was  secretary  and  a director,  and 
the  Muncie  & Burlington  pike,  in  which  he  also 
held  an  official  position.  In  1856  Mr.  Kibble 
joined  the  Burlington  lodge  of  Free  & Accepted 
Masons,  and,  in  1867,  took  the  chapter  and 
commandery  degrees.  He  has  been  a member 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  for  over 
forty  years,  holding,  during  that  period,  the 
office  of  steward. 

On  the  19th  of  November,  1844,  Mr.  Kib- 
ble was  united  in  marriage  with  Harriet  Kibble, 
who  was  born  in  Montgomery  county,  Va., 
January  24,  1824,  the  daughter  of  George  and 
Sarah  (Surfess)  Kibble.  George  Kibble,  in 
company  with  David  Kibble,  located  in  Perry 
township,  Delaware  county,  in  1830,  and  in 
1831  took  command  of  a company  of  state 
militia,  which  position  he  filled  until  promoted 
to  the  rank  of  colonel  in  1847.  Subsequently 
(1855)  he  removed  to  the  state  of  Iowa,  locat- 
ing at  the  town  of  Clarinda,  where  he  resided 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  on  the  27th 
day  of  February,  1887.  His  wife,  Sarah  Kib- 
ble, died  in  the  same  place  May  25,  1879,  and 
they  have  fifty-six  surviving  grandchildren, 
and  fifty-one  great-grandchildren.  George 
and  Sarah  Kibble,  were  earnest  members  of 
the  Methodist  church.  To  the  marriage  of 
William  and  Harriet  Kibble  have  been  born 
ten  children,  namely:  Charles  O.,  a resident 

of  Liberty  township;  Helen;  Clara,  wife  of  L. 


T.  Wilson,  of  Osage  county,  Kan.  ; David, 
who  lives  in  Tennessee,  George  A.,  a resident 
of  the  township  of  Liberty;  Sarah  A.,  wife  of 
T.  W.  Cornell;  Harriet  B..  wife  of  W.  W. 
Brown,  an  attorney  of  New  Castle,  Ind.  ; Eliza, 
deceased;  Mary  K.,  wife  of  W.  L.  Legg,  Fort 
Scott,  Kan. ; Gertrude,  deceased,  and  Lydia 
E.,  deceased. 


EBSTEK  S.  KICHEY.— Among 

the  officials  of  Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  who  do  her  honor  by  their 
efficiency,  the  gentleman  whose 

name  introduces  this  sketch  occupies  a de- 
servedly conspicuous  place.  Since  1890  he 
has  been  the  auditor  of  the  county,  and  has 
most  ably  and  faithfully  performed  the  onerous 
duties  of  the  position  to  the  satisfaction  of  the 
people,  irrespective  of  party  affiliation. 

Webster  S.  Kichey  was  born  in  Preble 
county,  Ohio,  March  ii,  1848,  and  is  a son  of 
Samuel  W.  and  Sarah  C.  (Fleming)  Kichey, 
natives  of  the  same  state,  of  the  counties  of 
Preble  and  Butler,  respectively.  The  father 
was  a prominent  business  man  of  New  Paris, 
Ohio,  and  died  in  1881,  at  the  advanced  age 
of  seventy-six.  Webster  S.  is  the  youngest 
of  a family  of  eight  children  and  was  reared 
in  his  native  town  until  sixteen  years  of  age, 
attending  in  the  meantime  the  public  schools, 
in  which  he  laid  the  foundation  of  an  educa- 
tion which,  supplemented  by  a subsequent 
course  of  instruction,  and  a life  of  great  busi- 
ness activity  and  close  observation  of  events, 
has  made  him  one  of  the  best  informed  men 
in  every  community  where  his  lot  has  been 
cast.  On  the  first  day  of  April,  1864,  at  the 
age  of  sixteen,  he  entered  the  service  of  his 
country,  enlisting  in  the  Eighth  Ohio  battery 
of  light  artillery,  and  served  faithfully  for 
fifteen  months,  at  the  end  of  which  time. 


W.  S.  RICHEY 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


419 


owing  to  a serious  injury  received  while  mount- 
ing a cannon,  and  the  war  being  over,  he 
severed  his  connection  with  the  army  and  re- 
turned to  Ohio,  and  for  some  time  thereafter 
was  engaged  in  the  drug  business  at  the  town 
of  New  Paris,  and  while  thus  employed  at- 
tended school  as  occasion  permitted.  In  1867 
Mr.  Richey  accepted  a position  as  bookkeeper 
in  a wholesale  grocery  house  at  Richmond, 
Ind. , in  which  capacity  he  continued  until 
1870,  when  he  located  in  Muncie  and  engaged 
in  the  drug  business  in  partnership  with  W. 
E.  Richey,  under  the  firm  name  of  Richey  & 
Richey.  From  1871  to  1876  he  was  agent  of 
the  American  Express  company  at  Muncie  and 
joint  agent  for  the  United  States  and  Ameri- 
can companies  from  the  latter  year  to  1880, 
also  serving  as  freight  clerk  for  the  Bee  Line 
railroad  from  1880  to  1881.  From  the  latter 
year  to  1882  he  was  bookkeeper  for  James 
Boyce,  and  from  1882  to  1887  was  the  route 
agent  through  Ohio  and  Indiana  for  the  United 
States  Express  company.  From.  1887  to  188,9  i 
he  was  again  bookkeeper  for  James  Boyce 
and  served  in  that  capacity  until  1 890,  in 
which  year  he  was  elected  to  his  present  posi- 
tion, auditor  of  Delaware  county. 

Mr.  Richey  is  a prominent  member  of  the 
Williams  post.  No.  78,  G.  A.  R. , Muncie,  and 
was  mainly  instrumental  in  the  establishment 
of  a similar  organization  at  New  Paris,  Ohio,  j 
in  1886,  of  which  he  was  made  commander. 
He  takes  great  interest  in  all  matters  pertain- 
ing to  the  Grand  Army.  He  is  also  promi- 
nently identified  with  the  A.  F.  & A.  M. 
fraternity,  belonging  to  lodge  No.  433,  of 
Muncie,  also  being  a member  of  Muncie  chap- 
ter and  commandery.  He  belongs  to  lodge 
No.  74,  I.  O.  O.  F. , tribe  No.  30,  I.  O.  R.  M., 
took  an  active  part  in  the  organization  of  the 
Ancile  club  and  is  one  of  the  active  members 
of  the  Citizens’  Business  club.  It  will  thus  be 
seen  that  the  career  of  Mr.  Richey  has  been 


one  of  untiring  activity,  and  the  important 
trusts  to  which  he  has  been  called  at  different 
times,  and  the  important  office  which  he  now 
so  ably  and  acceptably  fills,  attest  his  popu- 
larity with  the  people  of  his  county.  A self 
made  man,  he  has  always  been  imbued  with 
the  spirit  of  self  reliance,  and  every  interest 
imposed  in  him  has  been  managed  with  excel- 
lent tact  and  judgment.  As  an  official,  he 
enjoys  in  a full  measure  the  confidence  of  his 
fellow  citizens,  and  all  who  have  had  business 
relations  with  him  bear  testimony  to  his  worth 
as  an  intelligent  and  most  affable  and  courte- 
ous gentleman. 

Mr.  Richey  was  married  October  15,  1872, 
to  Miss  Julia  Thomas,  daughter  of  J.  Harvey 
Thomas,  of  Dayton,  Ohio,  and  three  children 
have  been  born  to  their  union,  namely; 
Albert  S. , a student  at  Purdue  university, 
where  he  is  taking  the  course  of  electrical 
engineering;  Reba  and  Paul.  Mr.  Richey  is 
himself  liberal  in  his  religious  views,  but  his 
family  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  de- 
nomination. 


AMUEF  M.  RIED. — Among  the  suc- 
cessful physicians  of  Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  Samuel,  M.  Ried  takes  a front 
rank,  both  as  to  skill  and  popularity. 
Dr.  Ried  was  born  in  Shelby  county,  Ohio, 
August  27,  1843,  and  is  a son  of  William  R. 
and  Susan  (Young)  Ried,  natives  of  Virginia 
and  Montgomery  county,  Ohio,  respectively. 
William  R.  and  Susan  Ried  were  the  parents 
of  five  children,  of  whom  Samuel  M.  is  the 
only  one  now  living.  Mrs.  Susan  Ried  de- 
parted this  life  March  30,  1863,  and  the  fol- 
lowing year  Mr.  Ried  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Jean  Henry,  who  is  still  living  on  the 
i old  home  farm  in  Ohio.  William  R.  Ried  died 
on  the  lOth  day  of  February,  1893. 


420 


MUNCIE  CITY 


Dr.  Kied  was  reared  to  manhood  in  his 
native  county,  in  the  public  schools  of  which 
he  received  his  early  educational  training,  and 
later  he  became  a student  in  the  Wesleyan 
university,  Delaware,  Ohio,  which  institution 
he  left  before  completing  the  prescribed  course, 
for  the  purpose  of  joining  the  army.  Just  at 
this  juncture,  however,  he  was  stricken  with 
typhoid  fever,  which  prevented  his  doing  mili- 
tary service,  a most  grievous  disappointment 
to  him  at  the  time,  as  he  was  exceedingly 
desirous  of  going  to  the  front.  The  six  years 
following  his  recovery  from  sickness  he  spent 
teaching  school,  succeeding  well  in  the  profes- 
sion and  earning  the  reputation  of  a capable 
and  painstaking  instructor.  About  this  time 
he  decided  to  gratify  a taste,  which  had  been 
developing  for  several  years,  of  fitting  himself 
for  the  medical  profession;  accordingly,  he 
entered  the  office  of  Dr.  William  R.  Venard, 
and  began  the  study  of  medicine,  in  which  he 
made  most  satisfactory  progress.  He  added 
to  the  knowledge  thus  obtained  by  taking  a 
full  course  in  the  college  of  Physicians  and 
Sui'geons  of  Keokuk,  low'a,  from  which  he 
graudated  in  1878,  and  thus,  quite  well  for- 
tified for  the  duties  of  his  chosen  call- 
ing, he  resumed  the  practice,  which  he  had 
previously  commenced  in  1866  in  Warren 
county,  Ind.  He  remained  in  the  county  of 
Warren  for  a period  of  twenty-three  years, 
doing  a lucrative  practice  in  the  meantime, 
and  in  1 889  located  in  Muncie,  where  his 
thorough  knowledge  of  the  profession  soon  won 
for  him  a prominent  place  among  the  leading 
physicians  and  surgeons.  Dr.  Ried  has  much 
in  his  favor,  possessing  a pleasant  personality, 
with  a manner  which  inspires  confidence — 
attributes  so  necessary  to  the  successful  disci- 
ple of  the  healing  art.  He  is  upon  the  kindest 
terms  with  his  brother  practitioners,  belongs 
to  the  Delaware  County  Medical  society,  and 
is  also  a member  of  the  State  Medical  society. 


1 In  polititics  he  is  a supporter  of  the  republi- 
can party,  taking  an  active  interest  in  the 
1 cause  which  he  espouses,  and  he  has  the 
j courage  of  his  convictions  upon  all  questions 
of  local  and  public  moment.  He  is  a member 
of  the  Mutual  Loan  & Savings  association 
of  Muncie,  and  testifies  to  his  interest  in  fra- 
ternal orders  by  holding  membership  in  three 
prominent  organizations,  namely:  Masonic, 

I.  O.  O.  F.  and  the  I.  O.  R.  M.  In  religion 
the  doctor  subscribes  to  the  Methodist  creed, 
j and  as  a member  of  the  High  Street  congrega- 
tion he  has  done  much  for  his  denomination  in 
I this  city. 

The  doctor  was  married,  in  1 866,  to  Miss 
Jennie  Johnson,  daughter  of  Joseph  Johnson 
of  Shelby  county,  Ohio,  and  is  the  father  of 
three  children,  namely:  Francis  A. , died  May 

28,  1876;  William  |.,  died  April  8,  1877;  and 
B.  Lee,  living — his  birth  having  occurred  on 
the  4th  day  February,  1877. 


ARDIN  ROADS,  president  of  the 
Merchants’  National  bank  of  Muncie, 
was  born  and  reared  on  a farm  in 
Highland  county,  Ohio.  After  mak- 
; ing  such  preparations  as  the  common  schools 
afforded,  he  began  teaching  at  the  age  of  seven- 
I teen,  and  during  the  years  of  his  early  man- 
hood followed  this  occupation,  working  on  the 
j farm  during  vacations.  Subsequently,  he  en- 
gaged in  merchandising  at  Hillsboro,  Ohio, 
i where  he  remained  actively  engaged  until  i 887, 
when  he  came  to  Muncie  and  engaged  in  the 
I wholesale  grocery  trade  for  a period  of  five 
years,  when  he  disposed  of  his  business  to  Mr. 

^ Goddard  in  1892.  February  4,  1893,  Mr. 

Roads,  with  several  other  leading  business  men 
I of  Muncie,  completed  the  organization  of  the 
Merchants’  National  bank,  he  being  chosen 
i president.  The  bank,  located  at  the  corner  of 


J.  W.  SHAFER. 


/ 


i 

~-i 


s 


i 


V 


G.  W.  ROBINSON. 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


421 


Main  and  Mulberry  streets,  has  a capital  stock 
of  $100,000,  and  is  recognized  as  one  of  the 
solid  and  successful  financial  institutions  of 
the  cit}u 


EORGE  W.  ROBINSON  (deceased), 
for  many  years  a popular  citizen 
of  Muncie,  and  one  of  its  efficient 
officials,  was  born  in  Greene  county. 
Pa.,  on  the  13th  day  of  February,  1836.  He 
was  the  sixth  in  a family  of  ten  children  born 
to  Allen  and  Jane  (Birch)  Robinson,  the  father 
a native  of  England,  and  the  mother  of  Ireland. 
Allen  Robinson  came  to  the  United  States  in 
early  boyhood  with  an  uncle,  and  became  a 
prominent  physician,  which  profession  he  fol- 
lowed during  life.  Mrs.  Robinson  was  brought 
to  the  United  States  by  her  parents  when  but 
four  years  of  age,  and  grew  to  womanhood  in 
Washington  county.  Pa.  In  1837,  Allen  Rob- 
inson removed  with  his  family  to  Mercer  county, 
Ohio,  thence  later  to  the  city  of  Bellefontaine, 
where  he  resided  until  1851,  at  which  date  he 
located  in  Muncie,  Ind.,  and  here  practiced  his 
profession.  He  died  in  1865  at  the  age  of 
sixty  years,  and  his  wife  survived  him  until 
1880,  dying  in  that  year  at  the  advanced  age 
of  eighty-four. 

George  W.  Robinson  was  but  a lad  when 
his  parents  located  in  Mercer  county,  Ohio, 
and  a boy  in  his  teens  when  he  came  to  Muncie. 
He  received  a common  school  education,  and 
in  his  fifteenth  year  entered  upon  an  appren- 
ticeship with  Calvin  Everett,  the  pioneer  shoe- 
maker of  Muncie,  to  learn  that  useful  trade. 
He  followed  the  business  of  shoemaking  for  a 
number  of  years,  and  upon  the  death  of  his 
brother,  John  T.  Robinson,  became  the  latter’s 
successor  as  town  marshal  in  the  fall  of  1878, 
the  duties  of  which  office  he  discharged  con- 
tinuously until  Muncie  was  incorporated  as 


a city,  when  he  was  elected  city  marshal, 
which  office  he  filled  by  successive  re-elec- 
tions for  a period  of  fifteen  years.  His  effi- 
ciency as  a guardian  of  the  city’s  interests 
during  the  period  of  his  incumbency  was 
greatly  appreciated  by  his  fellow  citizens,  and 
as  an  evidence  of  the  high  esteem  in  which  he 
was  held  he  was  made  chief  of  police,  the 
duties  of  which  position  he  discharged  in  an 
eminently  satisfactory  manner  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  on  the  i 5th  day  of  May,  1893. 
It  will  thus  be  seen  that  the  life  of  Mr.  Robin- 
son was  one  of  great  activity,  and  his  official 
career  embraced  a period  of  twenty-five  years 
of  the  existence  of  the  city  of  Muncie.  As 
an  official,  he  was  uniformly  kind  and  courte- 
ous, but  possessed  in  a marked  degree  that 
firmness  of  purpose  so  essential  to  an  officer 
of  justice,  and  which  in  his  case  proved  a 
terror  to  violators  of  the  law.  Personally  he 
enjoyed  great  popularity,  his  kindness  of  heart 
became  proverbial,  and  all  with  whom  he 
came  in  contact,  whether  in  business,  official 
or  social  relations,  united  in  pronouncing  him 
a true  friend  and  an  honorable,  upright  gentle- 
man. In  politics  he  was  ever  a supporter  of 
the  republican  party,  and  he  was  prominently 
identified  with  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  and  the  frater- 
nity of  Red  Men.  Mr.  Robinson  was  twice 
married;  the  first  time,  on  the  25th  day  of 
May,  1854,  to  Miss  Mary  Frances  Gordon, 
who  died  in  1875,  the  mother  of  six  children, 
three  of  whom  are  living,  namely:  Charles, 
Dell  and  Allen.  Mr.  Robinson’s  second  mar- 
riage was  solemnized  October  28,  1877,  with 
Miss  Jenette  A.  Langley,  who  was  born  in 
Madison  county,  Ind.,  in  1861,  the  daughter 
of  John  and  Susan  Langle)",  natives  of  Indiana 
and  of  German  descent. 

The  moral  character  of  Mr.  Robinson  was 
above  reproach,  and  his  constant  observation 
of  the  evil  effects  of  crime  seemed  but  to 
strengthen  his  incorruptibility. 


422 


MUNCIE  CITY 


HEODOKE  E.  ROSE,  prominent  at- 
torney of  Delaware  county,  and  pres- 
ident of  the  Muncie  Natural  Gas 
company,  was  born  in  Fairfield, 
Franklin  county,  Ind.,  the  son  of  Samuel  and 
Jane  (Harris)  Rose.  The  father  was  one  of 
the  first  white  children  born  in  the  town  of 
Fairfield  and  was  by  occupation  a carriage 
maker,  having  carried  on  an  extensive  manu- 
facturing establishment  for  many  years.  He 
was  a man  of  local  prominence  in  his  neighbor- 
hood, was  an  active  and  influential  member  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  always 
manifested  a great  interest  in  the  Sunday 
school  work.  His  father,  William  S.  Rose, 
removed  to  Union  county  in  an  early  day,  and 
there  became  a prominent  man  of  affairs,  and 
was  called  to  fill  various  official  positions. 
Mrs.  Samuel  Rose  was  a native  of  Lancaster, 
Pa.,  and  a woman  of  many  excellent  traits  of 
both  mind  and  heart. 

Theodore  F.  Rose  is  the  second  son  in  his 
father's  family,  and  was  reared  in  his  native 
place  until  seventeen  years  of  age.  In  his 
youth  he  enjoyed  superior  educational  advan- 
tages, attending  first  the  public  schools  and 
later  becoming  a student  of  Brookville  college, 
and  afterward  graduating,  in  1875,  from  the 
regular  scientific  course  in  the  State  university 
at  Bloomington,  Ind.  His  early  inclinations 
led  him  to  choose  the  legal  profession  for  his 
life  work,  and  in  1876  he  began  the  study  of 
the  same  in  the  office  of  Buckles  & Ryan  at 
Muncie,  under  whose  instruction  he  continued 
until  his  admission  to  the  bar  in  1878.  He 
then  began  the  active  practice  of  his  profes- 
sion in  partnership  with  Hon.  Josiah  E.  Mel- 
lett,  at  that  time  prosecuting  attorney  of  Del- 
aware county,  and  was  made  deputy  prose- 
cutor, in  which  capacity  he  continued 
until  the  expiration  of  that  gentleman’s 
term  of  office.  The  partnership  of  Rose  & 
Mellett  was  continued  until  1882,  since 


which  time  Mr.  Rose  has  not  had  any  associ- 
ate in  the  practice.  He  served  as  city  attor- 
ney for  five  years,  and  is  now  the  attorney  for 
a number  of  corporations,  and  his  standing  is  a 
compliment  to  his  ability  as  a painstaking  and 
successful  lawyer.  He  became  president  of 
the  Muncie  Natural  Gas  compiany  in  1886, 
since  which  date  he  has  been  prominently 
identified  with  that  organization.  He  was  one 
of  the  chief  movers  and  organizers  of  the  Indi- 
ana Bridge  company,  from  which  he  retired  in 
1891;  is  a stockholder  in  the  Muncie  Casket 
company,  and  has  been  connected  with  several 
important  industries  which  have  had  their 
effect  in  promoting,  in  a very  marked  degree, 
the  prosperity  of  the  city  of  Muncie.  In  part- 
nership with  George  Kirby,  he  has  for  several 
years  been  extensively  engaged  in  real  estate 
transactions,  and  is  a recognized  authority  on 
all  matters  pertaining  to  that  line  of  business, 
Mr.  Rose  is  a man  of  energy  and  spirit,  pos- 
sesses financial  ability  of  a high  order,  and 
bears  the  reputation  of  being  a man  of  marked 
probity,  and  as  exemplary  in  private  life  as 
well  as  before  the  public  gaze.  Fraternally  he 
is  a member  of  Muncie  lodge,  No.  74,  I.  O.  O. 

E. ,  belongs  to  the  Muncie  encampment  and 
canton,  is  prominently  identified  with  the  A. 

F.  & A.  M.,  and  was  one  of  the  charter  mem- 
bers of  the  Ancile  club.  The  marriage  of  Mr. 
Rose  was  solemnized  in  1880  with  Miss  Mar- 
garet I.  Dodds,  daughter  of  Dr.  James  F. 
Dodds,  of  Bloomington,  Ind.,  to  which  union 
one  child,  Frederick  D.  Rose,  has  been  born. 


OHN  C.  ROSS,  M.  D.,  a prominent 
physician  and  surgeon  of  MunCie,  is  a 
native  of  Randolph  county,  Ind.,  and 
son  of  John  and  Eliza  (Hunt)  Ross. 
John  Ross  was  born  in  Fleming  county,  Ky., 
July  25,  1816,  and  came  to  Indiana  with  his 


J.  C.  ROSS,  M.  D 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


425 


parents  in  1825,  locating  with  the  family  in 
the  city  of  Fort  Wayne.  When  a young  man, 
he  worked  for  some  time  on  the  old  Wabash 
and  Erie  canal,  and  later  removed  to  Randolph 
county  and  entered  160  acres  of  government 
land  in  what  is  now  Nettle  Creek  township. 
In  addition  to  agricultural  pursuits,  which  he 
carried  on  for  a number  of  }^ears,  he  worked  at 
the  mill-wright  trade,  and  was  thus  engaged 
until  he  entered  the  United  States  service  at 
the  breaking  out  of  the  late  rebellion.  He 
enlisted,  in  1861,  in  company  D,  Sixty-ninth 
Indiana  infantry,  was  soon  promoted  captain, 
and  took  part  in  the  first  battle  at  Richmond, 
Ky. , where  he  received  a severe  wound  which 
necessitated  his  retiring  from  the  service  for  a 
time.  In  the  battle  of  Richmond  nearly  all  of 
the  Sixty-ninth  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy, 
and  the  regiment  was  afterwards  reorganized 
at  Camp  Wayne  and  assigned  to  Grant’s  com- 
mand, Mr.  Ross  leading  his  company  in  the 
Vicksburg  and  other  campaigns.  He  saw  much 
active  service,  participated  in  a mumber  of 
bloody  battles,  and  was  wounded  seven  times, 
the  effects  of  which  compelled  him  to  resign 
his  commission  and  retire  from  the  service. 
On  leaving  the  army,  he  resumed  farming  for 
a time  in  Randolph  county,  later  purchased  a 
grist  mill  in  the  county  of  Wayne,  which  he 
operated  for  three  years,  disposing  of  it  at  the  [ 
end  of  that  time  and  building  a similar  struct-  ! 
ure  in  the  town  of  Huntsuille,  where  he  was  ' 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  flour  until  he 
removed  to  Delaware  county  in  the  spring  of 
1869.  Since  the  latter  year  he  has  been  en-  1 
gaged  in  various  enterprises,  making  his  home  i 
at  the  time  in  the  beautiful  town  of  Selma, 
where  his  declining  years  are  being  passed.  ! 
For  a number  of  years  John  Ross  has  been  a i 
local  minister  of  the  Methodist  church,  as  was  i 
his  father  before  him,  and  his  wife's  people  i 
were  also  prominently  identified  with  the  same  i 
denomination,  his  father-in-law  having  been  a 


preacher  of  some  note,  in  an  early  day,  in 
southern  Indiana.  Politically  he  was  originally 
a whig,  later  a republican,  but  at  this  time  he 
is  an  earnest  supporter  of  the  prohibition  party. 
Mrs.  Eliza  Ross  was  born  March  30,  1823,  in 
Wayne  county,  Ind.,  her  people  being  among 
the  pioneer  settlers  of  that  part  of  the  state. 

Dr.  John  C.  Ross  was  born  on  the  home 
farm  in  Nettle  Creek  township,  Rrndolph 
county.  May  10,  1844,  and  he  received  such 
mental  culture  as  was  attainable  in  the  coun- 
try schools,  which  he  attended  at  intervals 
during  the  years  of  his  minorit}'.  He  assisted 
an  elder  brother  in  farming  the  place  while 
his  father  worked  at  millwrighting  and  carpen- 
tering, and  remained  under  the  parental  roof 
until  his  twenty-fifth  year.  From  his  youth 
to  nearly  middle  life  the  doctor's  health  was 
not  very  vigorous,  having  been  greatly  troubled 
with  attacks  of  nervous  prostration,  the  effects 
of  which  had  a tendency  to  retard  the  devel- 
opment of  his  physical  powers,  consequently 
he  grew  up  slim  and  somewhat  dwarfed  in 
bodily  vigor.  Owing  to  overwork  in  the  har- 
vest field,  while  his  father  was  in  the  army, 
he  became  an  invalid,  and  for  the  greater  part 
of  the  succeeding  two  years  was  unable  to 
perform  much  physical  labor.  It  was  during 
this  period  that  he  turned  his  attention  to  the 
study  of  medicine,  and  after  being  sufficiently 
recovered  he  found  employment  at  different 
occupations,  pursuing  his  professional  studies 
during  his  hours  of  leisure,  generally  at  night, 
under  the  instruction  of  his  physician.  Dr.  R. 
L.  Eikenberr}’.  Later,  he  attended  a course 
of  lectures  at  Cincinnati,  after  which  he  began 
the  practice  at  the  town  of  Bethel,  where  his 
success  in  the  profession  soon  brought  him  into 
favorable  notice  throughout  the  surrounding 
neighborhoods.  With  a laudable  desire  to 
increase  his  professional  knowledge,  the  doc- 
tor, subsequently,  entered  the  Eclectic  Medi- 
cal college  at  Indianapolis,  completing  the 


426 


MUNCIE  CITY 


course  in  that  institution  in  1880,  since  which 
time  he  has  practiced  with  most  gratifying 
success  in  the  city  of  Muncie.  Dr.  Ross’ 
professional  career  has  more  than  met  his 
most  sanguine  expectations,  the  reputation 
being  awarded  him  as  one  of  the  most  success- 
ful practitioners  of  Muncie.  With  little  to 
encourage  him  in  the  undertaking,  retarded,  in 
the  beginning,  by  poor  health,  and  with  no 
capital  worthy  of  mention,  he  has  succeeded 
in  surmounting  the  many  obstacles  by  which 
his  pathway  was  beset,  and  winning  for  him- 
self a conspicuous  place  among  his  professional 
associates  of  Delaware  county.  It  is  a fact, 
worthy  of  note,  that  in  addition  to  his  pro- 
fessional success  the  doctor  has  regained  his 
physical  vigor,  and  at  this  writing  he  is  in  full 
possession  of  all  his  bodily  and  mental  powers. 
He  is  a man  of  fine  presence  and  courteous 
address,  gentlemanly  in  his  intercourse  with 
his  fellow  citizens,  and  possesses  the  esteem 
of  all  with  whom  he  comes  in  contact  profes- 
sionally or  otherwise. 

Dr.  Ross  was  reared  a republican  but  is 
now  a prohibitionist;  he  has  always  been  an 
uncompromising  enemy  of  the  liquor  traffic, 
never  having  taken  a swallow  of  anything 
intoxicating  in  his  life  nor  prescribed  it  for  a 
paeient.  He  was  made  an  Odd  Fellow  in 
1866,  since  which  time  he  has  been  an  active 
worker  in  the  order,  having  passed  all  the 
chairs  in  Energy  lodge.  No.  652;  he  also  be- 
longs to  DeEmber  tribe.  No.  30,  I.  O.  R.  M. , 
in  which  he  has  filled  the  various  official  posi- 
tions, besides  representing  the  society  in  the 
grand  council.  Religiously  he  adheres  to  the 
Methodist  belief,  in  which  he  was  reared;  his 
wife  is  a member  of  the  German  Baptist  or 
Dunkard  church. 

Dr.  Ross  was  married  August  23,  1870,  to 
Miss  Lucinda  E.  Stump,  of  Delaware  county, 
daughter  of  Joseph  and  Anna  (Kessler)  Stump; 
five  children  have  been  born  to  this  union. 


namely:  Nelson  B.,  Artie  M.,  Ralph  W. , 

Lennie  L. , and  Roscoe  C.,  all  living. 


aHARLES  PARKER  SAMPLE  (de- 
ceased), at  one  time  one  of  the  most 
enterprising  and  prominent  business 
men  of  Muncie,  was  born  in  Conners- 
ville,  Ind.,  July  19,  1830,  and  was  a son  of 
Judge  Thomas  J.  and  Juliet  (Watton)  Sample. 
Thomas  J.  Sample  was  a native  of  Maryland, 
and,  when  a young  man,  went  to  Dayton, 
Ohio,  and  was  there  married;  from  Dayton  he 
came  to  Indiana  and  located  at  Connersville, 
where  he  was  engaged  in  cabinet  making  for 
eight  or  ten  years,  but  the  business  did  not 
agree  with  his  health.  He  therefore  removed 
to  Yorktown,  Delaware  county,  and  engaged 
in  merchandising  with  Hon.  Oliver  H.  Smith 
as  partner.  While  operating  this  store  he  be- 
gan the  study  of  law,  by  advice  of  Hon.  Caleb 
B.  Smith  and  Hon.  Samuel  Parker,  both  mem- 
bers of  congress  from  Indiana  at  that  time,  and 
both  cousins  of  Mrs.  Sample.  He  passed  a 
first  class  examination,  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  September,  1842,  and  came  to  Muncie  in 
1843,  and  began  practice.  He  was  a devout 
Methodist,  and  always  took  the  Bible  to  court 
with  him,  and  from  it  made  copious  quota- 
tions. He  was  successful  as  a lawyer,  and  was 
once  called  to  Washington,  D.  C. , to  confer 
with  President  Lincoln  on  some  knotty  point. 
The  judge  was  also  once  engaged  in  the  bank- 
ing business,  with  Judge  Byron  Elliott,  of  In- 
dianapolis, as  partner.  To  his  marriage  with 
Miss  Watton,  there  were  born  two  children, 
Samuel  and  Charles  P.,  the  elder,  Samuel, 
having  died  at  Connersville.  Mrs.  Sample  died 
j a short  time  after  coming  with  her  husband  to 
j Muncie.  For  his  second  wife  he  married  Miss 
Hannah  Garst  (sister  of  Dr.  Garst),  and,  as 
I the  result  of  this  union,  there  are  two  daugh- 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


427 


ters  living,  Mrs.  Friedly,  of  Richmond,  Ind. , and 
Ada,  wife  of  Charles  Heberd,  of  Princeton, 
Ind.  Judge  Sample  passed  away  honored  and 
loved  by  all  who  knew  him.  Samuel  Watton, 
maternal  grandfather  of  Charles  Parker  Sam- 
ple, occupied  a trader's  cabin  on  the  north 
bank  of  White  river,  on  the  site  of  what  is  now 
Riverside,  and  bought  furs  from  the  Indians 
long  before  Muncie  was  laid  out.  He  also  en- 
tered the  tract  of  land  that  is  now  known  as 
W inton  place,  and  li\’ed  and  died  there  in  a 
log  cabin,  having  only  begun  the  present  old 
frame  structure  that  marks  the  spot. 

Charles  Parker  Sample  came  to  Muncie 
with  his  father  April  13,  1843,  and  here  at- 
tended the  common  schools.  Early  during  the 
California  gold  excitement  (in  1849),  he  was 
attacked  with  the  fever,  and  had  packed  his 
wardrobe  and  got  his  outfit  together  ready  for 
a start  for  the  auriferous  fields,  but,  being  an 
only  son,  was  dissuaded  by  his  parents  from 
going.  Having  finished  his  education  he  was 
met,  about  this  time  (1852),  by  Mr.  A.  F.  Pat- 
terson, who  had  been  a practical  tinner  and 
coppersmith  at  Cincinnati  and  at  other  points, 
and  a proposition  was  made  that  the  two  should 
go  into  business  together,  and  a co-partnership 
was  finally  consummated.  Mr.  Sample's  father 
furnished  an  amount  of  capital  equal  to  that 
supplied  by  Mr.  Patterson,  and  the  now  part- 
ners opened  a tin  shop  near  where  Mr.  Bald- 
win’s grocery  store  now  is,  on  east  Main  street. 
Mr.  Sample  kept  the  books  and  Mr.  Patterson 
managed  the  mechanical  department.  The 
business  prospered,  and  sales  were  large  both 
in, the  store  and  by  wagons  placed  on  the  road. 
In  1854,  they  bought  the  “Pioneer”  hardware 
store  from  Neal  McCullough,  who  went  to 
Anderson  to  engage  in  the  banking  business, 
and  stoves,  hardware,  and  tinware  became 
specialties.  For  twenty-one  years  the  partners 
carried  on  business  together,  when  failing 
health  admonished  Mr.  Sample  that  rest  was 


necessary,  and  consequently  the  store  was  sold. 
About  this  time  Mr.  James  Boyce  made  his 
appearance,  and  Mr.  Sample,  through  his  large 
acquaintance,  became  of  great  use  to  the  former 
in  introducing  his  flax  and  bagging  business  to 
the  citizens  of  Delaware  county.  After  an 
interval  of  three  years  Mr.  Sample  and  Mr. 
Patterson  re-united,  bought  back  the  “Pioneer” 
hardware  store,  and  resumed  the  old  trade, 
which  was  continued  until  the  partnership  was 
dissolved  by  the  death  of  Mr.  Sample,  August 
-9>  1873.  Mr.  Sample  was  a Rnight  Templar, 
an  active  member  of  the  Methodist  church 
since  1853,  was  its  treasurer,  and  was  an  ardent 
Sabbath  school  worker,  serving  as  secretary 
many  years.  He  was  recognized  as  one  of  the 
best  and  most  progressive  business  men  of 
Muncie,  and  had  the  implicit  trust  of  all  others. 
At  the  death  of  Mr.  Burson,  he  was  selected 
for  a time  to  fill  the  position  of  president  of 
the  Burson  bank,  and  he  was  called  upon  to 
fill  many  other  positions  of  trust.  The  marriage 
of  Mr.  Sample  took  place  May  2,  1854,  to 
Miss  Mary  J.  Graham,  a native  of  Sulphur 
Springs,  Va. , and  daughter  of  James  and 
Jane  (Armstrong)  Graham,  of  Cambridge  City, 
Ind. , and  to  this  most  congenial  union  were 
born  four  children,  of  whom  three  are  still 
living,  viz:  Karl  G.,  general  manager  of  the 

Muncie  Ice  company,  C.  Watton,  in  the  insur- 
ance and  loan  business,  and  Charles  Parker  at 
home.  Thomas  Melville  died  in  infanc}c  In 
all  the  relations  of  father,  husband,  son,  brother 
and  friend  he  was  considerate,  affectionate  and 
faithful,  and  generous  and  charitable  to  a fault, 
and  in  business  he  was  careful,  systematic  and 
strictl}'  honest,  even  to  the  slightest  detail. 

The  life  of  IMr.  Sample  was  such  as  to  well 
deserve  the  admiration  of  the  public  in  gen- 
eral, but  more  particularly  does  it  afford  an 
example  for  the  emulation  of  the  aspiring 
young  man,  be  he  merchant  or  mechanic,  who 
seeks  fortune  and  prominence. 


428 


MUNCIE  CITY 


HARL  G.  sample,  vice-president  and 
general  manager  of  the  Mnncie  Ice 
company,  and  the  son  of  Charles 
Parker  and  Mary  (Graham)  Sample, 
whose  sketch  is  published  above,  is  a native 
of  Mnncie,  Ind. , and  was  born  July  lO,  1857. 
He  received  his  preliminary  education  at  the 
Mnncie  schools,  quitting  in  1874  to  attend  the 
Asbury  (Ind.)  university  in  1874-75.  He 
then  went  into  the  machine  shop  of  W.  S. 
Phelps,  of  Muncie,  learned  the  trade  of  ma- 
chinist, and  then  went  to  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and 
worked  for  the  Blymeyer  Manufacturing  com- 
pany; later,  worked  in  the  shops  of  the  Mun- 
cie Foundry  & Machine  works,  and,  after- 
ward, in  the  machine  shops  of  the  O.  & M. 
Railroad  company  at  Pana,  111.  ; the  Murray 
Iron  works,  Burlington,  Iowa;  the  Richmond 
Machine  works,  Richmond,  Ind.  ; the  Lake 
Erie  & Western  Railroad  company’s  shops  at 
Lima,  Ohio;  the  Wabash  Railroad  company’s 
Vv'orks  at  Peru,  Ind;  and  the  Louisville  & 
Nashville  railroad  company’s  works  at  Louis- 
ville, Ky. 

He  next  became  proprietor  of  a gas  fitting 
shop  in  Muncie,  and  in  December,  1891,  was 
employed  as  manager  of  the  Muncie  Ice  com- 
pany’s plant,  and  in  November,  1892,  pur- 
chased the  interest  of  John  R.  Ervin,  and  later 
was  elected  vice-president  of  the  company, 
still  retaining  the  general  management.  This 
company  has  a capacity  of  fifteen  tons  per 
day,  manufactures  its  ice  from  condensed 
steam,  by  the  absorption  plan,  and  keeps  in 
employment  fifteen  men  and  five  teams,  run- 
ning night  and  day.  Mr.  Sample  has  proven 
himself  to  be  skillful,  industrious  and  adroit, 
not  only  at  his  trade,  but  in  his  present  voca- 
tion, and  his  standing  in  the  community  as  a 
moral  and  exemplary  young  man  is  such  as 
affords  the  keenest  satisfaction  to  his  friends 
and  more  immediate  acquaintances,  and  per- 
haps is  gratifying  to  himself. 


OHN  FARNSWORTH  SANDERS  (de- 
ceased), a prominent  member  of  the 
Muncie  bar,  was  born  January  8,  1837, 
in  Butler  county,  Ohio,  the  only  child 
of  Wyatt  and  Susan  Sanders.  From  sketches 
published  by  different  newspapers  on  the 
occasion  of  his  death  the  following  facts  are 
taken:  “ His  mother  died  when  he  was  about 

two  years  of  age,  and  his  father,  a few  years 
later,  moving  to  Delaware  county,  Ind. , and 
marrying  the  second  wife,  the  lot  of  the  young 
‘boy  became  any  thing  but  a happy  one. 
When  yet  a lad  he  received  an  injury  of  the 
hip,  the  effects  of  which  made  him  a cripple 
for  life,  and  during  his  later  years  he  became  a 
great  sufferer  from  the  injury.” 

“ As  a young  man  Mr.  Sanders  was  pos- 
sessed of  an  ambition  to  leave  the  drudgery  of 
farm  life,  to  which  he  was  unfitted  by  reason 
of  his  physical  disability,  and  take  up  the  pro- 
fession of  the  law;  and  while  yet  on  crutches 
he  worked  for  neighboring  farmers  at  ditching, 
chopping  wood  and  other  hard  labor,  until  he 
had  accumulated  several  hundred  dollars  for 
that  purpose.  In  1865  he  came  to  Muncie 
and  began  reading  law  in  the  office  of  Shipley 
& Kilgore.  To  keep  down  expenses  he 
boarded  himself  in  an  obscure  back  room,  and 
in  order  to  husband  his  little  store  of  money 
did  such  odd  jobs  of  manual  labor  as  time  and 
opportunity  offered.  After  beginning  the 
practice  of  his  profession  he  was  elected  jus- 
tice of  the  peace,  which  position  offered  a 
considerable  advantage  to  a young  man  begin- 
ning the  law.  ” 

“Mr.  Sanders  was  admitted  to  the  bar  April 
22,  1867,  from  which  date  until  within  a short 
time  of  his  death,  he  continued  the  practice  in 
Muncie  very  successfully,  with  the  result  of 
securing  a large  and  lucrative  business  and  ac- 
cumulating a handsome  fortune.  He  pos- 
sessed strong,  quick  brain  force  and  great 
determination,  and  few  men  would  have  sue- 


J.  F.  SANDERS 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP, 


429 


ceeded  in  life  as  he  did,  were  they  handicapped  | 
as  was  he  from  childhood  up.  In  politics,  he  | 
was  a republican,  and  while  strong  in  his  j 
faith  at  times  asserted  his  independence  of 
party.  In  religious  matters  he  acted  inde- 
pendently of  churches  and  creeds,  but  always  j 
expressed  himself  as  ready  for  death  and  be- 
lieved that  he  and  his  family  would  be  happily- 
reunited  in  the  great  beyond.  Mr.  Sanders  | 
took  an  active  interest  in  the  work  carried  on  | 
by  the  benevolent  and  secret  societies,  and  j 
among  other  positions  held  by  him  in  such  or- 
ganizations was  that  of  great  sachem  of  the 
Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  of  the  state  of 
Indiana.  ” 

“Mr.  Sanders  was  married  April  2,  1868, 
to  Miss  Millie  J.  Barnes,  daughter  of  William 
and  Eveline  (Wachtell)  Barnes,  who  proved  a 
faithful  and  worthy  helpmeet  and  whose  ten- 
der ministrations  during  his  years  of  affliction 
are  well  known  and  commended  on  all  sides. 
The}^  had  no  children.  Mr.  Sanders  was  a 
good  citizen,  a kind  neighbor  and  a firm 
friend.  He  believed  implicitly  in  the  future 
of  Muncie  and  rendered  substantial  aid  to  the 
various  movements  having  for  their  object  the 
upbuilding  of  the  city.  His  death  occurred, 
after  a five  weeks’  illness,  on  the  14th  day  of 
November,  1892.” 

Additional  to  the  above  the  following 
tribute  to  his  worth  as  a man  and  citizen  is 
taken  from  "an  address  delivered  by  one  who 
knew  him  long  and  intimately,  on  the  occasion 
of  his  funeral:  “He  was  a great  student  of 

the  mysticisms  and  theologies  of  the  past  and 
present.  He  was  not  a believer  in  the  creeds 
and  dogmas  of  church  as  commonly  told,  but 
he  was  often  heard  at  the  shrine  of  the  be- 
loved order  in  whose  faith  he  died  reverently 
to  proclaim  T believe  in  the  Great  Spirit.’ 

“His  soul  was  content  in  the  faith  that  the 
Father  who  knew  of  the  errors  of  his  children 
would  more  certainly  bless  their  virtues  and 


forgive  their  shortcomings.  His  life  was  a 
model  of  faith.  It  was  strong,  hopeful  and 
lasting.-  He  went  down  through  the  valley 
and  shadow  of  death  conscious  of  his  approach- 
ing end.  At  the  River  he  lingered  for  a mo- 
ment. His  passage  was  not  obstructed,  but 
his  soul  looked  once  more  upon  the  relatives 
and  friends  whom  he  had  so  shortly  told  he 
would  meet  in  his  eternal  home  on  the  other 
shore.  The  grave  had  no  terrors  for  him  and 
he  awaited  death  as  one  friend  waited  for 
another.  ” 

iSIr.  Sanders  had  only  turned  the  meridian 
of  life;  he  had  struggled  with  poverty  and 
suffered  with  bodily  afflictions  as  few  of  the 
sons  of  men  ever  did.  In  every  station  he 
filled  he  reflected  honor  upon  himself  and  the 
community,  and  in  the  true  sense  in  which  the 
term  is  used  his  life  was  indeed  a most  signal 
success. 


EV.  WILLIAM  GEORGE  SCHMIDT, 
pastor  of  the  St.  Lawrence  Catholic 
church  of  Muncie,  is  a native  of  Ger- 
many, born  in  the  province  of  Nas- 
sau, on  the  5th  day  of  February,  1852.  His 
father,  Christian  Schmidt,  also  born  in  Ger- 
many, was  by  occupation  a carpenter,  and 
came  to  the  United  States  in  1856,  locating 
first  in  New  York,  thence  moving  to  Wisconsin 
and  working  at  his  trade  in  both  of  these  states. 
He  returned  to  his  native  country  in  i860,  and 
one  year  later  brought  his  family  to  the  United 
States  and  settled  at  the  town  of  Mineral 
Point,  Wis. , where  he  followed  his  calling  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  on  the  29th  day  of 
January,  1862.  His  wife,  whose  maiden  name 
was  Elizabeth  Blum,  came  to  Muncie,  Ind. , 
and  resided  with  her  son,  William  George, 
until  called  to  her  final  rest,  October  31,  1889. 
Christian  and  Elizabeth  Schmidt  were  the 


430 


MUNCIE  CITY 


parents  of  six  chOdren,  namely:  Mary,  de- 

ceased; Elizabeth,  John,  William,  Margaret 
and  Nettie. 

Rev.  William  George  Schmidt  received  his 
early  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native 
country,  which  he  attended  for  three  years, 
and  the  schools  of  Mineral  Point,  Wis. , where 
he  pursued  his  studies  for  two  years  after 
coming  to  the  United  States.  Subsequently, 
he  attended  a denominational  school  of  his 
church  for  one  year,  and  then  became  a student 
of  Calvary  college,  Fon  du  Lac,  Wis.,  in 
which  institution  he  pursued  his  studies  for  a 
period  of  two  years  with  the  object  of  entering 
the  priesthood.  For  some  time  thereafter  he  was 
engaged  as  salesman  in  a mercantile  house  at 
Warren,  111.;  later  was  similarly  employed  for 
a limited  period  at  Dodgeville,  Wis.,  and  then 
entered  the  seminary  of  St.  Francis,  at  Mil- 
waukee, of  which  he  remained  a student  for 
three  and  one-half  years.  He  continued  his 
theological  studies  for  two  and  one-half  years 
at  Mt.  St.  Mary’s  seminary,  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
and  after  completing  his  course  in  that  institu- 
tion, was  ordained  priest  on  the  19th  day  of 
December,  1874,  and  given  his  first  charge  at 
Muncie,  Ind.  He  assumed  pastoral  control  of 
the  church  in  this  city  on  the  28th  day  of  Jan- 
uary, 1875,  since  which  time  his  success  in 
building  up  the  St.  Lawrence  congregation  has 
been  most  gratifying.  He  found  a church  com- 
paratively weak  in  numbers  and  meeting  for 
worship  in  an  old  and  somewhat  indifferent 
structure,  but  under  his  judicious  leadership 
the  congregation  has  increased  very  rapidly, 
making  the  erection  of  a building  of  enlarged 
proportions  a necessity.  For  some  time  Father 
Schmidt  has  been  compelled  to  hold  two  serv- 
ices each  Sabbath  in  order  to  accommodate 
the  worshipers,  and  he  is  now  building  a mag- 
nificent structure,  which,  when  completed, 
will  be  one  of  the  largest  and  most  imposing 
church  edifices  in  Muncie,  and  will  cost  at  least 


$35,000,  and  stand  an  enduring  monument  to 
the  energy,  perseverance  and  wise  forethought 
of  a beloved  pastor.  Father  Schmidt  is  a 
man  of  broad  and  liberal  views,  a fluent  and 
logical  pulpit  orator,  a wise  and  faithful  pastor, 
and,  since  locating  in  Muncie,  has  greatly  en- 
deared himself  to  the  members  of  his  immedi- 
ate Hock  and  earned  the  good  will  of  all,  irre- 
spective of  church  or  creed. 


FORGE  SHAFER,  a deceased  pio- 
neer of  Centre  township,  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  was  a native  of  Wur- 
temberg,  Germany,  born  February 
25,  1800.  His  parents,  too,  were  both  natives 
of  Wurtemberg.  His  father,  John  A.  Shafer, 
was  born  January  15,  1775,  and  his  mother, 
Sabina  Leiben  (before  marriage),  was  born 
December  2,  1772.  By  this  union  George 
was  the  eldest  of  eight  children — three  sons 
and  five  daughters — namely:  George,  Catha- 

rine, Adam,  Rosanna,  Christina,  Barbara,  Sa- 
l)ina  and  Jacob,  all  of  whom  grew  to  maturity, 
married  and  became  heads  of  families.  With 
this  large  family,  having  but  limited  means, 
John  A.  Shaffer  thought  best  to  emigrate  to 
the  new  world.  Accordingly,  on  the  19th  of 
September,  1819,  they  left  their  native  country, 
went  to  Amsterdam,  Holland,  and  there  took 
passage  on  ship-board  for  Baltimore,  Md., 
where  they  arrived  February  25,  1820 — the 
twentieth  birthday  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch.  Promptly  thereafter  they  proceeded 
to  Ohio — first,  by  wagon  to  Brownsville,  Pa  , 
on  the  Monongahela  river,  and  from  there  by 
flatboat  to  Portsmouth,  Ohio.  Here  his 
father,  John  A.  Shafer,  at  first  rented  land 
near  Portsmouth  and  began  farming.  How- 
ever, after  a brief  period,  he  purchased  100 
acres  in  the  same  vicinity,  and  commenced 
clearing  and  cultivating.  Thus  in  the  acqui- 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


431 


sition  of  property  they  prospered,  yet  sorrow  | 
and  sadness  awaited  their  household.  Mrs. 
Shafer,  the  mother,  died  in  the  fall  of  1822,  a 
little  more  than  two  years  after  their  arrival. 
Ten  years  subsequently.  Father  Shafer  re- 
moved to  Hamilton  county,  Ind. , where,  until 
his  death,  July  8,  1870,  he  continued  to  live. 
In  the  spring  of  1 832 — the  same  year  his  father 
removed  to  Hamilton  count)' — George  Shafer 
came  to  Delaware  county.,  Ind.  After  enter- 
ing 160  acres,  about  one  and  a half  miles  to  the 
west  of  the  then  village  of  Muncietown,  and  after 
engaging  some  neighbors  to  build  for  him  a 
cabin,  he  returned  to  Ohio  for  his  family.  Early 
in  the  fall  of  that  year  found  them  all  comfort- 
ably settled  at  their  new  Indiana  home.  And 
upon  this  land  he  resided  until  his  death,  proud 
of  holding  his  title  by  a deed  from  the  hand  of 
President  Jackson,  for  whom  he  cast  his  first 
ballot.  Prior  to  his  removal  to  this  county,  on 
September  27,  1827,  he  wedded  Miss  Martha 
Wilcoxon,  of  Scioto,  Ohio,  and  by  this  union, 
on  September  19,  1828,  their  little  daughter, 
Margaret,  was  born.  Subsequent  to  their  arri- 
val, four  other  children  came  to  bless  their 
pioneer  home,  namely;  Sabina  Leiben,  born 
October  19,  1834;  Levin  W.,  born  August  8, 
1^37;  John  Willard,  born  July  27,  1842;  and 
lastly  Louisa  Ann,  born  May  27,  1845,.  But 
sorrow  and  sadness  awaited  another  prosperous, 
happy  fireside.  Baby,  Louisa  Ann,  died  Sep- 
tember 3,  i8'46,  and  August  18,  1848,  followed 
Martha,  the  fond  wife  and  mother.  A second 
time  Mr.  Shafer  gave  his  hand  in  marriage,  on 
May  II,  1851.  Catherine  Bradrick  this  time 
became  his  companion  and  helpmeet.  She  was 
born  July  8,  1808.  She  proved  a genial,  faith- 
ful wife  while  she  lived,  but  she,  too,  was  called 
from  the  shores  of  Time,  dying  October  ii, 

1 879.  Three  children  survive  the  last  marriage, 
namely:  Margaret,  wife  of  Hiram  W.  Weir,  a 
prosperous  farmer  of  Mount  Pleasant  township; 
Levin  W.,  a successful  attorney  of  Greenfield, 


Dade  county.  Mo.,  and  John  W.,  a sketch  of 
whom  appears  below. 

Mr.  Shafer  was  a man  of  great  industry 
and  severe  toil,  caring  well  for  his  family.  To 
schools  and  the  advancement  of  education  he 
was  ever  a friend,  and  to  public  enterprises 
having  an  advancing  tendency  he  ever  gave  a 
cheerful  support.  He  was  a man  of  peace  and 
good  will  to  all,  and  never  in  his  life  participa- 
ted in  a case  of  litigation.  In  religion  he  was 
a Lutheran,  but  in  i 849,  his  belief  being  modi- 
fied, he  united  with  the  Wesleyan  Methodists, 
and  until  the  time  of  his  death  he  adhered  to 
the  doctrine  of  that  denomination.  In  politics 
he  was  a democrat.  The  death  of  this  veteran 
pioneer  occurred  September  16,  1891. 


OHN  W.  SHAFER,  son  of  George  and 
Martha  (Wilcoxson)  Shafer,  was  born  in 
Centre  township,  Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  June  27,  1842.  He  received  a 
practical  English  education  in  the  common 
schools  and  grew  to  manhood  on  the  home 
farm,  where  he  early  learned  those  lessons  of 
industry  and  thrift  by  which  his  subsequent 
years  have  been  characterized.  At  the  age  of 
twenty-two  he  began  the  pursuit  of  agriculture 
upon  his  own  responsibility  upon  the  old  home- 
stead, where  he  has  ever  since  resided,  and 
which  he  now  owns.  He  looked  after  his  par- 
ents’ interests  in  their  declining  years,  and, 
November  22,  1874,  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Mary  E.  Howell,  of  Mount  Pleas- 
ant township,  where  her  birth  occurred,  April 
21,  1853.  Mrs.  Shafer  is  the  daughter  of  Dan- 
iel and  Mary  (McKinley)  Howell,  a mention  of 
whom  will  be  found  elsewhere  in  these  pages. 
To  the  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Shafer  have 
been  born  four  children,  namely:  George  D., 

Bessie,  Robie  W.  and  Lina. 

On  the  24th  day  of  May,  1864,  Mr.  Shafer 


482 


MUNCIE  CITY 


enlisted  in  company  G,  One  Hundred  Thirty- 
fourth  Indiana  volunteer  infantry,  for  the  hun- 
dred days’  service,  and  was  honorably  dis- 
charged at  Indianapolis,  September  2,  of  the 
following  year.  He  has  devoted  all  his  life  to 
agriculture  and  stock  raising,  and  is  one  of  the 
representative  citizens  of  Delaware  county. 
He  owns  a fine  farm  of  120  acres  of  valuable 
land,  upon  which  are  some  of  the  best  improve- 
ments in  the  township.  Mr.  Shafer’s  influence 
in  the  community  has  always  been  salutary, 
and  he  is  held  in  high  esteem  by  a large  circle 
of  friends  in  the  township  where  he  resides. 
From  his  parents,  he  naturally  inherited  gen- 
erous impulses  and  a sympathizing  heart, 
which,  combined  with  pure  aims  and  honorable 
dealings,  have  made  him  a friend  to  all  with 
whom  he  has  had  business  or  other  rela- 
tions. He  is  a member  of  Muncie  tribe.  No. 
144,  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  and  he  has 
always  been  an  earnest  friend  and  liberal 
patron  of  all  movements  having  for  their  aim 
the  general  welfare  of  the  community. 


EE  SHAW,  the  principal  facts  of 
whose  career  are  herewith  set  forth, 
is  the  efficient  secretary  of  the  Mun- 
cie Natural  Gas  company,  and  one  of 
the  city’s  well  known  and  popular  business 
men.  His  father,  Isaac  M.  Shaw,  a native  of 
Ohio,  moved  to  Wayne  county,  Ind.,  in  1847, 
and  for  some  years  thereafter  carried  on  a suc- 
cessful fanning  mill  manufactory  at  Centre- 
ville.  Subsequently,  he  embarked  in  the  mer- 
cantile trade  at  Winchester,  Ind. , with  but  very 
little  knowledge  of  the  business;  his  venture 
proved  a financial  failure,  entailing  an  almost 
complete  loss  of  the  savings  of  many  years  of 
industry.  After  the  loss  of  his  wealth,  which  at 
the  time  of  commencing  merchandising  was 
considerable,  he  followed  various  enterprises 


until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  the  year 
1872,  at  Winchester.  Isaac  M.  Shaw  was 
married  about  the  year  1840  to  Margaret  Ash- 
well,  of  Morrow  county,  Ohio,  who  departed 
this  life  in  1886,  at  the  age  of  seventy-four 
years.  Of  the  seven  children  born  to  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Shaw  four  are  living  at  this  time,  viz. : 
Lee,  Benjamin  F.,  Elmer  and  Melcena,  wife 
of  W.  W.  Wilson,  of  Earmland. 

Lee  Shaw  was  born  April  6,  1845,  Mor- 
; row  county,  Ohio,  and  was  brought  to  Indiana 
by  his  parents  when  two  years  of  age.  In  the 
schools  of  Centreville  and  Winchester,  which 
he  attended  at  intervals  until  his  sixteenth 
year,  he  obtained  the  rudiments  of  an  English 
education,  and  at  the  early  age  of  twelve, 

I by  reason  of  his  father’s  business  failure,  he 
was  thrown  upon  his  own  resources,  from 
which  time  until  sixteen  he  was  variously  em- 
ployed. About  the  year  1861  he  went  into 
the  office  of  the  Big  4 railroad  at  Winchester 
(then  the  Bee  Line)  as  errand  boy  and  general 
helper,  etc.,  in  which  capacity  he  continued 
for  two  year.',  and  then  began  learning  teleg- 
raphy, soon  becoming  quite  proficient  as  a 
manipulator  of  the  key.  His  first  and  only 
position  as  an  operator  was  at  Anderson, 
where  he  remained  a short  time,  then  entered 
the  employ  of  the  United  States  Express 
company  as  messenger,  and  later  acted 
as  agent  for  the  same  at  different  points 
for  a period  of  thirteen  years.  Eor  four 
years  he  had  exclusive  charge  of  the  money 
department  of  the  company  at  Indianapolis, 
but  owing  to  failing  health,  superinduced  by 
too  close  attention  to  the  duties  of  the  posi- 
tion, he  was  compelled  to  resign,  after  which 
for  one  year  he  had  charge  of  the  office  at 
Muncie.  Severing  his  connection  with  the 
express  company,  Mr.  Shaw  next  entered  the 
railway  service  of  the  Bee  Line  (now  Big  4) 
road,  and  for  some  years  was  local  agent  at 
Anderson,  Union  City  and  Muncie,  in  the  or- 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


433 


der  named.  In  January,  1887,  he  retired 
from  the  road  and  became  secretary  of  the 
Muncie  Natural  Gas  company,  organized  that 
year,  and  has  since  held  that  position,  dis- 
charging the  duties  incident  thereto  with  credit 
to  himself  and  satisfaction  to  the  corporation. 
Mr.  Shaw  is  an  accomplished  business  man, 
fully  alive  to  the  interests  of  the  company 
with  which  he  has  so  long  been  identified,  and 
is  thorcughly  familiar  with  all  details  pertain- 
ing to  the  natural  gas  business.  Since  taking 
charge  of  the  books  of  the  corporation,  he  has 
instituted  a number  of  new  and  greatly  im- 
proved methods  relative  to  consumers  and 
their  accounts,  his  services  in  this  regard  alone 
being  highly  valuable  to  the  company  in  econ- 
omizing both  time  and  expense,  besides  being 
duly  appreciated  by  the  public.  Politically 
Mr.  Shaw’s  allegiance  is  with  the  republican 
party;  fraternally  he  is  a Mason  of  high 
standing,  having  taken  a number  of  degrees  in 
the  order,  including  that  of  Sir  Knight.  In 
the  year  1874  he  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Rose  Ross,  daughter  of  John  H.  and 
Rebecca  f Fleming)  Ross;  two  children,  Lottie 
and  Amie,  are  the  result  of  the  union. 


RANVILLE  W.  SHEPP,  the  efficient 
chief  of  the  fire  department  of  Mun- 
cie, Ind.,  was  born  in  Dayton,  Mont- 
gomery county,  Ohio,  September  i, 
1857,  a son  of  B.  F.  and  Fily  (Cliclince)  Shepp, 
who  both  were  born  in  Shenandoah  county, 
Va. , near  Stanton,  and  when  children  taken  to 
Ohio,  where  they  were  reared.  They  were 
married  in  Washington,  Fayette  county,  Ind., 
where  Mr.  Shepp  engaged  in  farming  until 
1872,  when  he  located  in  Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  which  was  his  home  until  1892,  when  he 
removed  to  Muncie,  of  which  city  he  is  now  a 
resident.  He  and  his  wife  are  the  parents  of 


fourteen  children,  thirteen  of  whom  survive. 
Politically  Mr.  Shepp,  Sr.,  is  a republican,  and 
was  a soldier  in  the  late  war.  Both  he  and 
his  wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal church. 

Granville  W.  Shepp  was  reared  in  Dayton, 
Ohio,  until  the  age  of  seventeen  years,  receiv- 
ing only  a limited  education.  He  then  engaged 
in  teaming,  but  removed  to  Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  in  1872,  and  in  1882  engaged  in  teaming 
in  the  Cumberland  mountains  in  Kentucky. 
August  I,  1883,  he  returned  to  Delaware 
county,  entering  the  fire  department  of  the  city 
of  Muncie,  driving  the  hose  wheel  from  August 
to  October,  at  which  time  he  took  the  posi- 
tion of  driver  of  the  chemical  engine  and  re- 
tained it  until  1891.  On  June  8,  1891,  he  was 
appointed  chief  of  the  department,  and  so 
faithfully  did  he  perform  the  duties  of  the  posi- 
tion that  he  was  elected  in  1892.  Mr.  Shepp 
was  married  August  22,  1880,  to  Miss  Emma 
F.  Safer,  who  was  born  in  Centre  township, 
April  17,  1863,  daughter  of  Martin  and  Mi- 
nerva (Wireman)  Shafer,  natives  of  Pennsylva- 
nia and  Indiana,  of  German  descent.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Shepp  are  the  parents  of  three  children 
— Carl  W.,  Nellie  F.  and  Lone  F.  Socially 
Mr.  Shepp  is  a member  of  the  Foresters,  be- 
longs to  Preston  lodge  of  Red  Men,  No.  145, 
and  is  a Knight  of  Pythias.  Politically  Mr. 
Shepp  is  a republican  and  a stanch  supporter 
of  party  principles.  Mrs.  Shepp  is  a consist- 
ent member  of  the  the  Baptist  church. 


w’  ILLIAM  P.  sherry  is  the  son  of 
a 0 I David  and  Cynthia  A.  (Kirkpatrick) 
Sherry,  and  was  born  on  the  Missin- 
nawa  river,  near  the  town  of  Eaton, 
Union  township,  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  Janu- 
ary 28,  1841.  His  early  life  was  principally 
spent  in  Union  and  Niles  townships  in  clearing 


434 


MUNCIE  CITY 


uj)  the  wild  waste  of  woods  of  that  section, 
and  in  other  labor,  with  all  the  attending  joys 
and  privations  incident  to  the  early  settlement 
of  the  county.  In  consequence  of  this,  and  in 
common  with  other  boys  of  that  time,  he  had 
only  the  benefits  of  the  common  schools  about 
three  months  in  the  year,  hence  received  only 
the  elementary  branches  of  education.  He  had 
just  started  for  himself  f)y  working  on  a farm 
by  the  month  when  the  late  war  began.  He 
enlisted  in  the  spring  of  1862,  in  company  K, 
Thirty-sixth  Indiana  volunteer  infantry,  under 
Capt.  Milton  Peden,  for  a term  of  three  years. 
His  regiment  was  attached  to  the  army  of  the 
Cumberland  at  Camp  Wickliffe,  near  Bowling 
Cireen,  Ky.,  and  participated  in  nearly  all  of 
the  great  battles  of  the  south  and  west,  his 
first  battle  of  note  being  that  of  Shiloh,  where 
for  two  memorable  days  he  was  constantly 
under  fire,  the  next  being  the  battle  of  Cornith, 
Miss.,  whence  he  followed  the  rebel  army,  under 
Gen.  Braxton  Bragg,  through  the  states  of  Ala- 
bama, Tennessee  and  Kentucky,  and  sharing 
in  all  the  skirmishes  and  various  engagements 
in  the  record  of  the  marches  and  countermarches 
of  this  famous  organization  at  different  points 
on  the  great  map  of  its  bloody  field  of  opera- 
tion, notable  amongst  them  being  the  battle  of 
Perryville  and  Wild  Cat  Mountains,  Ky. , also 
Nashville  and  Stone  River,  Tenn.  On  the  his- 
toric field  of  Stone  River  Mr.  Sherry  was  wound- 
ed December  31,  1862,  by  a minie  ball,  which 
passed  through  the  right  leg  below  the  knee. 
He  was  then  sent  to  the  hospital  at  Nashville, 
Tenn.  After  being  wounded  he  was  for  three 
hours  within  the  rebel  lines  and  was  not  taken 
from  the  field  until  the  foe  was  driven  back  by  the 
Union  forces.  He  returned  to  his  command  at 
Camp  Cripple  Creek,  Tenn., and  afterward  par- 
ticipated in  the  battles  at  Chattanooga,  Chicka- 
mauga.  Lookout  Mountain,  Missionary  Ridge, 
and  later  on  in  the  famous  Atlanta  campaign, 
which  lasted  one  hundred  days  and  nights,  in 


which  some  portion  of  the  army  was  engaged  at 
different  points,  some  of  which  were  Tunnel  Hill, 
Resaca,  Rocky  Face  Ridge,  Kenesaw  Moun- 
tain, Atlanta,  Jonesboro  and  Lovejoy’s  Station. 
At  this  latter  point  the  time  of  service  of  the 
Thirty-sixth  Indiana  regiment  expired  and  Mr. 
Sherry  was  transferred  to  company  A,  Thirty- 
first  Indiana  volunteerinfantry,to  serve  out  his 
unexpired  term,  and  went  with  it,  in  the  com- 
mand of  Gen.  Geo.  H.  Thomas,  in  pursuit  of  the 
rebel  army  under  Gen.  Hood.  He  took  part  in 
the  decisive  battle  of  Franklin,  Tenn.,  after 
which  the  army  fell  back  to  Nashville,  where 
Hood’s  army  was  defeated  by  Gen.  Thomas. 
The  Thirty-first  Indiana  was  then  sent  to 
Knoxville,  Tenn.,  where,  in  the  spring  of  1865, 
our  subject’s  term  of  enlistment  expired,  and 
on  his  return  home  he  had  the  pleasure  of 
hearing  the  big  guns  firing  a salute  in  glorifica- 
tion of  the  fall  of  Richmond.  After  his  arrival 
he  engaged  to  work  in  a saw  mill  for  Henry  and 
Jacob  Stiffler,  in  Monroe  township,  Delaware 
county.  Here  he  married,  December  13,  1867, 
Miss  Susan  Ross,  daughter  of  William  Perry 
Ross,  of  Monroe  township,  and  engaged  in 
farming  in  that  township  until  1873,  when  his 
wife  died  and  was  buried  in  Rees  graveyard, 
on  White  river.  Four  children  were  born  to 
them;  three  died  in  infancy  and  rest  beside 
their  mother. 

In  the  year  1874  Mr.  Sherry  removed  to 
Mount  Pleasant  township,  where  he  also  en- 
gaged in  farming  for  six  years,  and  afterward 
he  farmed  with  John  Cassell  in  the  west  part  of 
Centre  township  for  four  years,  'and  still  later 
on  with  Jacob  Keesling,  and  then  purchased  a 
farm  at  or  near  the  “Six-mile  house,”  in  Ham- 
ilton township.  He  continued  in  this  voca- 
tion more  or  less  until  his  election  as  sheriff  of 
Delaware  county,  in  November,  1892  In 
politics  Mr.  Sherry  has  always  been  a republi- 
can, and  cast  his  first  vote  for  Gen.  Grant, 
having  been  in  the  army  when  he  first  became 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


485 


of  voting  age.  He  received  the  next  highest 
nnmber  of  votes  when  O.  H.  Swain  was  nomi- 
nated for  sheriff,  and  at  the  subsequent  contest 
he  was  nominated  overall  competitors  by  a large 
plurality,  and  ran  ahead  of  his  party  ticket  at 
the  general  election.  He  assumed  charge  of 
his  office  on  August  28,  1893,  with  his  son, 
Milton  Sherry,  as  his  efficient  and  courteous 
deputy.  Mr.  Sherry  has  well  earned  all  hon- 
ors thus  bestowed  by  a life  of  good  and  con- 
scientious citizenship,  and  a faithful  and 
honorable  service  as  a soldier  for  the  perpetu- 
ation of  the  Union,  and  is  now  a member  in 
good  standing  in  Williams  post.  No.  78,  de- 
partment of  Indiana,  G.  A.  R.  and  the  I.  O. 
R.  M.  at  Muncie,  Ind. 

His  father,  David  Sherry,  was  born  in 
southern  Ohio  in  1813,  and  died  in  June,  1893, 
lacking  but  twenty  days  of  being  eighty  years 
of  age.  He  moved  with  his  father,  Daniel 
Boone  Sherry,  the  grandfather  of  William  P. 
Sherry  to  southern  Indiana  when  a small  boy, 
and  settled  first  in  Ripley  county,  and  later 
moved  to  Rush  county,  Ind.,  followed  farm- 
ing, and  there  the  father  of  our  subject  was 
married  to  Cynthia  Ann  Kirkpatrick,  as  afore- 
said, and  soon  thereafter  moved  _ to  Union 
township,  Delaware  county,  Ind. , where  he 
entered  eighty  acres  of  land — this  was  about 
the  year  1835.  The  grandfather,  Daniel 
Boone  Sherry,  came  with  his  family  at  about 
the  same  time  and  passed  the  balance  of  his 
life  there,  leaving  four  sons  and  one  daughter; 
Absalom,  Nicholas,  John,  Sarah,  and  David, 
who  have  all  died.  The  old  man  and  all  his 
sons  were  honest,  hardworking  men,  good 
citizens  and  were  especially  noted  as  hunters. 

Sheriff  Sherry  is  the  youngest  of  three 
children — a sister,  Melissa,  who  marrie'd  John- 
son Hazelbaker  and  who  died  soon  after  her 
marriage,  leaving  no  children,  and  John  W. 
Sherry,  who  is  now  a farmer  in  Ness  county, 
Kan.  His  father  married  for  his  second  wife 


La  Rue  Battrell,  who  bore  him  a son  and 
daughter;  Daniel  B.  Sherry  is  a well  educated 
man  and  is  engaged  in  farming  and  school 
teaching,  also  in  Ness  county,  Kan.  ; Sarah  is 
the  wife  of  David  Snider,  a prosperous  farmer 
of  Blackford  county.  His  father  was  a mem- 
ber of  the  Dunkard  church,  and,  like  those  of 
that  persuasion,  was  an  honest  man  and  good 
citizen. 


AVID  HENRY  HARRISON  SHEW- 
MAKER  was  born  November  16, 
1840,  in  Harrison  county,  Ind.  His 
father,  Tandy  Shewmaker,  was  a 
native  of  Kentucky,  and  his  mother  a native  of 
Virginia.  His  father  was  a soldier  in  the  war 
of  1812  and  belonged  to  the  famous  cavalry  of 
Col.  Dick  Johnson,  taking  part  in  the  battle  of 
the  Thames,  in  which  the  noted  chief  Tecum- 
seh  was  killed.  In  1820  he  came  to  Indiana 
and  settled  in  the  wilderness  of  Harrison  coun- 
ty, where  he  cleared  and  improved  a farm. 
There  he  was  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits 
until  1872,  when  he  died  at  the  advanced  age 
of  ninety-four  years.  I).  H.  H.  Shewmaker 
worked  on  the  farm  with  his  father  until  the 
outbreak  of  the  rebellion,  when  he  was  enrolled 
a member  of  the  Third  Indiana  cavalry — a part 
of  the  army  of  the  Potomac.  He  was  mustered 
into  service  with  his  regiment  June  22,  1861, 
and  took  part  in  the  battles  around  Richmond, 
under  Gen.  McClellan;  also  the  battles  of 
South  Mountain,  Antietam,  Eredericksburg  and 
Chancellorsville.  During  the  Gettysburg  cam- 
paign he  received  a severe  gunshot  wound, 
from  which  he  never  recovered.  He  did  not 
permit  this  injury  to  interfere  with  his  service 
to  the  Union,  however,  and  followed  Grant  in 
his  victorious  campaign  against  Petersburg 
and  Richmond,  taking  part  in  all  general  en- 
1 gagements,  beside  numerous  skirmishes.  His 


436 


MUNCIE  CITY 


regiment,  which  was  a part  of  Gen.  Phil. 
Sheridan’s  famous  cavalry,  was  commanded  by 
Col.  Geo.  H.  Chapman,  of  Indianapolis,  who 
was  afterward  elevated  to  the  rank  of  briga- 
dier general.  At  the  close  of  the  war  Mr. 
Shewmaker  returned  to  his  home,  and,  in 
1865,  married  Miss  Nancy  Abigail  McKea, 
daughter  of  Franklin  and  Rachel  (Sands) 
McRea.  They  are  the  parents  of  three  chil- 
dren, named,  resj>ectively,  Della,  Emma  and 
Walter,  all  now  living  to  bless  the  home  circle. 

At  the  age  of  sixteen  years  Mr.  Shewmaker 
taught  his  first  school,  and,  with  the  exception 
of  the  time  spent  in  the  army,  has  since  de- 
voted his  time  and  talents  to  that  profession. 
Beginning  in  the  district  schools  of  the  county, 
he  has  steadily  advanced  to  the  front  as  a 
teacher.  He  was  principal  of  the  graded 
schools  at  Elizabeth,  Harrison  county,  Ind., 
for  four  years  and  taught  one  term  at  York- 
town,  in  Delaware  county,  where  he  organized 
the  graded  schools.  In  1874  he  was  appointed 
principal  of  the  Jefferson  school  at  Muncie,  a 
position  he  filled  with  eminent  ability  for  a 
period  of  eight  years.  For  one  year  he  held 
the  position  of  principal  of  the  Muncie  high 
school,  and  afterward  became  principal  of  the 
Washington  schools,  which  position,  by  suc- 
cessive reappointments,  he  has  held  for  ten 
consecutive  years.  He  has  displayed  great 
tact  in  school  government,  studying  carefully 
the  dispositions  of  his  pupils  and  endeavoring 
to  control  them  by  kindness  rather  than  by 
hard  measures.  It  is  a fact  worthy  of  note 
that  only  two  suspensions  have  occurred  in  the 
Washington  building  during  the  period  of  his 
incumbency  as  principal.  He  is  enthusiastic  in 
the  cause  of  public  education,  and  devotes  a 
great  deal  of  his  time  to  the  encouragement 
and  assistance  of  teachers’  institutes  throughout 
the  county.  He  is  a member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  and  unites  the  virtues  of  a 
Christian  gentleman  with  his  ability  as  a teacher. 


Politically  Prof.  Shewmaker  has  ever  been 
an  earnest  supporter  of  the  republican  party 
and  cast  his  first  vote  for  Abraham  Lincoln 
for  the  presidency.  He  was  nominated  and 
elected  a member  of  the  common  council  of 
Muncie  in  the  spring  of  1888,  re-elected  in 
1890,  and  retired  from  the  position  in  1892, 
and  to  his  untiring  efforts  is  largely  due  the 
credit  of  the  successful  prosecution  and  com- 
pletion of  the  first  street  railway  m Muncie. 
In  the  spring  of  1889,  in  partnership  with  his 
son-in-law,  H.  Marsh  Jackson,  Prof.  Shew- 
maker embarked  in  the  retail  drug  trade, 
which  he  carried  on  until  the  fall  of  1889.  In 
1880  he  had  charge  of  the  United  States  cen- 
sus enumeration  in  the  city  of  Muncie  and  did 
the  entire  work  in  the  gathering  of  the  statis- 
tics, but  in  I 890,  owing  to  the  increased  popu- 
lation, was  assisted  in  the  work  by  several 
enumerators.  In  Masonic  circles  Prof.  Shew- 
maker has  filled  official  positions  in  the  local 
lodge.  His  name  also  appears  as  one  of  the 
organizers  upon  the  charter  of  Williams  post. 
No.  78,  G.  A.  R. 


EONARD  SHICK  was  born  in  Mus- 
kingum county,  Ohio,  April  27,  1827, 
a son  of  Jacob  and  Barbara  (Kline) 
Shick,  the  former  having  been  born 
in  Bucks  county.  Pa.,  in  1796,  and  the  latter 
in  Virginia,  in  1816.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jacob 
Shick  were  married  in  Muskingum  county, 
where  they  engaged  in  farming  and  remained 
until  1851,  when  they  removed  to  Blackford 
county,  Ind. , where  Mr.  Shick  engaged  in  the 
mercantile  business,  following  it  for  two  years. 
At  that  time  they  returned  to  their  old  home, 
but  three  years  later  removed  to  Knightstown, 
Henry  county,  Ind.,  where  for  the  following 
three  years  Mr.  Shick  was  engaged  as  keeper 
of  the  toll  gate.  The  family  then  moved  to 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


487 


Cambridge,  where,  again,  Mr.  Shick  engaged 
in  keeping  the  gate,  remaining  one  year,  at 
which  time  he  located  at  Muncie  and  remained 
one  year.  His  next  removal  was  to  Mont- 
pelier, Ind. , where  he  started  a general  mer- 
chandise store,  blit  finally  removed  to  Hart- 
ford City,  where  he  and  his  wife  spent  their 
last  days,  the  former  dying  in  January,  1885, 
and  the  latter  in  1887.  They  had  been  mem- 
bers of  the  Lutheran  church.  Politically  Mr. 
Shick  was  a democrat,  and  a straightforward, 
careful,  business  man.  Nine  children  were 
born  to  the  union  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Shick,  as 
follows;  John,  a resident  of  Hartford  City, 
Ind.;  Elizabeth  J.,  of  Hartford  City;  Cathe- 
rine, of  Red  Key,  Jay  county;  Leonard,  whose 
name  opens  this  sketch;  Maria  and  Henry, 
deceased;  Nancy,  wife  of  S.  Brough;  Jacob  K., 
of  Hartford  City;,  and  William,  a retail  mer- 
chant of  Muncie. 

Leonard  Shick  was  reared  on  the  home 
farm  until  he  had  arrived  at  his  majority,  at 
which  time  he  engaged  in  the  tinning  business 
in  Hartford  City,  continuing  there  two  years. 
Not  being  altogether  satisfied,  he  took  a course 
of  two  months  under  John  Davis,  of  Wabash, 
where  he  learned  the  finer  points  of  his  trade. 
From  there  he  went  to  Winchester,  where  he 
worked  for  three  months  under  instruction,  by 
which  time  he  had  become  a thoroughly  com- 
petent workman,  and  in  1853  came  to  Muncie, 
where  he  engaged  in  journey  work  for  George 
Divon.  Here  he  remained  for  a year  and  a 
half,  when  he  bought  the  business  from  his 
employer  and  carried  it  on  for  the  two  follow- 
ing years.  Selling  the  shop,  he  then  engaged 
in  work  on  a farm  in  this  county  for  one  season, 
but  subsequently  went  back  to  journey  work, 
engaging  with  Patterson  & Sample  for  six 
months,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  bought 
the  tinning  portion  of  the  trade  of  his  employ- 
ers, worked  it  four  months  alone,  and  then  took 
in  Job  Swain  as  a partner,  with  whom  he  car- 


ried on  business  for  the  six  succeeding  months, 
and  then  sold  and  went  to  Lafayette.  At  the 
latter  place  Mr.  Shick  followed  his  trade  for 
three  months,  when  he  went  to  Annapolis, 
where  he  remained  two  months,  and  then,  re- 
turning to  Muncie,  entered  the  stove  and  tin- 
ware trade  with  his  brother,  William  Shick. 
This  firm  continued  for  some  time,  but  was 
finally  bought  out  by  John  Burt,  and  Mr.  Shick 
went  into  a general  tinning  business,  remain- 
ing in  the  same  for  a few  months.  He  then 
bought  a half  interest  in  the  same  trade  and 
engaged  in  it  for  one  }mar,  when  he  and  his 
partner  combined  queensware  and  hardware, 
selling  these  two  commodities  for  two  years,  at 
which  time  the  queensware  department  was 
closed  out,  and  a more  complete  stock  of  hard- 
ware was  added.  After  ten  years  Mr.  Shick 
bought  out  his  brother’s  interest  and  took  his  son 
as  a partner,  the  latter  carrying  on  the  business 
for  five  years,  when  he  sold  it  to  Martin,  Young  & 
Kessler.  Mr.  Shick  then  bought  a farm  of  190 
acres,  to  which  he  has  since  devoted  his  entire 
attention,  moving  into  his  farmhouse  Novem- 
ber 28,  1890. 

Mr.  Shick  was  married  in  this  county, 
February  13,  1853,  to  Psyche  Jewel,  a native 
of  this  county,  daughter  of  Zeigle  and  Rachel 
(Hobaugh)  Jewel,  and  five  children  were  born 
of  this  marriage,  as  follows;  Charles,  of  Mun- 
cie, Ind.  ; Eldora,  who  married  Eli  Hoover,  a 
wholesale  and  retail  dealer  in  cigars  and 
tobacco  in  Muncie;  Kate,  died  August  2,  1876; 
Carrie,  died  September  19,  1864,  and  Ger- 
trude, wife  of  Quince  Walling,  superintendent 
of  the  water  works  of  Muncie.  Mrs.  Shick 
died  March  10,  1886,  and  her  remains  rest  in 
Beech  Grove  cemetery.  Mr.  Shick  again 
married,  April  i,  1889,  in  Muncie,  his  second 
wife  being  Louisa  Turner,  born  in  this  county, 
and  daughter  of  Ephraim  and  Martha  (Bal- 
bridge)  Turner,  natives  of  Tennessee  and 
Henry  county,  Ind.,  the  former  born  in  1828, 


488 


MUNCIE  CITY 


the  latter,  May  30,  1832.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tur- 
ner were  married  in  Delaware  county  in  1849 
and  became  the  parents  of  nine  children,  four 
of  whom  survive.  Two  children  have  been 
born  of  the  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Shick — 
Lylah  Arminell,  born  December  29,  1889,  and 
Leonard  Turner,  born  May  18,  1891.  Mr. 

Shick  and  wife  are  prominent  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  of  which  Mr. 
Shick  is  a trustee.  Politically  Mr.  Shick  is  a 
republican,  a prominent  and  well  known  man 
in  his  neighborhood.  He  is  proprietor  of  the 
Shick  book  store,  his  son  Charles  being  the 
efficient  manager  of  the  same. 


aHARLES  A.  SHICK. — The  business 
interests  of  Muncie,  Ind.,  are  well 
looked  after,  and  among  the  success- 
ful and  judicious  men  who  manage 
the  affairs  of  the  pleasant  little  city  may  be 
mentioned  Charles  A.  Shick,  who  was  born  in 
Delaware  county,  Ind.,  January  20,  1854,  a 
son  of  Leonard  Shick,  whose  biography  ap- 
pears above.  Mr.  Shick  was  educated  in  the 
city  schools  of  Muncie,  and  this  instruction 
was  supplemented,  in  1875,  by  a course  in  the 
Miami  Commercial  college,  which  he  attended 
for  six  months.  Eollowing  this  he  engaged  in 
the  hardware  business  with  his  father,  in  this 
county,  until  the  retirement  of  the  eider  Mr. 
Shick  from  business,  when  Charles  went  on 
the  farm  for  a period  of  four  years,  and  then 
engaged  in  the  book  business.  He  now  han- 
dles all  grades  of  books,  stationery,  art  mate- 
rials, wall  papers,  etc. , and  is  carrying  on  a 
very  successful  trade.  Mr.  Shick  was  married 
in  this  city,  January  2,  1881,  to  Miss  Mary  E. 
Brundage,  who  was  born  in  Mercer,  Ohio,  No- 
vember 26,  1857,  a daughter  of  W.  S.  and 
Sarah  J.  (Dickerson)  Brundage,  natives  of  Ohio, 
of  German  descent.  Two  children,  Leonard 


and  Cornelia,  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Shick.  In  politics  he  is  a republican,  ready  to 
uphold  the  principles  of  his  party  on  all  occa- 
sions, and  is  a member  of  the  fraternal  orders 
of  I.  O.  O.  F.  and  Junior  Order  of  American 
Mechanics. 


HRTHUR  L.  SHIDELER,  a rising 
attorney  and  prominent  young  busi- 
ness man  of  Muncie,  Ind.,  was  born 
in  Grant  county,  Ind.,  February  25, 
i860,  a son  of  John  W.  and  Caroline  M.  (Dol- 
man) Shideler,  natives  of  Grant  county,  where 
the  mother  died.  Mr.  Shideler,  Sr. , came  to 
Muncie,  Ind.,  in  October,  1873,  and  engaged 
in  business,  but  died  in  Indianapolis  in  the 
year  1888.  Arthur  L.  Shideler  came  to  Mun- 
cie with  his  father.  He  received  his  education 
in  the  Jonesboro  Normal  school,  and  in  the 
Muncie  high  school,  after  which  he  engaged  as 
clerk  in  George  W.  Stephenson’s  dry  goods 
house,  of  which,  in  1882,  he  was  admitted  as 
a partner.  In  the  fall  of  1883  Mr.  Benjamin 
F.  Bratton  bought  the  interest  of  Mr.  Stephen- 
son, and  the  firm  of  Bratton  & Shideler  con- 
tinued the  business  until  March,  1889,  when 
they  disposed  of  the  stock.  At  this  time  Mr. 
Shideler  took  up  the  study  of  law,  and  after 
becoming  proficient  in  the  profession  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  Delaware  county  bar  in  Novem- 
ber, 1 890,  and  at  once  entered  upon  the 
active  practice  in  Muncie,  which  he  continued 
until  1893,  when  he  became  bookkeeper  of 
the  Merchants’  National  bank  of  Muncie,  or- 
ganized in  March  of  that  year.  Politically, 
Mr.  Shideler  is  a democrat,  and  as  such  was 
elected  city  clerk  in  1890,  overcoming  a de- 
cided republican  majority.  He  served  in  this 
capacity  until  the  fall  of  1892,  and  was  then 
the  democratic  candidate  for  prosecuting  at- 
torney, but  failed  of  an  election  owing  to  the 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


439 


great  majority  of  the  opposition.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  I.  O O.  F.  and  of  the  order  of 
Red  Men,  also  being  secretary  of  the  Gray 
club  and  a member  of  the  Citizens’  • Enter- 
prise company.  Mr.  Shideler  was  married,  in 
1879,  to  Miss  Flora  E.  Jones,  daughter  of 
William  W.  Jones  of  Centre  township,  Dela- 
ware county,  and  is  the  father  of  three  inter- 
esting children,  Fred  W. , Helen  R.  and 
Caroline  M.  The  family  is  one  which  is  highly 
regarded  in  the  city  of  Muncie.  In  his  busi- 
ness and  professional  life  Mr.  Shideler  has 
shown  commendable  zeal,  and  owing  to  his 
determination  to  adhere  to  his  chosen  calling 
the  future  is  fraught  with  much  that  is  encour- 
aging and  promising.  He  is  progressive  in  all 
that  the  term  implies,  takes  a lively  interest 
in  the  growth  and  development  of  his  adopted 
city,  and  is  justly  entitled  to  prominent  men- 
tion among  its  enterprising  and  intelligent 
professional  men. 


R.  EDGAR  A.  SHIELDS  is  the  old- 
est son  of  Matthew  R.  and  Martha  A. 
(Lyon)  Shields,  and  was  born  in  But- 
ler county,  Ohio,  July  9,  1853.  His 
parents  moved  across  the  state  line  into  Frank- 
lin county,  Ind. , while  Edgar  A.  was  a boy, 
and  he  attended  the  common  schools  of  that 
county  until  he  was  nineteen  years  of  age. 
He  entered  the  State  university  at  Blooming- 
ton, Ind.,  in  1872,  and  in  four  years  completed 
a classical  course  therein,  graduating  with  the 
scholastic  degree  of  A.  B.  in  1876.  In  the 
same  year  he  entered  the  Ohio  Medical  college 
at  Cincinnati,  where  he  pursued  a comprehen- 
sive course  of  three  years’  study;  however,  he 
did  not  apply  for  graduation,  but  in  1879  en- 
tered Jefferson  Medical  college  at  Philadelphia, 
Pa.,  and  graduated  from  that  institution  in 
March,  1880.  In  graceful  recognition  of  Dr. 


Shields’  scholarly  attainments  and  devotion  to 
science,  his  old  alma  mater,  the  State  univer- 
sity, fittingly  conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of 
A.  M.  in  1883.  The  doctor  entered  upon  the 
practice  of  his  profession  for  a brief  period  near 
Cincinnati,  Ohio,  but  came  to  Muncie  in  the 
fall  of  1881,  where  he  located  permanently, 
and  has  since  enjoyed  a lucrative  general  prac- 
tice. In  co-ordinate  lines  of  professional  work. 
Dr.  Shields  was  chosen  pension  examiner  and 
served  as  secretary  of  the  pension  board  during 
President  Cleveland’s  first  term,  and  is  now 
president  of  the  board  of  pension  examiners, 
having  received  the  endorsement  of  Williams 
post,  G.  A.  R. , of  Muncie  for  the  place.  He 
also  holds  the  position  of  examiner  for  the  fol- 
lowing life  insurance  companies;  New  York 
Life,  Equitable,  Mutual  Life,  Connecticut  Mu- 
tual, JEtna.,  Northwestern  Mutual,  Manhattan, 
National  and  Travellers. 

Dr.  Shields  was  married,  in  1880,  to  Miss 
Eannie  May  Barbour,  daughter  of  Samuel  W. 
and  Ada. (Hinckley)  Barbour,  of  Oxford,  Ohio. 
In  politics  the  doctor,  like  his  ancestors  for 
two  generations,  is  a democrat,  and  is  frater- 
nally a Mason  and  a Knight  Templar  in  Mun- 
cie commandery.  The  paternal  grandfather  of 
the  doctor  was  James  Shields,  a native  of  the 
north  of  Ireland,  and  received  a liberal  educa- 
tion in  the  Glasgow  university  of  Scotland. 
He  came  to  Ohio  shortly  after  it  became  a 
state,  and  settled  in  Butler  county.  He 
served  twenty-one  years  in  the  Ohio  legis- 
lature, was  elected  to  congress  and  died  during 
his  term  of  service  in  that  body.  He  was  one 
of  the  principal  promoters  in  securing  the 
location  of  Miami  university,  and  served  on  its 
board  of  trustees  for  years. 

He  reared  twelve  children,  of  whom 
Matthew  R.  Shields,  father  of  our  subject, 
was  the  youngest.  Matthew  R.  was  born  in 
the  county  of  Butler  about  1821,  grew  to 
manhood  on  the  farm,  married  Martha  A. 


440 


MUNCIE  CITY 


Lyon,  whose  family  was  identified  with  the 
early  settlement  of  the  northwest  portion  of 
Cincinnati,  and  contributed  some  of  its  suc- 
cessful early  business  men.  The  father  was  a 
farmer  and  civil  engineer,  having  served  the 
county  of  Butler  for  several  years  as  county 
surveyor,  and  was  honored  with  a like  position 
in  Franklin  county,  Ind.,  whei'e  both  parents 
are  still  living,  as  are  also  a brother  and  sister 
of  Dr.  Shields — a brother  having  died  at  the  age 
of  seven  years. 


aARLTON  E.  SHIPLEY,  lawyer,  of 
Muncie,  was  born  in  Philadelphia, 
March  22,  1827,  and  is  the  son  of  Will- 
iam and  Abigail  (Lynde)  Shipley.  His 
mother  was  a native  of  Jefferson  county,  N.  Y. 
His  father  was  born  in  Chester  county.  Pa.,  on 
Christmas  day,  1798.  He  was  a wholesale  and 
retail  hardware  merchant  in  Philadelphia  till 
about  1841,  when  he  engaged  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  iron  in  Northumberland  county.  He 
died  in  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  in  March,  1854. 
The  Shipley  family  is  of  English  descent.  Carl- 
ton Shipley  attended  a Friends’  school  in  Phila- 
delphia until  he  was  fourteen  years  of  age. 
Two  years  later,  in  ig43,  he  emigrated  with 
his  father’s  family  to  Muncie.  In  the  following 
year  he  became  a clerk  in  the  store  of  Charles 
F.  Willard,  where  he  remained  for  about  four 
years.  In  1848  he  engaged  in  teaching  a dis- 
trict school  in  Randolph  county,  but  aban- 
doned it  after  one  term’s  practice.  In  the  fall 
of  1849  young  Shipley  became  a druggist’s 
clerk,  and  remained  in  that  situation  two  years. 
While  a clerk,  he  commenced  to  read  law,  and 
on  leaving  the  drug  business  entered  the  office 
of  Hon.  J.  S.  Buckles.  In  the  spring  of  1852 
he  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  In  October  of 
the  same  year  he  was  elected  district  attorney 
of  the  common  pleas  district,  composed  of 


Hamilton,  Tipton  and  Howard  counties;  and, 
removing  to  Tipton,  he  entered  upon  the  duties 
of  the  office  in  connection  with  his  practice. 
Ill  health  compelled  his  return  to  Muncie  in 
December,  1854.  There  he  resumed  the 
duties  of  his  profession.  In  1865  the  legis- 
lature elected  him  one  of  he  three  directors  of 
the  Northern  Indiana  penitentiary  at  Michigan 
City,  in  which  position  he  served  one  term.  He 
was  a member  of  the  city  council  for  about  six 
years.  In  i 864  he  was  a candidate  for  nom- 
ination before  the  republican  state  convention 
for  the  position  of  reporter  of  the  supreme 
court  of  the  state,  but  was  defeated.  In  1873 
he  was  candidate  for  the  office  of  judge  of  the 
twenty-fifth  judicial  circuit,  but  was  defeated 
by  Gen.  Silas  Colgrove.  Mr.  Shipley  has 
identified  himself  with  the  growing  interests  of 
Muncie  and  Delaware  county,  giving  efficient 
aid  in  various  public  enterprises.  In  1869  he 
helped  to  organize  the  Lafayette,  Blooming- 
ton & Muncie  railroad,  canvassing  the  county 
to  secure  the  levy  of  the  tax  to  build  it,  and 
for  one  year  was  a director  of  the  company. 
Mr.  Shipley  became  a Free  Mason  in  1849  and 
has  taken  all  the  degrees  to  and  through  those 
of  the  commandery.  In  Tipton,  he  was  master 
of  Austin  lodge.  No.  128;  and  he  held  offices 
in  the  Muncie  chapter  and  Muncie  comman- 
dery. His  family  attend  the  Episcopal 
church,  but  he  is  not  connected  with  any  relig- 
ious body.  A democrat  at  the  breaking  out 
of  the  Civil  war,  he  has  since  been  identified 
with  the  republican  party.  He  now  has  a 
strong  disposition  to  be  independent  in  pol- 
itics. 

Mr.  Shipley  was  united  in  marriage,  March 
22,  1852,  to  Miss  Clara  Jackson,  of  Delaware 
county.  They  have  three  children.  Mr. 
Shipley  is  devoted  to  his  profession,  and  being 
endowed  with  capacity  and  force  is  well  fitted 
for  his  work.  He  is  a close  student,  a clear, 
profound  thinker,  and  an  able  counselor. 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


443 


Mr.  Shipley  has  other  claims  upon  the  public 
esteem  than  those  of  intellectual  worth.  He 
never  encourages  litigation;  if  a client  has  no 
grounds  for  a case  he  tells  him  so. 


DOLPH  C.  SILVERBURG,  promi- 
nent as  a member  of  the  Delaware 
county  bar,  was  born  in  the  city  of 
Natchez,  Adams  county,  Miss.,  Sep- 
tember 15,  1855,  son  of  Herman  and  Regina 
(Wise)  Silverburg,  both  parents  natives  of 
Bavaria,  Germany,  in  which  country  their  an- 
cestors for  many  generations  had  lived.  Her- 
man Silverburg  was,  for  many  years,  engaged 
in  mercantile  pursuits;  he  desired  that  his  son 
should  obtain  a good  education,  accordingl}^ 
young  Adolph  was  sent  to  the  public  schools 
and  was  also  given  private  instruction  by  com- 
petent preceptors,  who  spared  no  pains  in  his 
literary  training.  At  an  early  age,  he  announced 
his  intention  to  become  a lawyer,  and  after  a 
course  of  reading  became  a student  of  the  Law 
school  of  Cincinnati.  Ohio,  where  he  pursued 
his  professional  studies  with  enthusiastic  zeal 
for  some  time.  The  instruccion  received  at 
this  well  known  institution  was  supplemented 
by  a course  of  private  reading  in  the  office  of 
Long,  Kramer  & Kramer,  of  Cincinnati,  and  [ 
in  December,  1877,  he  came  to  Muncie,  Ind.,  ! 
and  was  duly  admitted  to  the  Delaware  county 
bar.  In  1878  Mr.  Silverburg  went  to  Dakota 
territory,  where  he  practiced  in  the  circuit,  | 
district  and  United  States  courts,  and  one 
year  later  located  in  Kansas,  first  in  Galena 
and  afterward  at  Columbus,  in  the  latter  of 
which  he  served  as  judge  of  the  police  cTurt 
for  one  year,  and  for  two  years  was  clerk  of 
the  district  court.  After  this  varied  experi- 
ence, during  which  period  he  embraced  every 
opportunity  to  study  law  in  the  various  states 
and  note  its  operations  among  different  classes 


of  people,  he  returned  to  Muncie  in  1883,  and 
has  since  practiced  his  profession  in  this  city 
with  Hon.  R.  S.  Gregory.  The  firm  of  Greg- 
ory & Silverburg  is  one  of  the  best  known  and 
most  successful  law  partnerships  of  Muncie, 
and  has  a large  and  constantly  increasing  prac- 
tice in  the  courts  of  Delaware  and  other  coun- 
ties of  central  Indiana.  They  are  the  local 
attorneys  of  the  L.  E.  & W.  R.  R.  company, 
the  Delaware  County  bank,  and  various  other 
corporations. 

In  his  profession,  Mr.  Silverburg  has 
achieved  success  such  as  few  lawyers  attain  in 
a much  longer  practice.  Possessing  a clear 
and  analytical  mind,  he  takes  a just  pride  in 
his  chosen  calling,  and  feels  that  any  distinc- 
tion he  may  hope  to  achieve  must  be  through 
its  channels.  Although  a comparatively  young 
man,  he  has  alread}'  won  a conspicuous  place 
among  the  successful  attorneys  of  the  city  of 
his  adoption,  and  by  adheringto  his  profession, 
he  has  before  him  a future  of  great  usefulness 
and  promise.  Politically  Mr.  Silverburg  is  a 
supporter  of  the  democratic  party,  and  fra- 
ternally is  a member  of  the  Masonic  order,  and 
K.  of  P. , and  his  name  appears  upon  the  char- 
ter of  the  Gray  club.  He  is  president  of  the 
Muncie  Building  & Loan  Fund  association,  much 
of  the  success  of  which  enterprise  is  due  to  his 
wise  counsel  and  skillful  management.  ISIr. 
Silverburg  was  married,  in  1885,  to  Miss  Flor- 
ence C.  Asher,  daughter  of  Maj.  S.  M.  Asher, 
chief  deputy  collector  of  internal  revenue  for 
the  district  of  Louisiana — a union  blessed  with 
the  birth  of  one  child,  Shelton  G.  Silverburg. 


OHN  A.  SINGLETON,  superintendent 
of  the  City  Electric  plant  of  Muncie, 
Ind.,  is  a son  of  James  L.  and  Eliza 
(Hampton)  Singleton,  and  was  born 
near  Versailles,  Ky. , July  29,  1859.  At  eight 


444 


MUNCIE  CITY 


or  nine  years  of  age  he  was  taken  from  the 
home  plantation  to  the  state  of  Missouri  by  his 
parents,  and  lived  in  Liberty,  that  state,  until 
1871,  when  the  family  came  to  Indiana  and 
settled  on  a farm  south  of  Muncie.  At  the 
age  of  thirteen,  however,  he  went  to  Lexing- 
ton, Ky. , where  he  served  an  apprenticeship 
of  three  years  with  Wood  Bros.,  as  carpenter, 
and  about  1875  returned  to  Muncie,  Ind,,  and 
here  received  the  best  wages  paid,  on  account 
of  his  proficiency.  He  next  had  charge  of  the 
finishing  room  in  the  handle  factory  of  James 
Boyce  & Co.  for  about  four  years,  and  the 
first  year  after  James  Boyce  started  his  electric 
plant,  Mr.  Singleton  was  placed  in  charge  of 
the  power  house,  which  position  he  held  four 
years.  He  was  then  called  to  Winchester, 
Randolph  county,  where  he  had  entire  charge 
of  the  electric  works,  including  power  plant, 
lines,  extension  of  the  system,  etc.,  and  before 
the  expiration  of  his  term  of  engagement  for 
one  year  doubled  the  number  of  incandescent 
burners.  In  February,  1892,  he  was  appointed, 
as  superintendent  for  the  city  of  Muncie,  to 
act,  with  the  superintendent  of  the  Western 
Electric  Light  company  of  Chicago,  in  con- 
structing the  present  system  for  Muncie’s 
electric  illumination.  In  this  task  he  was  en- 
gaged four  months.  The  result  is  a power 
house  at  the  corner  of  Wysor  and  Madison, 
with  a 210  horse  power  boiler,  and  200  horse 
Atlas  engine,  three  dynamos  of  fifty-eight  ca- 
pacity each,  twenty-four  miles  of  line  on  1,000 
poles,  and  140  lights  of  2,000  candle  power 
each.  Of  this  immense  work  he  was  given 
entire  charge,  and  has  two  linemen  and  one 
engineer  under  his  supervision.  The  result  of 
his  work  is  well  understood. 

Mr.  Singleton  has  twice  been  married,  his 
first  wife  having  been  Nancy  J.  Triplett,  whom 
he  wedded  in  1877,  and  who  bore  him  four 
children — Minnie  L.,  Nellie,  Walter  and  James 
Ray.  This  lady  died  in  1885,  and  in  1887 


Mr.  Singleton  married  Miss  Sally  V.,  daughter 
of  Jasper  North  and  his  wife  Nancy,  of  Muncie. 
Mr.  Singleton  has  always  been  persistent  in 
his  profession,  and  faithful  in  every  position 
he  has  filled,  and  his  reward  has  been  fully 
deserved. 


HNDREW  J.  SLINGER,  a prominent 
citizen  of  Muncie,  was  born  in  Tippe- 
canoe county,  Ind.,  January  20,  1834. 
His  father,  Thomas  J.  Slinger,  was 
born  in  Brookshire,  England,  married  Nancy 
Eink,  a native  of  Berks  county.  Pa.,  and  in 
1832  located  in  Lafayette,  Ind.,  and  engaged 
in  the  distillery  business,  which  he  had  pre- 
viously learned  in  his  native  country.  He 
died  October  15,  1838,  and  subsequently,  in 
1842,  his  widow  married  Benj.  Runyon,  a 
farmer  of  Montgomery  county.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Runyon  removed  to  the  county  of  Henry  in 
1846,  and  resided  there  until  their  respective 
deaths  in  1876  and  1877. 

Andrew  J.  Slinger  remained  with  his  step 
father  until  his  sixteenth  year,  at  which  time 
he  went  to  Indianapolis,  where  he  served  a three 
years’  apprenticeship  at  house  painting  and 
graining  with  Samuel  S.  Rooker.  After  be- 
coming proficient  in  his  chosen  calling,  he 
began  working  at  the  same  at  New  Castle, 
where  he  remained  from  1852  until  1861,  in 
June  of  which  last  named  year  he  entered  the 
army  as  member  of  the  regimental  band  of 
the  Thirty-sixth  Indiana  infantry,  serving  in 
that  capacity  for  a period  of  seven  months, 
when  the  order  came  to  discharge  all  regiment- 
al bands.  Mr.  Slinger  received  his  discharge 
March  6,  1862;  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  and, 

returning  home,  assisted  in  recruiting  company 
I,  Sixty-ninth  regiment,  upon  the  organization 
of  which  he  was  elected  first  lieutenant.  His 
regiment  first  went  into  Camp  Wayne,  near 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


445 


Richmond,  Ind.,  thence  was  ordered  to  Rich- 
mond, Ky. , where  it  received  its  first  baptism 
of  fire,  and,  with  the  rest  of  the  Federal  force 
engaged,  suffered  defeat  at  the  hands  of  the 
Confederate  general,  Rirby  Smith.  The  regi- 
ment to  which  Mr.  Slinger  belonged  was 
nearly  all  taken  prisoners,  but  quite  a number 
succeeded  in  making  their  escape,  omong 
them  being  Mr.  Slinger.  After  the  regiment 
was  duly  exchanged  and  recruited,  it  was 
ordered  to  Camp  Memphis,  Tenn.,  and  pro- 
ceeded along  the  Mississippi  and  Yazoo  rivers 
under  Gen.  Sherman  to  Vicksburg.  Mr. 
Slinger  participated  in  a four  days’  battle  in 
the  attempt  to  reduce  Vicksburg,  but,  being 
repulsed,  the  regiment  was  compelled  to 
abandon  their  position  and  retreat  northward 
until  the  mouth  of  the  Arkansas  river  was 
reached.  Proceeding  up  the  river  named,  the 
command  invested  Fort  Hindman,  or  Arkan- 
sas Post,  January  ii,  1863,  which  surrendered 
after  a hard  fought  battle,  seven  thousand 
prisoners  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  Feder- 
als.  Later  the  Sixty -ninth  was  engaged  in 
the  vicinity  of  Vicksburg  and  assisted  in  dig- 
ging the  famous  canal.  Afterward,  the  Union 
force  moved  across  the  country,  through  Lou- 
isiana, to  the  Mississippi,  twenty-five  miles 
below  Vicksburg,  where  they  made  a stand 
until  joined  by  the  fleet  which  successfully  ran 
the  blockade.  The  force  then  proceeded 
down  the  river  to  Grand  Gulf,  where  a naval 
engagement  lasting  four  hours  was  fought, 
during  which  time  seventy-five  guns  of  the 
enemy  were  silenced  and  their  force  surren- 
dered. The  troops  were  then  transferred 
across  the  river  to  the  Mississippi  side,  and 
marched  up  the  bluff  to  Thompson  Hill,  or 
Port  Gibson,  and  there  engaged  Pemberton’s 
army  from  Vicksburg,  the  battle  lasting  from 
2 A.  M.  to  7 p.  M.,  resulting  in  a complete  de- 
feat of  the  enemy.  The  Federal  forces  fol- 
lowed up  their  advantages  and  came  up  to  the 


enemy  at  Champion  Hill,  in  the  rear  of  Vicks- 
burg, where  a fierce  battle  was  fought,  the 
enemy  retreating  to  Black  river,  where  they 
attempted  to.  cross  but  only  partially  succeed- 
ed, three  thousand  of  them  falling  into  the 
hands  of  the  Union  troops. 

Mr.  Slinger  subsequently  took  part  in  the 
charge  in  front  of  Vicksburg  May  22,  1863, 
after  which,  his  regiment  was  ordered  to  Black 
river  to  guard  the  rear  of  the  Union  army,  and 
there  remained  until  the  time  of  the  surrender 
of  the  city.  At  Port  Gibson,  Mr.  Slinger  re- 
ceived a severe  wound  in  the  head,  which 
resulted  in  a serious  impairment  of  the  brain, 
rendering  him  totally  blind  for  the  greater  part 
of  six  months.  On  account  of  this  disability, 
he  resigned  his  commission  July  8,  1863,  and 
returned  home.  September,  1 864,  he  veter- 
anized in  the  Twenty-fifth  Indiana,  which  at 
once  proceeded  to  Mobile,  in  the  siege  of 
which  IMr.  Slinger  was  engaged  for  thirteen 
days,  or  until  the  surrender  of  the  place.  Sub- 
sequently the  regiment  was  ordered  to  Mont- 
gomery, Ala.,  and,  after  various  other  move- 
ments, was  discharged  November  26,  ^865, 
Mr.  Slinger  having  spent  over  three  years  in 
the  service.  As  already  noted,  he  was  first 
lieutenant  of  the  company  which  he  assisted 
in  raising,  and  afterward  became  captain. 
On  leaving  the  army,  he  came  to  Muncie,  to 
which  place  his  family  had  removed  in  Jan- 
uary, 1864,  and  he  at  once  engaged  in  house 
and  sign  painting  and  contracting,  which  he 
continued  with  success  and  financial  profit 
until  his  retirement  from  active  life  a couple 
of  years  since.  He  was  sheriff  of  Delaware 
county  from  1875  to  1877,  and  since  1891  has 
not  been  actively  engaged  in  his  trade.  Mr. 
Slinger  was  married  in  Henr\’  count}',  Ind., 
October  12,  1854,  to  Miss  Lindamire  Need- 
i ham,  of  Henry  county,  who  has  borne  him 
! four  children:  Thomas  J.,  house  and  sign 
I painter;  Monroe,  died  in  1882;  Frank,  de- 


446 


MUNCIE  CITY 


ceased  at  the  age  of  twenty-five  in  St.  Louis, 
Mo. , at  which  place  he  held  the  responsible 
position  of  chief  clerk  in  the  Star  & Anchor 
line  of  steamers:  Ella,  wife  of  O.  F.  Davis, 
commission  merchant  of  Chicago.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Slinger  are  members  of  the  Christian 
church  of  Muncie  and  are  highly  respected  and 
most  estimable  people.  He  is  a republican  in 
politics,  and  for  disabilities  received  while  in 
the  service  is  being  remembered  by  a grateful 
country  with  a liberal  pension. 

Thomas  J.  Slinger  was  born  in  New  Cas- 
tle, Henry  county,  Ind.,  August  i,  1855,  and 
is  the  son  of  Andrew  J.  Slinger.  He  attended 
the  schools  of  Muncie,  Ind. , and  at  the  early 
age  of  sixteen  learned  the  trade  of  painter 
with  his  father.  He  became  deputy  sheriff  of 
Delaware  county  under  his  father  in  1875,  and 
was  married  January  25,  1876,  to  Miss  Emma 
Templer,  daughter  of  J.  N.  Templer.  Three 
children  were  the  happy  fruit  of  this  marriage: 
Eddie,  Mabel  and  Alice.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Slinger  are  active  members  of  the  Christian 
church.  He  is  also  a Knight  of  Pythias,  and 
in  politics  is  a republican. 


ePHRAIM  SMELL,  now  living  retired 
from  active  business  in  the  pleasant 
city  of  Muncie,  Ind.,  was  born  in  Mo- 
nongalia county,  W.Va. , February  12, 
1836,  a son  of  Philip  and  Rebecca  (Doolittle) 
Smell,  natives  of  West  Virginia,  who  removed 
to  the  state  of  Indiana  in  the  spring  of  1855 
and  located  in  Henry  county.  In  the  spring  of 
1857  they  removed  to  Delaware  county,  and 
located  on  a farm  in  Hamilton  township,  but 
soon  afterward  settled  in  the  town  of  Muncie, 
where  Mr.  Smell  followed  his  trade  of  wagon 
maker  for  many  years.  He  and  wife  were  con- 
sistent members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  of  Muncie,  good  people,  who  became 


the  parents  of  three  children,  two  of  whom  are 
living.  Maxwell,  of  Centre  township,  and  the 
gentleman  whose  name  introduces  this  biogra- 
phy. Ephraim  Smell  was  reared  in  his  West 
Virginia  home  until  the  age  of  eighteen  years, 
and  there  obtained  his  education.  He  accom- 
panied his  parents  to  Indiana  and  assisted  in 
the  farming,  but  in  1862  moved  to  Muncie  and 
began  the  manufacture  of  pumps,  forming  a co- 
partnership in  the  business  with  a Mr.  Puck- 
ett. The  firm,  thus  constituted,  contin- 
ued four  years,  when  Mr.  Smell  bought  the 
entire  interest,  which  he  successfully  conducted 
until  1891,  when  he  retired  from  active  life, 
and  is  now  spending  his  latter  years  in  the  en- 
joyment of  that  rest  and  quietude  which  only 
those  who  have  successfully  encountered  the 
activities  of  business  life  know  how  to  appre- 
ciate. 

Although  Mr.  Smell  is  not  actively  engaged 
in  business  he  has  not  by  any  means  given  up 
his  interest  in  what  is  transpiring  about  him, 
as  he  is  now  trustee  of  the  Bell  Stove  works, 
I'epresenting  the  Citizens’  Enterprise  company 
in  the  same,  which  latter  organization  has 
always  had  his  hearty  support,  and  in  which 
he  is  a member  of  the  advisory  board.  Mr. 
Smell  has  large  property  interests,  which  he 
manages  with  wise  judgment  and  careful  dis- 
crimination. Politically,  Mr.  Smell  is  a dem- 
ocrat, and  has  served  two  terms  in  the  city 
council,  representing  the  First  ward  from  1876 
to  1880,  and  in  1886  he  was  elected  trustee  of 
Centre  township,  serving  acceptably  until  the 
end  of  his  term.  He  is  a man  of  social  in- 
stincts, belonging  to  the  Delaware  lodge,  A.  F. 
& A.  M. , Muncie  chapter  and  commandery, 
K.  T. , and  also  to  the  I.  O.  R.  M.  In  1853, 
Mr.  Smell  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Martha  Martin,  daughter  of  Stephen  R.  Mar- 
tin, of  Delaware  county,  but  she  died  June  26, 
1868,  leaving  the  following  children:  Ida, 

John,  William  and  Mackie.  His  second  mar- 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


447 


riage  was  with  Miss  Elizabeth  Miller,  daughter 
of  Stephen  Miller,  of  Camden,  Delaware 
county,  and  at  her  death  she  left  two  children, 
Herbert  and  Philip.  His  present  wife  was 
Mrs.  Eliza  Moom,  daughter  of  0.xley  Ricker, 
O'  Delaware  county.  He  and  wife  are  mem- 
bers of  the  High  street  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  in  which  he  holds  the  position  of  stew- 
ard, being  an  active  and  valued  member. 


ON.  MARCUS  C.  SMITH,  retired 
business  man  of  ISfuncie,  and  one  of 
its  most  distinguished  citizens,  was 
born  at  Connersville,  Ind. , April  ii, 
1825.  He  is  the  son  of  Hon.  Oliver  H.  Smith 
and  his  wife  Mary  (Brumfield)  Smith.  Oliver 
H.  Smith  came  from  Pennsylvania  to  Indiana 
in  1817  and  located,  first,  at  Risiing  Sun.  He 
studied  law,  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1820, 
and  settled  in  Connersville  the  same  year.  He 
filled  numerous  positions  of  public  honor  and 
trust,  and  in  1836  was  elected  United  States 
senator  from  Indiana. 

Hon.  Marcus  C.  Smith,  in  1859,  at  the  age 
of  fourteen  years,  was  taken  by  his  father  to 
Alexandria,  D.  C.  (as  it  then  was),  to  attend  a 
school  somewhat  famous  at  that  time,  under 
the  charge  of  Benjamin  Hallowell,  a distin- 
guished mathematician  and  astronomer  of  that 
day.  Remaining  there  two  years,  he  entered 
Asbury  university,  Greencastle,  Ind.,  and  after 
three  years  spent  at  that  institution,  he  en- 
gaged in  the  study  of  law  in  his  father’s  office. 
He  was  licensed,  according  to  the  legal  custom, 
in  1846,  and  began  to  practice;  but,  his  health 
failing,  he  entered  into  active  business,  prac- 
ticing law  only  on  special  occasions.  In  1847, 
he  moved  to  Yorktown  and  assumed  the  man- 
agement of  his  father’s  property  there,  consist- 
ing of  two  grist  mills,  a saw  mill,  carding  and 
fulling  mill,  beside  a large  amount  of  landed  1 


estate.  In  1851  and  1852  the  Bee  Line  rail- 
road was  built  from  Bellefontaine,  Ohio,  to 
Indianapolis,  Ind.,  largely  by  his  father’s  iniiu- 
ence  and  aid,  and  large  quantities  of  timber, 
for  sleepers,  ties  and  bridges,  were  furnished 
from  the  land  and  the  saw  mill  of  the  latter, 
under  the  directions  of  his  son.  They  also  had 
a store  at  Yorktown,  and,  in  addition  to  the 
other  business,  stock  buying  was  largely  car- 
ried on. 

Mr.  Smith  came  to  Muncie  in  1859,  and 
has  resided  here  ever  since.  His  busines  dur- 
ing this  time  has  been  varied  and  somewhat 
extensive — chiefly  stock  dealing,  buying  grain 
and  seeds,  attending  to  his  farming  interests, 
etc.,  handling,  some  years,  from  8,000  to 
10,000  bushels  of  flaxseed,  raised  in  Delaware 
county.  He  has  owned  300  acres  of  land  in 
this  county,  but  at  present  has  but  about  200 
acres.  He  has,  from  time  to  time,  been 
chosen  to  fill  important  public  positions.  In 
1854,  he  was  elected  as  the  representative  of 
Delaware  county  in  the  Indiana  legislature; 
from  1869  to  1877,  he  served  as  mayor  of  the 
city  of  Muncie;  and,  in  1878,  was  elected 
state  senator  for  the  counties  of  Delaware  and 
Madison,  his  term  expiring  in  1882,  and  in  the 
fall  of  the  same  year  was  re-elected  for  a term 
of  four  years.  Like  his  honored  father,  he 
was  in  former  times  a whig,  and,  since  the 
rise  of  the  republican  party,  has  been  an 
active  member  and  ardent  supporter  of  the 
principles  and  measures  of  that  organization. 

In  1852,  Marcus  C.  Smith  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Mar}  C.,  daughter  of  James 
L.  Russey  (formerly  of  Muncie).  They  are 
the  parents  of  eight  children,  all  of  whom  are 
now  living  save  one,  and  five  are  married: 
Oliver  H.  ; Mary  Caroline,  the  wife  of  Oliver 
T.  Boaz,  now  residing  in  Pittsburg,  Kan. ; 
Laetitia  A. , now  wife  of  Dr.  Chas.  W.  Smith, 
of  Selma;  Marcus  C.,  Jr.,  living  in  Kan.; 
Margaret  H.,  wife  of  H.  H.  Highlands;  James 


448 


MUNCIE  CITY 


R.,  at  home;  Jennie  Love,  at  home,  and  May 
Love,  deceased. 

Marcus  C.  Smith  has  been  for  many  years, 
and  still  is,  a prominent  and  valuable  member 
of  society,  enjoying  the  confidence  and  respect 
of  his  fellow  citizens  in  a high  degree.  Al- 
though he  and  his  worthy  companion  are  not 
church  members,  they  respect  and  uphold  the 
religious  interests  of  society,  and  are  liberal 
and  sympathetic,  and  active  in  lending  a ready 
hand  in  aid  of  the  unfortunate  and  distressed. 
Hundreds  of  unfortunates  in  Muncie,  as  well  as 
elsewhere,  to-day  bless  the  names  of  Marcus  C. 
and  Mary  C.  Smith  as  benefactors,  and  many 
a poor  lad  owes  to  their  munificence  his  first 
educational  advancement — they  being  among 
the  foremost  and  most  liberal  promoters  of 
general  education. 


OHN  HENRY  SMITH,  one  of  the  lead- 
ing manufacturers  of  Indiana  and  pro- 
prietor of  the  large  and  extensive  bent 
wood  works  of  Muncie,  is  a native  of 
Pennsylvania,  born  in  the  town  of  P'reedom, 
Beaver  county,  on  the  23d  of  April,  1843. 
His  father,  Andrew  Smith,  was  born  in  Hesse 
Cassel,  Germany,  August  3,  1813,  and  immi- 
grated to  the  United  States  in  1831,  locating 
in  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  where  he  followed  the  trade 
of  cooper,  and  where  he  afterward  was  united 
m marriage  with  Miss  Barbara  Heffner.  Sub- 
sequently, about  1842,  he  located  at  the  town 
of  Freedom,  Beaver  county,  where  for  three 
years  he  was  engaged  in  the  hotel  business 
and  where  his  death  afterward  occurred.  To 
Andrew  and  Barbara  Smith  were  born  three 
children,  two  sons  and  one  daughter,  namely: 
Jacob,  John  H.  and  Lizzie  Smith.  John 
Henry  Smith  was  but  two  years  of  age  when 
his  father  died,  after  which  event  the  mother 
engaged  in  the  grocery  business  at  the  town  of 


Freedom,  in  the  schools  of  which  place  John 
H.  received  a good  education.  On  quitting 
school  he  assisted  his  mother  until  his  sixteenth 
year,  when  he  went  to  the  Economite  commu- 
nity at  Economy,  Pa.,  where  he  learned  the 
cooper  trade,  which  he  followed  at  that  place 
for  about  three  and  one-half  years.  In  the 
meantime  he  attended  night  school.  Leaving 
Economy,  on  the  discovery  of  oil  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, he  joined  the  influx  to  the  oil  region, 
and  for  one  year  thereafter  was  engaged  in 
coopering,  returning  at  the  end  of  that  time  to 
Freedom,  at  which  place  he  erected  a shop. 
In  the  fall  of  1863  he  enlisted  in  the  Seven- 
teenth Pennsylvania  cavalry,  which  was  as- 
signed to  duty  in  the  army  of  the  Potomac, 
serving  first  under  Gen.  Rillpatrick  and  after- 
ward with  Gen.  Sheridan,  and  participating  in 
the  battles  of  the  Wilderness,  Spottsylvania, 
Hanover  C.  H.,  Trevilian  Station,  Brandy 
Station,  Old  Church  Tavern  (where  he  had  his 
horse  shot  under  him),  Winchester,  Cedar 
Creek,  Sailor’s  Creek,  the  campaign  in  front 
of  Petersburg,  and  was  present  at  the  final 
surrender  of  Lee  at  Appomattox.  He  was 
honorably  discharged  at  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  in 
August,  1865.  On  returning  from  the  army, 
he  resumed  business  at  Freedom  and  contin- 
ued it  until  his  removal  to  Indiana  in  the  year 
1870.  At  Blnffton,  he  engaged  quite  exten- 
sively in  the  manufacture  of  tight  barrel  staves, 
which  he  continued  until  1873,  at  which  time 
he  erected  another  factory  at  the  town  of 
Auburn,  which  he  conducted  until  he  disposed 
of  his  entire  interests  in  both  establishments 
to  the  Standard  Oil  company,  in  1 876.  In 
that  year  he  bought  a small  bent  wood  works 
at  the  town  of  Blnffton,  which  soon  became 
one  of  the  leading  manufacturing  establish- 
ments of  the  place.  A larger  building  was 
erected  two  years  later,  and  supplied  with  the 
latest  improved  machinery  for  the  manufac- 
ture of  all  work  in  that  line.  In  two  years’ 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


449 


time  this  building  was  found  to  be  inadequate 
to  meet  the  demands  of  the  business;  accord- 
ingly, Mr.  Smith  determined  to  remove  the 
works  to  Muncie,  where  better  opportunities 
were  offered,  and  where  he  erected  a much 
larger  and  more  complete  structure. 

In  July,  1889,  while  Mr.  Smith  was  absent 
on  a trip  to  Europe,  this  large  manufactory 
was  completely  destroyed  by  fire,  entailing  great 
loss  upon  the  proprietor  and  proving  a serious 
disaster  to  the  city  of  Muncie.  With  the 
energy  characteristic  of  the  man,  Mr.  Smith 
cabled  his  partner  to  begin  rebuilding  at  once. 
Mr.  Smith’s  great  popularity  with  the  people 
of  his  adopted  city  was  sufficiently  attested  by 
the  fact,  that  upon  his  return  from  his  foreign 
tour,  he  was  met  at  the  depot  by  a large  delega- 
tion of  citizens  who  assembled  for  the  purpose 
of  welcoming  him  home,  and  of  publicly  thank- 
ing him  for  his  determination  to  re-build  his 
factory  in  Muncie.  The  factory  since  re-built 
does  a large  and  lucrative  business,  and  its 
products  are  in  demand  in  nearly  all  the 
markets  of  the  United  States  and  in  those  of 
some  countries  of  Europe.  Personally  Mr. 
Smith  is  popular  with  all  with  whom  he  comes 
in  contact,  and  throughout  his  long  business 
career  has  been  thoroughly  energetic  and 
straightforward  and  possesses  an  enviable  repu- 
tation for  honesty  and  integrity.  His  home 
residence  is  one  of  the  largest,  most  imposing 
and  costly  in  the  city  of  Muncie. 

Politically  Mr.  Smith  is  an  uncompromising 
supporter  of  the  democratic  party,  and  as  such 
was  complimented  by  being  sent  as  delegate 
to  the  national  convention  at  Chicago  in  1892. 
While  a resident  of  Bluffton  he  served  two 
terms  as  school  trustee,  beside  which  he  has 
been  called  to  fill  other  positions  of  trust  at 
different  times.  The  firm  of  which  he  is  head 
is  known  as  J.  H.  Smith  & Co.,  in  addition  to 
which  he  is  president  of  the  Carriage  Wood 
Workers’  association  of  the  United  States,  1 


and  president  of  a large  manufacturing  estab- 
lishment known  as  the  Sidney  Pole  & Shaft 
company,  of  Sidney,  Ohio.  He  is  also  re- 
ceiver of  the  R.  E.  Hill  Manufacturing  com- 
pany, and  was  one  of  the  chief  movers  in  the 
organization  in  the  Citizens’  Enterprise  com- 
pany. Eraternally,  Mr.  Smith  is  prominently 
identified  with  a number  of  orders,  including 
the  Masonic,  G.  A.  R.,  A.  O.  U.  W. , and  the 
I.  O.  O.  E.,  in  the  last  of  which  he  has  passed 
all  the  chairs. 

Mr.  Smith  was  married  May  30,  1877,  to 
Miss  Kate  Shaufelberger  of  Ereedom,  Pa.,  a 
union  blessed  with  the  birth  of  five  children,  one 
son  and  four  daughters. 


EWIS  S.  SMITH  was  born  in  the 
town  of  Alexandria,  Licking  county, 
Ohio,  December  15,  1843.  His  father, 
Seth  P.  Smith,  was  a native  of  New 
York,  from  which  state  he  emigrated  to  Clin- 
ton county,  Ohio,  and  there  married  Harriet 
Smedley,  thence  moved  to  Licking  county,  lo- 
cating at  Alexandria.  Seth  Smith  was  a lawyer 
at  Newark,  Ohio,  and  was  a very  successful 
practitioner.  He  was  a man  of  prominence  in 
Alexandria,  held  several  official  positions,  and 
until  the  birth  of  the  republican  party,  with 
which  he  became  identified,  was  a whig  in  his 
political  belief.  He  reared  a family  of  three 
children:  Agnes,  deceased;  Lenora,  deceased, 
and  Lewis  S.,  whose  name  introduces  this 
mention.  His  death  occurred  in  October,  i860, 
and  his  wife  died  November  of  the  previous 
year.  L.  S.  Smith  passed  the  years  of  his 
youth  and  early  manhood  in  his  native  county, 
and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  began  life  for  him- 
self as  a carriage  manufacturer,  which  he  con- 
tinued for  a period  of  five  years.  In  1870  he 
began  the  study  of  photography  at  Union  City, 

1 Ind. , under  the  instruction  of  F.  P.  Wilson, 


450 


MUNCIE  CITY 


and  after  becoming  proficient  in  the  art,  es- 
taf)lished  a gallery  at  the  town  of  Camden, 
where  he  carried  on  a successful  business  for 
about  fifteen  years.  In  1884  he  removed  to 
Muncie,  where  he  has  since  conducted  a very 
gratifying  business,  the  gallery  of  which  he  is 
at  this  time  proprietor  being  one  of  the  best 
known  establishments  of  the  kind  in  the  city. 
Mr.  Smith  is  enterprising  and  energetic,  and 
by  a life  of  industry  has,  in  a large  measure, 
solved  the  problem  of  success.  He  has  accu- 
mulated a comfortable  competence  and  very 
properly  ranks  among  the  best  citizens  in  the 
city  in  which  he  resides.  Mr.  Smith  was  mar- 
ried December  27,  1870,  in  Dayton,  Ohio,  to 
Miss  Emma  J.  Shaffer,  daughter  of  H.  R.  and 
Jane  (Anderson)  Shaffer,  to  which  union  three 
children  have  been  born,  namely:  Harry, 

Earnest  and  Clifford.  In  politics  Mr.  Smith 
acts  with  the  democratic  party,  being  an  earn- 
est advocate  of  the  principles  which  he  main- 
tains. He  is  a member  of  the  Improved  Order 
of  Red  Men,  belonging  to  DeEmber  lodge.  No. 
30,  and  takes  an  active  interest  in  the  affairs 
of  the  fraternity.  His  religious  belief  is  repre- 
sented by  the  Baptist  creed,  of  which  church 
both  himself  and  wife  are  members. 


w’  E-  SMITH,  proprietor  of  the  largest 
■ B I marble  - cutting  establishment  in 
Muncie,  dealer  in  marble,  granite, 
etc.,  was  born  in  Eayette  county, 
Ind.,  July  23,  1822,  son  of  Moses  and  Sarah 
E.  Smith.  The  father  was  born  in  New  York 
state  Eebruary  28,  1802,  and  the  mother’s 
birth  occurred  in  1806  in  the  province  of  Can- 
ada. Moses  Smith  and  Sarah  E.  Harris 
were  married  in  1821,  in  Eayette  county,  Ind., 
near  Connersville,  where  Mr.  Smith  engaged 
in  agricultural  pursuits,  in  connection  with 
carpentering.  He  died  July  24,  1873;  his 


wife  died  August  23,  1884;  they  were  both 
members  of  the  Methodist  church,  are  remem- 
bered as  most  excellent  and  kindly  disposi- 
tioned  people,  and  were  parents  of  the  follow- 
ing children:  Wilson  R. , Eliza,  Newton,  Lewis, 
Charles,  Elvira,  Sarah,  Albert,  Eveline,  Dan- 
iel and  Melvina,  all  deceased  except  the  first 
named. 

Wilson  R.  Smith  was  reared  in  Knights- 
town,  Ind.,  until  his  twenty-second  year,  and 
early  learned  the  blacksmith  trade,  which  he 
carried  on  in  that  place  for  some  time.  He 
also  became  proficient  as  a carpenter,  but 
gave  his  attention  principally  to  blacksmithing, 
which  he  followed  successfully  in  Albany, 
Granville,  and  Muncie,  Delaware  county,  until 
1861.  In  the  latter  year,  owing  to  the  loss  of 
his  right  arm,  occasioned  by  a premature  dis- 
charge of  a canon,  while  ratifying  the  election 
of  President  Lincoln,  he  was  obliged  to  give 
up  his  trade,  and,  for  two  years  thereafter, 
served  as  deputy  sheriff  of  Delaware  county 
under  J.  W.  Dungan.  During  the  suc- 
ceeding four  years,  he  was  traveling  sales- 
man for  a marble  company,  and  in  1869 
was  complimented  by  the  people  of  the 
county  by  being  elected  sheriff,  the  duties 
of  which  office  he  discharged  with  credit  to 
himself  and  satisfaction  to  all  concerned  for  a 
period  of  two  years.  In  Eebruary,  1870,  Mr. 
Smith  engaged  in  the  marble  business  in  part- 
nership with  John  Parry,  which  relationship 
continued  four  years,  when  Mr.  Smith  pur- 
chased his  partner’s  interest  and  became  sole 
proprietor.  Subsequently,  he  effected  a co- 
partnership with  his  sons,  under  the  firm  name 
of  Smith  & Sons,  which  still  exists  and  which 
does  a large  and  lucrative  business,  represent- 
ing $20,000  worth  of  work  per  year.  Mr. 
Smith  does  all  grades  of  granite  and  marble 
work,  such  as  first  class  shops  turn  out,  and 
only  the  very  best  workmen  are  employed  in 
his  establishment.  He  is  a skillful  workman, 


i ■ 


W.  R.  SNYDER 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


453 


understands  all  phases  of  the  business,  and  his 
patronage  extends  throughout  Delaware  and  a 
number  of  other  counties  in  eastern  Indiana. 

Mr.  Smith  was  married  in  Richland  town- 
ship, Jay  county,  Ind.,  August  4,  1844,  to 
Sarah  Hollingshead,  whose  birth  occurred  in 
Greene  county,  Ohio,  July  17,  1824.  Mrs. 
Smith  is  the  daughter  of  James  and  Mary 
(Scarff)  Hollingshead,  natives  of  Virginia.  To 
the  union  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith  three  children 
have  been  born:  James  N.,  John  O.  and  Julian 
T. , the  last  named  deceased.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Smith  are  active  members  of  the  Methodist 
church  of  Muncie.  Mr.  Smith  is  prohibitionist 
and  an  earnest  advocate  of  temperance  reform. 


ROF.  WILLIAM  R.  SNYDER,  the 
efficient  superintendent  of  the  public 
schools  of  Muncie,  is  a native  of 
Pennsylvania,  born  on  the  30th  day 
of  August,  1850,  in  the  historic  old  city  of 
Gettysburg.  His  parents,  Conrad  and  Cath- 
erine (Fisher)  Snyder,  were  also  natives  of  the 
Reystone  state,  and  for  a number  of  years 
residents  of  the  county  of  Adams.  In  the 
public  schools  of  his  native  town  Prof.  Snyder 
received  an  elementary  education,  and  later 
became  a student  of  the  w»ll  known  institu- 
tion, Pennsylvania  college  at  Gettysburg,  in 
which  he  completed  the  full  course,  graduating 
with  a creditable  record  in  the  class  of  1873. 
The  same  year  he  taught  a term  in  the  district 
schools  of  Wyandotte  county,  Ohio.  The 
next  year  he  was  principal  of  a graded  school 
at  the  town  of  Waldron,  Shelby  county,  Ind., 
where  he  continued  two  years,  after  which, 
for  the  same  length  of  time,  he  had  charge  of 
the  schools  of  Acton,  not  far  from  the  city  of 
Indianapolis.  Severing  his  connection  with 
the  schools  of  the  latter  place.  Prof.  Snyder 
accepted  the  principalship  of  the  Shelbyville 


high  school,  the  duties  of  which  he  discharged 
in  an  eminently  satisfactory  manner  until 
1883,  when  he  resigned  in  order  to  accept  a 
position  in  the  city  schools  of  Muncie.  From 
1883  until  1884  he  served  as  second  assistant 
in  the  Muncie  high  school,  and  in  the  latter 
year  became  principal  of  the  same,  which  po- 
sition he  held  until  1887,  when,  upon  the  res- 
ignation of  Prof.  John  M.  Bloss,  he  was  pro- 
moted to  the  superintendency  of  all  the  city 
schools.  This  is  a position  of  great  responsi- 
bility, the  city  of  Muncie  containing  eight 
school  districts,  in  which  are  ten  school  build- 
ings, with  an  aggregate  of  sixty  rooms,  requir- 
ing the  services  of  sixty  teachers,  with  one 
special  teacher  for  the  department  of  music. 
Under  his  efficient  supervision  the  schools  of 
Muncie  have  made  most  commendable  prog- 
ress, and  the  city’s  educational  system  stands 
among  the  best  in  the  state.  Through  his 
instrumentality  many  important  improvements 
tending  to  lessen  the  work  of  the  teacher  and 
benefit. the  pupils  have  been  adopted,  and  the 
confidence  reposed  in  him,  both  by  patrons 
and  the  school  board,  is  sufficiently  attested 
by  his  unanimous  re-election  for  several  years 
to  the  position  he  now  holds. 

The  very  high  character  Prof.  Snyder  has 
achieved  as  an  educator  has  made  him  well 
and  favorably  known  throughout  the  state, 
both  as  a teacher  and  manager,  and  in  view 
of  his  untiring  energy  it  is  safe  to  assume  that 
there  are  few,  if  any,  more  popular  superin- 
tendents in  Indiana.  He  is  now  in  the  prime 
of  vigorous  manhood,  possesses  genial  man- 
ners, superior  scholarship,  and  his  twenty 
years’  practical  experience  in  school  work, 
from  village  school  to  the  superintendency, 
bespeaks  for  him  a future  of  still  greater  effici- 
enc}^  and  usefulness.  While  meeting  with 
success  in  his  chosen  profession  such  as  few 
attain.  Prof.  Snyder  at  one  time  seriously  con- 
templated abandoning  teaching  and  making 


454 


MUNCIE  CITY 


the  pi'actice  of  law  his  life  work.  While 
teaching  at  Acton  and  Waldron  he  pursued 
his  legal  studies  under  the  instruction  of 
Thomas  B.  Adams  and  Louis  T.  Michener, 
well  known  attorneys  of  Shelbyville,  but  never 
applied  for  admission  to  the  bar,  his  success 
as  an  instructor  convincing  him  that  a wider 
sphere  of  usefulness  was  to  be  found  in  the 
field  of  education. 

Since  locating  in  Muncie,  Prof.  Snyder  has 
been  active  in  promoting  the  city’s  material 
prosperity,  having  been  a liberal  contributor 
to  many  important  enterprises,  among  which 
is  the  Citizens'  Enterprise  company,  of  which 
he  is  a member;  at  this  time  he  is  president  of 
the  board  of  trustees  of  the  Muncie  library. 
He  is  prominently  identified  with  the  Masonic 
fraternity,  belonging  to  chapter,  council  and 
commandery,  and  he  also  assisted  in  the  or- 
ganization of  Muncie  tent,  Knights  of  Macca- 
bees, of  which  he  was  the  first  eminent 
commander.  Prof.  Snyder  is  an  earnest  mem- 
ber of  the  Presbyterian  chnrch,  serving  at  this 
time  as  clerk  of  sessions,  superintendent  of 
the  Sunday  school,  and  also  as  member  of  the 
committee  having  in  hand  the  erection  of  the 
present  beantiful  temple  of  worship.  Politi- 
cally he  is  a republican,  and  as  such  takes  an 
active  interest  in  all  the  leading  issues  of  the 
day. 

On  the  30th  of  June,  1878,  Prof.  Snyder 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Nannie  B. 
Ferran,  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  Ferran  of 
Acton,  Ind.,  the  fruit  of  which  union  is  two 
daughters:  Lily  E.  and  Mytle  M. 


ILLIAM  HENRY  SNYDER,  late  a 
prominent  manufacturer  of  Muncie, 
was  born  in  the  year  1 824  in  Dela- 
ware county,  Ohio,  the  son  of  John 
and  Celia  (Freeman)  Snyder,  both  parents 
natives  of  the  state  of  Kentucky.  The  father 


was  a cooper  by  trade,  and  in  an  early  day 
moved  to  Ohio,  where  he  followed  his  chosen 
calling  for  a number  of  years.  William  Henry 
Snyder  spent  his  youthful  years  in  the  state  of 
his  nativity,  and  while  still  young  began  the 
cooper’s  trade,  in  which  he  acquired  great  pro- 
ficiency, and  which  he  followed  for  some  years 
near  the  city  of  Springfield,  at  the  small  town 
of  Granville,  working  for  a Mr.  Spence,  a 
leading  business  man  of  that  place.  While 
residing  in  Granville  he  met  Miss  Gatherine 
Heffner,  daughter  of  Laurence  and  Gharlotte 
Heffner,  to  whom  he  was  united  in  marriage 
on  the  19th  day  of  November,  1846.  In  July, 
1852,  he  moved  to  central  Indiana,  locating 
on  a farm  about  seven  miles  west  of  Muncie, 
where  he  resided  for  a period  of  three  years  as 
a successful  agriculturist.  At  the  end  of  that 
time  he  gave  up  tilling  the  soil  and  engaged  in 
the  coopering  business  in  Muncie,  erecting  a 
large  shop  on  the  spot  now  occupied  by  the 
power  house  of  the  Gitizens’  Street  Railway 
company,  where  he  carried  on  the  trade  with 
gratifying  success  for  almost  five  years,  during 
which  time,  he  was  sole  proprietor  of  the  es- 
tablishment. He  next  effected  a co-partner- 
ship in  the  manufacture  of  barrels  and  cooper- 
age material  with  the  well  known  business 
men,  Messrs.  Wysor  & Kline,  adding  a large 
stave  factory,  which,  under  Mr.  Snyder’s  per- 
sonal management,  was  operated  until  within 
a few  months  of  his  death  in  1876.  In  addi- 
tion to  his  duties  as  superintendent,  Mr.  Sny- 
der took  the  road,  for  some  years,  as  salesman 
for  the  product  of  the  factory,  besides  doing 
an  extensive  brokerage  business  in  barrels  and 
cooperage  supplies,  throughout  Indiana,  Ohio, 
and  other  states.  In  1865  the  firm  suffered 
an  almost  total  loss  by  the  destruction  of  their 
lai'ge  and  valuable  plant  by  fire,  but  the  estab- 
lishment was  soon  rebuilt,  and  it  continued  in 
successful  operation  until  the  site  was  sold  to 
the  Street  Railway  company,  in  1893. 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


455 


Mr.  Sn}Mer  was  essentially  a business  man, 
fully  alive  to  the  interest  of  the  factory  with 
which  he  was  for  so  many  years  identified, 
and  few  men  of  Muncie  stood  higher  in  the 
estimation  of  the  public  in  general.  He  was 
always  noted  for  his  untiring  industry  and 
methodical  business  habits,  and  his  relations 
with  those  in  his  employ  were  of  the  happiest 
kind,  and  his  considerateness  for  their  welfare 
and  comfort  was  the  subject  of  much  favorable 
comment.  Aftercontinuing  with  Messrs.  Wysor 
& Kline  for  some  years,  Mr.  Snyder  purchased 
his  partner’s  interests,  after  which,  his  son 
John  became  his  business  associate.  As  already 
stated,  the  death  of  Mr.  Snyder  occurred  in 
1876,  having  reached  the  age  of  fifty-two  years. 
After  his  death  the  factory  was  continued  by 
the  widow  and  three  sons,  and  remained  in 
operation  under  the  management  of  the  differ- 
ent brothers  until  the  death  of  Francis  Marion 
Snyder  in  March,  1890. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  children 
born  to  William  H.  and  Catherine  Snyder; 
John  M.,  a well  known  farmer  of  Delaware 
county,  whose  birth  occurred  on  the  27th  of 
May,  1852,  in  the  town  of  Addison,  Ohio; 
James  Perry,  cooper  of  Muncie,  born  in  Dela- 
ware county,  Ind.,  July  13,  1855;  Francis 
Marion,  born  September  17,  1853,  died  March 
i'9,  1890,  aged  thirty-two  years;  Ada  Odelia, 
born  July  27,  i860,  married  Marion  Helvie, 
and  departed  this  life  on  the  i 5th  day  of  Octo- 
ber, 1887;  Emma  Jane — wife  of  Albert  Ogle — 
born  April  27,  1866;  Harry  Edward,  carriage 
painter,  born  August  17,  1869,  and  infant  that 
died  unnamed.  Mrs.  Snyder  is  a worthy  mem- 
ber of  the  Central  Christian  church. 

Muncie  city,  and,  indeed,  Delaware  county, 
are  indebted  for  their  prosperity  to  men  of 
brains  and  industry  such  as  was  William 
Henry  Snyder,  and  both  city  and  county  should 
and  do  welcome  to  their  borders  men  of  his 
caliber  and  enterprising  energy. 


UDOLPH  SPRANKLE,  banker,  was 
born  in  York  county.  Pa.,  April  17, 
1817.  His  father,  Peter  Sprankle, 
was  a native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  his 
mother,  whose  maiden  name  was  Elizabeth 
Walters,  was  brought  to  the  United  States, 
when  a child,  from  Zuerbrecken,  Germany, 
and  for  some  time  lived  next  door  to  Gen. 
George  Washington,  in  Philadelphia.  The 
father  was  a farmer  by  occupation  and  spent 
the  greater  part  of  his  life  in  York  county. 
Later  he  moved  to  Holmes  county,  Ohio,  in 
which  state  his  death  occurred;  his  wife  sur- 
vived her  husband  two  years  and  died  in 
Holmes  county,  at  the  town  of  Berlin.  The 
early  years  of  Rudolph  Sprankle  were  passed 
in  his  native  county  and  state,  and  at  the  age 
of  fifteen  he  accompanied  his  parents  to 
Holmes  county,  Ohio,  where  his  introduction 
to  business  life  was  in  the  capacity  of  a clerk 
in  a mercantile  establishment,  which  position 
he  filled  for  a limited  period.  His  mind  early 
turned  toward  mercantile  pursuits,  and  on 
giving  up  his  clerkship  he  purchased  a stock 
of  goods  in  the  town  of  Portage,  Summit 
county,  Ohio,  where,  in  addition  to  merchan- 
dising, he  carried  on  the  grain  business  and 
laid  the  foundation  of  his  subsequent  success- 
ful business  career.  Within  a short  time  he 
disposed  of  his  mercantile  stock  and  turned 
his  attention  exclusively  to  the  grain  trade, 
locating,  first,  at  the  down  of  Navarre,  Stark 
county,  Ohio,  where  he  carried  on  a very  suc- 
cessful business  for  over  thirty  years,  and  then 
removed  to  Cleveland,  where  he  enlarged  his 
operations  and  became  one  of  the  most  exten- 
sive grain  dealers  in  northern  Ohio  In  the 
latter  city  he  became  associated  in  the  busi- 
ness with  his  son,  James  Sprankle,  and  their 
purchases  of  grain  were  principally  in  car  lots 
from  all  points  of  the  country;  they  also  oper- 
ated a large  elevator  for  twelve  years.  The 
business  of  the  firm  proved  very  successful. 


45G 


MUNCIE  CITY 


and  the  Messrs.  Sprankle  earned  a wide  repu- 
tation as  safe  and  reliable  dealers  and  honest 
business  men. 

Disposing  of  his  interest  in  Cleveland,  Mr. 
Sprankle  came  to  Muncie,  Ind. , and,  in  part- 
nership with  his  son,  organized  the  Delaware 
County  bank,  of  which  he  was  made  president; 
he  also  continued  the  grain  and  milling  busi- 
ness after  locating  in  this  city,  operating  the 
mills  and  elevator  on  High  street.  He  retired 
from  the  bank  when  it  became  a national  con- 
cern, and,  although  connected  with  the  same, 
is  now  practically  retired  from  business  after  a 
long,  active,  and  creditable  career.  Mr. 
Sprankle  has  met  with  most  gratifying  success 
in  his  various  business  enterprises,  and  in  ad- 
dition to  amassing  a comfortable  fortune,  has 
established  a reputation  for  honesty  and  integ- 
rity that  is  in  every  way  commendable.  He 
was  married  in  the  spring  of  1837,  to  Miss 
Mary  Bentford,  a natfve  of  Pennsylvania,  who 
bore  him  two  children,  William  and  James  R., 
the  former  of  whom  died  at  the  age  of  eleven 
years.  Mr.  Sprankle  was  born  a democrat, 
and  has  ever  been  an  earnest  and  intelligent 
su])porter  of  the  principles  of  that  party. 

James  R.  Sprankle,  son  of  Rudolph  and 
Mary  Sprankle,  and  one  of  the  most  widely 
known  and  one  of  the  most  successful  business 
men  of  central  Indiana,  was  born  February  2, 
1843,  3-t  fhs  town  of  Navarre,  Stark  county, 
Ohio.  After  receiving  a practical  education  in 
the  public  schools,  assisting  his  fatheruin  the 
grain  business  in  the  mean  time,  he  went  to  the 
city  of  Cleveland  at  the  age  of  eighteen,  and 
effected  a copartnership  with  Adam  Burget, 
which,  under  the  firm  name  of  Sprankle  & 
Burget,  dealt  very  extensively  in  buying  and 
shipping  grain  for  a period  of  three  years.  At 
the  end  of  that  time,  Mr.  Sprankle  bought 
his  partner’s  interest,  and  became  associated 
with  his  father  under  the  firm  name  of  Sprnakle 
& Son,  and  the  partnership  thus  constituted 


greatly  extended  the  business,  operating  largely 
along  the  Ohio  canal  from  Cleveland  to  Chilli- 
cothe,  and  over  the  Bee  Line  railroad  from  the 
former  city  to  Indianapolis.  They  purchased 
extensively  from  all  points  contiguous  to  these 
lines,  and  extended  their  business  over  the 
greater  portion  of  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois, 
southern  Michigan  and  other  states,  and  be- 
came among  the  most  widely  known  and  suc- 
cessful shippers  of  grain  to  the  seaboard  cities. 
The  business  of  the  Sprankles  was  not  confined 
to  grain  alone,  but  included  seeds  of  all  kinds, 
wool,  and  other  commodities,  and  they  sold 
the  first  cargo  of  Michigan  salt  ever  brought  to 
Cleveland.  Mr.  Sprankle  continued  in  busi- 
ness in  Cleveland  until  1887,  and  the  same 
year  located  in  Muncie  and  built  the  steam 
flouring  mills  on  High  street.  In  partnership 
with  his  father  he  established  the  Delaware 
County  bank,  which  was  reorganized  in  De- 
cember, 1892,  as  a national  bank,  with  a cap- 
ital stock  of  $100,000,  Mr.  Sprankle  becoming 
vice-president.  In  addition  to  his  connection 
with  the  banking  and  grain  business,  he  is 
president  of  the  Architectural  Iron  company, 
and  also  holds  an  important  official  position  in 
the  Common  Sense  Engine  company  of  this 
! city.  He  was  one  of  the  stockholders  of  the 
Citizens’  Gas  company,  and  has  been  promi- 
j nently  identified  with  other  important  business 
and  manufacturing  enterprises. 


R.  WILLIAM  A.  SPURGEON,  of 
Muncie,  Ind.,  was  born  near  Salem, 
Washington  county,  Ind.,  February 
I,  1852,  and  is  the  eldest  son  of  Wi- 
i ley  and  Mary  F.  (McKinney)  Spurgeon.  Wiley 
Spurgeon  was  born  February  24,  1825,  and 
j Mary  F.  (McKinney)  Spurgeon  in  1824,  both 
in  Washington  county,  Ind.,  and  were  there 
I married,  February  27,  1848.  Wiley’s  father 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


457 


was  Josiah  Spurgeon,  born  November  13,  i77/> 
in  North  Carolina,  came  to  Indiana  in  1811, 
and  settled  near  Salem,  Washington  county. 
James  A.  McKinney,  the  father  of  Mary  F. 
Spurgeon,  was  born  in  Tennessee.  Jannary  16, 
1795,  and  settled  near  Salem,  Ind.,  also  in 
1 81 1.  Wiley  Spurgeon  was  the  youngest  son 
in  a family  of  five  boys  and  six  girls.  He  was 
reared  near  Salem,  and  received  a good  com- 
mon school  education.  He  served  under  Gen. 
Taylor  in  the  Mexican  war. 

The  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
Wiley  Spurgeon,  served  as  county  commissioner 
and  in  other  official  positions  for  a number  of 
years.  He  has  been  for  many  years  an  elder 
in  the  Christian  chnrch.  He  was  always  re- 
garded as  a man  of  great  firmness  and  integ- 
rity of  character.  His  home,  with  his  aged 
wife,  is  now  (1893)  on  the  farm  near  Beck's 
Grove,  Ind.,  where  they  enjoy  fine  health  and 
a competency  gained  by  years  of  industry  and 
economy.  Mary  F.  (McKinney)  Spurgeon  was 
next  the  youngest  daughter  in  a family  of  three 
boys  and  four  girls.  William  A.  Spurgeon  was 
reared  on  a farm,  with  one  brother  and  four 
sisters.  He  received  his  preparatory  education 
at  the  common  schools  until  sixteen  years  of 
age,  then  attended,  two  years,  the  academy  at 
Clear  Springs,  Ind. , after  which  he  taught 
school  during  the  winters,  attending  the  acade- 
my at  Salem  in  the  summers,  for  two  years, 
and  later  attended  college  at  Bedford,  Ind.  In 
1871  he  began  the  study  of  medicine  under 
Dr.  George  H.  Chute,  a prominent  ph}'sician 
of  southern  Indiana,  and  in  1872  entered  the 
Physio-Medical  institute  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 
In  1873  he  began  the  practice  of  medicine  in 
Freetown,  in  partnership  with  his  preceptor. 
He  soon  after  entered  the  Physio-Medical  col- 
lege of  Indiana,  at  Indianapolis,  from  which 
institution  he  graduated  in  1875,  and  returned 
to  his  former  partner,  with  whom  he  continued 
until  1877.  Soon  after  his  graduation  from  the 


college  at  Indianapolis,  he  was  elected  to  the 
chair  of  descriptive  and  surgical  anatomy  in  the 
college  where  he  received  his  degree,  and  con- 
tinued a member  of  the  faculty,  delivering 
regular  courses  of  lectures  each  year  until 
1893,  when  he  resigned  in  order  to  give 
more  time  to  his  professional  duties. 
Dr.  Spurgeon  removed  to  Muncie,  Ind.,  April 
13,  1880.  He  soon  took  a leading  rank  in 

his  profession,  and  beside  attending  to  his  ex- 
tensive practice  the  doctor  gave  some  time  to 
other  matters  pertaining  to  his  profession. 
He  is  a member  of  the  American  Association 
of  Physio-Medical  Physicians  and  Surgeons, 
and  was  appointed  to  deliver  an  annual  ad- 
dress before  that  body  at  its  meeting  at  Chi- 
cago, 1890.  He  has  been  a member  of  the 
Physio-Medical  Association  of  Indiana  since 
1875,  serving  a term  as  its  president,  and 
contributing  freely  to  its  medical  literature. 
He  was  sent  by  the  Physio-Medical  college  of 
Indiana  as  a delegate  to  the  World's  Congress 
of  Temperance  Physicians  which  met  in  New 
York  in  1891.  In  politics  the  doctor  was  a 
republican  till  in  1886,  when  he  joined  the 
prohibition  party,  and  in  1 888  was  a candidate 
for  the  legislature,  and  made  an  aggressive 
campaign,  obtaining  more  votes  than  any 
other  man  on  the  ticket.  In  1890  he  made 
the  race  for  secretary  of  state,  when  he  again 
ran  ahead  of  the  ticket,  and  though  the  party 
as  an  organization  seemed  hopelessly  in  the 
minority,  he  remained  true  to  its  principles, 
and  in  1892  he  was  the'  party’s  candidate  for 
congress  in  the  Sixth  Indiana  district,  and 
m_ade  a dignified  and  effective  canvass.  The 
doctor  was  married  August  29,  1872,  to  Miss 
Elvira  Chute,  daughter  of  his  preceptor  and 
partner.  Of  this  union  were  born  three  sons 
and  one  daughter:  The  eldest  son,  George 

Wiley,  and  the  second  son,  Alva  Osten,  died 
in  infancy.  The  third  son,  Orville  Elmer,  and 
the  daughter,  Mary  Alice,  are  living  in  Mun- 


458 


MUNCIE  CITY 


cie.  Mrs.  Spurgeon  died  at  Freetown  in  the 
summer  of  1878.  The  doctor’s  second  mar- 
riage was  in  the  summer  of  1883,  to  Miss 
Minerva  A.,  daughter  of  Lafayette  Whitney, 
of  Muncie.  This  union  has  been  blessed  by 
the  birth  of  four  children,  viz:  Nora  June, 
Olive  Fern,  Kenneth  Albertus,  and  William 
Chase.  The  doctor  early  united  with  the 
Christian  church  (Disciples),  the  congregation 
being  known  as  the  Buffalo  church,  at  Beck's 
Grove,  Ind.,  and  has  been  active  in  church 
and  Sunday  school  work.  Fie  was  appointed 
to  the  eldership  of  the  First  Christian  church, 
of  Muncie,  Ind.,  in  1881,  which  relation  he 
still  sustains. 


JACOB  STIFFLER,  who,  since  1890, 
has  been  making  loans  a specialty  and 
is  a prominent  dealer  in  real  estate  and 
a representative  of  a number  of  the 
leading  fire  insurance  companies  of  the  United 
States,  is  a native  of  Pennsylvania,  born  May 
8,  1831,  in  the  county  of  Bedford,  to  Freder- 
ick and  Martha  (McCormick)  Stiffler.  When 
Mr.  Stiffler  was  nine  years  of  age,  the  family 
moved  to  Blair  county.  Pa. , where  he  grew  to 
manhood,  residing  there  until  the  year  1856. 
His  youthful  environments  were  such  as  to 
preclude  the  possibility  of  receiving  a very 
thorough  education,  but  by  his  own  efforts  he 
secured  a practical  business  training  which 
has  served  him  well  through  life.  In  1856, 
Mr.  Stiffler  made  an  extensive  tour  of  the  cen- 
tral and  western  states,  which  lasted  four 
years,  and  upon  his  return  he  located  in 
Hamilton  towmship,  Delaware  county,  Ind., 
where,  for  a period  of  eight  years,  he  was  en- 
gaged in  the  milling  business.  At  the  end  of 
that  time  he  accepted  the  position  of  local 
agent  of  the  Ft.  W. , M.  & C.  R.  R. , at  Cowan 
station,  in  which  capacity  he  continued  six 
years,  conducting  a mercantile  and  lumber 


business  at  the  same  place  in  the  meantime. 
In  1876  he  removed  to  Muncie,  where  he  fol- 
lowed various  occupations  until  1886,  when  he 
was  elected  auditor  of  Delaware  county, 
which  office  he  filled  with  credit  to  himself  and 
to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  the  people. 

Mr.  Stiffler  was  married,  in  the  year  1862, 
to  Miss  Elizabeth  M.  North,  daughter  of  Jas- 
per and  Nancy  North,  of  Muncie,  who  were 
the  parents  of  eight  children,  viz. : Elizabeth 
M.,  Lavina  A.,  Matilda  E. , Mary  J.,  Ivy 
Evangeline,  Sarah  V.,  Jasper  N,  and  Arthur 
G.  The  father  of  Mrs.  Stiffler  was  born  in 
Maryland  in  1823,  and  her  mother  in  Ohio,  in 
1821.  To  the  union  of  Jacob  Stiffler  and 
Elizabeth  North  have  been  born  four  children, 
namely:  Alta,  wife  of  C.  E.  Moore;  Laura, 
wife  of  Gharles  C.  Brown,  of  Muncie;  Joseph 
and  Lue  May — the  last  named  deceased. 

Politically,  Mr.  Stiffler  is  an  earnest  sup- 
porter of  the  republican  party,  and  as  such 
was  elected  to  the  office  above  noted  His 
fraternal  affiliations  are  with  Welcome  lodge. 
No.  37,  K.  of  P. , to  which  he  attached  him- 
self in  1874.  He  is  a stockholder  in  the  Co- 
operative Gas  company,  of  Muncie,  and  at 
this  time  is  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the 
Muncie  Hospital  company.  Mrs.  Stiffler,  as 
well  as  her  family,  are  members  of  the  Society 
of  Eriends,  and  both  she  and  her  husband  are 
esteemed  by  all  who  know  them  for  their 
many  good  qualities  and  sterling  traits  of  char- 
acter. As  a business  man  Mr.  Stiffler’s  suc- 
cess has  been  most  gratifying,  and  his  present 
comfortable  circumstances  have  been  reached 
unaided  and  by  close  application  and  good 
management.  His  social  position  is  an  envia- 
ble one,  and  with  himself  his  wife  and  family 
enjoy  the  respect  and  esteem  of  all  who  have 
the  pleasure  of  their  acquaintance. 

Attention  is  called  to  the  accompanying 
engraving,  representing  a group  of  four  gener- 
ations of  the  Stiffler  family. 


;-r^* 

'm  ■ 


. iii* 


*11,  ■■ 


Ml 


lii 


I*. 


JACOB  STIFFLER 


LAURA  S.  BROWN.  MASTER  KARL  BROWN.  GRANDMA  ELIZABETH  STIFFLER.  GRANDMA  NANCY  NORTH. 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


459 


MBROSE  C.  STOUDER  is  a native 
of  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  and  a son 
of  David  Stouder,  who  came  to  In- 
diana from  Pennsylvania  when  a young 
man  and  settled  near  the  town  of  New  Bur- 
lington, Perry  township.  David  Stouder  by 
occupation  was  a farmer,  and,  later  in  life,  be- 
came widely  and  favorably  known  as  an  in- 
ventor of  a number  of  mechanical  appliances 
which  are  still  in  extensive  use.  He  resided  in 
the  township  of  Perry  until  1856,  at  which 
date  he  emigrated  to  Iowa,  where,  in  addition 
to  agricultural  pursuits,  he  carried  on  the 
manufacture  of  lumber,  building  the  first  saw 
mill  ever  operated  in  Page  county,  that  state. 
He  resided  in  Iowa  until  1863,  when  he  return- 
ed to  Dayton,  Ohio,  remaining  there  two  years, 
then  going  to  Mansfield,  at  which  place  he  de- 
voted his  entire  attention  to  perfecting  his  dif- 
ferent inventions  and  obtaining  new  patents 
for  various  kinds  of  machinery,  principally  the 
results  of  his  own  genius  and  skill.  He  married, 
in  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  Sarah  Ribble,  daugh- 
ter of  George  Ribble,  one  of  the  earliest  pio- 
neers of  this  section  of  the  state,  and  reared 
a family  of  seven  children,  whose  names  are 
as  follows;  Ambrose  C.,  Augustus  G. , Laura, 
Ira,  Osborne,  Sarah  x\.  and  Horace,  of  whom 
Ira,  Osborne  and  Sarah  are  deceased.  Mr. 
Stouder  was  a republican  in  his  political  belief 
from  the  organization  of  the  party,  but  had 
formerly  been  an  ardent  whig.  He  was  an 
active  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  and 
a man  of  more  than  ordinary  powers  of  mind, 
straightforward,  industrious  and  of  the  strict- 
est probity.  His  death  occurred  in  the  year 
1870  in  Mansfield,  Ohio,  and  his  remains  lie 
buried  in  the  cemetery  at  that  place;  Mrs. 
Stouder  departed  this  life  in  the  year  1861, 
while  the  family  were  residents  af  Iowa. 

Ambrose  C.  Stouder  was  born  April  27, 
1850,  near  the  village  of  New  Burlington,  and 
received  his  early  educational  training  in  the 


first  school  house  ever  erected  in  Delaware 
county.  He  attended  the  last  term  taught  in 
the  historic  structure,  and  after  moving  to 
Iowa  he  pursued  his  studies  in  a graded  school 
in  that  state.  During  his  youthful  years  he 
assisted  his  father  on  the  farm  and  in  the  mill, 
and  when  a mere  lad  of  fourteen  he  entered 
the  army,  enlisting  at  Clarinda,  Iowa,  in  the 
Eighth  Iowa  volunteer  cavalry,  with  which  he 
served  in  the  army  of  the  Cumberland  until 
the  close  of  the  war.  His  army  experience 
embraced  a wide  and  varied  range,  including 
the  Atlanta  campaigns  and  all  the  battles  inci- 
dent thereto — Dallas,  Resaca,  Kenesaw  Mount- 
ain, and  others,  also  the  campaign  against 
Hood  in  Tennessee,  including  the  bloody  bat- 
tles of  Franklin  and  Nashville.  His  command 
participated  in  the'  celebrated  Wilson  cavalry 
raid  through  Georgia,  and  his  record  of  a 
brave  and  gallant  defender  of  the  national 
Union  is  one  of  which  any  soldier  might  feel 
deservedly  proud. 

On  the  cessation  of  hostilities,  Mr.  Stouder 
was  mustered  out  of  the  service  at  Macon, 
Ga.,  and  received  his  discharge  at  Clinton, 
Iowa.  In  the  meantime  his  father  had  left 
Iowa,  and  finding  himself  without  a home  in 
that  state,  young  Ambrose  followed  his  father 
to  Ohio,  where,  until  the  year  1868,  he 
worked  on  a farm  in  summer  and  attended 
school  during  the  winter  seasons.  In  1868  he 
returned  to  Iowa  and  began  his  journalistic 
experience  in  the  office  of  the  Herald  at  Clar- 
inda. He  continued  with  that  paper  until 
1871,  at  which  date  he  came  to  Muncie,  Ind., 
reaching  this  city  under  circumstances  the 
most  discouraging,  the  sum  total  of  his  earthly 
wealth  at  the  time  being  one-quarter  of  a dol- 
lar. Without  money  and  among  strangers, 
the  world  presented  anything  but  a smdling 
face  to  the  young  adventurer,  who,  until  tem- 
porary employment  was  found  in  a saw  mill 
after  several  days’  search,  was  obliged  to  sleep 


4C0 


MUNCIE  CITY 


in  a lumber  yard  with  nothing  but  the  clouds  i 
and  the  blue  sky  for  a covering. 

A vacancy  occurring  in  the  office  of  the 
Muncie  Times,  shortly  after  his  arrival,  he  was 
given  the  place,  and  for  some  time  he  earned 
a livelihood  at  the  compositor’s  case.  Subse- 
(juently,  he  severed  his  connection  with  the 
Times  and  took  charge  of  the  first  steam  fire 
engine  ever  used  in  Muncie,  having  previously 
learned  to  operate  an  engine  in  his  father’s 
mill  in  Iowa.  Later,  he  accepted  a posi- 
tion in  the  office  of  the  Muncie  News  and 
Indiana  Granger,  published  by  N.  F.  Ethell, 
in  partnership  with  whom  he  soon  after- 
wards assisted  in  establishing  the  Muncie 
Daily  News,  the  first  daily  paper  ever 
printed  in  the  city — Mr.  Stouder  becoming 
local  editor.  After  a brief  connection  with  the 
News,  Mr.  Stouder  took  charge  of  the  ma- 
chinery in  the  Times  office,  operating  the  same 
until  1880,  when  he  established  the  Muncie 
Advertiser,  by  which  venture  he  accumulated 
sufficient  capital  to  start  a small  job  office  in  a 
building  where  the  new  Little  block  now 
stands. 

Mr.  Stouder  began  job  printing  in  a very 
modest  way,  his  first  press  being  a small  affair 
operated  by  foot  power,  but  as  business  in- 
creased, he  moved  to  other  and  more  commo- 
dious quarters  and  supplied  his  office  with 
machinery  in  keeping  with  the  enlarged  de- 
mands for  his  workmanship.  After  occupying 
various  rooms  in  the  city,  he  finally  secured 
the  basement  of  the  new  court  house,  where 
he  now  has  one  of  the  largest  and  most  com- 
plete printing  establishments  in  the  city,  his 
office  being  equipped  with  presses  of  enlarged 
capacity  and  other  appliances  of  the  latest  and 
most  improved  pattern.  Mr.  Stouder  has  a 
good  business,  is  thoroughly  familiar  with 
every  detail  of  the  printer’s  art,  and  all  of  his 
workmanship  is  first  class.  His  career,  since 
locating  in  Muncie,  presents  a series  of  con- 


tinued successes,  and  he  is  now  classed  among 
the  city’s  most  intelligent  and  energetic  citi- 
zens. 

Religiously  he  believes  in  the  liberal  creed 
of  Universalisrn  and  in  politics  supports  the 
republican  party.  His  wife,  whose  maiden 
name  was  Nellie  Green,  is  a daughter  of 
Charles  and  Mary  (Pickard)  Green  of  Muncie. 


OSEPH  STKADLING  was  born  in 
Bucks  county.  Pa.,  June  4,  1813.  At 
the  age  of  eight  years  he  lost  his  father 
by  death,  and,  within  a fortnight  there- 
after, his  mother  also  died,  leaving  him  thus 
early  without  the  tender  associations  and  hal- 
lowed influences  of  home.  This  loss  was  meas- 
ureably  repaired,  however,  by  his  kind  grand- 
father, who  took  him  to  his  own  home  and 
reared  him  as  one  of  his  own  children.  He 
attended  the  common  school  during  the  winter, 
and  worked  on  his  grandfather’s  farm  during 
the  remainder  of  the  year,  until  he  attained 
the  age  of  seventeen  years.  At  that  age  he 
became  the  apprentice  of  a carpenter,  and, 
after  learning  the  trade,  worked  as  a journey- 
man in  his  native  county,  and  in  the  city  of 
Philadelphia.  At  the  age  of  twenty-four 
years  he  decided  to  seek  a home  in  the  west, 
feeling  assured  that  his  opportunities  there 
would  be  more  favorable  than  in  the  east, 
where  the  trades  and  professions  were  over- 
crowded. In  1837,  he  arrived  at  Muncie, 
then  a small  village,  and  began  work  at  his 
trade.  He  was  engaged  at  carpenter  work 
until  1841,  and  in  that  year  began  the  manu- 
facture of  wagons.  This  he  continued  suc- 
cessfully for  eleven  years,  and  then,  with  the 
money  saved  from  his  earnings  as  a mechanic, 
he  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Section  7, 
Centre  township,  where  he  has  ever  since  re- 
sided, devoting  his  time  to  agricultural  pur- 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


461 


suits.  About  thirty  acres  of  his  farm  had  been 
cleared  when  he  purchased  it,  and  he  addressed 
himself  at  once  to  the  task  of  clearing  and  im- 
proving the  balance.  Subsequently,  he  pur- 
chased forty  acres  in  Section  i8,  a portion  of 
which  he  has  since  cleared.  His  entire  life 
has  been  marked  by  industry  and  energy,  and 
by  faithful  and  diligent  labor  he  has  amassed 
a competence  to  sustain  him  in  his  declining 
years.  While  he  has  always  been  prudent 
and  economical,  he  has  never  been  close  or 
stingy,  and  is  a well  known  friend  to  improve- 
ment. All  enterprises  having  for  their  object 
the  welfare  of  the  country  have  received  his 
hearty  encouragement  and  support,  and  he 
has  contributed  liberally  of  his  time  and  means 
for  their  advancement.  His  life  has  always 
been  upright  and  honorable,  and,  wherever  he 
is  known,  he  is  honored  and  esteemed  by. all. 

On  the  4th  day  of  May,  1843,  he  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Jane  Stewart, 
who  was  born  in  Warren  count}^  Ohio,  Janu- 
ary 4,  1824,  and  came  with  her  parents,  Sam- 
uel and  Mary  Stewart,  to  Delaware  county, 
Ind. , settling  in  Salem  township,  in  March, 
1830.  They  are  the  parents  of  seven  children, 
named  respectively,  William  H.,  John  M., 
MaryE.,  Martha  J.,  Warren  S.,  Charles  E. 
and  Arthur  R.  William  H.  and  Charles  E. 
are  deceased,  and  Martha  J.  m.arried  James  J. 
Warfel  in  October,  1877.  William  H.  enlist- 
ed in  company  B,  Sixty-ninth  Indiana  volun- 
teer infantry,  and  served  with  the  same  until 
his  death,  at  East  Pascagoula,  Miss.,  January 
5,  1865.  As  already  stated  Mr,  Stradling  has 
been  successful  in  a financial  sense,  and  now 
owns  228  acres  of  valuable  land  in  Delaware 
county,  the  greater  part  of  which  is  under  a 
high  state  of  cultivation.  In  1841  he  brought 
the  first  buggy  to  Muncie  that  was  ever  used 
in  Delaware  county.  He  recalls  with  much 
pleasure  the  stirring  scenes  of  pioneer  times  in 
which  he  bore  such  a prominent  part,  and  the 


incidents  and  reminiscences  of  his  life  at  that 
early  period  are  among  his  most  pleasing  rec- 
ollections. 


ILLIAM  STRADLING  was  born 
March  27,  1811,  in  Bucks  county. 
Pa.  Daniel  Stradling,  his  father, 
was  a native  of  the  same  county  and 
state,  born  about  the  year  1 790,  and  married 
n Montgomery  county.  Pa.,  Miss  Elizabeth 
Rhodes,  who  bore  him  the  following  children: 
Sophia,  deceased;  John,  deceased;  William, 
whose  name  introduces  this  sketch ; Moses  and 
Joseph  Stradling.  After  his  marriage,  Daniel 
Stradling  engaged  in  mercantile  business  in 
Bucks  county.  Pa. , and  after  continuing  for 
nine  years,  began  farming,  which  he  carried 
on  the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  and  wife 
died  in  Montgomery  county.  Pa.,  in  the  year 
1824.  They  were  members  of  the  Society  of 
Friends,  and  Daniel  Stradling  was  a whig  in 
his  political  belief  and  a very  successful  man 
financially. 

William  Stradling  grew  to  manhood  in  his 
native  county  and  state,  was  reared  on  a farm, 
but  early  learned  the  carpenter’s  trade  under 
E.  Good,  with  whom  he  served  a four  years’ 
apprenticeship,  acquiring  great  proficiency  as  a 
mechanic  in  the  meantime.  After  mastering 
his  trade,  he  worked  at  the  same  as  a journey- 
man for  three  years  in  Bucks  county,  after 
which  he  began  contracting  and  building  upon 
his  own  responsibility  and  was  thus  employed 
for  twenty  years.  In  1855  he  moved  to  Dela- 
ware county,  Ind. , and  purchased  1 20  acres  of 
wood  land  in  Centre  township,  from  which  in 
time  he  developed  a beautiful  and  highly  cul- 
tivated farm,  where  he  has  since  resided.  Mr. 
Stradling  was  married  in  Bucks  county.  Pa., 
February  29,  1835,  to  Miss  Jane  Michener, 
whose  birth  occurred  in  Bucks  county,  Pa.,  on 


462 


MUNCIE  CITY 


the  7th  day  of  March,  1817.  Mrs.  Stradling 
is  the  daughter  of  George  and  Isabelle  (Shan- 
non) Michener,  early  settlers  of  Bucks  county, 
and  descendants  of  old  English  families  that 
settled  in  Pennsylvania  at  a period  antedating 
the  Revolutionary  struggle.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Stradling  are  the  parents  of  thirteen  children, 
namely:  Mary  E.  ; Martha,  John  (deceased), 

Isabelle,  Joseph,  George,  Thomas,  Sophia  (de- 
ceased), Anna,  Glinton,  Edward,  Catherine 
and  Julia  (deceased).  Politically  Mr.  Stradling 
is  a republican  and  in  religion  adheres  to  the 
simple  Quaker  faith  of  his  ancestors.  He  is  a 
citizen  and  neighbor  highly  honored  in  his 
community,  and  his  aim  has  been  not  so  much 
to  amass  this  world’s  goods  as  to  establish  a 
reputation  for  honesty  and  integrity.  That  he 
has  accomplished  this  laudable  aim  is  attested 
by  the  high  estimation  in  which  he  is  held  by 
fellow  citizens,  and  in  his  sphere  of  life  nobly 
and  faithfully  has  he  performed  every  duty  that 
presented  itself. 


AMES  L.  STREETER  is  a native  of 
Delaware  county,  and  a descendant  of 
New  England  ancestors.  His  grand- 
father, John  Streeter,  was  a native  of 
the  state  of  Vermont,  in  which  state  he  lived 
and  died.  His  father,  Calvin  P.  Streeter,  was 
also  a native  of  that  state,  and  acquired  a good 
business  education  as  a clerk  in  a mercantile 
establishment  there.  When  quite  a young 
man  (1836)  he  emigrated  to  Delaware  county, 
Ind. , and  embarked  in  mercantile  pursuits  at 
the  village  of  New  Burlington,  in  Perry  town- 
ship. A few  years  subsequently  he  removed  to 
the  village  of  Wheeling,  in  Washington  town- 
ship, and,  in  1856,  to  Muncie,  where  he  resided 
until  his  death,  January  12,  1881.  In  this  city 
he  engaged  in  the  dry  goods  trade,  and,  two 
years  later,  accepted  the  position  of  superin- 


tendent in  the  packing-house  of  Ira  Hunter  & 
Co.,  remaining  with  this  firm  and  its  succes- 
sors until  about  1876,  when  he  retired  from 
active  business.  In  January,  1^41,  he  married 
Mi  s Mary  E.,  daughter  of  Stephen  Long,  one 
of  the  early  treasurers  of  Delaware  county. 
This  union  was  blessed  with  five  children,  viz: 
James  L. , Stephen,  Mary  E.,  Leonora  and 
Laura,  of  whom  the  last  named  two  are  de- 
ceased. 

James  L.  Streeter  was  born  December  2, 
1841,  in  the  village  of  New  Burlington,  Dela- 
ware county,  Ind.  At  the  district  school  near 
his  home  he  acquired  the  elements  of  an  edu- 
cation, subsequently  pursuing  his  studies  at 
the  public  schools  of  Muncie,  and,  at  a time 
just  prior  to  the  late  war,  he  attended  Indiana 
Asbury  university  for  a short  time,  obtaining 
an  insight  into  the  classic  studies.  His  incli- 
nations, as  well  as  his  experience,  led  him  to 
adopt  mercantile  pursuits  as  his  vocation  in 
life — a field  for  which  he  is  well  qualified,  and 
in  which  he  has  proved  his  native  ability. 
His  first  venture  was  in  the  drug  trade,  in 
which  he  formed  a copartnership  with  Dr. 
Robert  Winton,  of  Muncie.  After  conducting 
a satisfactory  and  lucrative  trade  for  several 
years,  both  retired  and  sold  the  store.  Mr. 
Streeter  then  engaged  in  the  grocery  trade, 
which  he  pursued  for  about  two  years.  At  the 
end  of  that  time,  he  engaged  in  the  sale  of  dry 
goods,  which  he  continued  for  an  equal  period. 
Then,  in  1870,  he  embarked  in  the  produce 
business,  at  which  he  is  still  engaged,  buying 
and  shipping  large  quantities  of  butter,  eggs, 
poultry,  etc.,  and  also  in  the  grain  trade. 

At  the  republican  county  convention  of 
1878,  he  became  the  nominee  of  his  party  for 
the  office  of  recorder  of  Delaware  county.  His 
commercial  intercourse  with  the  people  of  the 
county  gained  for  him  a good  reputation  for 
integrity  and  probity  of  character,  and  the 
election  that  followed  his  nomination,  in  Octo- 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


468 


her  of  the  same  year,  resulted  in  a large  ma- 
jority of  votes  in  his  favor.  In  1882  he  was 
complimented  by  a re-election  as  recorder.  i 
He  discharged  the  duties  of  his  position 
with  great  impartiality,  and  has  served  with  j 
credit  to  himself,  and  to  nearly  the  entire  satis-  j 
faction  of  every  one  as  can  be  reasonably  ex-  j 
pected  of  a public  official  who  has  so  many 
tastes  to  please.  He  has  been  very  unselfish  j 
in  his  efforts  to  accommodate  those  whose  i 
business  lead  them  to  his  office.  In  1890  he  i 
was  elected  a member  of  the  comimon  council  ! 
of  Muncie,  and  served  as  such  one  term.  At  | 
this  time  he  is  connected  with  S.  Cammack  & 
Co.  in  the  grain  business,  and  is  also  identified 
with  the  R.  H.  Horne  produce  company.  As 
a business  man  and  public  official,  he  has  gain- 
ed the  confidence  and  esteem  of  all  whose 
pleasure  it  is  td  know  him,  and  has  won  friend- 
ship permanent  and  deep.  He  is  a member  in 
good  standing  in  Delaware  lodge,  No.  46,  A., 
F.  & A.  M.,  and  Muncie  commandery.  No.  18, 
K.  T.  February  14,  1867,  he  gave  his  hand 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  J.,  daughter  of  John 
Marsh,  Esq.,  of  Muncie.  Three  bright,  intel- 
ligent and  promising  children,  Harry,  Edna 
and  Charley,  have  crowned  the  happiness  of 
this  union.  Harry  Streeter  is  an  active  young 
manufacturer  of  Muncie,  being  connected  with 
the  Port  Glass  works  of  this  city. 


aHRISTIAN  STEtCKY,  deceased,  son 
of  John  and  Kate  Stucky,  was  born 
in  the  province  of  Alsace,  Erance, 
February  2,  1820,  was  well  instructed 
in  French,  German  and  English,  and  learned 
the  trade  of  tanning  in  his  native  land,  and 
there  followed  the  business  until  he  was  about 
thirty  years  of  age,  when  he  came  to  America 
and  located  at  first  in  Dayton,  Ohio,  for  a 
short  time,  and  then  settled  in  Muncie,  Ind., 


some  time  before  the  opening  of  the  late  war. 
He  here  first  worked  in  the  tannery  of  Mr. 
Powers,  and  later  for  Mark  Walling;  just  after 
the  war  he  purchased  Mr.  Walling’s  tannery, 
situated  where  the  garbage  furnace  now  stands, 
and  ran  it  in  connection  with  his  harness  shop 
on  High  street,  and  was  quite  prosperous  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  January  13,  1884, 
in  his  sixty-fifth  year.  He  had  begun  with 
but  a small  capital,  but  by  his  industrious 
habits  accumulated  a competence  and  made 
ample  provision  for  his  surviving  family. 

His  marriage  took  place,  in  1856,  to  Sarah 
Gruber,  daughter  of  William  and  Catherine 
(Ludwig)  Gruber,  natives  ' of  Pennsylvania. 
Mrs.  Stucky  was  born  in  1856,  and  was  but 
three  years  of  age  when  brought  to  Delaware 
county  by  her  parents,  who  settled  near  York- 
town;  she  was  but  nine  years  of  age  when  she 
lost  her  mother,  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  she 
lost  her  father,  when  she  left  her  childhood’s 
home  near  Yorktown  and  moved  to  Muncie  to 
reside  with  a sister,  and  two  years  later,  at  the 
age  of  twenty,  was  married  to  Mr.  Stucky. 
Live  children  blessed  this  union,  and  were 
named  as  follows:  Alfred  Leroy,  a harness 
maker  at  Washington  Court  House,  Ohio; 
Erank  William,  a plasterer  of  Muncie;  Katie, 
wife  of  James  N.  Evers,  a laundryman  of 
Muncie;  Charles  Henry,  who  died  at  the  age 
of  twenty-three,  and  John  C.,  in  the  employ- 
ment of  Mr.  Evers. 


OB  SWAIN,  son  of  Elihu  Swain,  was 
born  on  Lost  Creek  near  Dandridge, 
Jefferson  county,  Tenn.,  January  20, 
1 806.  He  was  brought  to  Indiana  by 
his  parents  when  but  nine  years  old.  The 
family  settled  near  Economy,  Wayne  county, 
in  1815.  Being  of  the  order  of  Eriends,  the}^ 
forsook  their  home  in  the  south  that  they 


464 


MUNCIE  CITY 


might  rear  their  children,  nine  in  number, 
where  the  blighting  curse  of  slavery  was  not 
felt.  Here  Job  Swain  grew  to  manhood,  and 
received  such  education  as  the  schools  of 
Wayne  county  afforded. 

He  came  to  Muncie  in  1828,  then  only  a 
hamlet  of  a few  cabins,  and  subsequently  mar- 
ried Nancy  Hodge,  sister  to  James  Hodge, 
Esq.  His  wife  died  in  1858,  leaving  him  three 
sons  and  three  daughters;  Orlando  H.,  Elihu 
H.  and  James;  Eliza,  since  deceased,  Mrs. 
George  W,  Spilker  and  Mrs.  William  R. 
Maddy.  September  i,  1859,  Mr.  Swain  was 
married  to  Mrs.  Emily  Shafer,  and  of  this 
marriage  was  born  Charles  W.  Swain.  Mrs. 
Emily  Swain,  widow  of  the  late  Job  Swain, 
was  a daughter  of  Jacob  Shimer  and  was  born 
at  Chesterfield,  Madison  county,  Ind.,  in  1826. 
She  received  a common  school  education  in  the 
schools  of  that  period,  and  at  the  age  of  twelve 
went  to  live  with  her  grand  parents.  In  1 849, 
she  was  married  to  Andrew  Shafer,  a native  of 
Tennessee,  who  learned  the  trade  of  black- 
smith with  Thomas  S.  Neely,  of  Muncie,  and 
followed  his  trade  at  Chesterfield,  where  he 
died  in  1856,  and  three  years  later  she  was 
married  to  Job  Swain,  as  noted  above. 

On  coming  to  Muncie,  Mr.  Swain  learned 
the  trade  of  cabinet  making,  with  his  father- 
in-law,  Mr.  Hodge,  and  followed  that  business 
for  several  years,  having  once  owned  a shop 
with  Mr.  Nottingham,  where  the  Boyce  block 
now  stands.  He  was  the  first  elected  mayor 
of  Muncie  and  served  as  justice  of  the  peace 
for  twenty-three  years,  holding  that  position 
at  the  time  of  his  death,  April  29,  1877. 

He  was  reared  under  the  influence  of  the 
Society  of  Eriends,  but  in  1839  united  with 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  in  which  he 
held  official  relations,  being  class  leader  at  the 
close  of  his  life.  In  stature,  he  was  six  feet 
and  two  inches  tall  and  well  proportioned. 
He  was  in  all  respects  a truly  good  man,  and 


lived  a life  as  nearly  free  from  blame  as  mortal 
man  could  be  expected  to  live.  He  had  many 
friends  and  very  few  enemies,  and  no  one, 
perhaps,  ever  possessed  the  esteem  and  confi- 
dence of  his  friends  and  neighbors  in  a more 
marked  degree. 

Charles  W.  Swain,  assistant  postmaster, 
youngest  son  of  the  late  Job  Swain,  was  born 
in  Muncie,  January  15,  1862.  He  received  a 
thorough  education  in  the  Muncie  public 
schools,  graduating  from  the  high  school  with 
the  class  of  1881.  He  immediately  entered 
the  postoffice  as  clerk  under  J.  C.  Eiler,  Esq., 
and  some  months  later  had  gained  such 
knowledge  of  the  detail  working  of  the  various 
departments  of  the  office  and  had  acquired 
such  proficiency  in  its  management  and  service 
that  he  was  promoted  by  Mr.  Eiler  to  the  po- 
sition of  assistant  postmaster.  Corporal  R. 
I.  Patterson  retained  him  in  the  same  position 
during  the  four  years  of  his  administration  as 
postmaster,  and  Mr.  John  E.  Banta,  although 
of  opposite  political  belief,  made  Mr.  Swain  his 
chief  assistant  during  his  term,  except  eighteen 
months,  which  were  utilized  in  much  needed 
rest  from  the  arduous  duties  of  the  office,  and 
also  in  completing  a comprehensive  commer- 
cial course  in  the  Northern  Indiana  Normal 
school  at  Valparaiso,  from  which  he  gradu- 
ated in  1 887. 

Mr.  Swain  served  Mr.  Banta  till  the  close 
of  his  term,  and  was  retained  assistant  by 
Postmaster  Ellis,  in  which  relation  he  has 
served  both  his  superiors  in  office  and  the  gen- 
eral public  in  a satisfactory  manner  for  over  a 
decade.  That  his  efficiency,  trustworthiness 
and  skill  are  held  in  high  esteem  by  the  postof- 
fice department  is  evidenced  by  the  fact  that 
he  was  made  chairman  of  the  local  board  of 
civil  service  examiners,  and  that  he  is  fully 
capable  of  carrying  out  the  somewhat  vexatious 
duties  of  this  position  is  further  evidenced  by 
the  satisfaction  he  has  given  even  to  applicants. 


m'. 

It"’ 


i 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


465 


Orlando  H.  swain,  the  popular  ex- 
sheriff and  one  of  the  prominent  and 
most  faithful  officials  of  Delaware 
county,  was  born  in  Wayne  county, 
Ind. , January  27,  1835,  ^ son  of  Job  and  Nancy 
(Hodge)  Swain.  The  father  was  born  in  east 
Tennessee,  January  20,  1806,  removed  to  In- 
diana with  his  parents  in  an  early  day,  and 
married  in  Muncie,  in  1828,  Miss  Nancy 
Hodge,  who  was  born  in  Beaver  county.  Pa., 
on  the  3d  day  of  May,  1803.  After  their  mar- 
riage Mr.  and  Mrs.  Swain  located  in  Muncie, 
where  they  resided  for  three  years,  removing 
at  the  end  of  that  time  to  Wayne  county, 
which  was  their  home  until  1835.  that 
year  Mr.  Swain  returned  to  Muncie,  and  for 
several  years  thereafter  was  engaged  in  the 
mercantile  business.  He  became  a prominent 
man  of  the  city,  served  as  justice  of  the  peace 
for  many  years,  and  was  also  mayor  for  a num- 
ber of  terms.  Originally,  he  was  a whig  in  his 
political  belief,  and  at  the  birth  of  the  republi- 
can party  became  firm  in  his  adherence  to  its 
principles  until  his  death,  which  occurred  April 
29.  1877;  his  wife  preceded  him  to  the  grave, 
departing  this  life  in  the  year  1858.  By  his 
first  marriage  he  became  the  father  of  seven 
children,  of  whom  Orlando  H.  Swain  was  the 
third  in  order  of  birth.  Both  Mr.  Swain  and 
his  first  wife  were  people  of  deep  religious  feel- 
ing, and,  as  faithful  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  did  much  toward  arousing 
and  keeping  alive  a religious  interest  wherever 
they  resided.  After  the  latter’s  death,  Mr. 
Swain  married  Mrs.  Emily  Shafer,  who  bore 
him  one  child.  Fraternally  Mr.  Swain  was 
identified  with  the  Odd  Fellows,  in  which  order 
he  took  an  active  part,  and  in  the  counsels  of 
which  he  was  ever  an  earnest  and  potent 
factor. 

While  still  an  infant  of  a few  months,  Or- 
lando H.  Swain  was  brought  to  Muncie  by  his 
parents,  the  removal  taking  place  in  May, 


1835,  and  he  therefore  regards  the  city  of  his 
residence  with  as  much  affection  as  if  it  were 
the  place  of  his  nativity.  The  educational 
advantages  offered  by  the  schools  of  that 
period  were  his,  and  after  completing  his 
course  in  the  same,  he  learned  the  tinner’s 
trade,  in  which  he  became  quite  proficient 
and  which  he  followed  for  a period  of  nine 
years  in  Muncie.  At  the  outbreak  of  the  civil 
war  his  sympathies  at  once  prompted  him  to 
tender  his  services  to  his  country,  accordingly, 
in  July,  1862,  he  enlisted  in  company  D, 
Eighty-fourth  Indiana  volunteer  infantry,  with 
which  he  served  gallantry  until  the  cessation 
of  hostilities,  retiring  from  the  army  with  the 
rank  of  second  lieutenant.  During  his  term 
of  service  he  shared  the  vicissitudes  and  for- 
tunes of  war  in  a number  of  hard  fought  bat- 
tles, including  Chickamauga,  the  Atlanta  cam- 
paign, Franklin,  Nashville,  and  many  other 
engagements,  and  thereby  earned  a reputation 
of  which  any  brave  soldier  might  feel  de- 
servedly proud.  His  first  commanding  officer 
was  Gen.  Sherman.  Later  he  was  under 
Gen.  Thomas,  and  his  regiment  passed 
through  the  many  fiery  ordeals  rendered 
famous  in  the  annals  of  our  country’s  history 
by  the  superior  leadership  of  those  two  brave 
and  intrepid  commanders. 

At  the  close  of  the  war,  Mr.  Swain  re- 
turned home  and  engaged  in  the  draying  and 
transfer  business  until  1 869,  when  he  was 
elected  to  the  office  of  sheriff  of  Delaware 
county,  which  position  he  acceptably  filled  for 
two  terms,  or  four  years.  At  the  expiration 
of  his  second  term  of  office  he  resumed  the 
business  of  draying,  and  later  received  the  ap- 
pointment of  deputy  marshal  of  Muncie,  the 
duties  of  which  he  discharged  very  acceptably 
for  a period  of  nine  years.  His  great  personal 
popularity  was  again  attested  by  his  re-election 
as  sheriff  of  the  county  in  1889,  and  during 
his  third  term  conducted  the  affairs  of  the 


466 


MUNCIE  CITY 


office  with  credit  to  himself  and  in  a manner 
highly  satisfactory  to  the  people  of  the  county. 
In  addition  to  the  above  mentioned  offices  Mr. 
Swain  filled  the  position  of  city  assessor  for 
two  years,  and  also  served  as  member  of  the 
city  council  for  the  same  length  of  time,  hav- 
ing taken  an  active  part  in  the  deliberations  of 
that  body  during  his  incumbency.  Politically 
Mr.  Swain  is  a republican,  and  as  such  has 
been  prominent  in  the  councils  of  h’S  party  in 
Delaware  county.  Various  secret  organiza- 
tions of  Muncie  find  in  him  a prominent  mem- 
ber and  liberal  patron,  as  he  is  connected  with 
Delaware  lodge,  A.  F.  & A.  M.,  and  Muncie 
chapter;  is  a charter  member  of  Welcome 
lodge,  K.  of  P.  ; belongs  to  DeEmber  tribe. 
No.  30,  I.  O.  R.  M.,  and  also  to  Williams 
post.  No.  78,  G.  A.  R.  He  is  a member  of 
the  Citizens  Enterprise  company  of  Muncie, 
and  has  done  much  toward  promoting  the 
material  welfare  of  the  city.  Mr.  Swain  was 
married  March  i,  1859,  to  Miss  Clara  R. 
Lenon,  daughter  of  Daniel  and  Sophia  Lenon, 
of  Miami  county,  Ohio,  to  which  union  two 
children  have  been  born;  Mary  A.,  wife  of 
William  Russay  of  Muncie,  and  Winnie  E. 
Swain.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Swain  are  members  of 
the  Universalist  church,  being  active  members 
in  the  Muncie  congregation. 


H ARLES  W.  MOORE.— The  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch  was  born  near 
Portsmouth,  Ohio.  His  parents  sold 
their  farm  in  the  beautiful  Scioto 
bottoms  near  that  city  in  the  fall  of  1830,  at 
which  time  they  moved  in  a wagon  to  Dela- 
ware county,  Ind.  He  was  one  of  thirteen 
children,  eleven  of  whom  were  born  in  Ohio. 
His  parents  entered  the  land  owned  by  James 
Boyce,  three  miles  ea:t  of  Muncie.  This  was 
a pioneer  family.  Then  they  had  but  two 


j near  neighbors;  Lewis  Moore  and  George  Tru- 
itt. The  family  consisted  of  William  T., 
Phillip,  Levi,  John  S.,  Charles  M.,  Joseph, 
Milton,  Enos,  Cynthia  and  Jemima.  Cynthia 
was  the  the  wife  of  Jacob  Calvert,  and  Jemima 
that  of  James  E.  Wilcoxon.  Said  William, 
Levi,  John,  Milton  and  Cynthia  are  now  dead. 
John  S.,  and  Milton  both  died  unmarried. 
Our  subject  received  the  benefit  of  the  com- 
mon schools  of  those  days  but  little,  and  that 
little,  only  in  the  winter.  His  parents  did  not 
live  long  to  enjoy  the  blessings  of  a useful 
life,  but  they  had  brought  the  religion  of  their 
forefathers  with  them,  and  practiced  it  in  the 
wilds  of  their  new  home.  The  mother  was 
transferred  from  the  rude  temporal  church  of 
the  frontier  to  that  eternal  church  above  in 
the  autumn  of  1838,  and  the  father  followed 
to  the  church  triumphant  in  the  spring  of 
1 840.  Charles  W.  was  fourteen  years  of  age 
when  his  father  died,  but  he  found  a home 
with  his  brother  William  until  he  reached  his 
majority  in  1847.  He  then  attended  the  old 
seminary  in  Muncie  under  the  superintendency 
of  Profs.  J.  S.  Ferris  and  R B.  Abbott.  In 
the  fall  of  1850  he  entered  the  sophomore 
class  in  Asbury  university,  graduating  at  the 
head  of  his  class  in  the  summer  of  1853.  In 
the  fall  of  that  year,  he  was  elected  professor 
of  mathematics  at  the  Wesleyan  Female  col- 
lege at  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  After  teaching  there 
and  in  Muncie,  Ind.,  for  a good  many  year,  he 
studied  law  and  entered  upon  the  practice  of 
his  chosen  profession  at  Muncie  about  the 
year  i860.  He  has  ever  since  enjoyed  a suc- 
cessful practice.  He  was  first  married  in 
December,  1855,  to  Sarah  E.,  eldest  daughter 
of  Rev.  G.  M.  Beswick,  of  Greencastle,  Ind. 
One  daughter  was  born  to  them,  which  died  in 
infancy.  After  his  wife’s  death,  in  1857,  he 
remained  single  till  the  fall  of  1861,  four  years 
and  two  months,  when  he  was  married  to 
Clara  J.,  second  daughter  of  Samuel  P.  Wil- 


Ful,  Co 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


469 


son,  an  old  and  respected  citizen  of  Muncie, 
and  who  was  the  father  of  Mrs.  Mary  E., 
widow  of  the  late  John  W.  Burson.  Two 
children  were  born  of  this  marriage:  Charles 
E.  and  Mary  E.  Charles  E.  was  for  many 
years  bookkeeper  and  teller  of  the  Muncie 
National  bank,  and  its  successor,  the  Burson 
bank,  and  the  Delaware  County  bank,  all  of 
Muncie.  He  is  now  the  secretary  and  treas- 
urer of  the  Patterson  Glass  company,  located 
at  West  Muncie,  in  which  he  is  a stockholder. 
Mary  E.,  long  a faithful  and  efficient  teach- 
er in  the  Muncie  public  schools,  is  now  the 
wife  of  William  R.  Youse,  of  the  firm  of 
Youse  & Haffner,  carpet  and  paper  dealers  of 
Muncie,  Ind.  Charles  W.  Moore  is  pre-emi- 
nently one  of  the  self  made  men  of  our  times, 
having  practically  worked  his  way  through 
college  by  teaching,  and  finally  receiving  the 
degree  of  A.  B. , and  later  that  of  A.  M. , from 
his  alma  mater.  He  is  withal  a modest,  un- 
assuming man,  and  is  connected  with  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  also,  with  the 
I.  O.  O.  F.  and  Knight  Templar  lodges  of 
this  city,  and  he  has  the  satisfaction  in  his 
decling  years  of  seeing  all  his  family  consistent 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  or  some 
other  church. 

He  is  a descendant  of  a long  line  of  hardy, 
industrious  Christian  ancestry.  His  father, 
John  Moore,  was  married  in  Ohio,  and  was  a 
soldier  in  the  war  of  1812.  He  followed  the 
vocation  of  a farmer,  and  as  an  illustration  of 
this  distinctive  trait  in  his  character,  he  never 
sued  a person,  neither  was  he  ever  sued  in  his 
life.  His  word  was  as  good  as  his  bond. 


AMES  N.  TEMPLER,  lawyer,  of  Mun- 
cie, was  born  near  Xenia,  Ohio,  Febru- 
ary 8,  1836,  and  is  the  eldest  son  in  a 
family  of  eight  children  of  George  W. 
and  Hannah  S.  (Medsker)  Templer.  His  an- 


cestors emigrated  from  England  in  1685,  set- 
tling in  Loudoun  and  Prince  William  counties, 
Va. , where,  and  in  England,  representatives 
of  the  family  yet  remain.  The  original  name 
was  Temple,  and  the  final  “r”  was  affixed 
about  the  year  1750,  by  the  Virginia*n  branch. 
They  were  industrious,  enterprising  people,  at 
once  became  planters,  and  most  of  their  de- 
scendants have  engaged  in  agriculture.  In 
1838  George  W.  removed  to  Jay  county,  Ind., 
and  pre-empted  some  wild  land.  The  region 
was  an  unbroken  wilderness,  and  the  clearing 
of  the  farm  continued  until  1843.  Then  the 
father  was  elected  to  a county  office,  and  re- 
moved to  Portland,  where  he  and  most  of  his 
family  yet  reside.  Mr.  Templer  acquired  a 
fair  education  at  Liber  college,  and  at  eighteen 
began  the  study  of  law,  under  the  instruction 
of  Judge  Jacob  M.  Haynes,  of  Portland.  By 
teaching  school  at  intervals  he  was  able  to  con- 
tinue his  studies,  and  in  April,  1857,  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar.  He  opened  an  office  in 
Portland,  but  soon  afterward  formed  an  equal 
partnership  with  Hon.  John  P.  C.  Shanks,  then 
a leading  lawyer.  He  remained  in  that  con- 
nection for  ten  years,  enjoying  an  extensive  and 
lucrative  practice.  In  1861  Mr.  Templer  was 
elected  prosecuting  attorney  of  the  Thirteenth 
judicial  circuit,  and  held  the  office  three  con- 
secutive terms  of  two  years  each,  seldom  fail- 
ing to  sustain  his  cases,  and  never  having  a 
judgment  reversed  by  the  supreme  court  be- 
cause of  errors  or  inefficiency  on  his  part.  His 
successes  were  usually  the  result  of  hotly  con- 
tested trials,  of  which  the  opposing  counsel 
were  the  ablest  criminal  lawyers  of  the  state. 
In  1871  he  removed  to  Muncie,  and,  with 
Ralph  S.  Gregory,  formed  the  successful  law 
firm  of  Templer  & Gregory,  which  was  long  in 
the  front  rank  of  the  bar.  This  law  firm  con- 
tinued until  in  November,  1880,  at  which  time 
Mr.  Templer  removed,  with  his  family,  to 
Colorado,  and  the  firm  ceased  to  operate 


470 


MUNCIE  CITY 


as  such  at  that  time.  This  removal  was 
for  the  purpose  of  regaining  his  lost  health. 
He  resided  in  Colorado,  actively  practising  his 
profession  in  the  state  and  federal  courts  of 
that  state  until  January,  1885,  when  he  return- 
ed to  Muncie  again,  becoming  a partner  of 
John  F.  Sanders,  now  deceased,  the  firm  being 
Ternpler  & Sanders.  This  firm  continued 
until  January  i,  1888,  when  it  was  dissolved 
on  account  of  the  failing  health  of  Mr.  Sand- 
ers. From  that  time  Mr.  Ternpler  practiced 
his  profession  alone  until  the  last  of  January, 
1892,  when  he  associated  with  him  his  son, 
Edward  R.  Ternpler,  a young  law)^er  of 
promise,  and  the  firm  then  became  Jas.  N. 
Ternpler  & Son,  and  is  still  in  existence.  In 
1868,  Mr.  Ternpler  was  nominated  for  contin- 
gent presidential  elector  the  Eleventh  district, 
in  which  he  then  lived,  and  made  a canvass  of 
the  same  that  contributed  not  a little  in  giving  j 
the  electoral  vote  of  Indiana  to  Gen.  Grant. 
In  1876  he  was  again  put  in  nomination  for 
presidential  elector  for  the  Sixth  district,  of 
which  he  also  made  a thorough  canvass,  and 
secured  thereby  a majority  of  about  2,000  in 
the  district;  but,  as  the  result  is  determined  by 
the  entire  vote  of  the  state,  his  opponent  was 
elected.  Mr.  Ternpler  was  a democrat  until 
1861,  when,  following  the  example  of  such 
democratic  statesman  as  Stephen  A.  Douglas, 
he  took  strong  grounds  against  the  asserted 
right  of  a state  to  secede,  and  in  favor  of  a 
vigorous  prosecution  of  the  war  for  the  sup- 
pression of  the  rebellion  and  the  preservation 
of  the  Union.  This  course  identified  him  with 
the  republican  party,  with  which  he  is  still 
connected.  He  has  taken  an  active  part  in 
every  political  campaign,  in  conventions,  on 
the  stump,  and  with  the  pen;  though  he  has 
not  sought  office,  nor  held  any,  except  that  of 
prosecuting  attorney,  above  mentioned.  He 
has  declined  to  be  a candidate  for  congress, 
although  often  solicited  to  serve.  Mr.  Ternpler 


fosters  educational  interests  to  the  extent  of 
his  ability,  and  favors  a system  of  compulsory 
instruction.  He  is  not  identified  with  any 
church,  but  is  friendly  to  all  churches;  a firm 
believer  in  the  orthodox  doctrine  of  Christianity 
as  tanght  in  the  New  Testament,  and  violently 
opposed  to  sectarianism,  he  desires  the  union 
of  all  the  churches.  A selfish  indifference  to 
the  public  good  has  no  place  in  his  nature,  and 
schools,  religious  institutions,  and  all  move- 
ments looking  to  the  advancement  of  the  city, 
county,  or  state,  receive  his  cordial  support. 
He  has  long  been  connected  with  the  Masonic 
fraternity,  has  been  high  priest  of  the  chapter, 
and  now  is  a Knight  Templar.  In  Odd  Eel- 
lowship  he  is  a member  of  the  encampment. 
His  name  is  also  enrolled  on  the  records  of 
the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  the  Knights 
of  Pythias,  and  the  Murphy  Temperance  club. 
Mr.  Ternpler  married,  October  4,  1857,  Ann, 
eldest  daughter  of  John  |.  and  Mary  A.  Adair. 
They  have  had  five  children,  three  of  whom  are 
living;  Edward  Rutledge;  Florence,  wife  of 
Eorenzo  D.  Thomas,  United  States  express 
agent  at  Muncie;  and  Emma,  wife  of  Thomas 
j.  Slinger,  of  Muncie,  a portrait  painter  of 
much  ability.  Mrs.  Ternpler  died  in  the 
spring  of  1874,  of  consumption.  Mr.  Temp- 
ler  was  again  married  July  9,  1876,  his  second 
wife  being  Mrs.  Susan  Kilgore,  widow  of  the 
late  Hon.  Alfred  Kilgore.  James  N.  Ternpler 
is  the  peer  of  his  fellows  as  an  advocate,  and 
has  few  equals  and  no  superiors  in  the  prepar- 
ation and  management  of  cases.  As  a writer 
he  is  terse,  racy  and  fluent;  and,  as  a speaker, 
clear  and  concise  in  statement,  logical  and 
convincing  in  argument,  rising  at  times  to  im- 
passioned eloquence.  He  is  all  this  from 
natural  endowments  and  self  culture,  and  has 
attained  his  present  position  solely  through 
the  impelling  force  of  his  own  genius.  He 
possesses  not  only  those  powers  that  render  men 
efficient  in  the  court  and  political  arena,  but 


f 


W'  M.-: 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


473 


also  those  gentler  traits  that  mark  refined  so- 
cial intercourse.  In  all  his  daily  affairs  he 
manifests  a generous  regard  for  others,  and  a 
strict  allegiance  to  principles  of  honesty  and 
honor,  and  no  man  in  Delaware  county  more 
fully  merits  and  commands  the  hearty  good 
will  of  the  people. 

Edward  Rutledge  Templer,  son  of  James 
N.  and  Mary  Ann  (Adair)  Templer,  was  born  in 
Muncie,  Ind.,  December  ii,  1859.  He  began 
the  study  of  the  law  under  his  father  in  1886, 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  i 890,  and  became 
a partner  with  his  father  January  i,  1892. 
His  marriage  took  place,  in  1883,  to  Miss 
Addie  Givens,  a native  of  Muncie  and  daughter 
of  Adison  and  Rose  (Bonner)  Givens,  and  the 
union  has  been  blessed  with  the  birth  of  one 
child — James  N.,  Jr.  Mrs.  Addie  Templer  is 
a member  of  the  First  Christian  church,  and 
Mr.  Templer  is  a Knight  of  Pythias  and  a re- 
publican. 


LAYTON  B.  TEMPLER  is  one  of 
the  prominent  and  rising  members  of 
the  bar  in  Delaware  county,  Ind. 
He  was  born  in  Jay  county,  near 
Portland,  June  10,  1850,  and  is  a son  of 

George  W.  and  Harriet  S.  (Medsker)  Templer, 
natives  of  Virginia  and  of  Ohio,  respectively. 
The  parents  were  among  the  early  pioneers  of 
Jay  county,  where  they  entered  a tract  of  land 
and  where  the  father  became  a man  of  influ- 
ence and  local  prominence.  He  was  a stanch 
democrat,  was  a recognized  leader  of  his  party, 
served  his  county  as  justice  of  the  peace, 
county  recorder,  county  treasurer,  county  com- 
missioner, and  in  other  positions  of  confidence 
and  trust.  He  was,  also,  a prominent  mem- 
ber of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  and  at  his  death, 
in  1882,  the  Methodist  church  lost  one  of  its 
most  devoted  and  consistent  members.  Clay- 


ton B.  Templer  is  the  seventh  child  in  the 
family  of  eight  born  to  his  parents.  His  ele- 
mentary education  was  received  in  the  town- 
ship schools,  and  at  the  age  of  sixteen  he  was 
sufficiently  advanced  to  secure  entrance  to  the 
Ridgeville  college,  in  which  institution  he  pur- 
sued the  higher  branches  of  learning  with  flat- 
tering success.  His  early  ambition  was  to  be- 
come a member  of  the  legal  profession,  and, 
with  this  object  in  view,  he  early  began  the 
reading  of  Coke  and  Blackstone,  with  his 
brother,  James  N.  Templer,  in  Portland,  and 
on  locating  in  Muncie,  in  1872,  he  entered  the 
office  of  Templer  & Gregory,  and  the  same 
year  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  since  which  time 
he  has  practiced  in  this  city.  He  was  asso- 
ciated with  Thomas  J.  Blount,  until  the  cloud- 
ing of  the  latter's  mind  made  a dissolution 
necessary.  Politicall}-  he  is  a republican,  and 
uses  his  influence  ever  in  favor  of  the  princi- 
ples of  that  party.  As  above  stated,  Mr. 
Templer  practices  principally  in  the  city, 
where  his  business  is  very  extensive  and  lucra- 
tive. He  has  been  identified  with  many  im- 
portant cases,  prominent  among  which  was  the 
prosecution  of  James  A.  MMods,  the  attendant 
of  his  former  partner,  Thomas  J.  Blount,  Jan- 
uary 13,  1891,  which  lasted  eleven  days  and 
ended  in  convicting  him  of  murder  and  caus- 
ing him  to  be  sent  to  the  Northern  Indiana 
penitentiary  at  Michigan  City  for  twenty-one 
years.  Mr.  Templer  was  married  in  February, 
1878,  to  Miss  Clara  J.  Ireland,  daughter  of  A. 
C.  Ireland,  of  Delaware  county.  As  a lawyer 
Mr.  Templer  is  well  grounded  in  the  principles 
of  his  profession,  and  the  high  character  he 
has  sttained  as  a practitioner  is  sufficiently  at- 
tested by  the  large  business  which  has  come  to 
him  and  which  under  his  skillful  management 
is  continuall}'  increasing.  He  is  one  of  the 
leading  spirits  of  the  Muncie  bar,  and  his  su- 
perior legal  talents  have  gained  for  him  much 
more  than  a local  reputation,  his  services  being 


474 


MUNCIE  CITY 


in  demand  in  important  cases  in  different  coun- 
ties of  the  state. 


>^OHN  MILTON  THOMAS,  the  popu- 
fl  far  liveryman  of  Mimcie,  was  born  in 
A J Miami  county,  Ohio,  October  13,  1828, 
and  is  a son  of  Price  and  Ann  (Bobo) 
Thomas,  who  were  among  the  earliest  pioneers 
of  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  having  come  to  the 
county  when  the  son,  John  M.,  was  but  seven 
years  of  age.  The  parents,  with  their  three 
children,  settled  ten  miles  north  of  Granville, 
and  first  lived  in  a log  house  without  a floor, 
and  with  a stick-and-clay  chimney  that  filled 
one  end  of  the  cabin,  and  for  fuel  they  hauled 
back  logs  with  an  old  blind  horse.  There  was 
no  school  house  in  reach  for  the  first  three 
months,  and  when  the  old  style  log  building, 
with  puncheon  seats  and  floor,  was  erected,  it 
was  of  no  avail  to  John,  who  loved  horses  bet- 
ter than  books.  At  about  twelve  years  of  age, 
he  began  to  “swap”  horses,  as  his  father  had 
done,  and  eventually  went  to  Carlisle,  Ohio, 
and  engaged  to  work  in  the  stable  of  I.  N. 
Cory,  and  while  there  he  learned  to  read, 
write  and  cipher.  He  led  and  drove  horses 
over  the  mountains  and  also  to  Detroit  four 
times,  and,  after  four  years’  service  with  Mr. 
Cory,  came  to  Muncie,  and  went  to  work  in  a 
hotel  kept  by  old  Joe  Davis,  at  the  point 
where  the  Patterson  block  now  is — blacking 
boots  and  making  himself  generally  useful  for 
about  a year.  He  next  drove  stage  from 
Muncie  to  Chesterfield,  Pendleton  and  Indian- 
apolis, carrying  the  mail  about  a year — down 
one  day  and  back  the  next — and  then  the 
railroad  came  through. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-two,  at  Granville,  he 
married  Mary  Ann  Timmons,  by  whom  he 
became  the  father  of  eight  children,  viz:  Will- 
iam, a traveling  agent'  for  the  flouring  mill  at 
Milton,  Ind. ; Lorenzo,  agent  of  the  United 


States  Express  company  at  Muncie;  Nellie, 
clerk  in  S.  C.  Cowan’s  Boston  store,  Muncie, 
and  five  deceased. 

While  at  Granville,  Mr.  Thomas  kept  a 
general  store,  but  continued  to  trade  in  horses 
until  he  came  to  remain  in  Muncie,  just  forty 
years  ago.  During  the  whole  of  this  time, 
with  the  exception  of  eighteen  months,  he  kept 
a livery  stable  on  the  sites  of  the  present 
Heath  building  and  the  Odd  Fellows’  building. 
Twice  he  was  burned  out,  but  he  never  knew 
the  word  “fail,”  and  always  recovered  himself. 
For  the  past  year  and  a half  he  has  occupied 
his  present  stable,  opposite  the  National  hotel, 
where  he  is  doing  a prosperous  business  in  liv- 
ery, selling  and  boarding,  and  keeping  for  hire 
some  twelve  to  fifteen  fine  animals,  and  all 
kinds  of  vehicles.  All  these  years  he  has  dealt 
extensively  in  horseflesh,  and  during  the  war 
made  a specialty  of  cavalry  horses,  and  for 
many  years  shipped  an  average  of  a car  load  a 
week.  Before,  or  during  the  war,  he  ran  four 
mail  routes  between  Muncie  and  other  points, 
carrying  the  mail  bags  on  hacks  which  he  had 
been  previously  running  on  the  same  routes  for 
several  years. 

After  the  death  of  his  first  wife,  twenty 
years  ago,  Mr.  Thomas  married  Louisa  A.  Batt- 
real,  of  Muncie,  who  has  borne  him  two  chil- 
dren, Katie,  who  died  at  the  age  of  eleven,  and 
Martha,  who  graduated  at  the  high  school  of 
Muncie,  in  1893.  Mr.  Thomas  has  been  a 
member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  for  over  twenty 
years,  and  has  always  been  recognized  as  a 
man  of  energy  and  of  business  probity. 


I ^p-|^ILLIAM  A.  THOMPSON,  a former 
\ m m I prominent  member  of  the  Randolph 
county  bar,  now  a leading  attorney 
of  Muncie,  was  born  August  8,  1840, 
in  Shelby  county,  Ind.  The  families  of  both 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


475 


his  parents  were  among  the  pioneers  of  that 
county,  and  took  an  active  part  it  the  events 
of  its  early  and  later  history.  William  A. 
Thompson  is  the  eldest  of  a family  of  sixteen 
children.  His  early  life  was  spent  on  the 
home  farm  and  his  early  education  was  ac- 
quired in  the  district  schools,  and  the  high 
school  of  Shelbyville,  the  latter  then  known  as 
one  of  the  best  in  the  state.  Subsequently, 
in  i860,  he  spent  one  year  in  INloore’s  Hill 
college,  leaving  the  same  at  the  outbreak  of 
the  war,  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  became 
principal  of  the  graded  schools  at  St.  Paul, 
Ind  Later  he  taught  for  some  time  in  the 
district  schools  of  Shelby  county. 

Mr.  Thompson  united  with  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  en- 
tered the  ministry  of  that  denomination  in 
1862,  and  joined  the  Southeastern  Indiana 
conference,  with  which  body  he  traveled  for  a 
seven  years.  In  1863  he  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Miss  Mary  A.  Wilkinson,  who  died 
in  1865,  leaving  one  child.  /\fter  the  death 
of  his  wife,  he  again  entered  Moore’s  Hill  col- 
lege, where  he  spent  one  year,  and  in  1868  was 
married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  S.  Lamb,  daughter 
of  Judge  Lamb,  of  Indianapolis,  after  which  he 
resumed  his  ministerial  relations.  On  account 
of  failing  health,  Mr.  Thompson  withdrew 
from  the  conference  and  retired  from  the  min- 
istry in  1870,  and  shortly  thereafter  began  the 
study  of  law'  in  the  office  of  Judge  Lamb,  finish- 
ing his  studies  with  Gordon,  Browne  & Lamb 
at  Indianapolis.  In,  1871,  he  located  at  Win- 
chester and  began  the  practice  of  his  profession. 
He  was  first  associated  with  Gen.  Thomas  M. 
Browne  from  1871  to  1873,  forming  partner- 
ship relations  with  Judge  J.  J.  Cheney  the 
latter  year,  which  continued  until  1874.  Erom 
the  latter  year  until  1879,  he  was  associated 
in  the  practice  with  Judge  L.  J.  Monks,  after 
the  dissolution  of  which  relation  he  entered 
into  partnership  with  Capt.  A.  O.  Marsh, 


which  later  became  Thompson,  Marsh  & 
Thompson,  his  brother,  J.  W.  Thompson, 
becoming  a partner.  Judge  Thompson  re- 
moved to  Muncie  December  25,  1889,  where 
he  formed  a partnership  with  Judge  Ryan,  and 
has  since  enjoyed  a large  practice  under  the 
firm  name  of  Ryan  & Thompson.  As  a law- 
3^er  Mr.  Thompson  has  achieved  marked  suc- 
cess, his  legal  attainments  being  of  a high 
order,  and  he  occupies  a conspicious  position 
at  this  time  among  the  leading  attorneys  of 
Muncie.  He  is  a safe  and  reliable  counselor, 
and  as  an  advocate  before  a jury  has  few 
equals  in  central  Indiana.  Although  an  active 
politician,  Mr.  Thompson  has  never  been  a 
partisan  in  the  sense  of  seeking  official  prefer- 
ment, having  steadily,  refused  to  be  a candi- 
date for  public  position.  He  is  a republican, 
and  as  such  has  contributed  greatly  to  his 
party’s  success  in  a number  of  campaigns,  be- 
ing very  effective  as  a ready  and  eloquent 
speaker.  He  is  a man  of  positive  tempera- 
ment, firm  in  his  convictions,  forcible  and 
fearless  in  his  adhesion  to  principles,  and  is 
esteemed  by  all  who  know  him  as  an  honor- 
able man  and  a Christian  gentleman.  He  is 
an  active  worker  and  teacher  in  the  Sabbath 
school. 


OHN  H.  TOM  was  born  September 
20,  1838,  in  Wooster  county,  Ohio, 
and  is  a son  of  John  and  Amy  (McCoy) 
Tom,  both  parents  natives  of  the  state 
of  Maryland.  John  Tom  and  wife  left  their 
native  state  in  an  early  day  and  located  in 
Ohio,  thence,  in  1839,  immigrated  to  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  locating  on  a farm  in  Centre 
township,  where  the  mother's  death  occurred 
May  7,  1866;  the  father  followed  her  to  the 
grave  April  12,  1868.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tom 
were  members  of  the  Lutheran  church,  and 
of  their  ten  children  five  are  living  at  this 


476 


MUNCIE  CITY 


time;  Anna,  wife  of  W.  Smith,  of  Muncie; 
Mary,  wife  of  H.  C.  Matthews  of  this  city; 
John  H.  ; Amos,  a resident  of  Mount  Pleasant 
township,  and  Willard  who  lives  in  Pulaski 
county,  Ind. 

John  H.  Tom  was  but  an  infant  when  his 
parents  moved  to  Indiana,  consequently  the 
greater  part  of  his  life  has  been  passed  within 
the  boundaries  of  Delaware  county.  His  early 
life  was  uneventful,  having  been  passed  on  the 
home  farm  until  his  twenty-third  year,  and  his 
education  was  acquired  in  the  district  schools, 
which  he  attended  during  the  winters  of  his 
minority.  When  the  dark  clouds  of  civil  war 
gathered  over  the  country,  Mr.  Tom  was  among 
the  many  patriotic  young  men  who  tendered 
their  services  to  the  national  government,  and 
he  went  forth  to  do  battle  for  the  Union  cause 
in  1862,  enlisting  August  5th,  of  that  year,  in 
company  B,  Sixty-ninth  volunteer  infantry, 
for  three  years’  service,  or  during  the  war.  He 
shared  the  fortunes  and  vicissitudes  of  his 
command  throughout  the  terrible  struggle,  and 
with  the  exception  of  the  last  six  months  was 
a member  of  the  same  company  in  which  he 
enlisted;  the  period  alluded  to  was  spent  in 
what  was  known  as  company  A,  of  the  Sixty- 
ninth  battalion.  During  the  period  of  serv- 
ice, Mr.  Tom  took  a gallant  part  in  the 
following  bloody  battle;  Richmond,  Ky. , 
Chickasaw  Bluffs,  Miss.,  Arkansas  Post,  Ark.; 
Thompson  Hill,  Black  River  Bridge,  Vicks- 
burg and  Jackson,  Miss.,  Blakely,  Ala.,  and 
many  other  engagements  of  minor  importance. 
He  was  captured  at  Richmond,  Ky. , but  re- 
mained a prisoner  for  a short  time  only,  hav- 
ing been  paroled  within  a brief  period  after 
the  battle  at  that  point.  While  in  the  service 
Mr.  Tom  contracted  malarial  fever,  which 
almost  completely  shattered  his  health,  and 
from  the  effects  of  that  dread  disease  he  never 
expects  to  fully  recover.  In  July,  1865,  he 
was  discharged  at  Mobiie,  Ala.,  and  immedi- 


ately thereafter  returned  home,  and  has  since 
resided  in  Muncie  and  vicinity,  engaged  in 
various  occupations,  Mr.  Tom  owns  a beau- 
tiful home  of  three  and  one-half  acres  in  the 
suburbs  of  the  city,  and  is  a highly  respected 
citizen,  having  numerous  friends  in  Muncie 
and  throughout  Delaware  county. 

Mr.  Tom  was  married  December  4,  1865, 
to  Margaret  VanMatre,  who  was  born  in  Del- 
aware county,  December  4,  1847.  Mrs.  Tom 
is  the  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Martha  A. 
(Williamson)  VanMatre,  of  New  York,  and 
she  has  borne  her  hysband  two  children — Cora 
A , who  lives  at  home,  and  Albert,  deceased. 
Mr.  Tom  reared  his  sister,  Elizabeth  Everett 
Tom.  Mr.  Tom  is  a republican  in  politics,  a 
member  of  the  G.  A.  R.,  and  he  exemplifies 
the  teachings  of  the  Christian  religion,  in  his 
daily  walk  and  conversation,  as  a member  of 
the  Disciples  church  of  Muncie. 


SAAC  NEWTON  TRENT,  M.  D.,  of 
Muncie,  Ind.,  is  a native  of  Carroll 
county,  in  the  same  state,  and  was 
born  December  18,  1854.  His  boy- 
hood days  were  passed  on  his  father’s  farm, 
and  as  he  advanced  toward  manhood  he  learned 
carpentering.  In  addition  to  attending  the 
common  schools,  at  the  age  of  seventeen  he 
attended  the  Battle  Ground  Collegiate  insti- 
tute, at  Battle  Ground,  Ind.,  pursued  an  acad- 
emic course  for  two  years,  and  then  taught 
common  school  in  Carroll  county  for  seven 
years,  assisting  on  the  farm  during  vacations. 
In  1878,  he  began  the  study  of  medicine  in  the 
office  of  Dr.  W.  N.  Gates,  in  Carroll,  and  was 
under  his  preceptorship,  with  the  exception  of 
the  time  passed  at  college,  until  1881.  In 
1879  he  attended  one  course  of  lectures  at  the 
Ohio  Medical  college,  and  in  1880  one  course 
at  the  Kentucky  school  of  medicine,  at  Louis- 


r' 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


481 


ville,  and  from  the  latter  graduated  in  i88i, 
receiving  a gold  medal  for  general  proficiency, 
and  was  elected  vice-president  of  the  Alumni 
association  for  1881-82.  He  began  practice 
at  Losantville,  Randolph  county,  Ind.,  as  part- 
ner with  Dr.  H.  P.  Franks.  In  1886,  while 
still  maintaining  his  Losantville  partnership, 
he  went  to  New  York,  passed  a whole  year  in 
the  hospitals,  and  gradnated  from  the  college 
of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  of  New  York  city 
in  1887;  he  then  returned  to  his  partner  in 
Losantville  and  remained  until  1888,  enjoyed 
a fine  practice,  and  never  permitted  a patient 
to  leave  their  care  for  either  surgical  or  medi- 
cal treatment.  He  then  went  to  Columbus, 
Ohio,  for  a year,  and  in  1889  settled  in 
Muncie. 

In  December,  1889,  Dr.  Trent  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Miss  Cora  Shetterly,  daughter 
of  Philip  Shetterly,  of  Winchester,  Ind.,  but, 
within  two  weeks  after  his  wedding,  the  Boyce 
block,  in  which  he  was  domiciled,  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire  and  all  his  personal  effects  con- 
sumed. His  present  office  is  in  Odd  Fellows’ 
block,  on  Jackson  street,  where,  in  partnership 
with  Dr.  E.  B.  Mann,  under  the  firm  name  of 
Trent  & Mann,  he  has  elegantly  furnished 
apartments  and  enjoys  a most  lucrative  prac- 
tice. Dr.  Trent  takes  much  interest  in  medi- 
cal society  work,  and  has  been  president  of  the 
Randolph  County  Medical  society  and  also 
representative  to  the  American  Medical  asso- 
ciation; he  is  now  a member  of  the  Delaware 
County  Medical  society,  Delaware  District 
Medical  society  and  the  Indiana  State  Medi- 
cal society.  The  doctor  has  a predilection  to- 
ward surgery,  for  which  his  long  hospital  ex- 
perience has  peculiarly  fitted  him,  and  his 
success  in  laparotomy  has  been  phenomenal. 
He  has  been  a member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  since 
1877,  has  passed  all  the  chairs  in  the  lodge,  is 
a K.  of  P.  and  a member  of  the  order  of 
Chosen  Friends. 


Joseph  Trent,  father  of  the  doctor,  was 
born  near  Eaton,  Ohio,  and  was  qnite  a youth 
when  taken  by  his  parents  to  Carroll  count}'. 
He  married  Mary  \Vagoner,  and  to  this  union 
were  born  six  children,  who,  with  their  chil- 
dren, are  still  living,  while  Joseph  and  his  wife 
still  retain  their  residence  in  Carroll  county, 
respected  and  honored  by  all  who  know  them. 


OSHUA  TRUITT,  retired  citizen  and 
prominent  business  man  of  Muncie, 
was  born  September  7,  1830,  in  Adams 
county,  Ohio.  His  father,  George 
Truitt,  was  a native  of  the  state  of  Maryland, 
from  where  he  moved  to  Armstrong  county. 
Pa. , and  afterward  to  Scioto  county,  Ohio,  in 
1814.  About  one  year  later  he  removed  to 
the  adjoining  county  of  Adams,  and  in  Novem- 
ber, 1830,  came  to  Delaware  county,  Ind., 
and  entered  land  two  miles  east  of  Muncie, 
where  he  cleared  and  improved  a fine  farm. 
He  devoted  his  time  to  agricultural  pursuits 
until  a few  years  prior  to  his  death,  when  fail- 
ing health  compelled  him  to  retire  from  active 
labor.  He  died  in  1873.  His  wife,  whose 
maiden  name  was  Frances  Walden,  daughter 
of  Elijah  and  Mary  (Minor)  Walden,  bore  him 
the  following  children:  Mary,  Minor,  Parker, 

Rhoda,  Joshua  and  William — five  of  whom 
lived  to  become  heads  of  families,  Parker 
dying  in  infancy.  Of  these  children,  Mary, 
Rhoda  and  Joshua  Truitt  are  the  only  ones 
living  at  the  present  time.  Mary  is  the  widow 
of  Aaron  Moore,  an  old  and  respected  farmer 
of  Delaware  county,  and  Rhoda  is  the  wife 
of  Samuel  Cecil,  a wealthy  and  influential  far- 
mer and  stock  raiser  of  Centre  township. 
The  mother  died  in  1835  and  Mr.  Truitt  after- 
ward married  her  younger  sister,  Mary  Wal- 
den, who  bore  him  one  child,  Caroline  (de- 
ceased). 


482 


MUNCIE  CITY 


Joshua  Truitt  accompanied  his  faiher’s 
family  to  Delawai'e  county  in  1830.  He  at- 
tended school  in  Muncie  for  two  terms  and 
then  engaged  in  teaching  in  the  winter  and 
working  on  the  farm  during  the  summer.  He 
afterward  attended  school  at  New  Castle,  Ind., 
and  until  his  twenty-sixth  year  was  engaged 
alternately  at  farm  labor,  teaching  and  attend- 
ing school.  While  at  New  Castle  he  first  be- 
gan to  give  attention  to  matters  political,  and 
his  convictions  lead  him  away  from  the  politi- 
cal school  in  which  he  had  been  reared.  He 
became  a republican,  and  his  independence  in 
this  matter  attracted  the  attention  of  promi- 
nent politicians.  He  was  elected  surveyor  of 
Delaware  county  in  the  fall  of  1856,  and  serv- 
ed for  four  years.  He  then  engaged  in  the 
marble  business  at  Muncie,  at  the  same  time 
acting  as  civil  engineer  until  his  brother  re- 
turned from  the  army,  when  he  placed  the 
work  in  the  latter’s  hands  and  engaged  in  the 
lumber  trade.  He  first  began  buying  and 
selling  walnut  lumber,  and  afterward  erected  a 
saw  mill  seven  miles  northwest  of  Muncie. 
Subsequently  he  removed  his  mill  to  Madison 
county,  Ind.,  and  in  1874  to  its  present  loca- 
tion south  of  the  Big  Four  railroad.  Through- 
out a long  and  active  life  Mr.  Truitt’s  trans- 
actions with  all  men  have  been  of  an  honorable 
nature  and  he  is  universally  respected  and 
esteemed.  In  1891  he  retired  from  active  life, 
but  still  owns  the  mill,  which  has  been  leased, 
beside  other  valuable  property  in  the  city  and 
county. 

On  the  1 8th  of  April,  i860,  Mr.  Truitt  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Lida  Kerwood, 
of  Oxford,  Ohio,  who  died  December  13,  1863, 
leaving  two  children,  namely:  Lola  and  Stan- 
ley (the  latter  deceased).  On  the  17th  of 
May,  1 864,  he  was  married  in  Mansfield,  Ohio, 
to  Mrs.  Anna  A.  Ramsey,  his  present  wife, 
whose  sketch  and  life  like  portrait  appears  in 
this  volume. 


Joshua  Truitt  is  a man  of  marked  individ- 
uality, a good  student,  a close  and  logical 
reasoner.  He  is  of  an  analytical  turn  of  mind, 
and  very  careful  and  painstaking  in  his  studies 
and  investigations.  He  is  a deep,  close  thinker, 
and  possessed  of  a mind  that  naturally  abhors 
superficiality.  He  is  careful  and  cautious  in 
his  methods  of  arriving  at  conclusions;  but 
when  he  has  once  assumed  a position  upon  a 
given  question  he  defends  it  with  rare  tenacity 
and  determination.  He  is  a man  of  strong 
convictions  and  a high  sense  of  justice,  and  is 
inclined  to  be  contentious,  even  in  matters  of 
little  consequence,  where  he  thinks  there  is  a 
principle  involved.  The  mere  looker-on,  with- 
out going  into  an  investigation  of  the  premises, 
would  sometimes  think  him  unreasonably  stub- 
born. He  is  a man  of  generous  disposition 
and  temperate  habits,  and  a close  observer  of 
current  events.  He  has  written  and  delivered 
before  the  Ethical,  Literary  Friends,  Literary 
and  Scientific  association,  and  other  literary 
societies  of  Muncie,  of  which  he  has  been  a 
member,  several  valuable,  interesting  and 
highly  entertaining  papers  on  various  enter- 
taining literary  topics.  He  is  a firm  believer  in 
the  principles  of  Christianity,  and  always  ready 
and  eager  to  defend  them  when  he  thinks  they 
are  being  assailed.  He  has  been  an  active 
member  of  some  of  the  leading  literary  socie- 
ties of  Muncie;  among  them  those  already 
named,  and  has  contributed  his  full  share 
toward  the  literary  progress  and  advancemenr 
of  the  city.  These  facts  are  gleaned  from  data 
furnished  by  intimate  friends  of  the  subject  of 
this  sketch. 


HNNA  AUGUSTA  TRUITT,  philan- 
thropist and  temperance  worker  of 
Muncie,  but  whose  name  is  known 
wherever  the  cause  of  temperance 
I has  an  apostle  or  reform  an  advocate,  was 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


483 


born  at  Canaan,  New  Hampshire,  in  1837, 
her  father  having  been  Daniel  G.  Pattin,  who 
married  Rath  Chase  Whittier,  the  latter  a 
relative  of  Gov.  Chase,  of  New  Hampshire,  as 
well  as  of  the  “Quaker  Poet,”  John  Green- 
leaf  Whittier.  Anna  Augusta  was  still  quite 
young  when  her  father  emigrated  with  his 
family  to  northern  New  York,  where  her  early 
education  was  imparted  by  private  tutors;  but 
she  subsequently  passed. two  years  at  College 
Hills  seminary.  She  was  married,  in  i860,  to 
John  P.  Ramsey,  and  with  her  husband  went 
to  live  in  the  south,  where  they  resided  until 
the  outbreak  of  the  Rebellion,  when,  on 
account  of  diametrical  differences  of  opinion 
between  themselves  and  the  inhabitants,  they 
returned  to  the  north,  but  at  a large  sacrifice 
of  personal  and  other  property. 

Here,  in  1864,  the  husband  was  called 
from  life,  and  she  became  the  wife  of  Joshua 
Truitt,  an  energetic  business  man  of  Muncie, 
Ind. , but  now  retired,  and  whose  biographical 
sketch  will  be  found  above.  During  the  Civil 
war  Mrs.  Truitt  was  untiring  in  her  labors  in 
behalf  of  the  boys  at  the  front,  preparing 
bandages  and  scraping  lint  for  the  use  of  the 
surgeons,  and  collecting  provisions,  clothing, 
blankets,  and  hundreds  of  other  things  useful 
and  needful  to  the  soldiers. 

But  the  close  of  the  war  did  not  end  her 
good  work.  Her  benevolent  mind  was  still  act- 
ive, and  sought  wider  fields  for  usefulness  and 
the  exercise  of  that  charity  which  seems  to  be 
an  inherent  part  of  her  nature.  For  many 
years  she  has  been  an  earnest  and  faithful 
worker  in  the  Woman’s  Christian  Temperance 
union,  and  has  long  been  president  of  the  Dela- 
ware County  union.  Eloquent,  methodical 
and  business  like,  she  has  invariabiy  acted  as 
delegate  from  the  local  to  the  district,  state 
and  national  conventions.  For  many  years 
she  has  been  an  attendant  of  the  Presbyterian 
church,  and  was  the  Indiana  temperance  dele- 


gate to  the  International  Sunday-school  con- 
vention held  at  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  in  June,  1890, 
and  her  report  of  its  proceedings  was  accepted 
without  alteration  or  amendment,  which  fact 
speaks  well  for  her  accuracy,  lucidity,  and  also 
her  logical  trend  of  thought. 

As  a member  of  the  industrial  school  at 
Muncie,  she  has  willingly  made  any  sacrifice  to 
render  her  services  useful,  either  as  officer  or 
in  the  performance  of  duties  pertaining  to  the 
executive  department,  or  as  the  earnest  worker 
at  stated  meetings.  Her  frequent  visits  to  the 
homes  of  the  poor  are  proverbially  welcome, 
for  she  carries  with  her  not  only  sympathy  and 
wise  counsel,  but  equally  needed  food  and  rai- 
ment; and  in  this  connection  it  may  be  said 
that  there  is  probably  no  other  one  woman  in 
Muncie  known  to  more  children  than  Mrs. 
Truitt,  who  is  constantly  performing  for  them 
some  work  of  kindness,  be  it  great  or  small. 
Indeed,  she  would  hardly  be  at  peace  with  her- 
self, it  she  were  not,  at  all  times,  so  engaged. 
She  has  never  had  any  children  of  her  own, 
but  has  taken  into  her  household,  however,  the 
four  children  of  her  deceased  brother,  and  over 
these  she  continues  to  keep  the  watchful  eye  of 
a mother,  and  to  perform  for  them  all  those 
duties  that  the  most  tender  and  loving  mother 
could  find  in  her  heart  to  perform. 

Mrs.  Truitt  is  possessed  of  an  intuitive 
knowledge  of  human  character,  approaching 
clairvoyance,  and  added  to  this  rare  faculty  is 
a magnetism  that  makes  her  own  presence 
felt  wherever  she  may  be — in  company  with 
the  single  individual  or  while  stationed  before 
a multitudinous  and  mixed  audience.  Her 
perceptive  and  receptive  faculties  are  most 
descriminative,  and  it  requires  no  mental  effort 
on  her  part  to  select  the  real  from  the  ficti- 
tious— to  seperate  the  wheat  from  the  chaff. 
Being  keenly  anticipative,  she  arrives  at  a 
climax  before  a proposition  has  been  half 
argued;  or  at  a sequel  before  a story  has  been 


484 


MUNCIE  CITY 


half  narrated;  and  they  are  those  qualities 
that  render  her  invaluable  as  a debater  or  as 
a presiding  officer.  In  oratory  and  literature, 
no  one  who  has  read  or  has  listened  to  one  of 
her  carefully  prepared  addresses  has  failed  to 
be  impressed  with  its  rare  merit  as  to  profund- 
ity of  thought  and  lucidity  of  terms.  In  artist- 
ic matters  her  eye  is  alert  and  her  hand  apt 
in  harmonizing  colors  and  forming  groupings, 
and  there  can  be  no  doubt  but  that,  had  she 
earlier  turned  her  attention  to  art,  she  would 
stand  to-day,  in  the  eyes  of  the  world,  as  high 
in  that  department  as  she  does  in  the  depart- 
ment of  literature.  Her  moral  nature  is  sweet 
and  beautiful,  and,  while  not  blind  to  the 
shortcomings  of  others,  she  is  not  censorious, 
but  is  always  willing  to  see  the  “beam”  in 
her  own  eye.  Benevolence  is  the  one  under- 
lying trait  of  her  character,  and,  being  with- 
out envy  or  malice,  or  weak  yearning  for  pop- 
ularity, she  prefers  to  let  her  quiet  work  speak 
her  motives  rather  than  garrulous  disputation, 
by  mouth  or  pen,  with  those  who  may  too  in- 
dividiously  criticize  her  utterances  and  actions. 


DWARD  TUHEY — Among  the  suc- 
cessful self-made  men  of  Muncie  de- 
serving mention,  the  name  of  Edward 
Tuhey  is  especially  prominent.  The 
subject’s  father,  Patrick  Tuhey,  of  county 
Cork,  Ireland,  where  his  birth  occurred  in  the 
year  1815,  came  to  the  United  States  when  a 
young  man,  and  for  some  years  thereafter  I'e- 
sided  in  Greene,  Madison  and  Montgomery 
counties,  Ohio.  He  assisted  in  grading  and 
constructing  the  Little  Miami  railroad,  and  in 
1853  came  to  Muncie,  Ind. , as  a contractor  on 
the  old  Bee  Line  railroad.  Being  pleased 
with  this  city,  he  decided  to  make  it  his  resi- 
dence; engaged  in  contracting  and  building  of 
all  kinds  of  public  works,  being  identified  with 


the  city  in  these  interests  for  forty  years,  and 
he  passed  the  residue  of  his  days  here.  He 
passed  from  earth  July  2,  1893.  He  was  a 
man  of  energy  and  determination,  worked 
diligently  all  his  life  and  died  lamented 
by  all  who  knew  him.  By  his  marriage  with 
Nancy  Mahony,  of  Dayton,  Ohio,  Patrick 
Tuhey  had  a family  of  five  children,  namely: 
Edward,  Patrick  J.,  Blanch,  Anna  and  Mamie, 
all  living  except  Patrick  ].,  who  died  shortly 
after  attaining  his  majority. 

Edward  Tuhey  first  saw  the  light  of  day  in 
Muncie,  Ind.,  January  10,  1857.  Being  the 
eldest  son,  he  was  early  obliged  to  contribute 
his  share  toward  the  support  of  the  family, 
consequently  his  education  was  obtained  under 
many  difficulties.  During  his  youthful  years 
he  attended  the  schools  of  Muncie,  and  later, 
in  order  to  procure  the  necessary  money  to 
enable  him  to  prosecute  his  studies  in  the 
higher  branches  of  learning,  he  herded  sheep 
and  fed  stock  for  A.  G.  Harrison,  a farmer  of 
Mt.  Pleasant  township,  and  in  a like  capacity 
for  one  Russell  Williams,  this  being  in  the 
winters  of  1876-78.  After  an  attendance  at  a 
normal  school  for  one  term,  Mr.  Tuhey  was 
sufficiently  advanced  in  his  studies  to  procure 
a teacher’s  license,  and  for  the  greater  part  of 
the  succeeding  eight  years  he  was  engaged  in 
educational  work  in  the  district  schools  of 
Delaware  county.  For  one  year  he  was  super- 
intendent of  the  public  schools  of  Fowler,  this 
state,  but  in  1887  he  abandoned  the  field  of 
education  and  engaged  in  real  estate  trans- 
actions in  the  city  of  Muncie.  Later  he  became 
proprietor  of  the  National  hotel  in  this  city, 
once  known  as  the  Haines  house,  and  after 
ministering  to  the  wants  of  the  traveling  pub- 
for  two  years,  sold  out,  and  effected  a co- 
partnership in  contracting  for  street  paving 
and  sewer  work  with  Thomas  Rinser,  which 
relationship  continued  about  two  years,  under 
the  firm  name  of  Rinser  & Tuhey,  during  the 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


485 


life  of  which  partnership  many^  contracts  for 
the  construction  of  sewers,  street  paving,  etc., 
in  Muncie  and  other  Indiana  cities  were  exe- 
cuted. At  the  dissolution  of  the  partnership, 
Mr.  Tuhey  continued  the  business  alone  with 
gratifying  success  for  two  years;  doing  a large 
amount  of  work  in  Muncie  and  other  places. 
In  1892  he  assisted  in  organizing  the  Muncie 
Iron  & Steel  works  of  which  he  was  made 
secretary  and  treasurer,  and  to  which  he  now 
devotes  his  entire  attention. 

From  the  foregoing  it  will  be  seen  that 
Mr.  Tuhey’s  career  has  been  one  of  unceasing 
activity;  and  his  success  is  such  as  few  men 
attain  in  a much  longer  life.  In  the  prosecu- 
tion of  his  various  enterprises  he  has  exercised 
ability  of  high  order,  and  his  reputation  as  a 
thoroughly  honorable  and  conscientious  busi- 
ness man  has  never  been  impeached,  nor  have 
his  integrity  and  honesty  ever  been  questioned. 
Not  only  has  he  been  successful  in  the  aquisi- 
tion  of  wealth,  but  he  has  manifested  a com- 
mendable purpose  in  its  use,  which  does  not 
always  accompany  the  talent  for  gaining 
riches.  Every  movement  of  public  enterprise 
or  private  benevolence  finds  in  him  a ready 
assistant.  He  is  one  of  Muncie’s  most  sub- 
stantial citizens,  and  in  business  circles  enjoys 
a reputation  much  more  than  local. 

Mr.  Tuhey  was  married  March  10,  1879, 
to  Mary  McKinley,  daughter  of  Joseph  W.  and 
Elizabeth  '(Darrah)  McKinley,  of  Delaware 
county,  the  result  of  which  union  are  the  fol- 
lowing children;  Carl,  Earl,  Walter,  Nellie, 
Ray  and  Edward,  all  living  at  this  time. 


INUS  TURNER(deceased). — Among 
the  early  settlers  of  Muncie  there 
were  but  few  who  took  a more 
active  part  in  the  improvement  of 
the  town  than  Mr.  Turner.  He  was  long- 


engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  brick,  and 
erected  the  first  brick  house  in  the  town,  and 
his  residence  on  west  Main  street  was  the  first 
brick  house  in  the  county.  In  whatever  he 
engaged  he  was  actuated  by  a laudable  ambi- 
tion ts  excel.  He  was  one  of  the  early  mer- 
chants of  Muncie,  and  was  identified  with  its 
mercantile  interests  until  the  infirmities  of  age 
caused  his  retirement  life.  Minus  Turner  was 
born  May  22,  1807,  near  the  city  of  Dover, 
Del.,  and  was  scarcely  more  than  an  infant 
when  he  accompanied  his  father's  family  to 
Kentucky.  All  his  school  experience  was  limited 
to  the  crude  system  in  vogue  at  that  time  in 
the  latter  state;  and  for  whatever  knowledge 
he  acquired  in  later  years,  he  was  indebted  to 
his  own  individual  effort.  In  1823,  he  removed 
with  his  father's  family  to  Randolph  county, 
Ind.,  where  he  remained  six  years.  He  came 
to  Muncie  in  1829,  and  engaged  in  bricklaying 
and  plastering.  In  1831,  he  was  married,  in 
Randolph  county,  Ind.,  to  Eliza  C.  Bowen, 
who  died  in  Muncie.  In  October,  1833,  he 
married  Miss  Eanny  Marshall,  who  survives 
him.  She  is  the  daughter  of  John  and  Nancy 
Marshall,  early  settlers  of  Muncie. 

Mr.  Turner  was  engaged  at  his  trade  until 
1838,  when  he  erected  the  brick  block  on  the 
corner  of  Walnut  and  Main  streets,  which  was 
destroyed  by  fire  a few  years  ago,  and  suc- 
ceeded by  the  Patterson  block.  In  this  build- 
ing— then  one  of  the  finest  in  the  town — he 
enjoyed  his  first  experience  as  a hotel  keeper, 
and  won  the  regard  of  the  traveling  public, 
proving  himself  a genial  host,  and  one  ever 
solicitous  for  the  welfare  and  comfort  of  his 
guests.  He  was  thus  engaged  for  nine  or  ten 
years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  sold  out 
and  erected  a brick  storeroom  at  the  east  end 
of  the  same  lot,  and  engaged  in  mercantile 
pursuits.  In  less  than  a year  thereafter  he 
sold  out,  resuming  work  at  his  trade;  and,  in 
1861,  he  and  his  son,  Leonidas  L. , engaged  in 


486 


MUNCIE  CITY 


the  boot  and  shoe  business,  and  conducted  a 
very  satisfactory  trade  until  the  senior  mem- 
ber of  the  firm  felt  the  necessity  of  retiring 
from  the  tedium  of  active  business  life.  The 
store  was  sold  to  William  Lynn,  and  Mr. 
Turner  led  a retired  life  until  his  death.  He 
settled  in  an  infant  community,  and,  by  his 
untiring  labors  at  his  trade,  advanced  step  by 
step,  on  the  road  to  wealth,  prospering  with 
the  community,  and  lending  a helping  hand  in 
its  advancement  and  public  improvements. 
He  always  possessed  a nature  that  drew  friends 
to  him,  and  has  ever  retained  the  confidence 
and  esteem  of  those  with  whom  he  had  been 
associated  through  life.  His  second  marriage 
was  blessed  by  nine  children,  viz. : Millie, 
Leonidas  L. , Charles  M.,  Jane,  Lycurgus  C. , 
Matilda  A.,  Eliza,  Nancy  E.  and  Martha  A. 


m. 


^lELIAM  D.  TURNER,  retiredsuper- 
intendent,  Muncie,  Ind. , was  born 
in  Manchester,  Carroll  county,  Md., 
in  i8i6,  the  son  of  William  and 
E.  (Droud)  Turner.  The  family 
Hanover,  York  county.  Pa.,  when 
was  but  three  years  old,  and  the 


Charlotte 
moved  to 
William  D. 

father,  who  was  originally  from  the  New  Eng- 
land states,  died  when  the  lad  was  quite  young, 
and  the  latter  was  not  more  than  seventeen 
when  he  lost  his  mother.  His  instruction  at 
school  was  somewhat  imperfect,  inasmuch  as 
it  was  partly  in  English  and  partly  in  German. 
At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  was  apprenticed  at 
Hanover,  York  county,  for  four  years,  to  the 
cabinet  maker’s  trade,  and,  having  learned  it, 
worked  as  a journeyman  at  Baltimore,  Md., 
and  elsewhere,  until  1844.  Going  to  Cincin- 
nati, Ohio,  he  was  superintendent  for  the 
Kammlsburg  furniture  factory  for  about  five 
years,  putting  in  the  machinery;  then  started  a 
furniture  machinery  factory  on  his  own  account, 


but  was  four  years  later  burned  out,  at  a total 
loss;  he  then  went  to  Bellefontaine,  Ohio, 
went  into  partnership,  added  his  new  inven- 
tions in  machinery  for  cabinet  making,  and 
within  six  months  this  concern  was  consumed 
by  fire,  and  the  loss  total ; he  then  superintended 
another  factory  at  Cincinnati  until  the  firm 
dissolved;  then  remodeled  the  factory  of 
Cooley,  Newkirk  & Co.,  at  Connersville,  Ind., 
and  superintended  for  some  time.  In  1871  he 
located  in  Muncie,  Ind.,  superintended  the 
Muncie  Machine  Co.’s  works,  and  afterward 
those  of  its  successors,  Wysor,  Hammett  & 
Co.,  and  their  successors,  at  pattern  making, 
until  about  1891,  when  advancing  age  warned 
him  to  retire. 

In  1852  Mr.  Turner  was  married  to  Miss 
Phebe  A.  DeRoads,  of  Columbiana,  Ohio,  and 
this  union  has  been  blessed  with  ten  chil- 
dren, six  of  whom  live  to  console  and  comfort 
the  declining  years  of  their  father,  he  having 
lost  his  life-partner  in  June,  1892,  at  the  age 
of  sixty-seven  years.  The  surviving  children 
are  Miss  Addie  M. , a leading  dressmaker  of 
Muncie;  Sophie,  wife  of  Mr.  Oliver  Smith, 
son  of  the  Hon.  Mark  Smith,  of  Muncie; 
Sarah,  wife  of  J.  Rieff,  a telegraph  operator  at 
Philadelphia,  Pa.  ; Mary  J.  ,■  wife  of  Mr.  A.  Jones, 
printer,  Philadelphia;  Elorence  and  Cora,  at 
home.  One  of  the  sons,  William  Henry,  died 
at  home  from  disease  contracted  in  the  army, 
and  one  son  and  two  daughters  died  in  in- 
fancy. 

Mr.  Turner  was  united  with  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  in  1838,  was  licensed  as  a 
local  preacher  in  1839,  and  was  subsequently 
ordained  by  Bishop  Jayne  an  elder.  He  has 
been  a class  leader  in  the  Muncie  High  street 
church  for  the  past  ten  years,  and  while  a 
member  of  the  local  preachers’  association  for 
north  Indiana,  did  active  and  efficient  work  at 
the  weaker  points  in  Delaware  and  adjoining 
counties.  His  life  has  been  well  spent. 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP, 


487 


O^ALVIN  S.  WACHTELL,  a prominent 
business  man,  dealing  in  harness, 
etc.,  in  Muncie,  Ind. , was  born  near 
Columbus,  Ohio,  December  i,  1837, 
a son  of  Jonathan  and  Parmelia  (Baxter) 
Wachtell,  natives  of  Pennsylvania  and  Mary- 
land, respectively.  They  came  to  Muncie, 
Ind.,  in  1839,  where  the  father  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  furniture  and  chairs.  He  and 
his  wife  were  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
church  and  he  was  instrumental  in  establishing 
the  first  church  of  that  denomination  in  Mun- 
cie, and  served  as  deacon  and  trustee  of  the 
same.  Politically  he  was  a democrat,  and 
during  life  firmly  upheld  the  principles  of  that 
party.  His  death  occurred  in  1850,  leaving  a 
wife  and  six  children.  His  wife  survived  him 
until  1891,  and  five  of  the  children  are  still 
living.  The  family  was  as  follows:  Eveline, 

now  Mrs.  William  Barnes,  of  Muncie;  John  A., 
of  Muncie;  Andrew  J.,  of  Muncie;  Henry  H.,  | 
deceased,  and  Calvin  S.  Calvin  S.  Wachtell 
was  brought  by  his  parents  to  this  city,  when 
he  was  but  two  years  of  age,  and  received  a 
public  school  education.  He  learned  the 
excellent  trade  of  harness  making  and  has, 
every  since  that  time,  followed  the  same  busi- 
ness. In  1874  he  was  called  upon  by  the  citi- 
zens to  fill  the  office  of  city  clerk  and  auditor, 
and  for  twelve  years  he  acceptably  filled  those 
positions.  In  1879  he  established  his  present 
harness  and  wagon  business,  and  is  the  oldest 
dealer  in  those  lines  in  the  city.  He  has 
become  prominent  in  business  circles,  as  he 
has  been  progressive  and  enterprising.  He  is 
the  present  secretary  of  the  Co-operative 
Natural  Gas  company,  and  is  a member  of  the 
Citizen.*!’  Enterprise  company. 

Politically  Mr.  Wachtell  is  a republican, 
and  is  a member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  E.  He 
is  recognized  as  one  of  the  most  progressive 
citizens  in  the  city,  and  his  great  financial 
success  has  all  been  attained  by  his  own  ef- 


forts. He  receives,  as  he  deserves,  the  esteem 
and  confidence  of  his  fellow  citizens.  Mr. 
Wachtell  was  married,  in  1862,  to  Miss  Susan 
L.  Anderson,  daughter  of  John  Anderson,  of 
Niles  township,  and  one  son,  E.  L.  Wachtell, 
has  been  born  of  this  marriage.  E.  L.  Wach- 
tell was  born  in  1863,  was  educated  in  the 
Muncie  schools,  passing  through  the  high 
school,  and  in  1879  was  admitted  by  his  father 
into  partnership.  In  1888  he  married  Miss 
Leonora  Deitsch,  a daughter  of  Chief  of  Police 
Deitsch  of  the  city  of  Cincinnati.  The  two 
families  are  among  the  best  in  the  city  of 
Muncie  and  enjoy  the  respect  and  esteem  of 
all.  Mr.  Wachtell  and  wife  are  members  of 
the  Christian  church  of  Muncie,  and  in  this 
body  he  holds  the  offices  of  deacon  and  clerk. 


Quince  walling,  superintendent 
of  the  Muncie  Water  and  Gas  com- 
pany, is  a native  of  Delaware  county, 
born  in  the  city  of  Muncie,  June  i, 
1865.  He  received  his  education  in  the  pub- 
lic schools  of  Muncie,  which  he  attended  until 
his  sixteenth  year,  and  then  accepted  a clerk- 
ship in  the  grocery  house  of  James  Charman, 
in  which  capacity  he  continued  for  a period  of 
about  two  years.  Severing  his  connection 
with  the  mercantile  business,  Mr.  Walling  next 
took  service  with  the  Muncie  Artificial  Gas 
company  as  street  lamp  lighter,  and  after  a 
year  in  that  capacity  became  collector  for  the 
concern,  which  at  the  time  was  owned  and 
controlled  by  the  American  Water  Works  & 
Guarantee  company,  which  operated  plants  in 
various  parts  of  the  United  States.  In  1886 
he  was  given  charge  of  the  plant  at  Marion, 
Ind.,  where  he  remained  one  year,  at  the  end 
of  which  time  he  returned  to  Muncie  and  re- 
sumed the  duties  of  collectorship,  continuing 
the  same  until  his  elevation  to  the  superintend- 


488 


MUNCIE  CITY 


ency  on  the  ist  of  April,  1890.  Since  that 
year  Mr.  Walling  has  had  charge  of  both 
plants,  gas  and  water  works,  and  the  ability 
with  which  he  has  discharged  the  duties  of  the 
position  has  won  for  him  the  highest  encomi- 
ums from  the  company  with  which  he  is  iden- 
tified, as  well  as  the  praise  of  the  public  to 
whose  comfort  he  has  s.o  long  and  so  efficiently 
ministered.  Mr.  Walling  is  a young  man  of 
much  more  than  ordinary  intelligence  and 
business  capacity,  a gentleman  in  whom  the 
people  repose  the  most  implicit  confidence,  and 
he  is  considered  by  all  one  of  the  wide-awake 
and  substantial  citizens  of  Muncie.  He  is  an 
active  member  of  the  Muncie  lodge,  No.  74, 
I.  O.  O.  F. , of  DeEmber  tribe,  No.  30,  I.  O. 
R.  M.,  and  also  belongs  to  the  B.  P.  O.  Elks 
lodge.  No.  245.  Mr.  Walling  was  married 
September  19,  1889,  to  Miss  Gertrude  A. 

Shick,  daughter  of  Leonard  and  Psyche  Shick, 
of  Centre  township,  Delaware  county,  to 
which  union  one  child,  Helen  E.,  has  been 
born. 


'^^^-^ILLIAM  WALLING,  now  living  re- 
m m I tired  from  active  business  life,  is  a 
well  known  and  highly  respected 
citizen,  and  an  ex-official  of  Dela- 
ware county,  Ind.  He  was  born  in  Wayne 
county,  Ind.,  Eebruary  3,  1819,  a son  of  Jos- 
eph and  Mary  (Thomas)  Walling,  the  former 
a native  of  New  Jersey  and  the  latter  of 
Wales.  The  parents  were  among  the  pioneers 
of  Wayne  county,  Ind.,  where  they  settled 
about  1817.  By  trade,  Mr.  Walling,  the 
elder,  was  a tanner,  and  erected  tanneries  in 
Wayne  county  and  at  Connersville,  in  Lay- 
ette county.  In  1832  he  came  to  Delaware 
county  and  settled  in  Perry  township,  where 
he  cleared  a farm  and  also  erected  a tannery. 
A tract  of  land  was  entered  by  him  in  Perry 
and  Centre  townships,  and  this  land  is  now 


occupied  by  the  Hemingwray  and  Over  glass 
companies.  He  was  a stockholder  in  the  Bee 
Line  railroad  and  was  regarded  as  a safe  and 
sensible  business  man.  Politically,  he  was  a 
democrat,  and  his  death  occurred  in  1864. 
Mrs.  Walling  survived  him  until  1883.  Jo- 
seph and  Mary  Walling  reared  a family  of  nine 
children,  as  follows;  Lrancis,  deceased;  Anna, 
now  deceased,  was  Mrs.  William  Scott; 
Thompson,  a resident  of  Henry  county,  Ind. ; 
William;  Mark,  of  Muncie;  Sarah,  now  dead, 
was  Mrs.  John  Powers;  John,  of  Muncie; 
Jonathan,  deceased,  and  Joseph,  deceased. 

William  Walling  accompanied  his  parents 
to  Delaware  county  when  thirteen  years  of  age, 
was  educated  in  the  common  schools,  after 
which  he  learned  the  trade  of  tanner  with  his 
father.  In  1835,  in  connection  with  his  father 
and  his  brother-in-law,  he  purchased  a tannery 
in  Muncie  and  enlarged  it  and  operated  the 
same  for  several  years.  He  also  cleared  up  a 
farm  in  Gentre  township,  upon  which  he  resi- 
ded for  a number  of  years.  Mr.  Walling  has 
been  a very  valuable  and  important  citizen  and 
was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Five  Points 
Gas  Well  company;  is  a member  of  the  Citi- 
zens’ Enterprise  company,  and  a stockholder 
in  the  Citizen’s  National  bank.  Socially  he  is 
connected  with  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  and  politically 
he  is  a democrat.  Formerly  he  was  a repub- 
lican, but  in  late  years  he  views  public  ques- 
tions differently,  and  now  votes  with  the  other 
great  party.  In  1854  he  was  elected  sheriff  of 
Delaware  county,  and  acceptably  filled  that 
position  for  four  years. 

In  1843  Mr.  Walling  married  Miss  Mary 
Hamilton,  a daughter  of  Stephen  Hamilton,  of 
Hamilton  township,  but  she  died  in  1858,  leav- 
ing him  a family  of  four  children;  Salina, 
Ellen,  deceased;  Ann,  wife  of  N.  B.  Powers,  of 
Muncie,  and  Mary,  deceased  wife  of  James 
Campbell.  Mr.  Walling  next  was  married,  in 
1862,  to  Miss  Lucetta  Smith,  a daughter  of 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


489 


John  Smith,  of  Centre  township,  and  two  sons 
have  been  born  of  this  union,  John  and  Mark. 
Mrs.  Walling  is  a member  of  the  High  street 
Methodist  Episcopal  church. 


OLLIN  -WARNER,  city  attotney  of 
Muncie,  was  born  in  Blountsville, 
Henry  county,  Ind.,  April  i8,  1856, 
son  of  Eli  and  Emily  (Bunch)  War- 
ner, natives  respectively  of  New  and  Vermont, 
who  settled  in  the  above  counry  about  the 
year  1850.  The  father  was  engaged  in  mer- 
cantile pursuits  for  a period  of  twenty  years 
and  departed  this  life  in  1871. 

Rollin  Warner  received  his  rudimentary 
education  in  the  township  schools,  later  at- 
tended the  National  Normal  at  Lebanon, 
Ohio,  after  which  he  entered  his  father’s 
store,  and  after  the  latter’s  death  conducted  the 
business  for  some  years.  Having  early  mani- 
fested a decided  preference  for  the  legal  pro- 
fession, he  determined  to  make  it  his  life  work; 
accordingly  he  began  the  study  of  the  same  in 
the  office  of  Monks  & Thompson  of  Winches- 
ter, and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  the  coun- 
ties of  Randolph,  Henry  and  Delaware  in  the 
year  1879.  Eor  a period  of  ten  years,  from 
1879  to  1889,  he  practiced  his  profession  in 
New  Castle,  and  then  removed  to  Muncie, 
where  he  has  since  remained,  having  in  the 
meantime  built  up  a large  and  lucrative  business 
in  Delaware  and  other  counties.  With  a 
mind  naturally  capable,  well  developed  and 
enriched  by  close  study  and  critical  experience, 
he  has  become  one  of  the  ablest  lawyers  of 
Muncie,  and  his  connection  with  a number  of 
very  important  cases,  here  and  elsewhere,  has 
gained  for  him  much  more  than  a state  repu- 
tation. He  was  one  of  the  counsel  which  de- 
fended Lake,  Smeltzer,  Roswell  and  Smith, 
who  were  tried  for  the  murder  of  Eli  Ladd, 


and  he  acquitted  himself  in  that  celebrated 
case  with  an  ability  that  gave  him  a high 
standing  as  an  astute  and  brilliant  lawyer.  Mr. 
Warner  has  also  been  retained  as  counsel  in 
much  other  important  litigation,  and  his  serv- 
ices are  frequently  in  demand  where  large  and 
important  interests  are  at  stake.  He  is  am- 
bitious and  zealous  in  his  chosen  calling,  and, 
in  addition  to  achieving  what  men  call  success, 
has  established  a reputation  for  honesty  and 
integrity  that  has  accomplished  this  laudable 
aim.  In  politics  Mr.  Warner  is  an  active  re- 
publican, and  he  is  often  called  upon  to  can- 
vass the  county  in  the  interest  of  his  party 
being  a forcible,  effective  and  eloquent  speak- 
er. He  served  as  attorney  for  Henry  county 
for  two  years  and  resigned  the  position  of  city 
attorney  of  New  Castle  upon  his  removal  to 
Muncie  at  the  date  above  noted.  In  1891  he 
was  made  city  attorney  of  Muncie,  the  duties 
of  which  position  he  has  discharged  in  a very 
able  and  satisfactory  manner  ever  since. 

In  October,  1889,  Mr.  Warner  and  Miss 
Mary  V.  Cecil,  daughter  of  Gordon  and  Susan 
E.  Cecil  of  Perry  township,  this  county,  were 
united  in  the  bonds  of  wedlock,  and  their 
wedded  life  has  been  blessed  by  a family  of 
five  interesting  children:  Etta,  Everett,  Mabel, 
Cecil  and  Emily.  Mrs.  Warner  is  a member 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  both 
she  and  her  husband  are  prominent  factors  in 
the  social  life  of  Muncie. 


w^ILLIAM  E.  WATSON. — Prominent 
mm  I among  the  representative  business 
men  of  Delaware  county  the  name 
of  William  E.  Watson,  now  prac- 
tically retired  from  active  life,  is  worthy  of 
specific  mention.  Mr.  Watson  is  a native  of 
Ohio,  born  July  31,  1829,  in  Licking  county, 
the  son  of  James  Watson,  a Virginian,  who 


490 


MUNCIE  CITY 


settled  in  the  Buckeye  state  in  early  manhood. 
At  the  age  of  twenty-one,  James  Watson  married 
Fanny  Francis,  daughter  of  William  Francis, 
of  Licking  county,  and  immediately  thereafter 
located  on  a farm  and  followed  agricultural 
pursuits  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  the 
year  1842.  He  reared  a large  family,  nine 
members  of  which,  six  sons  and  three  daugh- 
ters, are  yet  living,  namely:  Stephen,  William 
F. , James,  Strawder,  Levi,  Abraham,  Frances, 
Lacy  and  Miranda.  Two  years  after  her  hus- 
band’s death,  Mrs.  Watson  nx)ved  with  her 
family  to  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  and  settled 
on  a farm,  which  Mr.  Watson  had  previously 
bought,  and  there  resided  until  her  death  in 
1854. 

William  F.  Watson  accompanied  his 
widowed  mother  to  Delaware  county  in  1844, 
and  was  early  obliged  to  contribute  his  full 
share  to  the  support  of  her  and  the  other 
members  of  the  family.  He  M'orked  at  differ- 
ent ])laces,  principally  as  a farmer,  until  his 
twenty-fifth  year,  at  which  time  he  married 
Miss  Mary  Brown,  daughter  of  Hugh  and  Ann 
(Stephenson)  Brown,  the  ceremony  which 
made  them  man  and  wife  having  been  solem- 
nized on  the  26th  day  of  March,  1856.  After 
his  marriage,  Mr.  Watson  and  wife  moved  to 
a farm  in  Monroe  township,  where  he  lived  for 
thirty  years,  giving  his  entire  attention  to  agri- 
cultural pursuits,  in  which  his  success  was  sat- 
isfactory in  an  eminent  degree.  For  some 
time  he  served  as  supervisor  of  highways  of  his 
township,  and  in  1866  was  elected  trustee  of 
the  same,  which  position  he  filled  by  succes- 
sive re-elections  for  a period  of  eight  years, 
which  fact  attested  his  popularity  with  his  fel- 
low citizens,  and  was  also  a compliment  to  his 
ability  as  an  official  In  1876  Mr.  Watson 
was  elected  to  the  important  office  of  county 
commissioner,  the  duties  of  which  responsible 
position  he  discharged  with  creditable  ability 
for  a period  of  fourteen  years,  and  it  was  dur- 


ing his  incumbency  that  the  contract  for  the 
present  beautiful  court  house,  one  of  the  most 
imposing  temples  of  justice  in  the  state  of 
Indiana,  was  awarded,  and  the  building  fin- 
ished. While  a member  of  the  board  he  was 
untiring  in  his  efforts  to  promote  the  welfare 
of  the  county  by  judicious  legislation,  and  he 
became,  in  truth,  a true  guardian  of  the  inter- 
ests of  the  people.  In  the  year  1881  he  re- 
moved to  a farm  one  and  one-half  miles  south 
of  Muncie,  which  he  afterward  sold  and  which 
is  now  within  the  corporate  limits  o'  Conger- 
ville,  a suburb  of  Muncie,  and  in  1887  moved 
to  the  elegant  home  on  east  Washington 
street,  where  he  has  since  lived. 

Mr.  Watson  still  owns  his  farm  in  Monroe 
township,  besides  other  valuable  property  in 
the  country  and  city.  He  was  a director  in 
the  Delaware  County  bank  for  five  years,  and 
has  since  held  a similar  position  in  the  Delaware 
County  National  bank,  and  is  considered  one 
of  the  financially  strong  and  reliable  men  of 
Mnncie.  In  addition  to  the  property  enume- 
rated, he  owns  a fine  farnr  on  the  Bethel  turn- 
pike, which  he  still  manages. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Watson  are  the  parents  of 
five  childi'en,  namely:  Emma,  married  to 

Benjamin  Rees,  died  in  1888;  Olive,  wife  of 
Frank  Wilson;  Frank,  a highly  respected  young 
business  man  of  Muncie,  who  died  October  13, 
1892;  Oscar  and  Hugh  Watson.  Mr.  Watson 
has  been  a republican  ever  since  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  party,  and  has  taken  a very  active 
interest  in  political  questions,  on  all  of  which 
he  has  very  decided  and  intelligent  opinions. 
Fraternally  he  is  ai\  Odd  Fellow,  belonging  to 
Muncie  lodge.  No.  74.  Mr.  Watson’s  business 
career  has  been  signally  successful,  and  for 
years  he  has  been  recognized  as  a man  of  force 
and  character  in  the  affairs  of  Delaware  county 
and  the  city  of  Mnncie.  His  chief  character- 
istics, caution,  resolution,  and  determination. 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


491 


as  the  peer  cf  any  man  in  Delaware  county, 
and  fully  justify  the  high  estimate  placed  upon 
him  by  the  business  community  in  which  for 
so  many  years  he  has  been  a prominent  factor. 


AMES  E.  WILCOXON,  deceased,  far- 
mer and  merchant,  of  Muncie,  Ind., 
was  a son  of  Lloyd  Wilcoxon,  Sr. , 
and  was  born  in  Scioto  county,  Ohio, 
March  22,  1818,  and  in  1832  was  brought  to 
Indiana  by  his  parents,  who  settled  on  a par- 
tially cleared  farm  about  three  miles  east  of 
Muncie.  He  here  attended  school  in  the  win- 
ter until  of  age,  and  June  25,  1840,  married 
Miss  Jemima  E.  Moore,  daughter  of  John 
Moore,  and  at  that  time  nineteen  years  old. 
John  Moore  had  then  entered  640  acres  on  the 
Smithfield  road,  all  in  the  woods,  excepting 
a small  strip,  with  numerous  red  men  for  neigh- 
bors. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wilcoxon  began  farming 
near  Granville,  but,  not  liking  the  location,  re- 
turned two  years  later  to  a portion  of  the  old 
Moore  homestead,  three  miles  east  of  Muncie. 
Here  Mr.  Wilcoxon  became  owner  of  100 
acres,  but  a few  years  later  sold  out  and 
moved  six  miles  north  of  Muncie  and  farmed 
for  several  years.  When  the  railroad  was  run 
through  he  put  in  his  farm  for  $5,000  worth  of 
stock  in  the  road,  and  then  traded  his  stoc.k 
for  200  acres  of  the  old  Moore  place  and  $1,- 
800  to  boot.  On  this  farm  he  lived  for  some 
years  and  prospered;  he  then  went  to  Selma, 
formed  a partnership  with  his  brother-in-law, 
William  J.  Moore,  in  the  grain  and  general 
goods  business,  but  three  years  later,  about 
1857  or  1858,  sold  his  interest  in  Selma  and 
joined  his  father,  Lloyd,  in  the  grocery  trade 
at  Muncie;  later  he  purchased  the  Neely  farm, 
now  a part  of  Riverside,  and  this,  in  turn,  he 
traded  for  a stock  of  dry  goods,  and  entered 
into  the  trade  on  Main  street,  Muncie,  oppo- 


site the  court  house,  and  so  continued  until 
some  time  after  the  close  of  the  late  war, 
when  he  retired  from  active  business,  and  died 
June  24,  1872,  in  the  fifty-fifth  year  of  his 

age.  He  had  been  a member  of  the  Metho- 
dist church  since  his  nineteenth  year,  was  a 
class  leader,  and  died,  triumphant,  in  the  arms 
of  Jesus.  He  had  been  a great  sufferer  for 
eight  years  from  a complication  of  disorders, 
but  was  patient  and  uncomplaining  under  his 
afflictions,  relying  upon  the  promise  of  a bless- 
ed immortality,  and  leaving  behind  an  un- 
spotted name.  His  widow,  Jemima  E. 
(Moore)  Wilcoxon,  was  born  May  5,  1821, 

was  converted  to  Christ  in  her  fifteenth  year, 
and  has  been  a devout  and  consistent  member 
of  the  Methodist  church  to  the  present  day. 

Eight  children  were  born  to  the  marriage 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wilcoxon,  viz:  Levi,  sales- 

man in  a wholesale  grocery  in  Indianapolis: 
John  S.,  whose  health  was  impaired  by  ex- 
posure while  serving  in  the  Twenty-first  Indi- 
ana heavy  artillery  during  the  late  war,  and 
who  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-eight  years; 
three  that  died  in  infancy;  Emma  E. , wife  of 
Marion  M.  Richie,  general  superintendent  of 
the  Calumet  & Blue  Island  railway  at  South 
Chicago;  Lloyd  Pierce,  a contracting  painter, 
at  Muncie,  and  Flora  May,  wife  of  |.  Russy 
Smith,  plumber,  of  Muncie. 


LOYD  WILCOXON  was  born  May 
II,  1821,  in  Scioto  county,  Ohio. 
His  grandparents,  both  paternal  and 
maternal,  were  of  English  birth  and 
owned  large  tracts  of  land  in  that  country. 
His  father,  Lloyd  Wilcoxon,  Sr. , was  a native 
of  Maryland,  and  served  in  the  war  of  1812. 
He  was  afterward  engaged  at  the  carpenter’s 
trade  in  Ohio,  and  died  at  Muncie,  Ind.,  at 
the  age  of  seventy-five  years.  His  mother. 


492 


MUNCIE  CITY 


whose  maiden  name  was  Elizabeth  Truitt,  was 
a native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  a lady  of  Eng- 
lish antecedents.  When  in  the  eleventh  year 
of  his  age  (1832),  the  subject  of  this  biog- 
raphy came  with  his  parents  to  Delaware 
county,  with  whose  industrial  interests  he 
afterward  became  very  prominently  identified. 
Too  young  when  he  left  Ohio  to  have  enjoyed 
to  any  extent  the  educational  privileges  of  that 
state,  he  attended  the  subscription  schools  of 
Delaware  county  during  the  winter  seasons  fol- 
lowing his  arrival.  The  daily  round  of  labor 
on  the  farm  occupied  the  greater  portion  of  his 
time,  and  trained  thus  to  early  habits  of  indus- 
try, he  grew  up  with  a character  that  taught 
him  to  love  work,  rather  than  to  shun  it.  He 
soon  became  the  owner  of  a farm,  in  the  cul- 
tivation of  which  he  was  engaged  until  1852. 
So  successful  were  his  labors  that,  in  that 
year,  he  was  enabled  to  come  to  Muncie  and 
engage  in  the  purchase  and  sale  of  grain.  In 
1858  he  added  the  manufacture  of  flour, 
erecting  a large  flouring  mill  just  south  of  the 
Bee  Line  track,  on  Walnut  street.  To  this 
he  has  added  substantial  improvements  from 
time  to  time,  supplying  it  with  the  best  ma- 
chinery and  making  it,  in  all  respects,  a first- 
class  mill.  In  1883  the  mill  burned,  was  af- 
terward repaired,  and  now  is  used  as  a hominy 
mill. 

He  is  a strict  temperance  man,  and  carries 
his  principles  into  his  business,  employing  no 
man  who  uses  intoxicating  liquors  as  a bever- 
age. He  has  been  identified  with  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church  since  he  was  sixteen 
years  of  age,  and  has  proven  himself  a worthy 
exemplar  of  the  faith  he  professes.  In  1854, 
he  became  a member  of  the  Independent  Or- 
der of  Odd  Fellows;  during  that  year  he  re- 
ceived all  the  degrees  of  the  subordinate  lodge 
and  encampment,  and,  two  years  later,  he  was 
chosen  to  represent  both  branches  of  the  order 
at  the  grand  lodge  of  Indiana.  His  early  po- 


litical training  was  in  the  democratic  school; 
but  the  platform  and  the  principles  of  the  re- 
puqlican  party,  at  its  organization,  harmonized 
with  his  own  views,  and  he  was  among  the 
first  to  join  its  ranks.  March  28,  1842,  he 
j was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Rhoda,  daugh- 
ter of  Lewis  Moore,  an  early  settler  of  Dela- 
ware county.  This  union  was  blessed  with 
nine  children — Mary  A.,  now  deceased,  was 
the  wife  of  John  R.  Mason;  Sarah  E.  is  the 
wife  of  J.  Milton  Long;  Amanda  H.  is  the 
wife  of  Henry  Bowman;  JohnW.,  deceased; 
Martha  C.,  wife  of  W.  H.  Long;  Charles  N.  ; 
Lydia  J.,  wife  of  Thomas  O.  Cunningham; 
Zulena  and  Emma  P. , who  reside  with  their 
parents. 


aHARLES  FREDERICK  WILDER- 
MUTH,  deceased,  was  born  in  the 
kingdom  of  Wurtemberg,  Germany, 
October  26,  1844.  He  was  a son  of 
Gotleib  and  Friedrica  (Rieger)  Wildermuth, 
both  natives  of  Wurtemberg,  and  born  respect- 
ively in  1814  and  1819.  Gotleib  was  a baker 
by  trade,  and  in  early  life  married  Miss  Rie- 
ger; their  union  was  blessed  with  five  chil- 
dren, born  and  named  in  the  following  order: 
Charles  Frederick,  whose  name  opens  this 
sketch;  Friedrica,  now  Mrs.  Oehler,  of  Union 
City,  Randolph  county,  Ind. ; Lewis,  a farmer 
near  Winamac,  Pulaski  county,  Ind.  ; Freder- 
ick, deceased,  and  Wilhelmina,  the  wife  of 
Joseph  Vogt,  a merchant  tailor  of  Muncie. 
Gotleib  Wildermuth  resided  in  the  town  of 
Ottmarsheim,  Wurtemberg,  all  his  life,  and 
there  he  reared  his  children  and  followed  his 
trade  until  he  reached  an  advanced  age,  when 
he  retired,  to  enjoy  in  ease  and  comfort  the 
fruit  of  an  industrious  early  life.  April  27, 
1876,  he  passed  away  from  earth  at  the  age  of 
sixty-two,  he  being  a member  of  the  Lutheran 
church,  and  mourned  by  a large  circle  of 


I 


CHAS.  F.  WILDERMUTH 


I 


u 


V 


* \ 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


495 


friends  and  acquaintances.  In  1878  his  widow 
was  wedded  to  Carl  Klein,  and  the  pair  there- 
after made  their  home  in  Waldheim,  Germany, 
where  they  still  reside. 

Charles  Frederick  Wildermuth  learned  the 
baker’s  trade  in  his  native  city,  with  his  father, 
beginning  his  apprenticeship  at  the  age  of  four- 
teen. When  twenty-one  he  came  to  the  United  ' 
States,  landing  at  New  York,  whence  he  made 
his  way  to  Dayton,  Ohio,  where  for  a short 
time  he  industriously  worked  at  his  trade,  and 
then  went  to  New  Orleans,  where,  as  is  usual 
with  unacclimated  residents,  he  was  seized 
with  yellow  fever.  He  was  then  a vigorous 
young  man,  and  succeeded  in  baffling  the 
dreadful  disease,  and  after  his  recovery  he  re- 
turned to  Dayton,  Ohio,  where  he  again  fol- 
lowed his  calling  for  a short  time,  and  then 
located  permanently  in  Muncie,  which  city, 
however,  he  had  previously  visited,  and  where 
he  worked  for  Mr.  Joseph  Hummel,  being  also 
otherwise  employed  for  a short  time,  and  then 
purchased  a business  place  for  himself,  which 
he  successfully  conducted  until  his  death,  July 
6,  1893. 

February  22,  1872,  Mr.  Wildermuth  was 
most  happily  married  to  Miss  Fannie  Geiger, 
daughter  of  Frederick  and  Christina  (Harbold) 
Geiger,  residents  of  Muncie,  but  natives  re- 
spectively of  Germany  and  Canada.  The  union 
was  blessed  with  three  children,  Edward,  Min- 
nie, and  Lewis,  all  of  whom,  with  their  mother, 
are  still  living. 

Mr.  Wildermuth  was  reared  a Lutheran, 
having  been  confirmed  at  the  age  of  fourteen. 
He  was  a member,  also,  of  Muncie  lodge  No. 
74,  I.  O.  O.  L.,  also  of  the  German  Benevo- 
lent association,  and  was  an  upright  man.  He 
was  of  a happy,  cheerful  disposition,  a doting 
father  and  loving  husband,  was  easy  of  ap- 
proach to  all  who  sought  his  charity  or  assist- 
ance, and  was  a careful  and  successful  busi- 
ness man.  His  loss  will  be  long  felt  by  his 


family  and  the  public  in  general,  with  whom 
he  had  hosts  of  friends. 


AJ.  JOHN  F.  WILDMAN,  senior  of 
the  firm  of  Wildman  & McClung, 
proprietors  of  the  Muncie  Times, 
was  born  near  Madison,  Jefferson 
county,  Ind. , January  i,  1842,  and  is  a son  of 
Enos  and  Jane  M.  (Elliott)  Wildman.  Enos 
Wildman  was  a native  of  Leesburg,  Va. , and 
died  in  Jefferson  county,  Ind.,  in  1878.  Mrs. 
Jane  M.  Wildman,  whose  father  was  a soldier 


and  died  iu  Jefferson  county,  Ind.,  in  1880. 


John  E.  Wildman  had  just  entered  Han- 
over college  to  prepare  himself  for  encounter- 
ing the  realities  of  life,  when  the  cannon  of 
Fort  Sumter  summoned  him  to  a sterner  en- 
counter. At  almost  the  first  call  to  arms  for 
the  defense  of  the  Union,  he  volunteered  as  a 
private  in  company  E,  Third  Indiana  cavalry, 
June  28,  1861,  and  was  mustered  in,  August 
22,  1861,  and  was  in  continuous  service, 

without  being  off  duty  one  day,  four  years  and 
eight  days,  being  mustered  out  of  the  service 
September  4,  1865.  His  work  was  that  of  a 
faithful  soldier,  but  his  acts  were  brave,  and 
his  deeds  daring,  and  in  consequence  his  pro- 
motion rapid.  Eor  meritorious  conduct  at  the 
battle  of  Gettysburg,  he  was  promoted  from 
private  in  the  Third  Indiana  cavalry,  and  com- 
missioned adjutant  of  the  One  Hundred  and 
Thirtieth  Indiana  volunteer  infantry,  Decem- 
ber 5,  1863,  and  for  meritorious  service  at  the 
battle  of  Nashville  he  was  commissioned  major 
of  the  One  Hundred  and  Eifty-third  Indiana 
volunteer  infantry,  March  30,  1865. 

Among  other  of  the  battles  in  which  the 
major  took  part,  and  in  which  bravery  on  the 
field  led  to  his  promotion,  may  be  mentioned 
those  with  the  Third  Indiana  cavalry:  Fred- 


496 


MUNCIE  CITY 


ericksbiirg,  Thoroughfare  Gap,  Upperville, 
Piedmont,  Chancellorsville,  Brandy  Station, 
Middletown,  Boonsburg,  Antietani,  Gettys- 
burg, Beverly’s  I'ord,  Warrentown,  etc.,  and 
with  the  One  Hundred  and  Thirtieth  Indiana 
volunteer  infantry:  Red  Clay,  Rocky  P'ace 
Ridge,  Resaca,  Lost  Mountain,  Pine  Mount- 
ain, Renesaw,  Chattahoochee  River,  Decatur, 
Atlanta,  Jonesboro,  Lovejoy’s  Station,  Nash- 
ville, Wise’s  P'orks,  Rinston,  Goldsboro. 

In  further  recognition  of  Maj.  Wildman’s 
services,  he  was  appointed  to  a position  in  the 
treasury  department,  AVashington,  D.  C.,  in 
December,  1865,  held  it  until  April,  1867,  and 
was  appointed  and  confirmed  collector  of  in- 
ternal revenue  of  the  Eleventh  district,  Ind. , 
with  head(]uarters  at  Anderson,  which  position 
he  held  a number  of  years.  Upon  retiring  from 
the  revenue  service,  he  purchased,  in  1883, 
the  Muncie  Times,  and  has  since  been  the  act- 
ive manager  and  one  of  the  leading  writers. 
He  has  served  the  Odd  Fellows  as  grand 
master  of  the  state,  and  represented  the  state, 
with  creditable  ability,  at  two  sessions  of 
the  Sovereign  Grand  lodge  at  the  meetings  in 
Boston  and  Denver.  Also  a member  and 
worker  in  the  Knights  of  Honor,  A.  O.  U.  W. , 
Fraternal  Union,  G.  A.  R.,  and  the  various 
branches  of  the  Masonic  order,  in  some  of 
which  he  held  important  positions.  Politically 
a republican  and  an  active  worker,  he  was 
never  a candidate  for  an  elective  office,  and 
never  held  any  office  except  the  one  mention- 
ed, revenue  collector.  He  has  frequently  been 
a delegate  to  conventions  of  his  party,  and 
served  as  such  in  the  national  convention  that 
nominated  Benjamin  Harrison  for  president, 
from  the  Sixth  district.  He  is  public  spirited, 
and  an  advocate  of  all  public  improvements. 
The  marriage  of  the  Major  took  place  Sep- 
tember 25,  1867,  to  Miss  S.  J.  Pierce,  of  Ash- 
tabula, Ohio. 

In  the  fall  of  1892,  a new  building  for  the 


Muncie  Times,  on  north  Walnut  street,  22|x 
85  feet,  at  a cost  of  $4,300,  was  erecled,  and 
was  taken  possession  of  January  i,  1893,  and 
under  the  management  of  Major  Wildman  the 
Times  has  become  a recognized  power  in  the 
republican  party  of  the  state.  The  attention 
of  the  reader  is  called  to  the  life  like  portrait 
of  the  major  on  an  adjacent  page.  The  major 
is  a fluent  and  trenchant  writer  and  a shrewd 
1 business  man  withal.  Not  at  all  bombastic, 
he  is  nevertheless  ornate,  and  his  logic  is  in- 
controvertible, and  his  party  may  well  con- 
gratulate itself  on  the  fact  that  it  has  at  the 
head  of  its  principal  organ  in  Muncie  a gentle- 
man who  so  happily  combines  the  qualities  of 
a good  writer  with  those  of  a first  class  busi- 
ness man. 


AMES  S.  WILLIAMS,  treasurer  of  the 
city  of  Muncie,  is  a well  known  resi- 
dent and  one  of  her  most  esteemed 
citizens.  He  was  born  in  Adams 
county,  Ohio,  April  4,  1855,  son  of  Ebenezer 
B.  and  Gatherine  M.  (Nesbit)  Williams,  who 
removed  from  Ohio  to  Grant  county,  Ind.,  in 
1855.  The  father  was  a carpenter  by  trade, 
politically  a democi'at  and  served  as  a justice 
of  the  peace  in  Grant  county  for  many  years. 
He  and  wife  were  both  members  of  the  Chris- 
tian church,  and  both  passed  their  last  days  in 
Grant  county. 

James  S.  Williams  is  the  third  in  a family 
of  six  chiildren  and  was  educated  in, the  schools 
of  Lebanon,  attending  the  National  Normal 
school  at  Lebanon,  Ohio,  and  also  the  schools 
at  Marion,  Ind.,  after  which  he  engaged  in 
teaching  school  in  Grant  and  Tipton  counties 
for  several  years.  During  this  time  he  was 
unfortunately  sunstruck,  and  after  recovering 
from  this  serious  misfortune,  found  himself 
unable  to  accomplish  anything  in  the  way  of 
1 employment  which  would  necessitate  any  hard 


I 


€ 


'■*'  fe- 
ll^ 


VOLNEY  WILLSON. 


MRS.  ELIZABETH  WILLSON 


; 


-.?. 


f? 


\. 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP, 


497 


labor,  hence  he  learned  the  barber  business. 
This  he  followed  until  August,  i88i,  when  he 
came  to  Muncie.,  Ind. , and  opened  up  a bar- 
ber business,  so  continuing  until  1891,  when 
he  was  elected  on  the  democratic  ticket  to  his 
present  responsible  office.  He  is  a prominent 
member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  and  of  the  Citi- 
zens' Enterprise  company. 

Mr.  Williams  was  married,  in  1882,  to 
Miss  Martha  A.  Randall,  a daughter  of  Joseph 
Randall,  of  Muncie,  and  is  the  father  of  one 
little  daughter,  Blanche.  He  and  wife  are 
active  members  of  the  Central  Christian 
church,  in  which  he  is  a deacon  and  has  served 
as  superintendent  of  the  Sunday  school.  The 
family  possesses  the  regard  and  esteem  of  the 
entire  community. 


OLNEY  WILLSON  (deceased)  was  an 
early  settler  in  the  town  of  Muncie, 
and  was  well  known  throughout  the 
country  as  a farmer  and  capitalist. 
He  was  born  April  12,  1816,  at  Easton,  Wash- 
ington county,  N.  Y.  His  father,  Osborn  Will- 
son,  was  a native  of  Vermont,  but  removed  to 
Washington  county,  N.  Y. , and  resided  at  the 
town  of  Greenwdch  for  sixty  years.  He  died 
February  13,  1880,  at  the  age  of  eighty-seven 
years.  The  mother  of  Volney  was  Susan 
(Clapp)  Willson,  a lady  of  Welsh  antecedents 
on  the  father’s  side,  while  the  maternal  ances- 
tors were  Scotch.  She  was  born  in  Salem, 
Washington  county,  N.  Y. , and  died  in  August, 
1875,  in  her  seventy-sixth  year.  Volney  was 
the  eldest  of  twelve  children,  eleven  of  whom, 
at  some  time  during  their  lives,  were  engaged 
in  school  teaching.  He  received  his  prelimi- 
nary education  in  the  district  schools  of  his  na- 
tive county,  and  when  he  w'as  tw'elve  years 
old,  entered  a seminary  at  Union  village,  N.  Y. , 
where  he  pursued  his  studies  during  the  four 


succeeding  summers.  Afterw'ard  he  engaged 
in  teaching  school  during  the  winter,  and  in 
summer  was  employed  on  the  home  farm.  When 
twenty-one  years  of  age  he  came  to  Muncie 
and  taught  school  for  two  years.  At  the  end 
of  that  time  he  formed  a partnership  with  John 
A.  Gilbert  in  the  grocery  trade,  but  about  two 
years  later,  again  engaged  in  teaching  school. 
During  the  next  few  years  he  was  engaged 
alternately  in  teaching,  superintending  his 
farm  of  500  acres,  and  acting  as  deputy  treas- 
urer of  Delaware  county.  In  1844  he  was 
elected  to  the  office  of  county  treasurer,  and 
W'as  re-elected  three  consecutive  terms,  this 
fact  being  a sufficient  guarantee  of  his  ability 
and  the  confidence  reposed  in  him  by  the  peo- 
ple. After  1853,  he  devoted  his  time  to  farm- 
ing and  stock  raising,  brokerage  transactions 
and  buying  and  selling  w’ool,  cattle,  etc.  He 
was  regarded  as  one  of  the  leading  farmers  of 
the  state,  as  he  was  one  of  the  most  system- 
atic. His  domain  of  900  acres  w'as  w'ell  culti- 
vated and  bore  evidence  of  skilled  tillage  in  all 
of  its  departments.  He  was  quite  enthusiastic 
with  the  state  fairs  in  an  official  capacity.  He 
was  a friend  of  public  enterprises,  and  sub- 
scribed hberall}'  to  all  the  railroads  and  turn- 
pikes centering  in  Muncie.  He  was  a director 
and  treasurer  of  the  Muncie  & Granville  turn- 
pike, and  of  the  IMuncie  & Yorktow'n  Turnpike 
company.  For  eight  years  he  w'as  a director 
of  the  Branch  bank  of  the  State  of  Indiana, 
at  Muncie,  and  had  been  a stockholder  in  the 
Cincinnati  & Chicago,  the  Lafayette,  Muncie  & 
Bloomington,  and  the  Cleveland,  Columbus, 
Cincinnati  & Indianapolis  railroads. 

He  was  a man  of  vigorous  physique,  and, 
up  to  the  day  of  his  death,  pursued  his  daily 
labor,  uninterrupted  by  any  premonition  of  his 
speedy  demise.  He  died  suddenly  on  Monday 
morning,  June  i,  1868,  leaving  a w'ife  and 
four  children.  A city  paper,  in  an  obituary 
article  contained  the  following  tribute  to  his 


498 


MUNCIE  CITY 


memory:  “He  was  widely  known  throughout 
this  community,  and  respected  by  all  who 
knew  him.  Honest,  upright,  enterprising  and 
frugal,  he  was  an  example  worthy  of  imitation 
by  all  young  men.  His  integrity  and  fair 
dealing  were  above  suspicion,  and  no  one  bore 
a more  unsullied  character.  He  was  thor- 
oughly identified  with  the  interests  of  Muncie, 
which  he  had  made  his  home  for  so  many 
years,  and  quietly  accomplished  much  in  ad- 
vancing her  prosperity.” 

In  politics,  he  was  originally  a whig,  but 
later  became  a republican.  He  attended  all 
of  the  political  state  conventions  during  the 
past  twenty-five  years  of  his  life,  having  offici- 
ated several  times  as  a delegate.  In  1876,  he 
was  chosen  as  a delegate  to  the  republican 
national  convention,  Philadelphia,  but  declined. 
He  was  independent  in  his  religious  views,  yet 
he  was  a generous  contributor  to  the  erection 
and  maintenance  of  churches,  and  every 
church  in  Muncie  owes  something  to  his  liber- 
ality. He  was  initiated  into  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows  in  1852,  and  has  taken 
all  the  degrees  of  the  subordinate  lodge.  He 
was  also  a friend  to  the  cause  of  education. 
In  his  business  relations  Mr.  Willson  always 
sustained  a reputation  for  honest  and  fair 
dealing,  and  he  was  never  involved  in  a suit 
at  law  on  his  own  account.  He  was  appreci- 
ated by  all  who  knew  him,  and  was  recognized 
as  a reliable  and  worthy  citizen.  In  Febru- 
ary, 1843,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Elizabeth  Gilbert,  a daughter  of  John  Alsop 
Gilbert,  and  reared  a family  consisting  of  two 
daughters  and  four  sons. 

John  Alsop  Gilbert,  the  third  child  and 
eldest  son  of  his  parents,  was  born  at  Bristol, 
N.  Y.,  October  22,  1799.  When  but  five 

years  of  age  he  lost  his  father  by  death,  and 
was  taken  by  his  uncle,  Jedithan  Gilbert,  to 
his  home  at  Hague,  N.  Y. , with  whom  he  con- 
tinued to  reside  until  after  he  attained  his  ma- 


jority, receiving,  in  the  meantime,  a good 
English  education.  While  residing  at  the 
town  of  Hague  his  uncle  was  largely  engaged 
in  the  lumber  trade.  He  removed  to  Wash- 
ington county,  N.  Y. , while  J.  Alsop  Gilbert 
was  yet  a small  boy,  and  it  was  here  that  the 
latter  received  the  greater  part  of  his  educa- 
cation  and  grew  to  manhood.  In  October, 
1823,  Mr.  Gilbert  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Mahala  Potter,  in  Washington  county, 
N.  Y. , and  subsequently  removed  with  his 
wife  to  Erie  county,  in  the  same  state.  He 
had  learned  the  cooper’s  trade,  and,  after  his 
removal  to  the  last  named  point,  he  carried 
on  his  trade  in  connection  with  farming.  He 
was  thus  engaged  until  1836,  when  he  sought 
a home  in  the  v/est.  Goldsmith  C.  Gilbert, 
his  half-uncle,  had  settled  here  a number  of 
years  previously.  He  arrived  in  Muncie  in 
June,  1836,  and,  in  the  fall  of  that  year, 
rented  the  mill  of  Goldsmith  C.  Gilbert,  which 
he  operated  successfully  for  about  two  years. 
He  then  engaged  in  the  cooper’s  trade  at 
Muncie,  supplying  barrele  for  Hunter  & Go., 
who  were  extensively  engaged  in  pork-packing. 
He  purchased  a farm  west  of  Muncie,  which 
he  cultivated  successfully  in  addition  to  per- 
forming his  labors  in  town.  He  was  an  ener- 
getic worker,  and,  by  honest  toil  and  close 
attention  to  business,  amassed  a comfortable 
fortune.  He  was  regarded  as  one  of  the  best 
citizens  of  the  county,  and  was  identified  with 
its  interests  and  improvements  for  a period  of 
thirty-two  years.  In  1838,  he  was  elected 
justice  of  the  peace,  and  in  the  following  year 
was  elected  associate  judge  of  Delaware  county. 
After  his  retirement  from  this  office  he  was 
again  elected  justice  of  the  peace,  serving 
for  several  years.  While  serving  in  this  ca- 
pacity, he  always  endeavored  to  restore  peace 
and  good  feeling  between  litigants,  and  often 
adjusted  cases  thus,  while  quietly  sitting  in  his 
house  or  shop,  without  having  them  come  to 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


503 


trial  at  all.  He  lost  his  fees,  of  course,  but 
he  did  not  care. 

Mr.  Gilbert’s  first  wife  died  in  January, 
1854,  leaving  three  children,  viz.:  Elizabeth, 
now  the  widow  of  Volney  Willson;  Othonial, 
who  sacrificed  an  arm  in  defense  of  the  Union 
cause,  and  now  deceased;  and  Thomas  H.  In 
April,  1857,  he  was  wedded  to  Mrs.  Phoebe 
Potter,  who  still  survives.  One  son,  John 
Volney,  blessed  this  second  union.  While  Mr. 
Gilbert  was  not  identified  with  any  religious 
organization,  his  life  was  exemplary  of  Chris- 
tian principles.  He  practiced  the  “golden 
rule”  in  his  daily  life,  and  never  intentionally 
gave  pain  or  offense. 

He  died  August  20,  1890,  and  his  remains 
rest  in  the  beautiful  cemetery  of  Beech  Grove. 
He  was  known  and  honored  throughout  the 
county,  and  was  followed  to  his  last  repose  by 
a sad  concourse  of  citizens  and  the  pioneers 
with  whom  he  had  been  associated  in  other 
days.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gilbert,  parents  of  Mrs. 
Willson,  were  pioneers  of  Muncie.  John  A. 
Gilbert’s  father,  Othohial  Gilbert,  who  was  of 
English  descent,  settled  in  Ontario  county,  N. 
Y. , where  he  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Watt,  of 
Scotch  antecedents,  about  the  year  1794  or 
1795-  The  fruits  of  this  union  were  six  chil- 
dren, named,  respecttively,  Azuba,  Betsy, 
John  Alsop,  Sewell,  Polly  and  Othonial. 


OHN  W.  WILSON,  a prominent  farm- 
er of  Gentre  township,  was  born  in 
Clinton  county,  Ohio,  March  4,  1836. 
His  father,  Benoni  Wilson,  was  born 
in  the  same  county  and  state  in  the  year  1800, 
the  son  of  Amos  Wilson,  whose  wife  was  a 
Mills.  The  Wilson  family  moved  to  Ohio  in 
a very  early  day  from  Kentucky,  and  the  Mills 
family  were  among  the  old  pioneers  of  Penn- 
sylvania, in  which  state  Mrs.  Amos  Wilson 


was  born.  Benoni  Wilson  was  reared  a farm- 
er in  Clinton  county,  Ohio,  and,  in  connec- 
tion with  tilling  the  soil,  carried  on  the  manu- 
facture of  brick,  and  was  also  a brick  mason. 
He  was  a man  of  more  than  average  mental 
endowments,  and  while  still  young  in  years, 
entered  the  ministry  of  the  Christian  church, 
of  which  communion  he  was  an  honored 
preacher  until  his  death.  He  came  to  Dela- 
ware county,  Ind.,  in  1836,  settling  in  Dela- 
ware township,  where  he  carried  on  agricul- 
tural pursuits  and  brick  making  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  1847.  Upon  all  public  and 
political  questions  of  his  time,  Benoni  Wilson 
had  broad  and  decided  views,  and  he  early 
became  an  uncompromising  enemy  of  slavery, 
which  institution  he  opposed  with  all  the  pow- 
ers of  his  nature.  As  a man,  he  was  widely 
and  favorably  known,  and  as  a Christian,  his 
life  was  a practical  exemplification  of  the  pure 
teachings  of  the  Nazarene.  His  wife,  whose 
maiden  name  was  Martha  Long,  also  a native 
of  Clinton  county,  Ohio,  survived  him  a num- 
ber of  years,  dying  in  March,  1868.  The  fol- 
lowing are  the  names  of  the  children  born  to 
Martha  and  Benoni  Wilson:  MaryJ.,  deceased; 
Jesse  W. , a resident  of  Sacramento,  Cal.; 
John  W. , whose  name  introduces  this  sketch; 
Lucinda  A.,  widow  of  Capt.  M.  B.  Gregory, 
who  was  killed  in  the  battle  of  Nashville, 
Tenn. ; Amos  L. , a banker  of  Lyndon,  Kan., 
Rachael,  wife  of  E.  Shideler,  a merchant  of 
Lyndon,  Kan.,  and  Benoni  G. , a farmer  of 
Osage  county,  Kan. 

John  W.  Wilson  remained  on  the  farm 
until  his  twentieth  year,  at  which  time  he 
began  working  at  carpentering,  and  followed 
that  occupation  for  a limited  period.  He 
next  turned  his  attention  to  farming,  and  his 
success  as  an  agriculturist  is  attested  by  the 
fact  that,  from  a very  insignificant  beginning, 
he  has  succeeded  in  accumulating  a very  valu- 
able property,  being  at  this  time  the  possessor 


504 


MUNCIE  CITY 


of  240  acres  of  as  fine  land  as  lies  in  Delaware 
county,  the  greater  part  of  which  is  highly 
cultivated  and  substantially  improved.  His 
first  purchase  of  real  estate  in  Centre  town- 
ship, consisting  of  forty  acres,  was  made  in 
i860,  and  by  careful  financiering  and  well 
directed  thrift  he  has  added  to  his  original 
tract  from  time  to  time,  until  he  is  now  the 
owner  of  the  beautiful  place  above  noted. 

Mr.  Wilson  was  married  August  24,  1859, 
in  Monroe  township,  Delaware  county,  to 
Nancy  J.  Cooley,  daughter  of  William  S.  and 
Jane  (Rainey)  Cooley,  both  natives  of  New 
York  and  early  pioneers  of  this  county.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Wilson  have  never  been  blessed  with 
any  children' of  their  own,  but  they  are  raising 
the  child  of  their  relatives,  a daughter  of  Will- 
iam and  Flawry  Peterson.  Mr.  Wilson  is  a 
public  spirited  man,  a republican  in  his  polit- 
ical affiliations,  and  in  addition  to  his  real 
estate  in  the  country  owns  a valuable  property 
in  the  city  of  Muncie. 


R.  HENRY  CLAY  WINANS  (de- 
ceased), was  born  on  the  31st  day  of 
December,  1829,  in  Greene  county, 
Ohio.  His  father  was  Matthias  Wi- 
nans,  who  was  a preacher  and  a physician  in 
Greene  county,  Ohio,  was  born  near  Maysville, 
Ky.,  and  in  1815,  at  Maysville,  married  Mary 
Winans.  Matthias  Winans  was  born  March  8, 

1791,  and  Mary  Winans  was  born  February  14, 

1792.  The  paternal  great-grandfather  of  Dr. 

Henry  C.  was  born  in  1745,  and  his  great- 
grandmother in  1752.  Dr.  Winans  was  one  of 
a family  of  eight  children,  of  whom  five  are 
now  living:  Dr.  Wilson  C.  Winans  at  Louis- 

ville, 111.,  Mrs.  Adelia  Dawson  at  Golumbus, 
Ohio,  Mrs.  Zerelda  Green,  of  Salem,  111.,  Mrs. 
Clarissa  Harper,  of  Lima,  Ohio,  and  Mrs.  Fan- 
nie Syfers.  One  of  his  brothers  was  Hon.  James 


J.  Whnans,  who  was  a member  of  congress  from 
Greene  county,  Ohio,  and  for  several  years 
judge  of  that  county.  Samuel  J.  Winans,  the 
youngest  brother  of  the  doctor,  born  November 
17,  1836,  was  sergeant  major  of  the  Fourth 
Illinois  volunteer  infantry,  and  was  killed  at 
Missionary  Ridge,  November  25,  1863,  by  a 
rifle  ball,  and  his  remains  found  interment  be- 
side those  of  his  parents  at  Youngstown,  Ohio. 

Heni'y  Clay  Winans  received  his  literary 
education  at  the  common  schools  at  James- 
town, Ohio,  and  at  the  Bethany  college,  W.  Va. 
He  read  medicine  with  his  father,  and  probably 
with  his  brother-in-law.  Dr.  John  Dawson,  who 
subsequently  occupied  the  chair  of  anatomy  in 
the  Sterling  Medical  college  of  Columbus,  Ohio. 
Dr.  Winans,  having  been  thus  prepared  by  his 
preceptors,  attended  lectures  at  this  institution 
and  afterward  commenced  the  practive  of  his 
profession  at  Xenia,  111.  In  the  spring  of  1862 
he  located  at  Muncie  and  soon  took  a front 
rank  among  the  physicians  of  this  portion  of 
the  state.  Dr.  Winans  was  regarded  as  the 
best  read  physician  on  the  theory  and  practice 
of  medicine  in  this  county,  and  his  counsels 
will  be  sadly  missed  by  his  professional  col- 
leagues. Sometime  during  the  war  he  con- 
tracted rheumatism,  and  for  the  past  twenty 
years  of  his  life  he  was  a most  acute  sufferer 
from  this  disease.  For  the  last  few  years  he 
was  almost  entirely  incapacitated  from  prac- 
tice outside  of  his  office.  But  still  through  all 
his,  sufferings  his  mind  remained  unimpaired, 
and  his  advice  was  always  sought  after  and 
regarded  by  the  other  physicians  of  the  city, 
and  in  his  death  the  medical  fraternity  sustain- 
ed a great  loss.  From  the  inception  of  the 
board  of  health  of  the  city  of  Muncie,  Dr. 
Winans  was  an  active  member  until  his  bodily 
sufferings  compelled  him  to  retire. 

Dr.  Winans  was  twice  married — the  first 
time,  in  1854,  at  Jamestown,  Ohio,  to  Miss 
Lucy  E.  Dakin,  who  was  born  August  4,  1828, 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


505 


and  died  in  1859.  The  result  of  this  marriage 
was  the  birth  of  two  children;  the  elder,  Dr. 
Harry  Winans,  is  the  onl}'  one  living.  Charles, 
the.younger,  was  born  January  15,  1859,  and 
died  at  the  hospital  in  Cincinnati  on  Decem- 
ber 7th,  1882.  Dr.  Winans  married  for  his 
second  wife.  Miss  Arabella  Paullin,  in  i860. 
One  daughter,  Mayne,  was  born  October  2 1 , 
1862,  and  is  now  Mrs.  Carl  Spilker.  The 
doctor  was  a member  of  the  Christian  church, 
having  joined  at  Canton,  Ohio,  in  1857,  and 
of  the  Masonic  fraternity.  Few  men  struggled 
more  persistently  or  more  successfully  than  did 
the  deceased,  and  possessing  a courage  that 
brooked  of  no  defeat,  he  made  his  way  against 
reverses  that  would  have  blinded  the  progress 
of  most  men.  His  rule  through  life  was 
founded  upon  the  principle  of  never  deviating 
from  a fixed  purpose,  and  by  his  faithfulness 
he  obtained  the  confidence  of  all  around  him. 
In  the  medical  societies  of  which  the  deceased 
was  connected  he  was  an  influential  member, 
and  his  judgment  was  of  great  weight  with  all 
his  colleagues.  Exceedingly  careful  and  ever 
conservative  in  arriving  at  conclusions,  he  was 
modest,  but  manly,  in  maintaining  them,  and 
was  more  of  a practical  than  a showy  man — a 
man  of  deeds  rather  than  words — and  never 
stepped  aside  from  his  chosen  field  of  labor  to 
mingle  in  other  circles.  As  a private  citizen 
he  was  always  found  generous  and  full  of 
noble  impulses,  and  his  character  was  marked 
by  integrity,  geniality  and  true  benevolence. 
He  was  a man  of  incorruptible  integrity,  and 
of  wonderful  mental  activity  and  splendid  at- 
tainments in  his  profession.  He  was  a close 
student  to  the  end  of  his  career,  and  his  clear 
mind,  retentive  memory  and  logical  reasoning 
povvers  enabled  him  to  gain  large  information 
in  every  avenue  of  intellectual  development 
and  research,  and  to  apply  it  in  the  practice 
of  his  profession  and  the  ways  of  life.  He 
always  possessed  the  courage  of  his  convictions. 


and  was  enabled  to  sustain  any  position  he 
took  on  any  subject  with  reasoning  of  the 
clearest  character.  The  lamented  death  of 
Dr.  H.  C.  Winans  took  place  October  16, 
1884. 


OBERT  WINTON,  M.  D.  (deceased), 
of  Muncie,  was  born  in  Rossville,  But- 
ler county,  Ohio,  November  14,  1820, 
and  devoted  most  of  his  life  to  the 
study  and  practice  of  medicine.  He  removed 
to  Crawfordsville,  Ind.,  in  1831,  where,  four 
years  later,  he  entered  Wabash  college,  with 
the  intention  of  taking  the  full  course,  but,  on 
account  of  the  death  of  his  father,  which  oc- 
curred in  1832,  he  was  unable,  through  lack  of 
means,  to  remain  in  the  institution  more  than 
two  years.  After  leaving  the  school  he  became 
a clerk  in  the  store  of  his  brother,  Matthew 
H.,  in  Lafayette,  and  stayed  there  until  the 
fall  of  1838.  During  the  succeeding  winter  he 
read  medicine  in  the  office  of  his  brother-in-law 
in  Dayton,  Ind.  The  next  year  he  accepted 
a place  as  salesman  in  the  general  mercantile 
establishment  of  Bloomfield,  Russey  & Jack, 
at  Muncie,  with  whom  he  remained  one  year, 
and  then  entered  the  employ  of  Whllard  & Put- 
nam, merchants,  and  held  that  position  the 
same  length  of  time.  Then  he  went  to  Craw- 
fordsville, and  for  one  year  spent  all  his  leisure 
in  the  study  of  medicine,  under  the  direction 
of  his  brother,  Whlliam  R.  Winton,  M.  D., 
after  which  he  returned  to  Muncie  and  entered 
the  office  of  Dr.  W^.  C.  Willard.  His  previ- 
ous medical  studies  had  prepared  him  for  a 
ready  comprehension  of  the  science,  and  he 
now  made  ver}^  satisfactury  progress.  Two 
years  later  he  married  Elmira,  daughter  of 
Stephen  Long,  former  treasurer  of  Delaware 
county.  In  October  of  that  year  he  removed 
to  WTeeling,  Delaware  county,  and  commenced 
the  practice  of  medicine.  Hitherto  the  force 


506 


MUNCIE  CITY 


of  circumstances  had  made  Mr.  Winton  ap- 
parently capricious,  but  now  he  had  secured 
a vantage  ground  from  which  he  could  not  be 
easily  moved.  Here  he  remained  eleven  years, 
steadily  engaged  in  the  duties  of  his  profession. 
Through  his  e.xperience  and  study  he  had  thus 
far  attained  a degree  of  proficiency  with 
which  many  are  content;  but,  aspiring  to 
a more  extended  knowledge,  he  entered  Rush 
Medical  college,  at  Chicago,  in  1855,  and 
graduated  in  the  following  February.  In 
the  fall  of  1856  he  returned  to  Muncie, 
and  in  January,  1857,  formed  a partnership 
with  his  old  preceptor.  Dr.  W.  C.  Willard, 
but,  because  of  that  gentleman’s  ill  health,  this 
relation  was  dissolved  in  the  fall  of  1858. 
During  the  four  subsequent  years  he  was  asso- 
ciated, first,  with  Dr  W.  J.  Andrews,  and  then 
with  his  nephew.  Dr.  Horace  Winton.  In 
June,  1872,  he  entered  into  partnership  with 
Dr.  G.  W.  H.  Kemper.  While  in  Wheeling, 
Dr.  Winton  was  connected  with  the  Grant 
county  Medical  society,  and,  after  locating  in 
Muncie,  he  helped  organize  the  Delaware 
county  Medical  society,  and  was  for  some  time 
its  president.  In  March,  1866,  he  was.  a mem- 
ber of  the  convention  that  reorganized  the  old 
State  Medical  society  into  a delegated  body  and 
was  associated  with  it  until  his  death.  He  was 
also  a member  of  the  American  Medical  asso- 
ciation. He  was  a member  of  the  Independ- 
ent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  took  all  the 
degrees  of  the  encampment,  and  was  a repre- 
sentative to  the  grand  lodge  of  the  state.  In 
politics  the  doctor  was  content  to  remain  in 
the  rank  and  file  of  his  party — the  republi- 
can— never  having  sought  political  favors  nor 
held  any  office  except  that  of  member  of  the 
city  council.  Educational  and  religious  inter- 
ests were  to  him  a more  congenial  field,  and  in 
this  he  acted  officially  as  a school  trustee  and 
an  elder  of  the  Presbyterian  church.  Dr.  Win- 
ton had  five  children,  four  of  whom  are  living: 


Emma  J.,  wife  of  A.  S.  Haines,  commission 
merchant  of  Kansas  City;  Mary  L. , married 
to  J.  W.  Perkins;  George  W.  Winton,  plumb- 
er, and  Carrie  L. , married  to  Will  W.  Kirby, 
Dr.  Winton’s  ability  to  trace  the  devious  paths 
of  disease  through  the  system,  and  to  remove 
it,  with  its  effects,  was  recognized  in  the  suc- 
cessful results  of  his  practice,  and  the  enviable 
reputation  he  gained.  Those  qualities  of  mind 
and  heart  that  do  not  pertain  to  the  mere 
knowledge  of  medical  science,  but  greatly  en- 
hance the  true  worth  of  a family  physician, 
were  not  wanting  in  him.  In  social  and  relig- 
ious circles  he  was  justly  esteemed,  and  his  in- 
fluence in  the  community  was  that  of  a man  of 
culture  and  moral  refinement.  He  died  July 
30,  1885. 


NOCH  WITT,  proprietor  of  the  Buck 
Creek  Flouring  mills,  Muncie,  is  a 
native  of  Delaware  county,  Ind. , 
and  dates  his  birth  from  the  31st 
day  of  January,  1850.  Mr.  Witt  is  a repre- 
sentative of  one  of  the  oldest  families  of  Indi- 
ana, members  of  which  settled  within  the 
present  limits  of  the  state  when  it  formed  a 
part  of  the  Northwest  territory.  His  parents, 
John  C.  and  Hannah  H.  (Tuttle)  Witt,  were 
both  natives  of  Delaware  county,  and  descend- 
ants of  the  early  pioneers  who  lead  the  van  of 
civilization  into  what  is  now  one  of  the  most 
prosperous  and  progressive  sections  of  the 
great  state  of  Indiana.  John  Witt  died  March 
28,  1866,  and  his  widow  afterwards  became 
the  wife  of  Morris  Kidnocker,  who  is  miller  in 
charge  of  the  Buck  Creek  Flouring  mills. 
Until  eighteen  years  of  age,  Enoch  Witt  lived 
with  his  parents  on  the  home  farm,  and  then 
accepted  a clerkship  in  a general  goods  store 
at  Granville,  in  which  capacity  he  continued 
for  a period  of  two  and  one-half  years.  His 
next  venture  was  in  the  grocery  business  in 


e- 


i X'lw. 

/’I', 


vlS» 


ENOCH  WITT. 


MRS.  E.  F.  WITT. 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


511 


Muncie  in  partnership  with  E.  Anthony,  which 
relation  was  continued  six  months,  Mr.  Witt 
managing  his  farm  in  the  meantime,  and  he 
continued  the  pursuit  of  agriculture  until  the 
death  of  his  wife  in  1879,  when  he  began  buy- 
ing and  selling  horses.  He  devoted  his  atten- 
tion to  the  latter  for  a limited  period,  and, 
until  1888,  looked  after  his  farm,  but  in  that 
year  purchased  the  Buck  Creek  Flouring  mills 
of  Muncie,  which  he  still  owns  and  operates. 

Mr.  Witt  and  Miss  Susan  C.  Stafford,  of 
Delaware  county,  were  united  in  marriage 
March  20,  1874,  which  tender  relation  was 
rudely  severed  by  the  death  of  Mrs.  Witt, 
which  occurred  March  15,  1879.  She  was  a 
woman  of  many  excellent  traits  of  character, 
the  mother  of  one  child,  Roy  Witt,  and  her 
remains  were  laid  to  rest  in  what  is  known  as 
the  Black  cemetery,  Delaware  township, 
where  a beautiful  monument  has  been  erected 
to  her  memory.  On  the  2 2d  day  of  Decem- 
ber, 1879,  Mr.  Witt  married  his  present  wife. 
Miss  Emma  F.  Motes,  who  was  born  in  Mun- 
cie, Ind.,  February  12,  i860,  daughter  of  John 
and  Hannah  Motes,  a union  blessed  with  the 
birth  of  four  children:  Carl,  Pearl,  Thad  and 
Clarence.  Mr.  Witt  is  a stanch  republican  in 
politics,  a Mason  of  high  standing,  and  be- 
longs to  the  I.  O.  O.  F. , K.  of  H.  and  Im- 
proved Order  of  Red  Men.  He  is  one  of  Del- 
aware county’s  most  influential  citizens  and  an 
affable  and-  courteous  gentleman.  The  mill 
of  which  he  is  proprietor,  is  located  in  the 
south  part  of  Muncie,  and  is  thoroughly  equip- 
ped with  all  the  latest  and  most  improved  ap- 
pliances for  the  manufacture  of  flour  by  the 
roller  process.  The  capacity  is  fifty  barrels 
per  day,  the  superior  quality  of  which  finds 
for  it  a ready  sale  in  the  markets  of  Muncie 
and  other  cities  of  central  Indiana.  The  mill 
is  kept  running  constantly  in  order  to  supply 
the  demand  for  its  product,  and  it  is  one  of  the 
most  highly  prized  industries  of  Muncie. 


^^^^IFFIAM  H.  H.  WOOD,  city  en- 
a m 1 gineer  of  Muncie,  is  a native  of 
Wayne  county,  Ind.,  born  on  the 
first  day  of  January,  1842,  near  the 
city  of  Richmond,  Ind.  His  paternal  grand- 
parents, David  J.  and  Rebecca  (Thomas) 
Wood,  were  natives  of  Kanawha  county,  Va. , 
and  among  the  early  pioneers  of  Wayne  coun- 
ty, Ind.,  locating  not  far  trom  the  present  site 
of  Richmond,  when  that  city  was  but  a niche 
in  the  surrounding  forest.  Joseph  T.  W^ood, 
father  of  William  H.  H.,  was  born  near  the 
town  of  Centreville,  Wayne  county,  Ind.,  and 
grew  to  manhood  on  a farm.  In  early  life  he 
learned  the  trade  of  carpentering,  which  he 
followed  for  some  years,  later  worked  at  cabi- 
net making  at  Centreville,  and  at  one  time, 
before  the  day  of  railroads,  engaged  in  the 
pork  packing  business  at  Cambridge  City, 
shipping  by  way  of  the  old  White  Water  canal 
and  the  Ohio  river  to  Cincinnati  and  other 
western  and  southern  markets.  During  the 
construction  of  the  old  Indiana  Central  rail- 
road, now  the  Pan  Handle,  he  was  bridge 
contractor  and  assisted  in  building  a goodly 
portion  of  the  line  through  Indiana.  Subse- 
quently, Mr.  Wood  was  contractor  of  a 
section  of  the  G.  R.  & I.  railroad,  also  a por- 
tion of  the  C , H.  &.  D.  R.  R , and  also  as- 
sisted in  the  construction  of  the  Fogansport 
division  of  the  Pan  Handle.  He  moved  to 
Richmond,  Ind.,  in  1856,  resided  there  a num- 
: ber  of  years,  and  then  became  a resident  of 
! Randolph  county,  locating  at  Wood’s  station, 

[ on  the  G.  R.  & I.  railroad,  where  he  made  his 
! home  until  he  removed  to  Muncie  in  1881. 
j From  the  latter  date  until  his  demise,  Mr. 

I Wood  lived  a life  of  retirement,  and  he  now 
' rests  from  his  labors  in  the  beautiful  Beech 
Grove  cemetery,  his  death  occurring  on  the 
j sixth  day  of  June,  1893,  at  the  advanced  age 
1 of  seventy-four  years.  His  was  a life  of  great 
1 activity,  and  during  over  a half-century  devoted 


512 


MUNCIE  CITY 


to  business  his  success  was  most  signal  at 
times;  but  reverses  swept  away  the  accumula- 
tions of  years.  For  over  fifty  years  he  was  a 
sincere  member  of  the  Methodist  church,  and 
in  politics  he  supported  the  old  whig  party 
until  its  disintegration,  after  which  the  repub- 
lican party  claimed  his  allegiance.  He  was 
married,  in  1840,  to  Sophia  Fender,  daughter 
of  Henry  and  Elizabeth  (Long)  Fender  of 
Wayne  connty,  and  became  the  father  of  six 
children,  namely:  William  H.  H.,  Martha 
(deceased),  Julius  C.,  Mary  A.,  Albert  and 
Leonidas. 

W.  H.  H.  Wood  obtained  his  education  in 
the  schools  of  Richmond,  supplemented  by  a 
course  in  Asbury  university  (now  DePauw)  at 
Greencastle.  For  sometime  after  leaving  col- 
lege, he  taught  in  the  schools  of  Wayne  county, 
about  eight  terms  in  all,  and  he  also  became 
proficient  in  carpentering,  which  he  followed 
with  good  success,  first  as  a builder  of  houses 
and  later  as  a constructor  of  bridges  on  the  L. , 
N.  A.  & C.  railroad.  After  working  at  the 
trade  for  some  years,  he  engaged  in  the  manu- 
facture of  lumber  at  Wood  station,  Randolph 
county,  where  he  operated  a saw  mill  for  two 
years,  at  the  end  of  which  time,  in  1872,  he 
transferred  the  business  to  Muncie,  where  for 
about  the  same  length  of  time  he  carried  on  a 
successful  lumber  trade.  In  the  meantime, 
while  at  work  with  his  father  on  the  G.  R.  & I. 
R.  R. , he  became  interested  in  civil  engineer- 
ing, for  which  he  early  evinced  great  apti- 
tude, and  under  the  instruction  of  Phineas  D. 
Pomeroy,  engineer  in  charge  of  the  line,  also 
surveyor  of  the  Miami  canal,  he  soon  accjuired 
sufficient  practical  knowledge  of  the  profession 
to  enable  him  to  engage  in  it  upon  his  own 
responsibility.  Possessing  a naturally  strong 
mathematical  mind,  as  well  as  a decided  taste 
for  engineering,  Mr.  Wood,  by  thorough  study, 
became  a very  competent  surveyor,  his  ability 
as  such  being  frequently  called  into  use  through- 


out Delaware  and  other  counties  of  eastern  In- 
diana. In  1879  he  was  elected  street  commis- 
sioner of  Muncie,  the  duties  of  which  position 
he  discharged  two  terms,  after  which,  until  the 
spring  of  1882,  he  was  in  the  employ  of  the 
manufacturing  firm  of  A.  L.  Johnson  & Co.  Re- 
elected street  commissioner  and  city  engineer 
in  the  latter  year,  he  has  since  devoted  his  at- 
tention to  his  office  in  such  a way  as  to  com- 
mend him  to  the  people  as  one  of  the  most 
efficient  and  painstaking  officials  ever  elected 
to  the  position  in  the  city  of  Muncie  The  plat 
of  New  Muncie,  including  the  various  addi- 
tions made  to  the  city,  are  almost  entirely  his 
own  work,  and  he  has  been  of  great  assistance 
to  the  corporation,  as  well  as  to  individuals,  in 
submitting  estimates  that  have  saved  the  tax- 
payers many  thousands  of  dollars  in  money. 
As  a citizen  as  well  as  an  official  Mr.  Wood  is 
deservedly  popular,  and  during  a long  residence 
in  Muncie  his  private  character  has  proved 
above  reproach,  nor  has  his  official  record  ever 
been  impeached.  He  was  married,  in  1867,  to 
Sophronia  Darnall,  of  Putnam  county,  Ind., 
daughter  of  Samuel  and  Marie  Darnall.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Wood  are  the  parents  of  five  chil- 
dren: Melville,  bridge  engineer  for  the  Indiana 
Bridge  company;  Nettie,  student  at  DePauw 
univer  ity;  Ella,  Gharline  and  Rollin. 


ULIUS  G.  WOOD,  a well  known  man- 
ufacturer of  Muncie,  was  born  April  10, 
1847,  oil  9-  farm  in  Wayne  county,  Ind., 
son  of  Joseph  and  Sophia  Wood.  He 
spent  the  first  ten  years  of  his  life  on  the  home 
farm,  attending  the  country  schools  as  the 
seasons  would  admit,  and  about  1857  was 
taken  by  his  parents  to  Richmond,  Ind.,  in 
the  schools  of  which  city  he  received  a prac- 
tical education.  While  still  young  he  began 
working  on  a saw  mill,  and  was  thus  employed 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


513 


until  1864,  at  which  time  he  enlisted  in  the 
One  Hundred  and  Twenty-fourth  Indiana  in- 
fantry, company  I,  and  accompanied  his  regi- 
ment to  the  front,  the  command  forming  a 
part  of  the  Twenty-third  corps,  army  of  the 
Tennessee.  Mr.  Wood’s  first  actual  military 
experience  was  at  Atlanta,  Ga. , where  he  re- 
ceived his  baptism  of  fire,  taking  part  in  sev- 
eral sanguinary  battles  of  that  city,  and  later 
participated  in  the  battle  of  Franklin,  Tenn., 
after  which  his  regiment  was  removed  east  and 
joined  the  army  of  Gen.  Sherman  at  Golds- 
boro’, N.  C.  Subsequently,  Mr.  Wood  ac- 
com.panied  his  command  on  the  historic  march 
to  Raleigh,  N.  C. , where  the  Gonfederate 
forces  under  Gen.  Johnson  capitulated,  and  at 
the  close  of  the  war  was  mustered  out  of  the 
service  at  New  York  city.  Returning  to  Rich- 
mond, Ind. , after  leaving  the  army,  Mr.  Wood 
began  working  at  the  carpenter’s  trade,  which 
he  followed  successfully  for  a period  of  three 
years,  and  then  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
lumber  four  miles  south  of  Winchester,  Ran- 
dolph county,  in  partnership  with  his  brother, 
W.  H.  H.  Wood.  During  the  succeeding 
three  years  Mr.  Wood  carried  on  a very  suc- 
cessful lumber  business,  at  the  end  of  which 
time  he  came  to  Muncie  and  began  dealing 
quite  extensively  in  hard  wood  timber  and 
lumber,  following  this  line  of  trade  until  1881, 
when  he  entered  the  employ  of  A.  L.  Johnson 
& Co.,  manufacturers  of  hard  wood  lumber,  as 
superintendent  of  their  mills  in  the  city.  He 
continued  as  superintendent  until  1890,  in 
January  of  which  year  he  purchased  an  inter- 
est in  the  enterprise  and  has  since  been  a 
member  of  the  firm,  also  its  general  manager. 
With  every  detail  of  the  lumber  business  Mr. 
Wood  is  thoroughly  familiar,  and  the  com- 
pany with  which  he  is  identified  has  borne  no 
little  part  in  contributing  to  the  well  being  of 
Muncie  and  Delaware  county.  In  business 
circles  he  occupies  a conspicuous  position,  his 


judgment  being  seldom  wrong  in  matters  of 
business  policy,  and  he  may  be  regarded  as  a 
noted  example  of  those  principles  which  win 
success.  Fraternally,  Mr.  Wood  is  a Mason 
of  high  standing,  having  taken  all  the  Scottish 
rite  degrees  and  filled  the  various  positions  of 
the  York  rite.  Politically,  he  has  ever  been  a 
supporter  of  the  republican  party,  and  in  re- 
ligion subscribes  to  the  Methodist  creed, 
belonging  with  his  wife  to  the  High  street 
church  of  Muncie.  Mr.  Wood  and  Miss  Clara 
Morgan,  of  Wayne  county,  Ind.,  daughter  of 
William  and  Sarah  Morgan,  were  united  in 
marriage  October  10,  1867,  the  offspring  of 
which  union  is  one  child,  Charles  A.  Wood,  a 
civil  engineer  of  Muncie. 


HILIP  W.  PATTERSON  is  the 
youngest  son  of  Philip  and  Nancy  A. 
(Kinkaid)  Patterson.  His  father  was 
a Yhrginia  farmer  and  raised  a family 
of  three  sons  and  four  daughters,  of  whom 
there  are  living  to-day  the  eldest  brother, 
Amaziah  B.,  a farmer  in  Henry  county,  Ind., 
and  two  widowed  sisters,  living  near  Fairmont, 
W.  Va. , viz:  Mary  Ann  Ross  and  Cleinenza 

Swearingen.  Philip  W.  Patterson  was  born  on 
a farm  in  Marion  county,  W.  Va. , April  10, 
1829.  His  boyhood  and  youth  were  spent  at- 
tending the  common  schools  of  that  period 
and  working  on  the  farm  until  he  reached  his 
majority,  when  he  learned  the  trade  of  a 
tanner.  On  completing  his  apprenticeship,  he 
established  a tannery  of  his  own  near  Fair- 
mont, W.  Va. , and  operated  it  successfully 
from  1850  to  1859;  at  which  time  he  dispo.sed 
of  his  interests  and  migrated  to  Indiana,  set- 
tling in  Henry  county,  at  the  head  of  Buck 
creek,  three  miles  from  the  village  of  Luray. 
Here  Mr.  Patterson  purchased  a comparatively 
new  farm,  and  during  his  residence  of  twenty- 


514 


MUNCIE  CITY 


two  years  there  he  cleared  up  and  improved  a 
large  portion  thereof  and  erected  upon  it 
superior  farm  buildings  and  other  improve- 
ments. 

Mr.  Patterson  moved  to  Muncie  in  i88i 
primarily  for  the  purpose  of  securing  better 
advantages  of  education  and  society  for  his 
family.  He,  however,  still  retahis  his  real 
estate  interests  at  his  old  home  in  Henry 
county,  w'hich  consists  of  275  acres  of  land 
adjacent  to  Buck  creek,  and  consisting  of  rich, 
alluvial  bottom  and  uplands,  well  watered  and 
under  a high  state  of  cultivation.  During  Mr. 
Patterson’s  residence  there  he  was  successfully 
engaged  in  raising  both  stock  and  grain. 
Since  coming  to  Muncie,  he  has  devoted  his 
time  to  the  supervising  and  caring  for  his  farm 
interests  in  Henry  county  and  renting  his 
properties  in  Muncie.  In  politics,  Mr.  Patter- 
son has  been  a republican  since  the  time  of 
Abraham  Lincoln,  having  previously  been  a 
whig;  and  while  always  active  in  the  advance- 
ment of  his  party's  interest,  had  never  allowed 
his  name  to  be  used  in  connection  with  any 
position  of  trust  during  the  earlier  and  more 
active  period  of  his  life.  In  1891,  he  was 
elected  councilman  from  the  Fourth  ward  of 
Muncie,  and  is  at  present  ably  and  con- 
scientiously representing  his  constituents  in 
that  body.  During  the  last  three  years.  Coun- 
cilman Patterson  has  been  actively  identified 
in  the  vast  public  improvements  inaugurated 
in  this  city,  being  chairman  of  the  committee 
on  streets  and  alleys  and  serving  on  several 
other  important  committees. 

Mr.  Patterson  united  with  the  Methodist 
Protestant  church  when  twenty-four  years  of 
age,  and,  during  the  entire  years  of  his  man- 
hood, has  been  not  only  a zealous  worker  in 
building  up  the  spiritual  interests  of  the  church, 
but  in  three  different  communities,  in  which 
he  lived,  has  aided  with  a beneficent  hand  in 
advancing  the  material  interests  of  the  church. 


He  serves  his  church  here  as  trustee,  and  with 
untiring  zeal.  He  has  contributed  liberally 
both  of  his  time  and  means  to  the  erection  of 
the  beautiful  new  church  on  Jackson  street. 
Mr.  Patterson  was  married  in  1854  to  Miss 
Rebecca  Graham,  daughter  of  Ebenezer  and 
Elizabeth  (Thomas)  Graham,  of  Eairmont, 
W.  Va.  Of  this  marriage,  eleven  children 
have  been  born,  five  of  whom  died  in  infancy. 
The  others  are  Rosa  Lee,  wife  of  I.  T.  Lake, 
a prominent  grocer  of  Muncie;  Elorence  V., 
wife  of  Henry  Klein,  a leading  jeweler  of 
Muncie;  Mary  Frances,  widow  of  the  late  F. 
M.  Boyer,  of  Muncie;  Bertha  May  and  Sylvia 
G. , are  still  at  home  with  their  parents;  Cora 
P.  was  the  w'ife  of  John  F.  Shore  and  died  at 
the  home  of  her  father,  September  25,  1893, 
at  the  age  of  twenty-one. 


I ELI  AM  NEEDAM  WHITELY  is 
S m I those  generous,  talented  and 

gifted  men  that  Ohio  is  so  proud  to 
number  among  her  famous  sons.  He 
has  sounded  the  same  of  his  native  city  and 
state  in  every  country  in  the  world,  and  his 
inventive  genius  has  benefited  all  mankind. 
The  city  of  Muncie  is  fortunate  in  adding  to 
her  citizenship  one  whose  inventive  genius  has 
ah'eady  built  one  flourishing  city,  and  which 
will  materially  insure  her  own  future  growth 
and  prosperity.  Mr.  Whitley  was  born  August 
3,  1835,  near  the  city  of  Springfield,  Clarke 
county,  Ohio.  He  was  the  eldest  of  six  chil- 
dren, and  his  father,  Andrew  Whitely,  was  a 
farmer  and  a man  of  ability.  William’s  boy- 
hood days  were  spent  in  school,  and  in  assist- 
ing his  father  on  the  farm,  where  he  acquired 
an  experience  in  agricultural  life  which  was 
destined  to  shape  his  future  career.  He  early 
showed  a fondness  for  tools  and  machinery. 
At  the  age  of  seventeen  he  invented  a breech- 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


515 


loading  rifle,  which  was  so  successful  that  the 
same  principle  is  still  used  in  the  breech-load- 
ing cannon  of  the  most  improved  pattern,  and 
in  the  rifle  of  the  present  day.  While  labori- 
ously wielding  the  cradle  and  scythe  in  his 
father’s  fields,  the  great  need  of  a speedier  and 
easier  method  of  harvesting  so  impressed  itself 
on  his  mind,  that  the  invention  of  labor-saving 
machinery  for  the  farmer  became  the  great  ob- 
ject of  his  life.  His  first  idea  of  a reaper  was 
a huge  pair  of  shears,  each  cut  of  which  was  to 
make  a sheaf.  The  application  of  horse  power 
to  harvesting  grain  had  long  been  thought  of 
and  some  active  minds  had  undertaken  the  so- 
lution of  the  problem.  Gladstone  and  Bell, 
in  England,  fully  fifteen  years  previous,  had 
failed  to  make  it  practical;  McCormick,  Hus- 
sey, Ampler  and  others  had  attempted  to  solve 
the  difficulties  that  could  not  be  overcome  in  the 
seventeenth  century,  but  none  of  them,  with 
the  exception  of  Hussey,  had  been  successful. 
It  was  nearly  two  years  after  his  first  concep- 
tion of  a reaper  that  an  old  Hussey  machine 
came  into  the  neighborhood,  and  from  that 
time  until  now  Mr.  Whitely’s  life  has  been 
devoted  to  the  construction  of  a perfect  har- 
vesting machine.  The  year  following,  he  left 
the  farm  and  went  to  Springfield  to  learn  the 
machinist’s  trade  with  Hatch  & Whitely,  the 
latter  being  his  uncle;  he  remained  with  that 
firm  while  it  continued  in  business,  and  later 
became  owner  of  its  little  plant.  He  now 
stood  upon  the  threshold  of  a great  career;  he 
saw  before  him  the  mighty  possibilities  of  the 
agricultural  resources  of  this  country;  his  early 
experience  told  him  what  was  needed  to  de- 
velop them,  and  he  set  to  work  to  construct 
a harvesting  machine.  His  creative  genius, 
combined  with  untiring  energy  and  close  at- 
tention, brought  the  desired  result,  and  in  1852 
there  sprung  from  his  brain  the  greatest  inven- 
tion of  his  age.  His  was  a complete  machine 
from  the  first;  it  has  been  added  to  and  beau- 


tified, but  the  original  idea  was  full  fledged 
and  complete.  Mr.  Whitely  constructed  one 
reaper  during  that  year  and  twenty-five  during 
the  next;  operating  them  in  the  harvest  of 

1853,  ahd  improving  and  developing  them  in 

1854.  In  1855,  he  perfected  and  manufac- 
tured for  the  trade  the  first  combined  self- 
raking  .reaper  and  mower.  In  1856,  Mr. 
Whitely  entered  into  partnership  with  Jerome 
Fassler,  and  the  following  year,  Mr.  Oliver  S. 
Kelley  joined  the  firm,  since  which  time,  in  all 
thirty-six  years,  Mr.  Kelley  has  had  some  in- 
terests directly  or  indirectly  with  Mr.  Whitely. 
Such  untiring  energy,  such  determination  and 
pluck  always  succeed,  and  it  did  with  Mr. 
Whitely. 

By  i860,  all  obstacles  had  been  surmount- 
ed; his  business  increased  and  prospered. 
The  firms  established  through  his  instrumen- 
tality were  those  of  Whitely,  Fassler  & Kelley, 
The  Champion  Machine  Co.,  and  Warder, 
Bushnell  & Glessner;  the  latter  concerns 
building  Whitely  Champion  machines  under 
royalty;  also  the  Whitely  Malleable  Iron  works, 
and  two  factories  in  Canada,  one  of  which  was 
The  Toronto  Reaper  works.  These  combined 
concerns  employed  4,  500  men  and  manufac- 
tured 60,000  machines  per  year.  They  did  a 
business  of  $10,000,000  a year,  and  extended 
the  name  of  Mr.  Whitely  to  every  part  of  the 
civilized  world. 

Mr.  Whitely  constructed  the  largest  manu- 
facturing establishment  conducted  on  private 
capital  on  this  continent,  covering  forty-five 
acres  of  ground,  and  costing  $1,000,000  to 
equip,  employing  2,800  men.  Meeting  some 
business  reverses,  he  sold  the  great  East  street 
shops,  of  Springfield,  as  they  are  called,  and 
sought  the  natural  gas  fields  of  Indiana,  where 
free  fuel  and  other  natural  advantages  render 
it  possible  to  manufacture  at  less  cost  than  in 
any  other  locality.  He  selected  Muncie  as 
the  best  city  in  the  gas  belt,  and  erected  his 


516 


MUNCIE  CITY 


factory  on  the  north  side  of  White  river;  other 
factories  are  locating  near  him,  and  already  an 
enterprising  suburb  has  sprung  into  existence, 
which  bears  the  name  of  Whitely.  With 
possibly  one  exception,  Mr.  Whitely  has  taken 
out  more  patents  than  any  other  living  Ameri- 
can, and  is  interested  in  nearly  i,ooo  patents 
on  harvesting  machinery;  he  has  designed 
probably  lOO  different  styles  of  grain  binders, 
terminating  in  what  is  know  as  the  Whitely 
Open-End  Harvesting  binder.  Being  a small, 
light  machine,  with  an  unlimited  capacity  for 
handling  the  shortest  or  longest  length  of 
straw,  he  received  a gold  medal  at  the  World’s 
fair  on  his  machine.  The  output  of  Mr. 
Whitely’s  factory  will  do  more  than  any  other 
to  extend  the  name  of  Muncie  as  a manufac- 
turing city,  not  only  over  the  entire  United 
States,  but  into  foreign  countries.  The 
Whitely  mower  and  the  Whitely  Open-End 
binders  are  the  only  perfected  machines  of 
their  kind  to-day,  and  the  demand  for  them  is 
constantly  increasing.  It  is  this  finished 
product  that  will  advertise  the  city  nf  Mr. 
Whitely’s  adoption.  Mr.  Whitely  is  a man 
of  prodigious  mental  and  physical  power,  and 
of  remarkable  endurance.  He  is  a most  cour- 
teous gentleman,  affable  in  manner,  and  gen- 
erous to  a fault;  his  donations  to  charity  and 
public  enterprise  have  been  made  often  and 
with  great  liberality:  His  busy,  active  life 

fills  a bright  page  in  the  archives  of  American 
history,  already  replete  with  the  records  and 
deeds  of  distinguished  men.  Mr.  Whitely 
was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Gove,  of  Spring- 
field,  in  1867,  where  he  resided  continuously 
until  his  removal  to  Muncie. 

The  new  town  of  Whitely,  adjoining  Mun- 
cie, already  contains  over  200  dwellings,  has 
an  electric  street  railway,  a beautiful  park  and 
natural  gas  in  great  force.  The  general  office 
of  the  Whitely  Land  company  is  at  100  west 
Washington  street,  Muncie. 


AMUEL  DYER,  superintendent  of 
William  N.  Whitely  Go’s  Harvesting 
Machine  works,  Muncie,  Ind. , was 
born  in  Somersetshire,  England,  Sep- 
tember 26,  1 846.  He  attended  the  public 

schools  until  eleven  years  of  age,  when  he  was 
apprenticed  to  learn  the  trade  of  machinist 
and  model  maker,  at  which  he  served  seven 
years.  He  subsequently  worked  four  years  as 
a journeyman  machinist  for  his  old  employers, 
then  immigrated  to  America,  at  the  age  of 
twenty-two,  and  having  acquaintances  at  Mans- 
field, Ohio,  from  his  native  country,  he  first 
located  there  and  found  employment  with  the 
Mansfield  Machine  works,  in  which  he  worked 
on  reapers  and  mowers  two  years. 

He  was  next  employed  in  the  same  city  by 
the  firm  of  Blymer,  Day  & Co.,  where  he 
worked  as  machinist  on  farm  implements  for 
three  years.  He  then  formed  a co-partnership 
with  Ferris  Ogden,  and  engaged  in  repair  and 
experimental  work,  also  in  making  all  kinds  of 
models.  This  partnership  lasted  six  years,  and, 
during  this  period,  Messrs.  Dyer  & Ogden  em- 
barked in  experimental  work  in  self  binders 
and  twine  knotters  on  their  own  account. 
They  progressed  successfully  in  this  work,  to 
the  extent  of  placing  a complete  self  binder  in 
the  field.  Having  carried  this  project  forward 
to  the  full  extent  of  their  means,  they  solicited 
the  attention  of  the  “reaper  king,”  William  N. 
Whitely,  of  Springfield,  Ohio,  to  the  results  of 
their  work,  the  result  of  this  interview  result- 
ing in  the  permanent  engagement  of  Mr.  Dyer 
as  a co-worker  in  the  great  reaper  works,  at 
Springfield,  Ohio. 

Mr.  Dyer  began  operations  as  a model 
maker,  and  progressed  from  that  to  experi- 
mental work,  and  later  to  invention,  a field  in 
which  he  has  taken  active  part  and  interest 
for  the  last  fifteen  years.  He  served  Mr. 
Whitely  as  foreman  of  the  binder  department, 
and  later  was  transferred  to  the  knotter  de- 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


517 


partment,  and  ultimately  was  given  full 
supervision  of  the  patent  office  department, 
in  which  he  continued  until  the  William 
N.  Whitely  company  transferred  its  manu- 
facturing interests  from  Springfield,  Ohio, 
to  Muncie,  Ind.,  in  1892.  In  November  of 
that  year,  Mr.  Dyer  removed  to  Muncie,  and 
was  installed  as  superintendent  of  the  com- 
pany’s works  here,  which  position  he  has  filled 
ever  since,  in  an  able  and  successful  manner. 

Mr.  Dyer  was  married  in  England,  in 
1864,  to  Miss  Catherine  Pullman,  of  Devon- 
shire. Seven  children  have  blessed  this  union; 
they  are,  Fredrick  H.  Dyer,  foreman  of  the 
large  Whitely  machine  shop  at  San  Francisco, 
Cal. ; Henry  Dyer,  tool  maker  for  the  Chicago 
Screw  company,  Chicago,  111.  The  five 
younger  children,  Nellie,  Mattie,  Frank,  Edith 
and  Florence,  are  still  at  home  with  their 
parents. 


ACOB  H.  WYSOR,  capitalist,  miller 
and  farmer,  is  one  of  the  earliest  pio- 
neers and  most  prominent  business  men 
of  Muncie.  His  parents,  Jacob  and 
Margaret  (Miller)  Wysor,  were  of  German  de- 
scent, and  were  born  in  Virginia.  His  pater- 
nal grandfather  was  a commissioned  officer  in 
the  war  for  American  independence.  All  the 
Wysors’  ancestors  engaged  more  less  in  tilling 
the  soil,  and  were  honest,  hard-working  peo- 
ple, endowed  with  that  strength  of  body  and 
mind  characteristic  of  the  Teutonic  race.  As  a 
valued  heirloom,  Mr.  Wysor  preserves  a quaint 
old  wine  chest  made  in  Germany  180  years  ago. 
Mr.  Wysor  was  born  in  Montgomery  (now  Pu- 
laski) county,  Va. , December  6,  1819.  He  was 
the  only  child  of  his  father,  who  died  before 
his  birth.  His  mother  married  again,  but  re- 
mained in  Montgomery  county  until  her  son  was 
well  advanced  in  boyhood.  In  1835  he  re- 
moved with  the  family  to  Delaware  county. 


Ind.,  quite  an  event  for  a boy  who  had  scarcely 
been  out  of  his  native  county.  In  his  new 
home  he  attended  school,  but  only  for  two  win- 
ter terms,  and  after  five  years  he  returned  to 
'V'irginia,  and  there  studied  diligently  for  one 
year.  Having  acquired  a good  knowledge  of 
the  English  branches,  Mr.  Wysor  was  ready  to 
carry  out  his  long  cherished  purpose  of  becom- 
ing a business  man.  Accordingly,  in  the  fol- 
lowing year  (1841)  he  returned  to  this  state 
and  engaged  in  the  grocery  and  drygoods  trade 
in  Muncie.  He  felt,  in  some  degree,  conscious 
of  the  abilities  that  have  since  marked  his 
career  and  won  him  success,  and  he  anticipa- 
ted immediate  prosperity.  His  way  to  for- 
tune, however,  lay  through  loss,  for  only  a few 
months  had  passed  when  nearly  all  his  prop- 
erty was  burned.  In  March,  1843,  he  made 
another  venture  by  renting  what  was  known  as 
the  Gilbert  mills;  and,  after  two  years  in  part- 
nership with  John  Jack  and  James  L.  Russe}^ 
he  bought  the  mills  and  conducted  the  busi- 
ness as  one  of  the  firm  of  Russey,  Jack  & Co. 
In  1849  Mr.  Wysor  joined  the  throng  of  gold 
seekers  that  hurried  toward  California.  His 
course  was  down  the  Mississippi,  across  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  thence  over  to  Panama,  where, 
owing  to  the  rush  for  berths,  he  was  compelled 
to  wait  five  weeks  before  a passage  up  the 
coast  could  be  secured.  At  length  he  em- 
barked in  a sailing  vessel,  which  was  thirty- 
four  days  in  making  the  voyage  to  San  Fran- 
cisco. After  he  had  been  there  about  two 
months,  Mr.  Russey  followed  by  the  same 
route,  but  was  killed  by  the  Indians  in  the 
summer  of  1850.  Mr.  Wysor  engaged  suc- 
cessfully as  miner,  teamster  and  stock  tra- 
der, until  May,  1852,  when  he  returned 
to  Muncie.  In  1854,  with  the  remain- 
ing partner,  Mr.  Jack,  he  began  build- 
ing the  large  grist-mill,  which  he  still 
owns,  known  as  the  Muncie  mills.  It  was 
completed  in  1856.  It  contained  six  run  of 


518 


MUNCIE  CITY 


stone,  was  provided  with  every  needed  facility, 
and  was  considered  at  least  equal  to  any  mill  of 
like  capacity  in  the  state.  The  firm  was 
Wysor  & Jack  until  the  death  of  the  latter,  in 
October,  1859.  In  1858  William  B.  Kline 
had  been  admitted  as  a partner,  and  on  the 
death  of  Mr.  Jack  the  firm  became  Wysor  & 
Kline.  Through  the  crisis  of  1857,  and  the 
depression  of  trade  that  resulted  from  the  late 
war,  he  steadily  and  safely  conducted  his  in- 
creasing business.  He  dealt  largely  in  land, 
and  availed  himself  of  his  early  experience  by 
engaging  also  in  farming.  As  wealth  increased, 
it  was  employed  in  useful  enterprises — the 
building  of  railroads,  turnpikes  and  other  im- 
provements. He  has  been  the  president  of 
the  Muncie  & Granville  Turnpike  company 
ever  since  its  organization.  In  1872  Mr. 
Wysor  built  the  Wysor  opera  house.  In  1892 
he  erected  the  Wysor  Grand,  one  of  the  finest 
buildings  in  the  city,  and  said  to  be  one  of  the 
most  complete  structures  for  theatrical  enter- 
tainments in  Indiana.  Mr.  Wysor  is  a demo- 
crat, but  has  never  aspired  to  political  honors, 
nor  taken  an  active  interest  in  politics.  He 
married,  April  5,  1854,  Miss  Sarah  Richardson, 
daughter  of  John  and  Martha  Richardson. 
She  was  born  in  Virginia,  and  comes  of  a long 
line  of  worthy  English  ancestors.  She  is  a 
lady  of  I'efined  taste  and  true  Christian  graces, 
and,  with  her  husband,  takes  great  pride  in 
the  education  of  their  children — Harry,  Mat- 
tie  and  William.  The  first  named,  their 
eldest,  is  a young  man  of  culture,  whom  ill 
health  has  caused  to  relinquish  a professional 
for  a business  life.  The  daughter  early 
evinced  artistic  talent,  painting  with  skill  at 
the  age  of  nine;  she  is  now  the  wife  of  Will- 
iam H.  Marsh,  bank  cashier.  Mr.  Wysor  has 
succeeded  through  natural  adaptation  to  busi- 
ness rather  than  by  acquired  ability.  In 
trade  he  acts  intuitively,  and  every  enterprise 
is  attended  with  prosperity.  He  has  gained 


his  wealth  by  honorable  means,  sharing  its 
benefits  with  others,  in  promoting  the  growth 
of  Muncie  and  the  surrounding  country.  He 
is  a silent,  thoughtful  man,  possessing  genuine 
worth  of  character,  which  is  fully  revealed 
only  to  intimate  friends.  To  know  him  well 
is  to  respect  him,  and  he  holds  a high  place  in 
the  esteem  of  the  people  of  Delaware  county. 

Since  the  above  sketch  was  put  in  type, 
the  sad  news  has  come  to  hand  that  Mrs. 
Sarah  Wysor  passed  away  November  6,  1893. 


OUNG  & KESSLER.—The  hardware 
firm  of  Young  & Kessler  is  one  of  the 
best  known  and  most  substantial 
firms  in  Muncie.  It  is  composed  of 
William  H.  E.  Young  and  John  P.  Kessler, 
both  young,  active,  energetic,  and  conservative 
business  men.  They  first  embarked  in  the 
hardware  business  February  i,  1884,  purchas- 
ing the  hardware  stock  and  business  of  L.  & 
C.  A.  Shick;  and  for  the  first  five  years  Sam- 
uel Martin  was  associated  with  them  under  the 
firm  name  of  Martin,  Young  & Kessler,  at  the 
old  Shick  stand  on  west  Main  street.  On 
February  i,  1889,  Mr.  Samuel  Martin  retired 
from  the  business  and  the  firm  name  became 
Young  (&  Kessler.  During  the  year  1893,  in 
the  face  of  business  depression,  they  had  the 
courage  and  enterprise  to  erect  one  of  the 
handsomest  business  blocks  in  the  city  of 
Muncie.  The  building  of  such  a structure 
marks  an  epoch  in  commercial  affairs,  and  will 
do  much  to  enlarge  the  general  business  inter- 
ests of  the  city.  Their  new  block  is  on  east 
Jackson  street,  between  Walnut  and  Mulberry, 
and  is  a three-story  brick  structure  100x40  feet, 
with  pressed  brick  front  and  stone  trimmings. 
It  is  supplied  with  water  throughout,  has  a 
freight  elevator,  and  is  one  of  the  best  blocks 
and  most  conveniently  arranged  business 


AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 


519 


houses  in  the  city.  The  entire  ground  floor 
and  part  of  the  second  story  were  fitted  up 
especially  for  the  business  of  Young  & Kessler. 
On  the  first  floor  their  stock  of  hardware, 
stoves,  mixed  paints  and  mantels,  is  arranged 
in  attractive  style.  The  storage  room  and  tin 
shop  are  on  the  second  floor.  A brief  personal 
sketch  of  the  partners  is  given  below,  since 
they  are  typical  self-made  men,  and  furnish 
the  rising  generation  with  a worthy  example  to 
emulate. 

Yfllliam  H.  F.  Young,  son  of  Martin  and 
Minerva  fPittenger)  Young,  was  born  in  Mim- 
cie,  on  the  I2th  day  of  December,  1852.  He 
attended  the  public  schools  of  the  city,  until 
he  reached  his  seventeenth  year,  when  he  en- 
tered business  life  as  a clerk  in  the  hardware 
store  of  Putnam  & Kirby.  He  continued  in 
their  employ  for  fifteen  years,  and  up  to  the 
date  of  entering  into  business  for  himself,  as 
noted  above.  Mr.  Young's  position  among  the 
business  men  of  Muncie  has  been  attained 
by  his  own  efforts,  and  without  material  aid 
from  others.  His  experience  in  the  hardware 
trade,  aided  by  his  progressive  tendencies, 
furnishes  the  key  to  his  success.  Mr.  Young 
was  first  married  September  10,  1879,  to  Miss 
Adelia  F.  Keen,  who  died  September  8,  1882, 
and  he  was  married,  the  second  time,  Novem- 
ber 27,  1884,  to  Miss  Mary  C.  Williamson, 
daughter  of  James  and  Hannah  (Smith)  Wil- 
liamson, of  Hamilton  township,  and  of  this 
marriage  there  is  one  daughter — Blanche,  born 
August  6,  1888. 

Mr.  Young  is  a republican  in  politics,  and 
served  as  a member  of  the  city  council  for  two 
years  from  the  First  ward.  He  is  also  a con- 
sistent member  of  the  High  street  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  and  an  active  member  of  the 
L O.  O.  F. 

John  P.  Kessler  is  a son  of  Joseph  and 
Marinda  (Irelandj  Kessler,  and  was  born  in 
New  Paris,  Preble  county,  Ohio,  April  13, 


1851.  After  receiving  an  elementary  educa- 
tion in  the  public  schools,  he  learned  the  trade 
of  tinner  in  his  native  town.  In  1870  he 
worked  as  journeyman  in  New  Paris,  Ohio. 
He  came  to  Indiana  in  1871,  and  for  two  years 
worked  at  his  trade  ' at  Anderson.  In  June, 
1873,  he  came  to  Muncie,  and  for  two  years 
worked  in  the  tin  department  for  L.  & W. 
Shick.  He  next  pursued  his  trade  for  seven 
years  in  the  employ  of  Mr.  Green,  in  his  tin 
shop.  At  the  formation,  in  1884,  of  the  firm 
of  Martin,  Young  & Kessler,  he  became  an 
active  partner.  Mr.  Kessler's  reputation  as  a 
skillful  and  reliable  contractor  of  all  kinds  of 
tin  work  has  brought  to  his  firm  a large  share 
of  the  tin  and  metal  roofing  and  other  work  of 
its  class  in  Muncie.  This  department  is  fully 
equipped  with  skillful  assistants,  and  its  opera- 
tions will  no  doubt  be  largely  increased  by  the 
ample  facilities  afforded  in  their  new  establish- 
ment. 

Mr.  Kessler  was  married  June  7,  1877,  to 
Miss  Sarah  Kate  Young,  a sister  of  his  partner. 
Mr.  Kessler  is  a consistent  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  a master  Ma- 
son, also  a member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F. , and  is 
at  present  presiding  officer  of  Muncie  lodge. 
No.  74. 


RTHUR  F.  PATTERSON,  capitalist 
and  retired  worker  in  copper,  brass 
and  tin,  of  Muncie,  Ind. , was  born  in 
Bracken  county,  Ky. , in  1822,  and  in 
1831  or  1832  was  taken  by  his  father,  Ander- 
son Patterson,  to  Clermont  county,  Ohio, 
where  the  latter  made  settlement  on  a farm 
near  the  old  Gen.  Grant  homestead.  In  1838 
Authur  E.  began  a three  years’  apprentship  at 
tinsmithing,  then  went  to  Cincinnati  and 
served  a year  at  copper  and  bright  work,  next 
worked  as  a journeyman  three  years,  and  then 
formed  a co-partnership  under  the  firm  name 


520 


MUNCIE  CITY 


of  Patterson  & Conley,  on  Front  street,  be- 
tween Broadway  and  Ludlow  street,  Cincin- 
nati, and  did  a large  business  in  copper  and 
lead  pipe,  bright  iron  and  tin  work  on  steam- 
boats until  I 847,  when  hre  destroyed  the  plant, 
and  the  insurance  having  expired  the  night 
previous,  the  loss  was  almost  total  and 
amounted  to  $5,000.  Mr.  Patterson,  how- 
ever, paid  all  his  debts,  and  without  money 
went  to  St.  Louis,  and  for  a year  worked  at 
coppersmithing;  then  for  two  years  was  man- 
ager for  the  J.  & G.  Quigley  shops  at  Alton, 
111.  ; saved  his  money,  and  with  $800  arrived 
in  Muncie,  Ind.,  May  15,  1850.  His  mother 
and  brother  had  moved  to  Yorktown,  Ind.,  about 
1848  and  he  had  come  to  see  them.  How- 
ever, while  at  Muncie,  J.  & L.  Shick  gave  him 
employment,  and  on  the  12th  day  of  January, 
1851,  Mr.  Patterson  bought  that  firm  out,  in- 
vesting all  his  means.  A short  time  afterward, 
he  took  in  a partner,  Charles  P.  Sample,  the 
firm  name  established  as  Patterson  & Sample, 
and  the  site  fixed  at  the  spot  where  the  R. 
Meeks  & Son  furniture  store  now  is.  They 
added  stoves  to  their  stock,  did  copper  and 
plumbing  work,  and  put  two  wagons  on  the 
road. 

Three  years  later  they  bought  a tin  and 
stove  store  at  Marion,  ran  it  a year,  and  then 
sold.  In  1855  and  1856  they  bought  out  Neal 
McCullough’s  hardware  store,  called  the  “Pio- 
neer,” ran  both  branches  a year  or  so,  sold  out 
the  tin  and  stove  business  and  enlarged  the 
hardware  department,  adding  farm  implements 
of  all  kinds,  and  did  an  immense  business  until 
1866  or  1867,  when  they  sold  to  George  Seitz, 
and,  fgoing  to  Indianapolis,  formed  a joint 
stock  company,  composed  of  Daniel  Yandies, 
George  McKernan,  Delos  Root,  J.  R.  Root, 
Dr.  Pierce,  Mr.  Sinker,  C.  P.  Sample  and  A. 
F.  Patterson.  This  company  went  to  Brazil, 


Ind. , and  erected  a large  blast  furnace,  of 
which  Mr.  Patterson  was  superintendent  of 
construction  in  conjunction  with  J.  R.  Root. 
While  in  Brazil,  Mr.  Patterson  also  sank  a 
coal  shaft,  built  two  miles  of  railroad,  and  had 
400  men  under  him  at  one  time,  all  in  con- 
nection with  the  blast  furnace.  After  one  year 
and  a half  devoted  to  this  work,  Mr.  Patterson 
returned  to  Muncie,  and  the  partners  bought 
back  the  stock  of  Mr.  Seitz  and  carried  on  the 
business  together  until  the  death  of  Mr.  Sam- 
ple, August  29,  1873.  Mr.  Patterson,  about  a 
year  later,  sold  out  to  Mr.  Shirk. 

After  the  death  of  Mr.  Sample,  Mr.  Patter- 
son went  into  the  brokerage  and  private  bank- 
ing business  in  partnership  with  Theo.  J. 
Riley,  which  was  so  conducted  until  Mr. 
Riley’s  death,  since  when  Mr.  Patterson  has 
employed  his  time  in  purchasing  real  estate, 
and  in  building,  developing  and  renting  his 
various  properties.  Mr.  Patterson  was  a 
member  of  the  Muncie  school  board  for  twelve 
years,  and  the  grading  of  the  public  schools 
was  effected  during  his  terms  of  service. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Patterson  took  place, 
in  1855,  to  Miss  Samantha  Collier,  daughter 
of  Samuel  R.  Collier,  who  was,  a number  of 
years  ago,  at  different  times,  surveyor,  auditor 
and  clerk  of  Delaware  county.  This  union 
has  been  blessed  with  two  children,  viz;  Will 
M.  and  Cora  P. , wife  of  George  F.  McCul- 
loch. In  Samantha  Collier,  Mr.  Patterson 
indeed  found  a helpmeet,  for  to  her  encourage- 
ment and  cheering  aid  is  due  much  of  his  suc- 
cess, as  her  management  of  his  domestic 
affairs  acted  in  a large  measure  as  a stimulus 
to  renewed  and  more  energetic  enterprise  on 
his  part;  and  it  will  be  readily  conceded  that 
it  is  due  to  such  enterprise,  as  exemplified  by 
such  men  as  Mr.  Patterson,  that  the  prosperi- 
ty of  any  community  is  made  an  assured  fact. 


DgLAWARg  TOWNSHIP 


RASMUS  ALLEGRE— There  are 
perhaps  few  among  those  who  were 
at  one  time  prominent  and  respected 
citizens  of  Delaware  township,  Dela- 
ware county,  Ind. , whose  memory  is  more 
respected,  and  whose  genuine  worth  more  widely 
recognized  than  that  of  the  late  Erasmus  Alle- 
gre,  who  was  born  near  Lexington,  Ky. , Aug- 
ust 30,  18 1 1,  a son  of  James  and  Rhoda 

(Phelps)  Allegre,  both  natives  of  that  state. 
The  family  removed  to  Ohio  in  1816,  locating 
in  Fayette  county  where  the  father  engaged  in 
farming  until  1832,  when  he  moved  to  Dela- 
ware county,  Ind.,  locating  near  Albany, 
where  he  purchased  a large  tract  of  land, 
(some  of  it  now  in  the  town)  and  all  now  owned 
by  his  descendants.  James  and  Rhoda  Allegre 
were  the  parents  of  a family  consisting  of  nine 
children,  all  of  whom  are  deceased. 

Erasmus  Allegre  was  reared  a farmer  and 
his  educational  advantages  were  very  limited. 
He  managed  to  obtain  sufficient  knowledge  of 
books  to  enable  him.  to  engage  for  a time  in 
school  teaching  and  devoted  the  rest  of  his 
time  to  working  at  his  trade  of  brick  mason, 
which  he  continued  to  carry  on  until  within  a 
few  years  previous  to  his  death.  This  sad 
event  occurred  December  20,  1871,  and  his 
remains  were  laid  to  rest  in  the  Bethel  ceme- 
tery near  the  town  of  Albany.  His  life  was 
one  of  success,  at  the  time  of  his  demise  be- 
ing the  owner  of  five  hundred  acres  of  land 
and  being  counted  one  of  the  wealthiest  men 


in  the  township.  He  will  long  be  remembered 
for  his  enterprising  and  progressive  spirit. 
As  a politician  he  was  an  earnest  supporter  of 
republican  principles  and  in  his  religious  views 
he  was  a Methodist. 

In  1844  he  was  married  to  Miss  Julia 
Pace,  born  in  Ross  county,  Ohio,  June  15, 
1822,  daughter  of  William  and  Mary  (Thomas) 
Pace.  These  parents  were  both  born  near 
Richmond,  Va. , where  they  married,  after 
which  they  moved  to  Ross  county,  Ohio,  in 
1814,  and  there  engaged  in  farming.  In  1828 
they  moved  to  Fayette  county,  Ohio,  and  re- 
mained there  until  1841,  when  they  removed 
to  Delaware  county,  'Ind.,  and  located  on 
property  near  the  town  of  xAlbany.  The  death 
of  Mr.  Pace  occurred  in  1845  and  two  years 
later  Mrs.  Pace  passed  away.  Their  remains 
rest  in  the  the  Strong  cemetery,  where  a mon- 
ument marks  their  resting  place.  They 
reared  a family  of  nine  children,  all  of  whom 
have  passed  out  of  life  except  the  widow  of 
Mr.  Allegre.  The  family  of  Mrs.  Allegre  were 
Baptists,  but  late  in  life  Mr.  Pace  became  a 
Methodist.  He  was  a kind  and  loving  father 
and  was  esteemed  b}'  all.  After  marriage  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Allegre  located  where  they  lived  for 
a period  of  forty  years,  the  pleasant  life  only 
being  interrupted  by  the  lamented  death  of  the 
husband  and  father.  The  following  are  the 
names  of  their  children:  Rhoda,  wife  of  George 
Current,  who  has  charge  of  the  farm,  and 
Martha,  wife  of  Lewis  Davis,  a physician  at 


522 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


Farmland.  Mrs.  Allegre  is  a lady  of  many 
virtues.  She  is  a faithful  member  of  the 
Methodist  church,  and  a good,  conscientious 
Christian  woman.  She  still  enjoys  life  and 
takes  a pardonable  pride  in  living  so  long  on 
the  old  homestead. 


R.  J.  V.  BAIRD  is  one  of  the  lead- 
ing physicians  of  Albany,  Delaware 
county,  Ind..  and  is  very  popular  in 
his  profession,  having  a large  prac- 
tice. Dr.  Baird  was  born  in  Jay  county,  Ind., 
June  13,  1850,  and  is  the  son  of  John  and 
Eliza  (Staley)  Baird  and  grandson  of  Beedent 
Baird,  a native  of  Scotland.  Beedent  Baird 
came  to  America  about  the  year  1 790,  and  lo- 
cated in  New  York,  where  he  lived  for  some 
time,  and  then  settled  in  Warren  county,  Ohio, 
where  he  resided  until  his  death  The  father 
of  Dr.  Baird  was  born  November  8,  1808,  and 
was  reared  on  a farm,  receiving  his  education 
in  the  common  schools.  He  married  Eliza 
Staley  January  27,  1831,  and  removed  with 
her  to  Jay  county,  Ind.,  August,  1839, 
country  then  being  a wilderness.  The  father 
purchased  property  there,  improved  a farm, 
and  resided  upon  the  same  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  October  25,  1859;  his  wife 
died  July  10,  1870,  and  the  remains  of  both 
rest  in  Claycome  cemetery.  They  were  the 
parents  of  nineteen  children,  six  of  whom  are 
now  living,  namely:  William,  R.  C.,  Dr.  J. 

V.,  Sarah,  Elizabeth  and  Mary.  Beedent  Baird 
was  an  abolitionist,  having  the  old  fashioned 
underground  railroad  at  his  house,  and  was  a 
very  ardent  friend  of  the  fugitive  slave.  He 
joined  the  republican  party  as  soon  as  it  was 
organized  and  remained  loyal  to  it  the  remain- 
der of  his  life. 

Dr.  J.  V.  Baird  was  born  and  reared  upon 
the  home  farm,  and  ^early  in  life  was  taught 


the  principles  of  economy  and  industry.  In 
his  youth  he  attended  school  in  the  old  log 
house,  so  common  throughout  the  west,  and 
at  the  age  of  seventeen  began  teaching,  which 
he  continued  for  some  time,  attending,  mean- 
while, the  summer  and  fall  terms  at  Liber 
college,  in  Jay  county.  While  pursuing  his 
studies  at  this  institution  he  began  the  study 
of  law  with  J.  W.  Heddington,  of  Portland, 
Ind. , with  whom  he  continued  for  one 
year,  when  he  exchanged  his  library  for  medi- 
cal books,  and  began  preparing  himself  for 
the  medical  profession.  He  read  under  Dr. 
E.  W.  Moon,  Portland,  for  over  two  years, 
and  then  entered  the  Eclectic  Medical  insti- 
tute at  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  attending  in  the 
years  1879  and  1880,  and  graduating  in  1881. 
He  then  began  practice  in  the  village  where  he 
has  remained  ever  since,  and  in  the  year  1891 
took  a post  graduate  course  in  the  same  col- 
lege. Dr.  Baird  has  a good  practice,  and  has 
been  quite  successful.  He  was  married  Aug- 
ust 26,  1876,  in  Jay  county,  to  Mrs.  Aurelia 
J.  Hayes,  to  which  union  two  children  have 
been  born,  namely:  John  W. , and  Morris  B. 
The  mother  of  these  children  died  Eebruary 
28,  1890,  and  on  June  30,  1892,  in  Poplar 
Bluff,  Mo.,  the  doctor  married  his  present 
wife,  Mary  McGarvey,  who  was  born  in  Ken- 
tucky, August  14,  1857;  daughter  of  Peter  and 
Margaret  (McGrail)  McGarvey,  natives  of 
Ireland.  Mrs.  Baird  is  a graduate  of  the 
college  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  of  Indiana. 
She  is  a thorough  student,  and  her  papers  on 
medical  subjects  have  given  her  considerable 
distinction.  She  began  the  practice  as  a 
homeopathist,  but  now  practices  in  the  same 
school  as  her  husband.  Mrs.  Baird  is  a mem- 
ber of  the  Presbyterian  church,  while  her  hus- 
band is  a free  thinker.  He  is  a member  of 
the  republican  party,  and  a strong  supporter 
of  its  candidates.  He  is  also  a member  of  the 
Odd  Eellows  and  of  the  Red  Men.  Dr. 


DELAWARE  TOWNSHIP. 


523 


Baird  is  connected  with  the  Gas  company,  and 
the  Albany  Land  company,  of  which  he  is  a 
director. 


OHN  BANTZ. — Among  the  prominent 
citizens  of  Delaware  township,  Dela- 
ware county,  Ind.,  who  did  much 
toward  the  improvement  and  opening- 
up  of  this  part  of  the  county,  was  the  subject 
of  this  biographical  sketch.  For  nearly  fifty 
years  he  spent  his  life  among  this  people  and 
was  well  known  and  highly  esteemed  for  those 
qualities  which  characterize  the  good  neighbor, 
kind  friend  and  reliable  citizen. 

John  Bantz  was  born  in  Preble  county, 
Ohio,  February  3,  1831,  a son  of  Joshua  and 
Elizabeth  (Bremer)  Bantz,  natives  of  Ohio 
and  Maryland,  respectively.  They  were  farm- 
ers by  occupation  and  remained  in  the  state  of 
Ohio  until  1838,  when  they  removed  to  Dela- 
ware county,  Ind.,  and  purchased  the  property 
upon  which  the  widow  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  now  resides.  -The  original  purchase 
consisted  of  160  acres,  and  Mrs.  Bantz  is  now 
the  owner  of  134  acres.  Joshua  Bantz  died 
July  II,  1875,  his  wife  having  passed  away  in 
1864. 

John  Bantz  was  reared  on  the  home  farm 
and  received  the  education  of  the  common 
school,  never  having  removed  from  the  town- 
ship. He  was  married  July  18,  1853,  to  Miss 
Rebecca  M.  Hobbs,  daughter  of  William  and 
Sarah  (Chalk)  Hobbs,  natives  of  Greene  county, 
Ohio,  to  which  part  of  the  country  the  ances- 
tors of  the  family  came  from  Virginia.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Bantz  had  a family  of  eleven  chil- 
dren, seven  of  these  now  living,  as  follows: 
Isabella,  the  wife  of  N.  Brinson;  James; 
Nancy  G. , wife  of  Stephen  Gray;  Catherine, 
wife  of  William  Marks;  Milroy;  Emma,  wife 
J.  Bartlett,  and  Grant. 

The  life  of  Mr.  Bantz  ended  July  27,  1891, 


and  he  was  much  lamented  by  a large  con- 
course of  friends.  He  was  a democrat  in  his 
political  faith  and  had  abl)^  acted  as  supervisor 
of  the  township.  Mrs.  Bantz,  with  the  assist- 
ance of  her  son.  Grant,  has  carried  on  the 
farm,  very  successfully,  since  his  decease.  It 
consists  of  over  130  acres  of  some  of  the  finest 
arable  land  in  the  county  and  has  excellent 
improvements. 


HNDREW  black  is  a prominent  cit- 
izen of  Delaware  township,  where  he 
has  a fine  home,  and  is  surrounded 
by  all  that  is  calculated  to  make  life 
pleasant.  He  was  born  in  Clarke  county, 
Ohio,  March  9,  1837,  and  is  the  son  of  John 
and  Margaret  Black.  His  father  was  born  in 
Montgomery,  county,  Va. , November,  1805, 
and  was  the  son  of  Andrew  and  Susan  (Ross) 
Black,  both  natives  of  Virginia,  their  ancestry 
being  Scotch-Irish.  The  family  emigrated 
from  Ireland  to  America,  in  an  early  day,  and 
settled  in  Virginia,  where  descendants  still 
reside.  The  mother  of  Mr.  Black  was  born  in 
Clarke  county,  Ohio,  January  25,  1809;  she 
was  the  daughter  of  George  and  Catherine 
(Fair)  Stafford.  John  Black  and  Margaret 
Stafford  were  married  in  Clarke  county,  Febru- 
ary 28,  1828,  and  located  near  New  Carlisle  in 
the  same  county.  The  husband  engaged  in 
the  tanning  business,  which  trade  he  followed 
until  1837,  when  he  came  to  Indiana  and 
located  upon  the  land  in  Delaware  county 
which  his  son,  Andrew,  now  owns.  The 
house  he  built  in  1840  is  still  standing.  John 
Black  engaged  in  the  milling  business  and 
farming  when  ,he  came  here,  purchasing  a tract 
of  forty  acres,  which  he  improved  and  added 
to  until  at  the  time  of  his  death  he  owned 
seven  tracts,  each  consisting  of  eighty  acres. 
He  also  owned  the  fine  mill,  which  he  built  in 


524 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


1847,  and  operated  until  his  death;  doing  a 
lucrative  business  in  the  manufacture  of  both 
lumber  and  flour.  He  died  June  30,  1868, 
and  was  buried  in  the  Black  cemetery.  His 
widow  lived  until  June  13,  1876.  They  were 
members  of  the  INIethodist  church,  and  devoted 
to  its  teachings.  In  politics  Mr.  Black  was  a 
republican. 

John  Black  and  his  worthy  wife  were  the 
parents  of  four  children,  namely:  Andrew; 

Susanna  J.,  deceased;  George  F. , deceased; 
and  Catherine,  wife  of  Robert  Brammer. 

Andrew  Black  was  reared  on  a farm,  and 
also  learned  the  trade  of  milling,  taking  charge 
of  his  father’s  mill  in  1848,  and  running  it 
until  1^51,  at  which  time  he  took  charge  of 
the  home  farm,  cultivating  the  same  until 
1865.  In  the  latter  year  he  again  took  charge 
of  the  mill,  and  has  ever  since  operated  it 
with  success  and  financial  profit.  Mr.  Black 
owns  365  acres  of  land  of  the  old  homestead 
as  well  as  his  mill  property,  his  entire  wealth 
being  the  result  of  hard  work  and  good  man- 
agement. The  mill  makes  twenty-five  barrels 
per  day,  and  does  corn  and  feed  grinding,  be- 
side turning  out  a large  amount  of  lumber. 

Mr.  Black  was  married  May  22,  1851,  in 
this  township,  to  Mary  E.  Fishburn,  born  in 
Greene  county,  Ohio,  August  28,  1832.  She 
was  the  daughter  of  David  and  Catherine 
(Graves)  Fishburn.  By  this  marriage  he  be- 
came the  father  of  six  children,  namely;  David 
A.,  of  this  township;  Margaret  E.,  wife  of 
Henry  Brammer;  John  E.  ; Martha,  wife  of 
Andrew  Clark;  Catherine  A.,  and  Clara,  de- 
ceased. The  mother  of  these  children  died 
October  6,  1866,  and  on  the  25th  of  February, 
1868,  Mr.  Black  was  married  in  Greene  county, 
to  Christine  Peterson,  whose  birth  occurred  in 
the  same  county  and  state,  November  24,  1837. 
The  fruits  of  the  latter  union  are  three  chil- 
dren, namely:  Mary,  wife  of  W.  Bryant; 

Charles  E.,  and  Moses.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Black 


are  members  of  the  Methodist  church;  he 
being  a trustee  in  that  body.  In  politics  he 
is  a republican. 


AVID  A.  BLACK  is  a native  of  Dela- 
ware township,  is  an  excellent  farm- 
er, is  a prominent  man  in  his  commu- 
nity, enjoying  the  confidence  of  his 
neighbors  and  friends,  and  setting  an  example 
in  the  matter  of  good  farming,  worthy  of  imi- 
tation. He  was  born  March  28,  1852,  being 
the  son  of  Andrew  Black,  whose  sketch  ap- 
pears above.  His  boyhood  was  passed  on  the 
home  farm  and  in  his  father’s  mill,  being  em- 
ployed in  the  latter  for  seven  years,  after  which 
he  engaged  in  the  pursuit  of  agriculture  on  his 
own  responsibility.  His  first  property  he 
bought  in  1883,  being  the  farm  upon  which  he 
now  lives,  consisting  of  eighty  acres  highly  im- 
proved, beside  which  he  has  eighteen  acres  in 
the  town  of  Albany.  What  knowledge  of 
books  he  received  came  through  the  common 
country  school,  and  work  too  often  interfered 
with  his  educational  training.  Mr.  Black  was 
married  in  March,  1875,  to  Lucette  Thomas, 
born  in  this  township  December  22,  1852.  She 
is  the  daughter  of  George  W.  and  Gatherine 
(Price)  Thomas,  natives  of  Ohio,  and  pioneers 
in  this  county.  The  fruits  of  this  marriage 
were  Gyril  A.,  deceased,  Erederick  O.,  John 
F.,  and  an  infant,  deceased.  The  mother  of 
these  children  died  March  i i,  1882.  Mr.  Black 
was  next  married  in  December,  1884,  to  Mar- 
garet C.  Thomas,  the  sister  of  his  first  wife. 
She  was  born  in  Wheeling,  this  county,  April 
27,  1867,  and  has  borne  her  husband  three 
children,  namely:  Walter  Ray,  Leroy  E., 

deceased,  and  Carl.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Black  are 
members  of  the  Methodist  church.  In  politics 
he  is  a republican.  He  has  social  impulses, 
and  is  a member  of  the  Masonic  order.  Beside 


DELAWARE  TOWNSHIP. 


525 


owning  valuable  land  interests,  Mr.  Black 
owns  fifty  shares  in  the  Albany  Land  company, 
and  is  a director  in  that  corporation. 


w’lLLIAM  BLACK  (deceased) — was 
m m \ a man  of  extraordinarily  excellent 
character,  respected  by  all  who 
knew  him  and  his  death  caused  gen- 
eral regret  among  his  entire  acquaintance,  the 
universal  sentiment  being  that  a worthy  and  a 
good  man  had  been  called  away.  He  was 
born  in  Clarke  county,  Ohio,  August  13,  181  i, 
being  the  son  of  Andrew  and  Susan  (Ross) 
Black.  The  father,  Andrew  Black,  was  born 
in  Giles  county,  Va. , in  1785,  and  came  west 
with  his  parents,  John  Black  and  wife,  to  Clarke 
county,  Ohio,  where  he  remained  until  the 
death  of  his  parents.  The  parents  of  William 
Black  were  married  in  Virginia;  the}^  reared  a 
family  of  ten  children,  namely:  John,  Samuel, 
Mary,  James,  William,  Thomas,  Jane,  Andrew, 
Edward  and  Susan.  Andrew  Black  served 
six  months  as  a soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  and 
in  politics  he  was  a whig.  He  was  very  suc- 
cessful in  his  business  affairs  and  left  a hand- 
some competence  at  his  death,  which  occurred 
in  October,  1854,  his  wife  having  departed 
this  life  in  September,  1845.  This  busy  and 
worthy  man  was  a tanner  as  well  as  farmer, 
and  he  succeeded  in  whatever  he  undertook. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared  upon 
the  home  farm,  remaining  there  until  he  was 
twenty-three  years  old,  when  he  came  to  this 
county  and  entered  a half  section,  and  also 
forty  acres,  where  his  family  now  lives.  He 
came  here  first  in  1829,  but  did  not  enter  the 
land  until  his  second  visit,  in  1832.  Imme- 
diately after  his  second  visit  he  erected  a log 
cabin,  eighteen  by  sixteen  feet,  having  but  one 
room  and  a puncheon  floor,  with  a clapboard 
door  and  roof.  A handsome  brick  residence  now 


occupies  the  place  of  that  primitive  log  cabin. 
There  were  no  neighbors  between  Mr.  Black’s 
place  and  Fort  Wayne  and  he  did  not  often 
see  visitors  at  his  house  in  those  early  days. 
Mr.  Black  was  a justice  of  the  peace  and  his 
bailiwick  embraced  a very  large  territory. 
Game  was  abundant — deer  and  wolves,  especi- 
ally. Bringing  along  from  Ohio  plenty  of 
provisions,  clothing,  etc.,  they  were  not  so 
limited  as  some  others  as  to  food  and  raiment, 
their  stock  lasting  until  the  land  yielded  of  its 
increase.  The  work  was  hard,  but  their  cour- 
age was  great,  and  Mr.  Black’s  hands  and 
those  of  his  help  at  home  cleared  240  out  of 
300  acres,  changing  a great  forest  into  bloom- 
ing fields  that  yielded  immense  harvests  of 
golden  grain  year  by  year. 

Mr.  Black  was  married  in  Clark  county, 
Ind.,  November  14,  1833,  to  Miss  Ruthie 

Stafford,  and  came  to  this  county  overland 
with  a horse  team  of  his  own  and  with  a hired 
ox-team,  making  the  journey  in  eight  days. 
This  young  couple  left  a home  of  comfort  and 
luxury,  and  entered  the  great  primeval  forest 
to  brave  every  peril  and  privation  pertaining 
to  a frontier  life.  For  years  there  was  no 
school  house,  no  physician,  no  store,  no  neigh- 
bor, no  anything,  but  the  wolves  that  howled 
by  night,  the  great  trees  through  which  the 
mournful  winds  sighed  and  groaned,  and  hard 
work  every  day  and  all  the  time.  Such  priva- 
tion was  necessary  in  order  to  prepare  the 
way  for  the  present  civilization.  Fora  period 
of  nearly  sixty  years  Mr.  Black  lived  here  and 
saw  the  forests  disappear  and  flowers  smile  in 
the  sunlit  places  where  once  the  dark  shadows 
lay  at  noontime;  saw  settlers  come  one  by  one 
and  cheerily  take  up  their  burden;  saw  log 
cabins  spring  up  here  and  there  to  give  way 
presently  to  fine  residences;  saw  the  country 
thickly  settled  and  prosperous;  saw  himself 
surrounded  by  grown  up  children  who  loved 
him ; saw  himself  surrounded  by  every  comfort 


526 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


and  luxury  and  honored  and  respected  by  his 
neighbors,  and  then  finally  he  died,  at  a good 
old  age,  May  31,  1891.  His  remains  lie  in 
the  Black  cemetery  and  a handsome  monu- 
ment marks  the  spot  and  tells  the  passerby  of 
the  brave  old  pioneer. 

Mr.  Black  was  a sincere  Christian  and  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  church.  In  politics 
he  was  a republican,  and  his  faith  in  that 
party  was  so  strong  that  he  worked  for  it  with 
all  possible  zeal.  He  filled  the  offices  of 
justice  of  the  peace,  township  trustee  and 
other  township  offices,  and  always  to  his  own 
credit  and  to  the  good  of  the  community.  His 
success  was  the  result  of  honest  and  hard 
labor,  self  performed,  as  he  received  no  assist- 
ance from  any  one.  Since  his  death  his 
estimable  widow,  whom  everybody  loves  for 
her  many  good  qualities,  has  remained  upon 
the  homestead,  carrying  on  the  fanri  intelli- 
gently and  profitably. 

This  patriarch  and  pioneer  was  the  father 
of  ten  children,  namely:  Margaret  J.,  wife  of 
Cyrus  St.  John,  of  Albany;  Susan  E.,  wife  of 
William  Pace,  of  Indianapolis;  James  E.,  a 
carpenter  of  Eaton,  Ind.  ; Catherine  E.,  wife 
of  Aaron  Brammer;  Martha  A.,  deceased; 
Marietta,  wife  of  John  Richey;  Seline  E.,  de- 
ceased; Sarah  H.,  deceased;  Ruth,  wife  of 
George  Younts,  and  William  H.,  at  home. 
The  mother  of  these  children,  all  of  whom  are 
highly  respected  and  useful  members  of  socie- 
ty, is  a sincere  and  devout  Christian  woman 
and  has  proved  herself  to  be  a kind  and 
devoted  wife,  a sensible  and  loving  mother 
and  a good  neighbor  and  friend.  All  who 
name  her  speak  in  her  praise  and  wish  that 
every  one  of  her  declining  days  of  life  may  be 
peaceful  and  happy. 

This  family,  in  all  its  branches,  proximate 
and  ultimate,  has  maintained  its  respectability 
wherever  known,  and  this  township  of  Dela- 
ware may  well  feel  proud  of  them  as  its  citizens. 


AVID  E.  BRAMMER. — All  over  this 
great  country  are  men  living  quiet 
and  unostentatious  lives,  wearing  the 
simple  garb  of  the  agriculturist,  but 
who  bear  marks,  never  to  be  effaced,  of  the 
years  of  the  late  war,  and  who  showed  to  the 
world,  at  that  time,  of  what  material  the  loyal 
man  is  made.  Perhaps  the  day  will  never  come 
when  these  heroes  will  obtain  their  just  due, 
but  a record  like  this  cannot  pass  by  without 
at  least  a brief  sketch  of  some  of  the  most 
worthy.  David  E.  Brammer  was  born  in 
Lawrence  county,  Ohio,  October  22,  1842,  a 
son  of  Roland  and  Catherine  (McCorkel)  Bram- 
mer. Both  parents  had  descended  from  old 
and  highly  respected  Virginia  families.  They 
married  in  Lawrence  county,  Ohio,  where  they 
remained  all  their  lives,  the  father  dying  June 
6,  1882,  and  the  mother  mother  February  23, 
1859.  The  father  was  aged  seventy-three 
years,  one  month  and  twenty-eight  days  at 
the  time  of  his  death,  but  the  mother  had  bare- 
ly passed  her  forty-sixth  year  when  called  to 
her  final  rest.  They  were  the  parents  of  the 
followingchildren:  Robert,  deceased;  Edmund; 
Mahala,  deceased;  Andrew;  Elizabeth,  deceas- 
ed; William,  David;  Amanda,  deceased,  George, 
Thomas,  Jacob  and  Henry.  Mr.  Brammer  was 
a' well  known  and  influential  man  in  his  local- 
ity, having  served  as  deputy  sheriff  for  several 
years,  and  also  as  constable  at  different  times. 
He  was  a worthy  citizen,  and  in  early  life  was 
a strong  whig,  later  becoming  a republican. 
The  family  were  reared  in  the  faith  of  the 
United  Brethren  church,  in  which  Mr.  Bram- 
mer was  much  esteemed,  and  was  a notable 
example  of  the  moral  and  upright  Christian 
gentleman. 

David  E.  Brammer  was  reared  on  the 
home  farm,  but  after  the  death  of  his  beloved 
mother  he  began  to  work  away  from  home  by 
the  month,  and,  in  i860,  went  south  to  take 
the  job  of  deadening  timber  and  of  chopping 


DELAWARE  TOWNSHIP. 


527 


roads  through  the  swamps.  This,  although 
very  laborious,  was  profitable  work,  but  the 
troublous  times  came  on,  and  in  May,  i86i, 
he  returned  north.  Here  he  engaged  in  gener- 
al work  until  September  i 5 of  the  same  year, 
when  he  enlisted  in  company  K,  Second  Ohio 
volunteer  cavalry  for  three  years  or  during  the 
war,  serving  until  May  25,  1865,  and  partici- 
pating in  a number  of  battles.  At  the  battle 
of  Stony  Creek  he  was  taken  prisoner;  was 
sent  on  to  Petersburg,  where  he  was  confined 
two  weeks;  thence  to  Richmond,  where  he 
was  incarcerated  in  the  infamous  Libby  prison 
for  twenty-one  days,  only  to  be  succeeded  by 
an  imprisonment  still  worse,  at  Andersonville, 
where  a wretched  existence  was  dragged  out 
for  nine  months,  before  being  paroled.  At 
Black  river  they  were  kept  seven  days,  and 
then  were  taken  aboard  of  the  ill-fated  steam- 
er Sultana,  he  being  one  of  the  unfortunate 
soldiers  who  were  on  board  when  that  steamer 
burned  and  blew  up.  His  hair  was  burned 
from  his  head,  one  leg  was  broken,  and  he 
suffered  untold  agony  from  scalding.  One 
thumb  was  so  badly  scalded  that  the  nail 
dropped  off.  For  seven  weeks  he  was  cared 
for  in  the  hospital  in  Memphis,  and  was  then 
able  to  be  transported  to  Camp  Chase,  Ohio, 
where  he  remained  two  days  and  then  went  on 
home  to  stay.  It  is  well  for  agitators  to  read 
such  tales  that  they  may  know  what  war  costs. 

After  his  recovery,  Mr.  Brammer  engaged 
in  farming  by  the  month,  but  later  went  south 
and  engaged  at  steamboating  from  New  Or- 
leans to  Shreveport,  La. , making  several  trips 
as  far  as  Jefferson,  Tex.,  and  one  as  far  as 
Roland,  Tex.  This  occupation  he  followed 
one  winter,  but  came  to  Indiana  in  March, 
1866,  locating  in  Delaware  county,  where  he 
engaged  in  working  by  the  month,  for  five 
months,  and  purchased  his  first  piece  of  prop- 
erty in  1870.  This  was  a tract  of  sixty  acres, 
which  he  bas  since  increased,  until  he  now 


owns  240  acres  of  valuable  land,  well  im- 
proved, upon  which  he  resides  in  great  com- 
fort. Mr.  Brammer  was  married  August  5, 
1867,  in  Delaware  county,  to  Miss  Sarah 
Brammer,  born  in  this  county,  daughter  of 
Edmund  and  Nancy  (Hatfield)  Brammer,  and 
three  children  have  been  born  of  this  union: 
Emma  Z. , deceased;  Nancy  C.,  wife  of  Robert 
Cultiez,  and  Martha  B.,  wife  of  Franklin  Pe- 
terson. Mrs.  Brammer  is  an  excellent  woman, 
and  a valued  member  of  the  Baptist  church. 
Mr.  Brammer  is  a republican. 


ENLEY  BRAMMER  comes  from  an 
old  and  highly  respected  family  and 
reflects  credit  on  the  same.  He  is  a 
native  of  Delaware  township,  where 
he  was  born  February  20,  1841 ; being  the  son 
of  Edmund  and  Nancy  (Hatfield)  Brammer. 
The  father  was  born  in  Patrick  county,  Va. , 
January  7,  1801;  the  son  of  Edmund  and 

Mary  (Lee)  Brammer,  the  mother  an  aunt  of 
Gen.  Robert  E.  Lee,  the  great  Confederate 
chieftain.  The  father  of  Henley  Brammer  was 
but  one  year  old  when  his  parents  crossed  the 
mountains,  and  located  in  Cabell  county,  W. 
Va. , where  he  remained  until  his  eighteenth 
year,  after  which  the  family  moved  to  Law- 
rence county,  Ohio,  where  the  parents  died. 
Pie  then  married,  went  to  Fayette  county, 
Ohio,  and  engaged  in  farming;  remained  there 
until  1836,  and  then  moved  to  this  county, 
where  his  death  occurred  June  18,  1889.  The 
mother  of  the  subject  departed  this  life  Janu- 
ary 10,  1872.  This  worthy  couple  had  ten 
children,  namely:  Roland,  Mary,  Rachel 

(deceased),  Malinda  (deceased),  Rebecca  (de- 
ceased), Elizabeth,  Mahlon,  Sarah  A.,  Aaron 
and  Henley.  Edmund  and  Nancy  Brammer 
were  firm  believers  in  the  doctrines  of  the  Bap- 
tist church,  and  followed  its  teachings;  Mr. 


528 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


Bramrner  was  a democrat  of  the  old  Jackson  j 
school. 

Henley  Bramrner  was  reared  upon  the 
home  farm,  and  now  owns  a portion  of  that 
estate,  i8o  acres  of  fine  land,  well  improved. 
Owing  to  an  accident  which  resulted  in  the 
loss  of  his  left  eye  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  his 
education  was  somewhat  limited,  but  he  has 
since  become  the  possessor  of  a fund  of  prac- 
tical knowledge  both  from  books  and  from 
contact  with  his  fellow  men  in  the  business 
relations  of  life.  He  remained  at  home  with 
his  father  until  the  death  of  the  latter,  since 
which  time  his  attention  has  been  devoted  to 
the  work  of  the  farm  in  the  township  where  he 
now  resides.  He  was  married  December  13, 
1866,  to  Selina  E.  Black,  born  in  Delaware 
county,  April  19,  1846;  the  daughter  of  Will- 
iam Black,  whose  sketch  will  be  found  else- 
where. Two  children  were  born  to  this 
union,  namely:  an  infant,  deceased,  and  Will- 
iam E.  Mrs.  Bramrner  died  Eebruary  2, 
1875,  3.nd  November  18,  1876,  Mr.  Bramrner 
took  to  wife  Margaret  D.  Black,  daughter  of 
Andrew  Black,  previously  mentioned  in  these 
pages.  By  this  union  there  have  been  born 
ten  children,  namely;  Charles,  Mary  A.,  An- 
drew L. , deceased,  Frank,  Selina  E.,  Thomas 
A.,  Harry  and  Anna,  twins,  David  E.  and  Jose- 
phine B.  In  politics  Mr.  Bramrner  is  a dem- 
ocrat. He  is  a kind  neighbor,  a good  friend, 
and  an  honest,  upright  citizen. 


H'BRAHAM  CAMPBELL  is  a promi- 
nent resident  of  the  town  of  Albany, 
where  he  was  for  some  time  engaged 
in  the  hotel  and  livery  business.  He 
was  born  in  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  April  19, 
1844,  a brother  of  David  Campbell,  of  whom 
mention  is  made  in  this  volume  among  the 
residents  of  Mount  Pleasant  township.  In  the 


! latter  township  Abraham  was  reared  on  a farm 
and  remained  there  until  1885,  when  he  moved 
to  the  township  of  Delaware  and  purchased 
ninety  acres  of  land,  which  he  improved,  and 
where  he  put  up  substantial  buildings.  He  re- 
mained on  this  place  until  1 890,  at  which  time 
he  removed  to  Shideler,  and  engaged  in  the 
butchering  and  hotel  business,  but  in  1891  he 
removed  to  Albany,  where  he  also  became  pro- 
prietor of  a hotel,  which  he  ran  for  some  time 
in  connection  with  the  livery  business,  but  has 
now  sold.  He  has  proven  himself  a fine  busi- 
ness man  and  seems  particularly  well  suited  to 
the  different  branches  of  business  in  which  he 
has  been  engaged,  but,  having  disposed  of  his 
business  in  Albany,  it  is  his  intention  to  re- 
sume farming. 

Mr.  Campbell  was  married  May  30,  1867, 
in  Douglas  county.  Ilk,  to  Miss  Mary  E. 
Thompson,  born  in  Coshocton  county,  Ohio, 
August  13,  1846,  daughter  of  Charles  P.  and 
Nancy  (Cullison)  Thompson,  to  which  union 
have  been  born  six  children,  namely:  William 
A.,  deceased;  Nancy  E. , deceased;  J.  Ora, 
Charles  T. , Arthur  H.  and  Hattie  E.  Mrs. 
Campbell  is  an  excellent  lady  and  a consistent 
member  of  the  Methodist  church.  Fraternally 
Mr.  Campbell  is  connected  with  the  I.  O.  O. 
F.,  and  is  also  a well  known  Mason.  Politi- 
cally he  affiliates  with  the  democratic  party. 


OHN  P.  HALE  CASTERLINE.— The 
well  known  and  pleasant  gentleman 
whose  name  heads  this  sketch  is  the 
editor  and  proprietor  of  the  Albany 
(Ind.)  Journal.  Mr.  Casterline  was  born  in 
Union  county,  Ind.,  in  the  town  of  Liberty, 
March  20,  1853,  son  of  Dr.  Ziba  and  Cather- 
ine (Elwell)  Casterline.  Dr.  Casterline  was  a 
native  of  Washington  county.  Pa.,  a son  of 
Ziba  and  Mary  Casterline,  who  were  natives 
of  Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey  respectively. 


DELAWARE  TOWNSHIP. 


529 


Dr.  Ziba  Casterline  was  educated  in  his 
native  state  in  the  excellent  common  schools, 
and  at  the  age  of  nineteen  years,  began  teach- 
ing, which  profession  he  followed  for  one  year, 
then  attended  college,  received  his  diploma, 
and  began  the  practice  of  the  healing  art  in 
the  village  of  Fairfield,  Ind.  He  remained 
there  but  a short  time,  removing  thence  to 
Liberty,  Union  county,  Ind.,  at  which  place 
he  remained  until  the  opening  of  the  war  in 
1 86 1.  At  that  time  he  entered  the  army  as 
assistant  surgeon  of  the  Eighty-fourth  Indiana 
volunteers,  for  three  years,  after  which  he  re- 
turned to  Courtland,  Ohio,  where  he  engaged 
in  the  practice  of  medicine  until  1871;  thence 
to  Liberty,  Ind.,  where  he  remained  for  three 
years.  While  visiting  his  son  in  Courtland, 
Ohio,  he  died  March  27,  1874,  and  his  remains 
were  interred  at  Liberty.  His  first  wife  died 
in  1859,  having  been  the  mother  of  ten  chil- 
dren, four  of  whom  are  living — Anna,  the  wife 
of  Gen.  T.  W.  Bennett,  a prominent  politi- 
tican  who  for  twelve  years  was  mayor  of  Rich- 
mond; was  appointed  governor  of  Idaho  by 
President  Grant,  and  then  served  as  delegate 
to  congress  from  Idaho  for  one  term;  William 
M.,  an  attorney  and  real  estate  dealer  in  Cali- 
fornia, recently  elected  to  the  legislature;  Cas- 
sius M.  Clay,  in  the  government  employ  at 
Washington,  and  John  P.  H. 

Dr.  Casterline  was  a prominent  abolition- 
ist, his  home  in  Liberty  being  known  as  a 
depot  for  the  underground  railroad  for  runa- 
way slaves.  He  was  influential  in  political 
circles,  a leader  of  the  republican  party,  and 
fraternally  was  a Mason.  He  was  also  a dea- 
con in  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  it  is 
related  of  him  that  one  of  his  first  official  acts 
was  to  whip  one  of  his  brethern. 

John  P.  H.  Casterline  was  reared  in  Liberty 
until  seven  years  of  age,  and  then,  on  account 
of  his  father  going  into  the  army,  he  and  his 
brother  went  to  Cortland,  Ohio,  where  he 


remained  with  his  uncle  Joel,  and  attended 
school  in  the  country  until  his  eighteenth 
year,  working  on  the  farm  in  the  meantime. 
In  1870  he  apprenticed  himself  for  four  years 
to  William  Ritezel  of  the  Western  Reserve 
Chronicle,  published  at  Warren,  Ohio,  and 
remained  with  him  until  the  spring  of  1876, 
at  which  time  he  made  a trip  into  southern 
Michigan  and  Indiana,  looking  for  work.  In 
1887  he  located  at  Albany,  where  he  started 
the  Albany  Journal,  and  was  engaged  until 
June,  1891,  in  its  publication.  He  then  re- 
moved to  Hartford  City,  where  he  started  the 
paper  known  as  The  Arena,  an  organ  of  the 
L.  M.  B.  A. . which  he  continued  for  eight 
months,  then  sold  and  returned  to  Albany, 
and  in  June,  1892,  he  re-established  the  Al- 
bany Journal,  which  now  is  generally  conceded 
to  be  one  of  the  best  papers  in  Delaware 
county.  He  was  married  in  Mt.  Summit, 
Ind.,  September  24,  1884,  to  Miss  Joan  Haz- 
elton,  a native  of  Mt.  Summit,  Ind.,  whose 
parents,  William  and  Elizabeth  Hazelton, 
were  also  natives  of  Indiana.  By  this  marriage, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Casterline  have  been  blessed 
with  one  child,  Anna  L. , who  is  now  deceased. 
They  are  active  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  chui'ch,  and  always  take  part  in  any 
thing  that  pertains  to  religious  work.  In 
i politics  Mr.  Casterline  affiliates  with  the  re- 
publican party,  and  fraternally  he  is  a Mason, 
belonging  to  Anthony  lodge  of  Albany,  and 
also  is  a member  of  Valentine  lodge,  K.  of  P. , 
holding  the  office  of  K.  of  R.  and  S.  In  his 
boyhood  days  Mr.  Casterline  was  the  advance 
agent  for  the  Rev.  P.  R.  Van  Housen,  the 
blind  minister,  and  traveled  through  eastern 
Ohio,  north  Pennsylvania  and  New  York  for 
five  months. 

Mr.  Casterline  has  never  proven  recreant 
to  the  politics  promulgated  by  his  illustrious 
namesake,  John  P.  Hale,  one  of  the  earliest 
free-soil  advocates  in  the  United  States  senate. 


530 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


Bred  L.  CHILCOTE,  cashier  and  bus- 
iness manager  of  the  Citizens’  Bank 
of  Albany,  is  a native  of  Indiana,  born 
December  20,  1866,  in  the  county  of 
Jasper,  where  his  father,  Mordecai  Chilcote,  had 
located  about  five  years  previous.  Almost  im- 
mediately after  moving  to  his  new  home  in  Jas- 
per county,  Mordecai  Chilcote  entered  the  army 
as  private  in  the  Ninth  Indiana  volunteers  for 
the  three  months’  service,  and  at  the  expiration 
of  his  period  of  enlistment  re-entered  the  service 
in  company  K,  Forty-eighth  volunteer  infantry. 
This  regiment  saw  very  active  service  in  the 
army  commanded  by  Gen.  Grant  in  Tennessee 
and  Mississippi,  and  was  engaged  in  some  of 
the  bloodiest  battles  of  the  war,  including 
Shiloh,  Corinth,  the  operations  around  Vicks- 
burg and  capture  of  that  city,  in  all  of  which 
Mr.  Chilcote  took  an  active  part.  In  1 863  he 
was  promoted  to  the  captaincy  of  his  com- 
pany, in  which  capacity  he  served  until  the 
close  of  the  war,  having  borne  the  part  of  a 
brave  and  gallant  soldier  from  the  beginning 
of  the  great  struggle,  until  the  cessation  of  hos- 
tilities in  1865.  In  September,  1865,  Capt. 
Chilcote  was  united  in  marriage,  at  Rensselear, 
Ind.,  to  Miss  Lizzie  Hammond,  since  which 
date  he  has  resided  in  that  city.  Mrs.  Chilcote 
died  January  ^5,  1865,  leaving  two  children — 
Fred  L. , whose  name  introduces  this  mention, 
and  Gaylord,  present  principal  of  the  high 
school  of  Los  Angeles,  Cal. 

Fred  L.  Chilcote,  after  a regular  course  in 
the  common  schools,  attended  the  high  school 
of  Rensselaer,  graduating  from  the  same  in 
June,  1885,  after  which  he  followed  the  pro- 
fession of  teaching  for  two  years.  In  1887  he 
entered  upon  a thorough  course  of  business 
training  in  the  Eastman  Commercial  college, 
Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y.,  and  after  he  graduated 
therefrom  the  following  year  became  principal 
clerk  in  his  father’s  office  at  Rensselaer.  Sub- 
sequently he  was  elected  city  clerk  of  Rensse- 


laer, a most  deserving  compliment  to  a man  so 
young  in  years,  and  after  discharging  the  duties 
of  the  position  in  a manner  highly  creditable 
to  himself  and  with  satisfaction  to  the  public, 
he  accepted  the  responsible  position  of  cashier 
of  the  bank  at  Monon,  Ind.  He  continued  in  the 
latter  capacity  until  December,  1889,  and  in 
the  spring  of  1890  became  assistant  cashier  of 
the  Commercial  bank  of  Lowell,  filling  the 
place  very  creditably  for  some  time,  later  ac- 
cepting a position  in  the  Citizens’  State  bank 
of  Rensselaer,  which  he  held  until  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  Albany  bank  when  he  became 
cashier  of  the  latter.  On  the  21st  day  of 
October,  1891,  Mr.  Chilcote  and  Miss  Allie 
Kinney,  of  Rensselaer,  were  united  in  marriage, 
the  fruits  of  which  union  are  two  children: 
Lizzie  and  Jennie,  twins,  whose  birth  occurred 
August  16,  1892. 

The  bank  of  Albany  was  organized  May  i 5, 
1893,  under  the  name  of  the  Citizens’  bank, 
the  management  being,  D.  J.  Mann,  president; 
James  E.  Stafford,  vice-president;  F.  L.  Chil- 
cote, cashier;  W.  H.  Maitlen,  J.  S.  Krohn  and 
W.  B.  Austin,  directors.  The  enterprise  was 
established  under  the  most  favorable  auspices, 
and  the  high  character  and  integrity  of  the 
gentleman  connected  therewith  command  the 
confidence  of  the  public  and  guarantee  its  use- 
fulness as  one  of  the  solid  financial  institutions 
of  Delaware  county.  The  careful  commercial 
education  and  thorough  business  training,  as 
well  as  the  extended  experience  in  banking, 
make  Mr.  Chilcote  thoroughly  qualified  for  the 
responsible  position  he  holds  in  the  concern, 
the  officers  of  which,  as  well  as  depositors,  im- 
posing in  him  the  most  implicit  confidence. 

Mr.  Chilcote  was  raised  in  the  Presbyterian 
church,  and  while  not  visibly  identified  with 
the  denomination,  he  is  a believer  in  the  truths 
of  the  Bible,  and  an  earnest  friend  to  all  moral 
and  religious  movements.  He  is  a member  of 
Anthony  lodge.  No.  171,  A.  F.  & A.  M. , of 


DELAWARE  TOWNSHIP. 


631 


Albany,  a republican  in  his  political  connection, 
and  a highly  respected  and  popular  citizen  of 
the  community  in  which  he  resides. 


HRTHUR  S.  CLARK,  a well  known 
business  man  of  Abany,  was  born  in 
Decatur  county,  Ind. , August  22, 
1851,  the  son  of  Robert  and  Frances 
(Kemper)  Clark.  Robert  Clark  is  a native  of 
Kentucky  and  dates  his  birth  from  the  27th 
day  of  January,  1816.  His  parents  were 
\Voodson  and  Patience  Clark,  and  he  came  to 
Indiana  in  1840,  and  became  a resident  of 
Hamilton  township,  Delaware  county,  in  the 
year  1859.  Robert  Clark  followed  farming 
very  successfully  until  1886,  at  which  time  he 
removed  to  the  village  of  Royertown,  where  he 
is  now  spending  his  declining  years  retired  from 
active  life.  He  is,  and  has  been,  for  many 
years  an  active  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  votes  the  republican  ticket, 
and  is  prominently  identified  with  the  Masonic 
fraternity.  Of  the  twelve  children  born  to 
Robert  and  Frances  Clark  the  following  are 
living  at  this  time,  namely:  Sarah,  Arthur  S., 
Carrie,  Thomas,  Stella  and  Ralph. 

Arthur  S.  Clark  was  reared  on  the  home 
farm  until  his  eighteenth  year,  at  which  time 
he  apprenticed  himself  to  a mechanic  for  two 
and  one-half  years  to  learn  the  trade  of  a 
machinist.  Later  he  accepted  a position  with 
the  Wabash  railroad  company,  in  the  employ 
of  which  he  continued  for  a period  of  fifteen 
years,  and  during  the  succeding  four  years  was 
engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  in  the  town 
of  Shideler.  Abandoning  the  dry  goods  trade 
in  1891,  Mr.  Clark  engaged  in  the  undertak- 
ing and  furniture  business,  both  of  which  lines 
he  still  continues,  and  in  which  he  has  met 
with  well  deserved  success.  He  is  a practical 
business  man,  has  a large  and  constantly  in- 


creasing trade,  and  is  one  of  the  representa- 
tive citizens  of  the  town  and  township  in 
which  for  so  many  years  he  has  resided.  In 
his  religious  belief  he  adheres  to  the  Methodist 
creed,  in  which  church  he  holds  the  position 
of  trustee,  and  he  has  for  some  time  been  an 
active  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows’  fraternity. 
He  also  belongs  to  the  brotherhood  of  Rail- 
road Firemen  and  Engineers,  and  politically  is 
a stanch  supporter  of  the  republican  party, 
the  principles  of  which  he  believes  to  be  for 
the  best  interest  of  the  country. 

Mr.  Clark  was  married  June  27,  1877,  in 
Peru,  Ind. , to  Miss  Carrie  Bevis,  who  was 
born  in  the  city  of  Zanesville,  Ohio,  on  the 
iith  day  of  August,  1851,  the  daughter  of 
William  Bevis.  Mrs.  Clark  is  also  a member 
of  the  Methodist  church,  and  a lady  highly  re- 
spected by  a large  circle  of  friends  in  Dela- 
ware township. 


e^LIJAH  E..  DAVIS. — In  the  number 
of  esteemed  and  worthy  citizens  of 
Albany  the  name  of  Elijah  E.  Davis 
deserves  to  appear  prominently,  he 
being  a most  useful  as  well  as  successful  resi- 
dent of  that  prosperous  town.  Mr.  Davis  was 
born  July  21,  1852,  in  Delaware  county,  Ind., 
being  the  son  of  Jacob  and  Mary  (Cake) 
Davis.  Jacob  Davis  was  born  in  Ross  county, 
Ohio,  March  7,  1805,  and  was  the  son  of  John 
and  Rachael  (Daugherty)  Davis,  of  Irish  and 
English  descent,  respectively;  who  located  in 
Ohio  at  an  early  date,  John  Davis  dying  there 
of  cholera,  in  the  year  1843.  He  and  his  wife 
were  the  parents  of  ten  children,  all  of  whom 
are  dead,  except  one,  Mrs.  Sarah  Vincent,  of 
Black  Hawk,  Iowa.  The  father,  Elijah,  was 
the  eldest  son,  and  followed  farming  all  his  life. 
He  was  married  three  times,  and  died  May  28, 
1885,  in  the  faith  of  the  Methodist  church,  in 


582 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


which  he  had  lived;  his  last  wife  having  pre- 
ceded him  to  the  grave,  dying  March  4,  1881. 

Elijah  E.  Davis  received  a common  school 
education  and  remained  with  his  parents  until 
attaining  his  majority,  when  he  began  farming 
the  old  homestead,  continuing  the  same  until 
1876,  at  which  time  he  bought  fifty  acres  of 
land  of  his  own;  he  resided  on  the  latter  until 
the  spring  of  1892,  devoting  part  of  his  atten- 
tion, the  meanwhile,  to  the  manufacture  of 
drain  tile,  and  then  removed  to  the  village  of 
Albany  and  engaged  in  the  hotel  business, 
purchasing  and  refitting  a building  which  has 
since  became  widely  known  as  a favorite  resort 
of  the  traveling  public. 

Mr.  Davis  was  married  February  i,  1872, 
to  Martha  J.  Bartlett,  born  March  2,  1854, 
and  the  daughter  of  Robert  and  Elizabeth 
(Mann)  Bartlett,  both  parents  of  English  ex- 
traction. The  children  of  this  marriage  were 
seven,  namely:  Norman  A.,  Rosie  L. , Irene, 

Lillie  R. , Thomas  C.  and  Cora  M.,  twins,  and 
Marth  C.  The  mother  of  this  interesting  fam- 
ily departed  this  life  February  24,  1888,  dying 
as  she  had  lived,  a consistent  member  of  the 
Methodist  church.  Mr.  Davis  was  next  mar- 
ried August  24,  1889,  to  Mary  E.  Beard,  who 
was  born  in  Wayne  county,  Ind.,  December 
I,  1856;  being  the  daughter  of  John  and  Su- 
san (Leisure)  Beard.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Davis  are 
earnest  members  of  the  Methodist  church,  and 
take  an  active  part  in  all  religious  work  of  the 
local  congregation  to  which  they  belong.  He 
is  an  accepted  member  of  the  Masonic  order, 
of  which  body  he  has  been  in  pleasant  relations 
for  many  years.  Politically  he  is  a republican. 


HBIJAH  T.  DeHAVEN,  the  honored 
subject  of  the  present  sketch,  who  has 
gone  to  the  reward  of  the  righteous, 
was,  during  life,  well  known  as  one  of 
the  most  prominent  citizens  of  Delaware  county, 


Ind.  He  was  born  in  Frederick  county,  Va. , 
November  8,  1823,  a son  of  John  and  Rhoda 
(Doster)  DeHaven,  natives  of  Virginia,  of 
English  descent.  John  and  Rhoda  DeHaven 
were  the  parents  of  thirteen  children,  of  which 
large  family  there  are  but  four  now  living.  The 
subject  was  the  ninth  in  the  order  of  birth. 
The  whole  life  of  his  father  was  devoted  to 
agricultural  pursuits  in  his  native  county,  where 
he  lived  to  a ripe  old  age. 

Abijah  T.  DeHaven  was  reared  on  the 
home  farm  and  learned,  early  in  life,  the  neces- 
sity of  labor.  He  was  sent  to  the  common 
school  and  assisted  on  the  farm  until  he  had 
reached  his  majority,  when  he  engaged  in  farm- 
ing for  himself.  Thirteen  years  of  his  life  were 
spent  in  Greene  county,  Ohio,  and  in  1865  he 
removed  to  Delaware  county,  and  here  pur- 
chased property  when  the  country  was  yet  in 
its  primitive  condition.  His  death  occurred 
October  31,  1891,  at  which  time  he  owned 
over  six  hundred  acres  of  land,  which  was  well 
and  substantially  improved.  This  was  the 
direct  result  of  his  own  hard  labor  and  careful 
financiering.  He  was  a man  of  indomitable 
will  and  perseverance,  and  was  ever  ready  to 
assist  in  any  worthy  enterprise  tending  to 
benefit  his  fellow  citizens. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  DeHaven  took  place 
May  26,  1864,  to  Miss  Martha  C.  Strong,  who 
was  born  in  Delaware  township,  Delaware 
county,  March  25,  1845,  ^ daughter  of  John 
W.  and  Clarissa  (Rohrbaugh)  Strong,  who 
were  pioneers  of  Delaware  county.  To  this 
union  were  born  five  children  as  follows:  Anna 
B.,  deceased,  John,  Frank  L. , Amy  E.  and 
Jessie  O.  The  mother  and  daughters  are 
members  of  the  Methodist  church,  and  the 
family  is  one  of  the  most  respected  in  the 
county.  Mr.  DeHaven  left  to  his  family  some- 
thing better  even  than  the  large  property,  a 
good  name,  above  reproach,  and  one  of  which 
his  descendants  can  always  be  proud. 


DELAWARE  TOWNSHIP. 


583 


ARTIN  L.  DEPOY.— Among  the 
successful  farmers  of  Delaware 
county  who  have  risen  to  wealth  and 
prominence  by  the  exercise  of  their 
own  efforts,  stands  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 
Martin  L.  Depoy  was  born  in  Delaware  town- 
ship and  county,  August  i8,  1851,  a son  of 
Samuel  and  Melinda  Depoy,  the  father  a native 

of and  the  mother  of  Virginia.  They 

came  to  this  county  in  1836,  located  in  Dela- 
ware township,  and  engaged  in  farming,  which 
occupation  they  continued  in  until  the  close  of 
life,  he  dying  in  1865,  and  she  in  January,  1871. 
Samuel  and  Melinda  Depoy  were  the  parents 
of  two  children,  Joseph  and  Martin  L.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Depoy  were  respected  by  all  their 
friends,  and  they  were  many.  He  was  a stanch 
democrat  and  a prominent  member  of  the  Ma- 
sonic order.  Martin  L.  Depoy  was  reared  at 
home,  received  but  limited  educational  advan- 
tages, and  at  the  age  of  thirteen  years  began 
working  for  John  Krohn,  by  the  month  At 
the  expiration  of  his  term  of  service  with  that 
gentleman,  he  farmed  two  years  himself  and 
then  purchased  thirty-eight  acres  of  land  in 
section  10.  This  was  in  1878,  and  one  year 
later  he  was  able  to  buy  forty  acres  more;  in 
March,  1883,  twenty-two  acres,  and  in  Febru- 
ary, 1889,  an  additional  twenty-two  acre  tract, 
122  acres  in  all,  well  improved.  He  takes  great 
pleasure  in  the  possession  of  this  land,  as  it  is 
the  result -of  his  own  honest  work. 

Mr.  Depoy  was  married  April  26,  1877,  to 
Niss  Nancy  J.  Bartlett,  who  was  born  in  this 
county,  July  6,  1858,  a daughter  of  Elijah  and 
Mary  (Mann)  Bartlett,  to  which  union  four 
children  have  been  born,  as  follows;  Walter 
W.,  Olive  May.,  Josie  and  Mary  Melinda. 
Mr.  Depoy’s  political  affiliations  are  with  the 
republican  party,  in  the  success  of  which  he 
takes  much  interest.  He  is  a holder  of  twenty 
shares  in  the  Albany  Land  company,  and  since 
1870  has  been  extensively  engaged  in  the 


shipping  of  stock.  This  has  proved  very 
profitable  under  his  wise  management.  Mrs. 
Depoy  is  an  excellent  lady,  and  a member  of 
the  Methodist  church. 


HSA  DEVOE,  was  born  in  Greene 
county,  Ohio,  August  12,  1834;  was 
the  son  of  Joseph  and  Abigail  (Og- 
glesby)  Devoe,  who  were  descended, 
on  their  respective  sides,  from  the  German  and 
French.  They  were  among  the  early  settlers 
of  Ohio,  and  farmed  on  a large  scale;  and 
consequently  the  subject  of  our  present  sketch 
remained  with  his  father  and  engaged  in  farm- 
ing until  he  grew  to  manhood.  He  was  mar- 
ried March  10,  1859,  to  Mary  J.  Smith,  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Margaret  (Burl)  Smith,  na- 
tives, respectively,  of  Virginia  and  Ohio.  The 
father  of  Mary  (Smith)  Devoe  came  from  Vir- 
ginia when  a young  man,  settled  in  Ohio,  and 
there  he  first  met  the  lady  whom  he  after- 
wards married;  she  was  then  just  fourteen 
years  of  age,  and  must  have  been  very  capti- 
vating and  attractive,  as  the  result  shows. 
They  reared  a large  family,  the  record  show- 
ing twelve  children  grown  to  man  and  woman- 
hood, and  mentioned  in  the  following  order; 
Burl,  William,  Eli,  Alfred  and  Henry,  all 
farmers;  Ellen,  wife  of  John  Ford;  Sarah, 
wife  of  Lafayette  Lucas;  Elizabeth,  wife  of 
William  St.  John;  Nancy,  wife  of  William 
Mendenhall,  Margaret,  wife  of  James  Clarke; 
Emma,  wife  of  John  Bosman,  and  Mary,  wife 
of  the  subject  of  this  mention.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Smith  lived  and  died  where  they  had  spent 
many  prosperous,  happy  years;  she,  departing 
this  life  in  1849;  he,  in  1883.  There  were 
also  left  to  mourn  their  loss  Mr.  Smith’s  two 
brothers  and  two  sisters;  William  and  Jerry 
Smith,  both  enterprising  farmers;  and  Anna, 
wife  of  Andrew  Stephen;  and  Margaret,  wdfe 


534 


DELAWARE  COUNTY  : 


of  Ira  Sutton.  Mrs.  Smith  likewise  left  rela- 
tives to  mourn  her  loss;  one  brother  and  four 
sisters  in  the  order  named:  Marshal  Burl, 
farmer;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Benjamin  Hard- 
acre;  Susan,  wife  of  Alfred  Powers;  Mary, 
wife  of  John  Lucas,  and  Debra,  wife  of  Sol. 
Brainard. 

Asa  Devoe  was  the  father  of  hve  children, 
four  of  whom  were  living  when  this  sketch  was 
made.  Viz:  Albert  R.,  manufacturer  of  tile 
at  Albany;  John  B.  and  O.  H.,  who  became 
farmers;  Rose,  wife  of  Losan  Peterson,  and 
Emma  C.,  deceased.  In  the  year  1890  Mr. 
Devoe  moved  to  Albany,  where  he  had  an  in- 
terest in  the  tile  works;  and  where  his  assist- 
ance became  necessary  to  the  undertaking. 
He  was  actively  engaged  until  the  last  year, 
when  he  became  disabled  from  work  on  account 
of  sickness,  and  was  confined  to  the  house  for 
some  months  previous  to  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred December  18,  1892.  When  Mr.  Devoe 
first  came  to  Indiana,  he  settled  in  Niles  town- 
ship, where  he  purchased  a farm  of  eighty 
acres  from  his  wife’s  father,  the  land  he  had 
formerly  bought  of  Jonas  Peterson,  who  entered 
the  same.  Mr.  Devoe  lived  here  for  five  years, 
at  the  expiration  of  which  time  he  sold,  and 
purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land 
which  he  left  for  the  comfort  of  his  widow  and 
children.  He  was  an  industrious,  hard  work- 
ing man,  a fond  husband,  a kind  and  loving 
father,  a good  citizen;  highly  respected  by  all 
who  knew  him.  Mr.  Devoe  was  assessor  for 
four  years  and  attended  to  the  office  faithfully. 
He  was  also  a member  of  the  order  of  I.  O.  O. 
F. , and  he  and  his  wife. belonged  to  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church. 

Mr.  Devoe  had  four  brothers  and  two  sis- 
ters, viz:  David,  Ephraim,  Washington  and 

Wesley,  all  of  whom  were  farmers.  The  sis- 
ters were  Sarah,  wife  of  Nathan  Fisher,  and 
Evaline,  wife  of  John  Ary.  Mrs.  Devoe  now 
lives  in  Albany,  nicely  and  comfortably  situ- 


ated, as  the  result  of  their  early  thrift  and 
management. 


ATHANIEL  C.  DILL,  M.  D.— The 
medical  profession  is  ably  repre- 
sented in  Delaware  county,  and 
when  the  association  of  physicians 
and  surgeons  of  this  favored  sections  meet, 
they  represent  a large  portion  of  the  learning 
and  influence  of  this  part  of  the  state.  Among 
those  prominently  identified  with  this  body,  is 
the  subject  of  the  present  sketch.  Dr. 
Nathaniel  C.  Dill,  a native  of  Darke  county, 
Ohio,  where  he  was  born  September  8,  i860, 
a son  of  Uriah  and  Rebecca  (Morford)  Dill. 
The  father  was  born  in  Hamilton  county, 
Ohio,  was  there  reared  to  manhood  and 
learned  the  trade  of  carpenter,  which  he  fol- 
lowed until  his  removal  to  Darke  county  in 
1858,  where  he  remained  until  1862.  In  the 
latter  year  he  changed  his  residence  to  Butler 
county,  Ohio,  where  he  met  with  an  accident, 
falling  from  a building,  which  cost  him  his 
life,  in  1866.  He  was,  like  his  wife,  a mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  church,  and  for  years  was 
an  earnest  supporter  of  the  principles  of  the 
democratic  party. 

Mrs.  Dill,  was  a woman  of  great  ability 
and  superior  intelligence.  For  nineteen  years 
she  followed  the  profession  of  teacher  of  the 
public  school,  and  now  lives  a quiet,  restful  life, 
an  inmate  of  the  home  of  her  only  child,  the 
subject  of  this  mention.  Dr.  Nathaniel  C. 
Dill  was  reared  in  Butler  county,  Ohio,  and 
his  mother  took  care  that  he  should  receive  a 
good  education.  After  finishing  his  public 
school  course,  he  attended  the  Normal  school 
for  two  years  and  then  entered  the  Ohio  Medi- 
cal college  of  Cincinnati,  from  which  he  gradu- 
ated March  i,  1881.  The  doctor  began  the 
practice  of  his  profession  in  the  town  of  Riley, 
Butler  county,  Ohio,  where  he  continued  for 


DELAWARE  TOWNSHIP. 


535 


five  years,  later  spending  six  months  in  Florida 
for  his  health,  and  then  acted  as  representative 
for  D.  Appleton  & Co.,  of  New  York,  for 
eighteen  months.  His  health  being  restored 
by  this  change,  he  again  began  practice,  locat- 
ing in  the  pleasant  town  of  Desoto,  Ind.,  where 
he  has  since  continued  and  has  gained  many 
friends,  not  only  among  his  grateful  patients, 
but  also  among  others  who  recognize  in  him  a 
pleasant  gentleman,  and  an  energetic  and  en- 
terprising citizen. 

Dr.  Dill  was  married  November  24,  1888, 
in  \Vells  county,  Ind.,  to  Miss  Lizzie  A.  Carr, 
who  was  born  in  Butler  county,  Ohio,  June  7, 
1865,  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Catherine  (Zel- 
ler) Carr,  of  German  and  Irish  ancestry.  Mrs. 
Dill  is  a member  of  the  Methodist  church. 
Dr.  Dill  is  a republican,  and  is  socially  con- 
nected with  the  I.  O.  O.  F. , and  has  taken  the 
blue  lodge  and  chapter  degrees  in  Masonry, 
and  is  a member  of  Hanselman  commandery 
K.  T. , of  Cincinnati,  Ohio;  he  is  also  a mem- 
ber of  the  order  of  Red  Men.  He  has  large 
business  interests  in  the  town,  and  has  made 
investments  in  the  Desoto  Land  company. 


'OHN  S.  FUDGE,  the  gentleman  for 
whom  this  biography  is  written,  was 
born  in  Green  county,  Ohio,  March  7, 
18-27,  and  is  a son  of  John  and  Cathe- 
rine (Sellers)  Fudge.  The  father  of  the  sub- 
ject was  a very  prominent  man  in  the  state  of 
Ohio,  serving  for  a number  of  years  in  the  state 
legislature,  in  both  upper  and  lower  houses. 
He  was  born  in  Boutetourt  county,  Va. , April 
1 3)  1796,  and  passed  out  of  life  from  the 
effects  of  a stroke  of  paralysis,  September  15, 
1868,  at  the  age  of  seventy-three  years.  Many 
years  ago  he  left  his  native  state  and  removed 
to  Ohio,  locating  about  five  miles  west  of  the 
city  of  Xenia,  where  he  purchased  a large  tract 


of  land,  which  he  farmed,  and  also  operated  a 
tannery.  In  every  walk  of  life  he  was  promi- 
nent, and  possessed  the  confidence  and  esteem 
of  the  community.  For  many  years  he  served 
as  count)'  commissioner,  and  was  appointed  by 
the  whig  party  associate  judge  in  1852.  He 
acted  as  administrator  on  about  300  estates,  in 
which  capacity  he  gave  the  utmost  satisfaction. 
In  the  Methodist  church  he  was  an  officer  for 
many  years,  and  was  considered  one  of  the  best 
of  citizens  and  a good,  religious  man.  In  his 
political  faith  he  was  a whig,  and  united  with 
the  republican  party  upon  its  first  organization. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  received  a good 
common  school  education  and  remained  with 
his  parents  until  attaining  his  majority,  at 
which  he  desired  to  try  his  own  fortunes.  He 
began  life  for  himself  as  a farmer  in  Greene 
count}^  Ohio,  and  continued  in  agricultural 
pursuits  in  that  part  of  the  state  until  1864 
when  he  removed  to  Delaware  county,  Ind., 
locating  in  Niles  township.  Here  he  purchased 
160  acres  of  land  and  farmed  ir  for  four  years. 
This  farm  he  exchanged  for  one  of  140  acres, 
on  which  he  resided  for  seven  years,  when 
he  sold  it  and  purchased  i 50  acres  and  subse- 
quently forty  acres  more  adjoining  it,  which 
he  afterwards  sold.  On  this  farm  he  resided 
for  ten  years,  when  he  again  exchanged  for 
another  furm  of  160  acres,  all  in  Niles  town- 
ship. In  1885  Mr.  Fudge  exchanged  a part  of 
his  farm  for  the  pleasant  and  commodious 
residence  and  grounds  in  which  he  resides  in 
Albany.  In  1886  Mr.  Fudge  sold  the  balance 
of  this  farm  in  Niles  township  and  purchased 
122  acres  but  one-half  mile  east  of  the  beauti- 
ful and  rapidly  growing  village  of  Albany.  It 
has  since  become  very  valuable,  as  it  is  con- 
sidered as  good  gas  land  as  there  is  in  the 
belt.  In  1893  Mr.  Fudge  disposed  of  117 
acres  of  this  splendid  piece  of  property  to  the 
Albany  Land  company,  and  it  will  soon  be  one 
of  the  busy  suburbs  of  the  growing  city. 


536 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


Mr.  Fudge  is  a stock  holder  in  the  Dela- 
ware county  Agricultural  society  and  is  also  a 
director  and  stock  holder  in  the  Albany  Gas 
company.  He  is  retired  from  business  and 
will  spend  the  remainder  of  his  days  in  the  ease 
and  comfort  of  his  pleasant  home  in  Albany. 

Mr.  Fudge  was  married  in  Green  county, 
Ohio,  October  28,  1847,  to  Miss  Martha  J. 
Boots,  who  was  born  in  the  same  county  and 
state  August  4,  1830,  a daughter  of  Joseph 
and  Catherine  (Peterson)  Boots,  both  parents 
natives  of  Ohio.  Martha  C.,  wife  of  Charles 
Racer;  John  M.,  who  is  engaged  in  farming  in 
Delaware  county;  Lewis  M.,  who  is  engaged 
in  the  stock  and  provision  business  in  Dun- 
kirk; Mary  E.,  wife  of  J.  W.  Black,  farmer  in 
Niles  township;  Susan  S.,  wife  of  A.  N.  Bos- 
nian, farmer;  Anna  C. , wife  of  D.  M.  W. 
John,  farmer,  all  of  Niles  township,  and 
Laura  C.,  Allie  F.  and  Hattie  M.,  at  home, 
engaged  in  the  dressmaking  business;  Charles 
B.,  principal  clerk  in  the  store  of  Bliss  & Kel- 
ler, in  Muncie,  Ind. ; Ulysses  F. , with  the  dry 
goods  house  of  S.  C.  Cowan,  in  Muncie,  and 
Joseph  R. , who  died,  in  1861,  at  the  age  of 
three  years. 

Mr.  Fudge  and  wife  are  members  of  the 
M.  E.  church  of  Albany  and  are  highly  re- 
garded in  the  neighborhood  for  their  many  ex- 
cellent traits  of  character. 


OHN  T.  GRAY,  farmer,  was  born  in 
Randolph  county,  April  21,  1841,  the 
son  of  Edward  and  Nancy  (Godwin) 
Gray.  The  parents  of  Edward  Gray 
migrated  from  Virginia  to  Ohio  in  1832, 
thence  to  Randolph  count}^  Ind.,  where  the 
family  secured  360  acres,  upon  which  he  grew 
to  manhood.  The  following  are  the  names  of 
the  brothers  and  sisters  of  Edward  Gray: 
John  H.,  Margaret,  wife  of  William  McCam- 


ish;  Jane,  wife  of  A.  W.  Jarnigen;  Malinda, 
wife  of  John  Green,  and  Emily,  wife  of  George 
Booher.  The  names  of  the  brothers  and  sis- 
ters of  Mrs.  Gray  are  as  follows:  William, 
John,  Nathan,  James,  Thomas,  Goodwin  and 
Sarah,  wife  of  Dempsey  Harber.  Edward 
Gray  was,  for  fifty  years,  a prominent  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  church,  and  is  remem- 
bered as  a man  of  most  excellent  reputation 
in  the  community  in  which  he  resided.  He 
died  Maixh  25,  1890,  and  with  his  wife,  who 
departed  this  life  October,  1888,  lies  buried 
in  what  is  known  as  the  Hopewell  cemetery. 
Edward  and  Nancy  Gray  had  a family  of  six 
children,  namely:  William  M.,  John  T. , 

Nathan  E.,  James  K.  P.,  Mary  and  Sarah, 
the  last  two  of  whom  are  deceased. 

John  T.  Gray  was  reared  a farmer,  and 
with  the  exception  of  a brief  period,  has  fol- 
lowed that  calling  for  his  life  work.  He  was 
married  July  20,  1861,  to  Elizabeth  Pace 

daughter  of  Uriah  and  Mary  (Boots)  Pace,  of 
Randolph  county,  and  immediately  thereafter 
located  on  a farm  in  the  county  of  Randolph, 
where  he  resided  for  some  time.  Disposing  of 
his  interest  in  Randolph  county,  and  thinking 
to  better  his  condition,  he  went  to  Kansas,  but 
did  not  long  remain  in  that  state,  returning  to 
Indiana  and  locating  in  the  town  of  Albany, 
Delaware  county,  which  was  his  home  for 
about  one  year.  He  then  purchased  his  present 
farm  in  Delaware  township,  upon  which  he  has 
since  resided.  The  following  children  have 
been  born  to  John  T.  and  Elizabeth  Gray: 
Uriah,  deceased;  Sarah  E.,  deceased;  Harriet, 
wife  of  David  Woolverton;  Juliette,  wife  of 
E.  A.  Frank;  Laura  L. , Edward,  Bertha  and 
James  W. , deceased.  The  parents  of  Mrs. 
Gray  moved  from  Eayette  county,  Ohio,  to 
Delaware  county,  Ind.,  in  1833,  and  settled 
near  the  town  of  Albany  on  a farm  where  the 
father  died  November,  1868;  the  mother  is 
still  living,  and  makes  her  home  at  this  time  at 


DELAWARE  TOWNSHIP. 


537 


the  town  of  Albany.  She  is  a member  of  the 
German  Baptist  church,  and  the  mother  of  the 
following-  children:  Jessie,  Edmund,  William 

D.,  deceased;  Albert,  deceased;  Harriet,  wife 
of  John  Rutledge;  Talitha,  wife  of  Otho  Dow- 
den;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  John  T.  Gray  and 
Julia  Pace.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gray  are  members 
of  the  Christian  church,  and  are  highly  respect- 
ed by  all  who  know  them.  Their  pleasant 
home,  which  is  the  abode  of  hospitality,  is 
located  on  a small  but  beautiful  farm,  whose 
rich  and  fertile  fields  yield  a golden  tribute  to 
the  care  and  cultivation  of  the  owner. 


DWARD  P.  HANNAN.  — Among  the 
prominent  and  successful  business 
men  of  Delaware  township,  Dela- 
ware county,  Ind.,  we  note  the  sub- 
ject of  the  following  sketch.  Mr.  Hannan 
was  born  in  Grant  county,  Ind.,  November 
25,  1861,  a son  of  James  W.  and  Rose  A. 
(Parks)  Hannan,  the  former  born  in  Taswell 
county,  Va.,  in  May,  1825,  and  the  latter  in 
Ohio,  in  1828.  They  were  married  in  Picka- 
way county,  Ohio,  where  Mr.  Hannan  engaged 
in  the  practice  of  medicine,  later  adopting  the 
profession  of  teacher,  which  he  continued 
until  1852,  when  he  came  to  Grant  county, 
Ind.,  and  purchased  a small  farm,  remaining 
upon  the  same  until  1867,  when  he  removed 
to  Delaware  county,  and  again  engaged  in 
agricultural  pursuits.  He  subsequently  re- 
moved to  Wheeling,  in  Washington  township, 
but  shortly  after  removed  to  New  Corner,  now 
Gaston,  where  he  engaged  in  general  mer- 
chandise for  two  years.  At  the  expiration  of 
that  time  he  sold  his  property  and  again  engaged 
in  farming  until  1884.  Once  more  he  made  his 
home  in  New  Corner,  and  for  a period  of  four 
years  carried  the  mail  between  New  Corner 
and  Muncie,  and  also  had  charge  of  the  post- 


office  in  connection  with  a book  and  stationery 
store. 

Mr.  Hannan  was  the  father  of  the  follow- 
ing children:  Emma  E.,  the  wife  of  Henry 

Stover,  of  Marion,  Ind.  ; Eliza  J.,  wife  of  Will- 
iam R.  Brady,  of  Indiana;  Alii,  wife  of  W.  R. 
Myers,  of  Muncie,  Ind. ; Mary,  wife  of  George 
W.  Bryan,  of  New  Corner;  E.  P. , subject  of 
this  mention;  John  B.,  of  this  state;  Nannie 
M.,  deceased,  and  Joseph  B.,  of  Cincinnati. 
In  his  religious  preference  Mr.  Hannan  is  a 
Baptist,  and  has  long  been  an  ardent  supporter 
of  the  republican  party. 

Edward  P.  Hannan  was  reared  as  a farmer 
and  had  excellent  school  advantages,  pursuing 
his  studies  until  his  seventeenth  year,  and  then 
leaving  his  books  to  enter  the  employ  of  the 
mercantile  firm  of  Resoner  & Knight,  of  New 
Corner,  where  he  remained  for  one  year.  The 
following  year  he  spent  in  the  employ  of 
George  W.  Stephenson,  of  Muncie,  after  which 
he  spent  one  year  working  at  the  carpenter 
trade,  and  for  about  one  year  vvorked  with 
Levi  Johnson,  in  Huntsville,  in  Randolph 
county.  He  spent  nine  months  on  a farmi  and 
then  went  into  the  drug  business  for  one  year, 
but  the  next  year  was  spent  in  the  photograph 
business  and  six  months  as  clerk  in  Hunts- 
ville. 

Eor  three  summers  he  traveled  for  the 
American  Road  company,  of  Kennett  Square, 
Pa.,  and  during  the  winters  he  engaged  in 
clerking  and  at  the  end  of  this  time  he  went 
into  partnership  with  M.  V.  Harness  in  a gen- 
eral store  at  Point  Isabella,  Grant  county, 
Ind. , for  a period  of  about  eight  months,  after 
which  he  engaged  in  the  same  trade  with  John 
H.  Salyer,  which  partnership  continued  about 
six  months.  He  then  went  back  to  New  Cor- 
ner and  went  into  the  hotel  and  livery  business 
for  a period  of  two  years,  after  which  he  moved 
to  Albany,  where  he  clerked  for  Hunt  & John- 
son for  fourteen  months  and  then  entered  into 


538 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


a partnership  with  R.  G.  Hunt  in  a general 
store,  which  business  he  is  conducting  at  this 
time. 

Mr.  Hannan  was  happily  married  Decem- 
ber 2 1,  1884,  in  Huntsville,  Randolph  county, 
to  Elizabeth  F.  Hunt,  who  was  born  in  Hunts- 
ville, September  9,  1862,  a daughter  of  John 
W.  and  Rachel  (Andrews)  Hunt,  of  Scotch 
and  English  descent.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hannan 
have  three  children,  Dana  L. , Loyd  and 
Ogarita.  The  family  is  connected  with  the 
Methodist  church,  where  they  are  highly  es- 
teemed. Mr.  Hannan  is  a republican  in  his 
political  affiliations,  and  fraternally  is  con- 
nected with  the  order  o’^  I.  O.  O.  F.,  No,  361, 
He  is  well  known  in  this  locality  and  he  num- 
bers his  friends  by  the  score. 


w’lLLIAM  HEBB. — Among  the  well 
mm  I known  residents  of  the  town  of  Al- 
bany,  Ind. , the  gentleman  for  whom 
this  sketch  is  prepared  is  deserving 
of  especial  mention.  Mr.  Hebb  was  born  in 
Preston  county,  Va. , December  25,  1825,  and 
is  a son  of  Robert  and  Nancy  (Evans)  Hebb, 
natives  of  the  same  state,  where  they  married 
and  began  domestic  life  on  a farm  in  the 
county  of  Preston.  They  removed  to  Monon- 
galia county  in  1829,  and  there  remained 
until  their  deaths,  in  the  years  1852  and  1882, 
respectively.  Robert  and  Nancy  Plebb  were 
for  man}^  years  members  of  the  Methodist 
church  and  were  much  respected  in  the  locali- 
ty where  they  lived  for  their  many  excellent 
traits  of  character.  Their  family  were  as 
follows:  William,  Sybrant,  Jehu,  Sarah, 

Martha,  Anna,  and  Virginia  living;  Joseph, 
John,  David  and  Josina,  deceased.  William 
Hebb  was  reared  on  the  home  farm  in  his 
native  state,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-two 
years,  began  the  battle  of  life  for  himself  as 


an  agriculturist.  When  he  had  attained  his 
twenty-fourth  }'ear,  he  learned  the  trade  of 
carpentering,  which  he  successfully  followed  at 
different  places  until  1886.  In  1854  he  left 
his  Virginia  home  and  emigrating  westward, 
located  in  Randolph  county,  Ind. , where  he  re- 
sided until  1 883,  at  which  time  he  became  a resi- 
dent of  the  flourishing  town  of  Albany,  where, 
for  a period  of  eight  years,  he  was  engaged 
in  fine  carpenter  work  and  contracting.  At  the 
end  of  that  time,  he  became  associated  with 
his  son  in  the  harness  business,  with  which  line 
he  was  identified  until  March  i,  1893,  when 
he  retired  from  active  life  and  at  the  present 
writing  is  not  engaged  in  any  undertaking. 
While  a resident  of  the  county  of  Randolph, 
he  acquired  considerable  local  proprinence, 
and  served  the  people  for  eleven  years  as  jus- 
tice of  the  peace,  an  office  to  which  he  was 
also  elected  after  becoming  a resident  of  Al- 
bany, holding  the  same  in  this  town  two  and 
one-half  terms.  His  fraternal  relationship  is 
with  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  in  religion  is  a 
prominent  member  of  the  Christian  church, 
contributing  most  liberally  of  his  means  to  the 
local  congregation  with  which  he  is  identified. 
He  is  held  in  the  highest  esteem  as  an  earnest 
and  conscientious  gentleman,  and  in  the  true 
sense  of  the  word  is  one  of  Albany’s  repre- 
sentative citizens.  Mr.  Hebb  was  married 
December  25,  1851,  in  West  Virginia  to  Miss 
Sarah  M.  Jones,  and  a family  of  eight  chil- 
dren have  been  born  to  their  union:  Adolph, 
JohnF. , Daniel  R. , Adelaid,  deceased;  Clay- 
ton, Lilly,  wife  of  Thomas  Cary;  Grant,  de- 
ceased, and  Emma,  wife  of  W.  Hodge.  The 
mother  of  these  children  departed  this  life 
March,  1875,  and  in  September  of  the  follow- 
ing year,  Mr.  Hebb’s  second  marriage  was 
consummated  with  Mrs.  Maria  Leavell,  widow 
of  the  late  John  F.  Leavell:  two  children, 
Rufus  and  Charles,  have  been  born  to  this 
union. 


DELAWARE  TOWNSHIP. 


589 


F.  HOUSEMAN,  the  efficient  and 
affable  gentleman  who  manages  the 
telegraphic  service  of  the  L.  E.  & W. 
railroad  at  Albany,  Ind.,  is  the  sub- 
ject of  this  biographical  notice.  Mr.  House- 
man was  born  in  Seneca  county,  Ohio, 
January  4,  1861,  and  is  a son  of  D.  M.  and 
Elizabeth  (Powell)  Houseman,  natives  of 
Pennsylvania  and  of  Virginia,  respectively. 
They  were  the  parents  of  four  children,  David, 
who  died  in  the  army;  George,  a farmer, 
Catherine,  an  accomplished  lady  who  spent 
seven  years  in  Africa,  teaching  the  natives, 
and  B.  E.  The  father  died  in  June,  1883: 
the  mother  is  now  a resident  of  the  village  of 
Albany.  Mr.  Houseman  had  been  a soldier, 
and  his  death  was  caused  by  trouble  contract- 
ed while  in  the  army.  Politically,  he  was  a 
democrat. 

At  the  age  of  sixteen  years  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  began  life  for  himself,  engaging  in 
any  general  work  to  which  he  could  turn  his 
hand,  until  he  was  twenty-one  years  of  age, 
when  he  began  the  study  of  telegraphy  under 
F.  L.  Twining,  at  Kansas,  Ohio,  remaining 
under  his  instructions  for  one  year.  In  1882 
he  was  appointed  to  take  charge  of  the  office 
at  Buckland,  Ohio,  and  remained  in  that  po- 
sition for  three  years,  and  in  1886  became  the 
manager  of  the  office  of  the  L.  E.  & W. , at 
Albany,  Ind.  He  has  faithfully  performed  his 
duties  to  the  company  and  has  been  most 
thoughtfully  treated  in  return. 

Mr.  Houseman  was  married  December  23, 
1888,  to  Miss  Wilda  M.  Bartlett,  daughter  of 
William  T.  Bartlett,  of  Albany,  and  has  two 
bright  little  daughters,  Lena  A.  and  Blanche. 
Mr.  Houseman  is  a democrat  and  is  con- 
sidered one  of  the  prominent  factors  of  his 
party  in  Delawaro  county.  Socially,  he  is  a 
member  of  the  R.  R.  Telegraphic  union  and 
in  a financial  way  is  a member  of  the  Co-oper- 
ative Gas  company  of  Albany. 


EORGE  W.  JONES.— The  subject 
of  this  sketch,  the  prosperous  owner 
and  manager  of  the  only  general  store 
in  the  thriving  little  town  of  Desoto, 
Ind.,  is  the  son  of  Benjamin  and  Elizabeth 
(Yeager)  Jones,  and  was  born  in  Monongalia 
county,  W.  Va.  His  parents  were  also  born 
in  the  same  state,  of  Welsh  and  German  an- 
cestors. They  married  there,  and  remained  in 
the  old  place  until  1 844,  when  they  removed  to 
Indiana  and  settled  in  Delaware  county.  They 
found  a primeval  wilderness,  bought  sixty  acres 
of  land  and  began  their  pioneer  life  in  earnest. 
Work,  hard  work,  was  the  order  of  the  day, 
and  Mr.  Jones  did  much  of  it.  He  took  a 
pride  in  his  home  and  labored  faithfully,  suc- 
ceeding as  all  do,  who  persevere,  and  at  the 
time  of  his  death,  July  15,  1862,  he  owned 
two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  well  improved 
land.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jones  were  the  parents  of 
five  children,  as  follows:  Joseph  C.,  George 

W.,  Rebecca,  wife  of  J.  W.  Eryer;  Jacob  Y. 
and  James  B. , the  last  two  of  whom  were 
killed  in  the  army  during  the  late  war.  Mrs. 
Jones  died  December  1 2,  1867.  Both  had  been 
valued  and  consistent  members  of  the  Christ- 
ian church.  He  was  a republican  in  his  politi- 
cal convictions,  and  for  a great  many  years  be- 
longed to  the  Masonic  order.  Mr.  Jones’ 
second  wdfe  w'as  Catherine  Synder,  who  sur- 
vives him,  but  there  were  no  children  born  to 
this  union. 

Upon  the  home  farm  the  subject  received 
his  practical  training,  which  made  of  him  a 
self-reliant  and  successful  agriculturist,  and 
after  he  had  reached  his  legal  majority  he 
farmed  for  his  father  for  one  year,  then  rented 
land  for  the  two  following  years.  Then  he 
moved  near  Idaville,  in  White  county,  where 
he  purchased  property  and  engaged  in  clerking 
in  a general  store,  following  this  occupation  for 
three  years,  later  spending  two  years  working 
at  the  carpenter  trade.  He  then  purchas  e 


540 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


forty-five  acres  of  land  in  Delaware  township, 
moved  to  the  same  and  engaged  in  farming  and 
improving  the  land,  upon  which  he  re- 
mained three  years.  During  the  six  following 
years  he  was  engaged  in  the  saw  mill  business 
and  then  again  went  to  farming,  which  he  pur- 
sued for  ten  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he 
located  in  the  pleasant  town  of  Desoto,  which 
he  decided  to  make  his  home.  He  is  now  con- 
ducting the  only  general  merchandise  store  in 
the  place,  and  in  August,  1890,  was  appointed 
postmaster  of  the  town.  For  the  past  four 
years  he  has  been  a prohibitionist  in  his  politi- 
cal convictions,  and  has  served  the  township  as 
trustee  for  two'  terms.  He  is  a man  of  con- 
siderable means,  owns  forty-seven  acres  of 
land  in  the  township,  and  has  $5,000  in  the 
Desoto  Land  company. 

Mr.  Jones  was  married  April  22,  1859,  to 
Miss  Martha  A.  Shaffer,  and  six  children  were 
born  to  this  union,  only  one  of  whom  is  now 
living,  Addie,  the  wife  of  L.  McHardie,  of 
Desoto,  who  is  engaged  with  Mr.  jones  in 
general  merchandising.  The  mother  died 
Februai'y  17,  1S62.  Mr.  Jones’  second  mar- 
riage was  solemnized  April  26,  1863,  with  Miss 
Lydia  Ah  Bell,  daughter  of  John  and  Maria 
(Callender)  Bell,  who  was  born  in  Madison 
county,  Ohio,  June  13,  1861.  The  marriage 
took  place  in  Jay  county,  Ind.,  and  has  been 
blessed  with  three  children,  namely:  Walter 

E.  and  Alma  F. , and  an  infant  daughter.  The 
family  are  members  of  the  Christian  church, 
in  which  they  are  much  esteemed. 


^ILLIAMF.  KROHN.—The  follow- 
ing biographical  sketch  is  written 


ni 

of  one  who  has  arisen  by  his  own 
efforts  from  humble  environments 
to  be  one  of  the  wealthiest  and  most  prom- 
inent and  respected  citizens  of  Delaware  coun- 


ty, Jnd.  He  was  born  in  Delaware  township 
and  county,  a son  of  William  F.  and  Mary  M. 
(Pendry)  Krohn,  the  father  having  been  born 
in  North  Germany,  May  10,  1805,  a son  of 
William  Krohn,  of  Germany  also.  William 
F.  Krohn  came  to  America  about  the  time  he 
was  old  enough  to  enter  the  militia,  but  re- 
mained only  a short  time,  when  he  returned 
to  his  native  country  and  there  finished  his 
education.  He  was  a man  of  fine  education, 
conversing  in  five  different  languages.  He 
married  Mary  Pendry,  who  was  born  in  Greene 
county,  Ohio,  and  to  this  marriage  the  follow- 
ing family  of  children  were  born;  Mary  L. , 
the  wife  of  Isaac  Mann;  Elizabeth,  wife  of 
William  Lister,  of  Randolph  county;  John  S., 
Henrietta,  now  residing  with  her  brother 
William;  William  B.,  our  subject,  and  Bar- 
bara, wife  of  R.  W.  Maxwell. 

The  father  of  this  family  passed  out  of  life 
May  9,  1868,  and  the  mother  in  1847.  She 
was  a Quaker  in  her  religious  belief,  and  he 
was  a member  of  the  German  Reformed 
church.  He  was  a democrat  in  his  political 
convictions  until  the  late  war,  when  he  became 
a Douglas  man,  but  later  in  life  a republican. 
His  profession  was  that  of  veterinary  surgeon, 
and  in  pursuit  of  it  he  traveled  through  four 
kingdoms.  His  memory  of  people  and  places, 
as  well  as  events,  was  wonderful,  and  made  him 
a most  entertaining  companion. 

William  F.  Krohn  was  reared  in  the  vil- 
lage of  Albany  and  early  displayed  business 
talent,  from  the  age  of  eight  years  taking  care 
of  himself.  He  engaged  in  driving  cattle  and 
did  work  often  by  the  day,  and  in  1867  he  and 
his  brother  John  entered  into  a real  estate 
transaction  which  proved  the  nucleus  of  his 
fortune.  Together,  they  purchased  five  lots 
in  the  town  of  Albany,  and  when  the  price 
advanced  and  land  became  more  valuable, 
they  sold  it,  purchasing  five  acres  of  J.  S. 
Fudge,  himself  a good  business  man,  paying 


DELAWARE  TOWNSHIP. 


541 


$ioo  per  acre,  and  sold  this  later  at  an  advance 
of  twenty  per  cent,  buying  then,  close  by, 
a tract  of  eighty  acres  which  they  from  time 
added  to  until  now  they  owm  726  acres,  all  of 
which  is  valuable  land.  In  connection  with 
their  other  interests  they  have  been  successful 
in  stock  raising,  and  now  are  considered  very 
responsible  and  wealthy  members  of  the  com- 
munity. 'Until  the  marriage  of  the  others. 
Miss  Henrietta  kept  house  and  lived  with  them, 
but  now  she  is  the  presiding  good  genius  in  the 
home  of  the  subject.  She  is  one  of  the  val- 
ued and  efficient  workers  in  the  Methodist 
church.  In  his  politics,  Mr.  Krohn  votes  with 
the  republican  party. 


OHN  S.  KROHN. — Prominent  among 
the  enterprising  farmers  and  stock 
raisers  of  Delaware  county  is  John  S. 
Krohn,  who  for  many  years  has  been 
one  of  the  leading  citizens  of  the  township  of 
Delaw'are.  Mr.  Krohn’s  parents  were  William 
and  Mary  (Pendri)  Krohn,  the  father  a Ger- 
man and  the  mother  a native  of  this  country. 
The  father  came  to  the  United  States  in  1833, 
landing  in  New  York,  from  which  city  he  pro- 
ceeded to  Greene  county,  Ohio,  where  he 
followed  his  profession-  of  veterinary  surgeon 
for  a period  of  four  years.  At  the  end  of  that 
time  he  came  to  Delaware  county,  Ind. , and 
located  at  the  town  of  Albany,  where  his  death 
occurred  May  g,  1864;  his  wife  preceded  him 
to  the  grave,  dying  on  the  29th  day  of  March, 
1848.  The  following  are  the  names  of  the  six 
children  born  to  William  and  Mary  Krohn, 
namely;  Louisa  M.,  wife  of  Isaac  Mann; 
Elizabeth,  wife  of  William  M.  Lister,  of  Ran- 
dolph county;  John  S.,  whose  name  introduces 
this  mention;  Henrietta;  William  B.,  noticed 
elsewhere;  and  Barbara,  wife  of  Robert  Max- 
well. 


John  S.  Krohn,  born  in  Delaware  county, 
December  3,  1841,  was  reared  in  the  town  of 
Albany,  and  his  education  embraced  the  studies 
included  in  the  common  school  curriculum. 
At  the  early  age  of  twelve  years  he  began 
working  for  himself  at  different  occupations, 
and  later,  was  employed  in  driving  live  stock 
to  Cincinnati  and  other  prominent  shipping 
points.  At  the  age  of  nineteen,  with  a spirit 
that  animated  so  many  patriotic  young  men 
during  the  dark  period  when  the  war  cloud 
spread  its  sombre  folds  over  the  country,  he 
went  forth  to  do  battle  in  behalf  of  the  Nation- 
al Union.  He  enlisted  September  20,  1861, 
in  company  D,  Second  Indiana  volunteer  cav- 
alry, for  a three  5mars’  service  and  remained 
at  the  front  one  month  in  excess  of  his  period 
of  enlistment.  He  was  taken  prisoner  at 
Huntsville,  Alabama,  December,  1863,  by  the 
confederate  general  John  Morgan,  but  was 
soon  exchanged  and  returned  to  his  command. 
He  participated  gallantly  in  many  hard  fought 
battles,  including  the  numerous  engagements 
of  the  Atlanta  campaign,  and  made  a record 
as  a soldier  of  which  he  feels  deservedly 
proud.  Mr.  Krohn  was  honorably  discharged 
at  Indianapolis  October  7,  1864.  On  retiring 
from  the  army,  he  returned  home  and  engaged 
in  teaming  and  general  farming,  and  purchased 
his  first  property  in  1866.  This  was  but  an 
insignificent  piece  of  land,  but  by  well  directed 
effort  and  wise  forethought,  he  added  thereto, 
from  time  to  time,  until  he  is  now  the  fortun- 
ate possessor  of  over  700  acres,  which  repre- 
sent the  results  of  his  own  labor  and  successful 
management.  His  farm  is  under  a high  state 
of  cultivation,  and  in  addition  to  agriculture, 
he  deals  in  live  stock, — being  one  of  the  most 
successful  stock  men  in  Delaware  county. 

Mr.  Krohn  was  married  February  22,  1872, 
in  the  township  w'here  he  resides,  to  Miss 
Sarah  S.  Wingate,  daughter  of  J.  W.  and  Be- 
linda (Stew'art)  Wingate.  Mrs.  Krohn  was 


542 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


born  April  27,  1848,  and  is  the  mother  of  four 
children:  Jamie,  William,  Othia,  Nettie  and 

John  H.  C.  Politically,  Mr.  Krohn  is  a repub- 
lican and  fraternally  is  a member  of  Post  No. 
418,  G.  A.  R.,  Dept,  of  Ind  He  is  a man  of 
prominence  in  the  community  where  he  resides, 
has  an  e.xcellent  reputation  as  a farmer, 
stock  raiser  and  business  man,  and  stands  high 
in  the  estimation  of  his  fellow  citizens  of  Del- 
aware township  and  throughout  the  county. 


AMES  M.  LEAVELL,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  is  a prosperous  farmer  of  Desoto, 
Delaware  township,  Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  and  a highl}^  respected  citizen. 
He  was  born  in  Henry  county,  Ind.,  February 
24,  1848,  and  is  the  son  of  James  M.  and  Ruth 
(Corwin)  Leavell.  The  father  was  a native  of 
Kentucky,  received  a fair  education,  and  when 
but  a child  came  to  Henry  county,  where  he 
lived  until  1844,  at  which  time  he  went  to 
Randolph  county,  Ind. , where  he  resided  until 
his  death,  December,  1863.  His  wife  died 
prior  to  that  date  in  the  county  of  Randolph. 

They  were  the  parents  of  ten  children,  of 
who  five  are  living,  namely:  William  H., 

Richard  J.,  James  M.,  Nancy  A.  and  Francis 
M.  James  M.  Leavell  was  a farmer,  and  he 
and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  Christian 
church.  He  was  a republican  in  politics,  a 
very  highly  respected  citizen,  and  a man  of 
enterprise  and  public  spirit,  ready  to  assist  in 
any  movement  calculated  to  advance  the  town- 
ship or  county. 

James  M.  Leavell  lived  at  home,  and  very 
early  in  life  began  to  do  hard  work.  At  the 
age  of  nineteen  he  went  into  the  army,  enlist- 
ing in  company  K,  Nineteenth  Indiana  infan- 
try. Entering  in  1863,  he  was  discharged  in 
June  1865,  and  had  suffered  from  a sunstroke. 
He  participated  in  nine  battles,  namely:  Wilder- 


ness, Spottsylvania  C.  H.,  North  Anna,  Cul- 
peper C.  H.,  Hanover  C.  H.,  Cold  Harbor, 
Petersburg,  and  was  sunstruck  while  on  the 
jucket  in  front  of  Petersburg,  on  the  day  of 
the  explosion  of  the  mine,  1864,  which  incapi- 
tated  him  from  further  service  with  his  regi- 
ment. 

After  his  return  home  from  the  army  he  at- 
tended school  for  eighteen  months  at' Clare  and 
Portland,  after  which  he  farmed  for  a while 
and  taught  school  for  two  winters.  He  follow- 
ed farming  until  1881,  when  he  traveled  in  the 
western  states  sight  seeing  and  prospecting. 
In  1883  he  returned  home  and  followed  the 
business  of  cutting  out  and  constructing  hedge 
fences  for  two  years,  after  which  he  retired 
from  work,  on  account  of  poor  health  until 
1890,  when  he  accepted  a position  on  the  L. 
E.  & W.  R.  R.  as  agent  at  the  village  of 
Desoto.  He  is  engaged  in  buying  grain  of  all 
kinds.  Hour,  etc.,  and  has  five  thousand  dollars 
worth  of  stock  in  the  Desoto  Land  company, 
being  secretary  of  the  same.  Mr.  Leavell  was 
married  June  2,  1870,  in  this  township  to 
Laura  Worley,  daughter  of  Isaac  Worley,  by 
whom  he  has  had  four  children,  namely: 
Elmer,  Lethia,  Lewis  and  Annie. 

The  mother  died  in  1880  in  the  faith  in 
which  she  had  lived,  a devoted  Methodist.  Mr. 
Leavell  was  married  again  at  Albany,  in  March, 
1888,  to  Mattie  Gettes,  who  was  born  near 
Peru,  Ind,  August  29,  1856,  to  which  union 
two  children  have  been  born,  namely:  Her- 

schel  and  Ruth. 


OSEPH  LEFAVOUR — The  prosperous 
business  man  for  whom  the  following 
is  prepared,  was  born  in  Jay  county, 
Ind.,  1851,  and  is  a son  of  James  L. 
and  Isabella  (Engle)  Lefavour,  the  father  be- 
ing the  first  white  child  born  in  the  city  of 


DELAWARE  TOWNSEIIP. 


543 


Indianapolis,  and  the  mother  a native  of  Ohio. 
James  L.  and  Isabella  Lefavour  were  married 
in  Camden,  Jay  county,  Ind.,  in  1848.  Mr. 
Lefavour  followed  the  trade  of  harness  maker 
all  of  his  life,  dying  in  December,  1859,  his 
wife  having  passed  away  in  October  previous. 
They  were  members  of  the  Methodist  church, 
good  people,  whose  only  regret  in  leaving  life 
was  that  their  four  small  children  would  be 
left  alone.  These  were  Emmet,  now  of  Jay 
county;  Joseph,  Randolph,  a farmer  of  Adams 
county,  and  Mary  E.,  wife  of  John  Dean. 

Joseph  Lefavour  was  but  seven  years  of 
age  when  he  was  bereft  of  his  parents  and  left 
without  a home.  The  succeeding  four  years 
he  spent  as  an  inmate  of  the  home  of  his 
cousin,  Daniel  Engle,  when  he  received  an 
offer  of  work  in  a tan  yard  at  Camden,  where 
he  found  employment  for  two  years.  From 
there  he  went  to  Muncie  and  spent  one  year 
working  in  a potter's  shop,  and  was  then  given 
the  advantage  of  one  year  of  schooling.  From 
school  he  went  to  Bethel,  Harrison  township, 
where  he  remained  one  year  and  later  at- 
tended school  for  three  years  in  the  town  of 
Muncie.  He  improved  every  opportunity, 
made  substantial  progress  in  his  studies  and 
then  taught  school  for  seven  successive  terms, 
beginning  the  study  of  medicine  in  the  mean- 
time under  Dr.  Leach,  with  whom  he  continued 
for  eight  months.  Coming  to  Albany  he  pur- 
sued his  medical  studies  with  A.  P.  Murray, 
M.  D.,  after  which  he  took  a course  of  lectures 
at  Keokuk,  Iowa,  and  then  returned  to  Albany, 
where  he  practiced  his  profession  for  a period 
of  three  years. 

Abandoningthe  medical  profession  Mr.  Lefa- 
vour purchased  a line  of  drugs  and  for  eight  years 
was  engaged  in  the  drug  business,  but  finally 
sold  and  entered  into  the  law  and  real  estate 
business,  also  becoming  a notary  public. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Lefavour  occurred 
November,  1881,  with  Miss  Lillie  Allegre,  a 


native  of  Albany,  born  in  1861.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Lefavour  have  four  children,  as  follows: 
Gladdys,  Carrie  G , Mable  C.  and  Vivian.  In 
political  matters  Mr.  Lefavour  is  a republican 
and  always  supports  the  candidates  of  his  party 
upon  any  and  all  occasions.  Socially  inclined, 
he  has  connected  himself  with  the  order  of 
Red  Men. 


'’MERY  L.  McHARDIE.— Among  the 
prosperous  young  business  men  of 
Delaware  count}",  Ind.,  is  the  subject 
of  this  sketch.  He  is  engaged  in  the 
mercantile  trade  and.  possesses  the  necessary 
qualifications  for  a successful  business  career. 
Mr.  McHardie  was  born  in  Delaware  county, 
November  5,  1871,  a son  of  Davidand  Lucretia 
(Sipe)  McHardie,  both  natives  of  Scotland. 

When  only  eight  years  of  age  Mr.  McHar- 
j die  was  deprived  of  the  care  of  parents  and  he 
made  his  home  with  his  half  brother,  Frank 
Confer,  until  he  was  eighteen  years  of  age. 
j He  then  engaged  in  farming,  at  which  occupa- 
tion he  continued  for  three  years,  and  then,  in 
partnership  with  George  W.  Jones,  began  a 
general  merchandise  business,  which  he  has 
since  successfully  conducted.  This  store  is 
located  in  the  town  of  Desoto,  and  is  one  of 
the  prosperous  mercantile  establishments  of 
Delaware  county. 

Mr.  l^IcHareiie  was  married  February  17, 
1892,  to  Miss  x\ddie  M.  B.  Jones,  daughter  of 
his  partner,  George  W.  Jones.  Mr.  McHar- 
die is  a temperance  man,  hence  testifies  to 
the  truth  of  his  convictions  by  voting  with  the 
prohibitionist  party.  He  and  wife  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Christian  church,  and  are  most 
highly  esteemed  in  this  community.  Their 
lives  are  such  as  to  convince  their  neighbors 
that  they  are  sincere  in  their  profession,  and 
their  upright  conduct  is  such  as  to  win  the 
esteem  of  all. 


544 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


HDAM  MADILL,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  one  of  the  most  enterprising 
farmers  of  Delaware  county,  was  born 
in  Montgomery  county,  Ohio,  Sep- 
tember 1 8,  1839.  He  is  the  son  of  Adam  and 
Charlotte  Madill,  natives  of  Germany,  and  in 
which  country  they  married,  and  in  1831  came 
to  America,  locating  in  New  York.  From 
thence  they  went  to  Montgomery  county,  Ohio, 
where  the  father  engaged  in  the  grocery  trade 
for  a time,  and  then  became  a farmer.  He 
died  September  ii,  1862.  She  died  in  1889, 
her  death  being  the  result  of  an  accident. 
They  were  parents  of  seven  children:  Charlotte, 
deceased;  Adam,  Catherine,  deceased;  Mary 
H.,  wife  of  B.  Daring;  Ella,  wife  of  Christian 
Brum;  Henry  and  John.  Adam  and  Charlotte 
Madill  were  members  of  the  Lutheran  church, 
in  which  faith  they  died.  The  father  was  a 
democrat  of  the  Jackson  school,  a successful 
business  man,  and  was  possessed  of  a sterling 
character. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared  on 
the  home  farm,  and  has  followed  agriculture 
all  his  life,  with  the  exception  of  three  years, 
when  he  did  general  labor  work,  and  two 
winters  when  he  worked  at  the  cooper  trade. 
His  education  was  limited,  because  the  schools 
of  his  boyhood  were  far  apart,  and  he  had 
short  terms.  At  the  age  of  nineteen  he  en- 
gaged by  the  month  at  farm  labor  and  was 
thus  employed  for  several  years.  Mr.  Madill 
was  married  January  9,  1862,  after  which  he 
enlisted,  and  upon  his  return  from  the  army, 
bought  fifty-two  acres  of  land  partly  improved, 
and  this  comprises  a portion  of  his  present 
farm,  which  now  consists  of  228  acres  of  fine 
land.  As  a fact,  Mr.  Madill  has  one  of  the 
finest  farm  residences  in  the  county. 

The  war  record  of  Mr.  Madill,  briefly  noted, 
is  as  follows:  He  enlisted  in  company  D, 

Eighty-fourth  Indiana  infantry,  August  ii, 
1862,  for  three  years  or  during  the  war,  and 


served  until  July  3,  1865,  participating  in  the 
meanwhile  in  many  skirmishes,  but  was  in  no 
particular  battle.  When  he  had  been  out 
about  three  months  he  was  one  of  the  three  of 
his  company  (there  being  three  detailed  from 
each  company  in  the  regiment)  detailed  as  a 
pioneer  corps,  and  their  duty  consisted  in 
clearing  roads,  repairing  bridges,  etc.,  until 
near  the  close  of  the  war;  then  they  were  em- 
ployed in  cutting  lumber  for  the  building  of 
hospitals,  continuing  in  this  until  his  discharge. 

The  wife  of  Mr.  Madill  was  Martha  J. 
Pittinger,  born  in  Delaware  county,  October 
27,  1844;  daughter  of  John  Pittinger,  whose 
sketch  appears  elsewhere  in  these  pages.  By 
this  marriage  there  are  five  children,  namely: 
Sarah,  wife  of  William  Fadely,  of  this  town- 
ship; Annie,  wife  of  Frank  St.  John;  Emery, 
living  at  home;  Ira,  living  at  home,  and  Car- 
rie, at  school. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Madill  are  members  of  the 
Methodist  church,  in  which  body  they  are 
greatly  esteemed;  he  being  a trustee  of  the 
local  church.  Mr.  Madill  is  president  of  the 
Desoto  Land  company,  with  a capital  of  $250, 
000,  and  also  president  of  the  Desoto  Gas 
company.  He  has  twenty  acres  planted  in 
berries,  and  also  carries  on  market  gardening 
and  stock  raising.  In  politics  he  is  a republi- 
can. 


ENRY  MONROE  MARQUELL,  a 
prosperous  farmer,  was  born  in  Dela- 
ware township,  Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  December  6,  1857,  a son  of 
Samuel  and  Catherine  (Over)  Marquell.  He 
was  reared  on  the  home  farm  and  enjoyed  the 
advantages  offered  by  the  common  schools, 
and  on  attaining  his  legal  majority,  he  engaged 
in  farming  for  himself,  taking  charge  of  the 
home  place,  where  he  continued  in  agricultural 
pursuits  until  he  was  twenty-six  years  of  age. 


DELAWARE  TOWNSHIP. 


545 


In  1883  he  purchased  a choice  tract  of  land 
lying  close  to  the  home  farm  and  immediately 
began  the  improvement  of  it.  He  erected  a 
commodious  and  comfortable  residence  and 
excellent  out-buildings,  and  by  1885  he  was 
prepared  to  take  up  his  residence  there. 

In  June,  1885,  he  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Mrs.  Alice  Howell,  widow  of  Oscar  How- 
ell, who  died  January  3,  1881.  She  is  a 

daughter  of  William  and  Mary  (Smith)  Foster, 
natives  of  England,  who  came  to  America  in 
1841-2,  and  were  married  in  Clarke  county, 
Ohio.  Mrs.  Marquell  had  one  child  by  her 
former  marriage,  namely,  Effie  E.  Howell,  and 
she  has  three  bright  children  by  her  last  union: 
Willis  L. , William  S.  and  John  E.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Marquell  are  members  of  the  Christian 
church,  in  which  they  are  much  esteemed.  Po- 
litically, Mr.  Marquell  is  a democrat  and  is  re- 
garded as  a good  business  man  and  an  excel- 
lent citizen. 

The  father  came  to  this  country  at  a very 
early  date,  having  been  a resident  of  this  vi- 
cinity for  half  a century.  He  has  always  been  a 
farmer  and  is  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  re- 
spected citizens  of  Delaware  county. 

The  mother  died  February  28,  1890,  and 
was  buried  in  the  beautiful  Strong  cemetery. 


eLIAS  MARKS  was  born  in  the  state 
of  Virginia,  August  17,  1818,  the 

son  of  James  and  Sarah  (Hughes) 
Marks,  who  were  natives  of  the  old 
Dominion  state.  They  followed  agricultural 
pursuits,  lived  quiet  and  contented  lives  and 
reared  a family  of  nine  children,  all  of  whom 
have  passed  to  the  other  land  except  the  sub- 
ject for  whom  this  biography  is  prepared, 

Elias  Marks  grew  up  on  a farm  and  learned 
there  the  dignity  of  labor,  gaining  the  true 
feeling  that  all  honest  work  is  honorable.  His 


tasks  were  well  learned  and  he  became  an  ex- 
cellent and  intelligent  tiller  of  the  soil,  under- 
standing in  a practical  way  the  rotation  of 
crops  and  the  best  times  of  sowing  and  reap- 
ing, as  well  as  the  best  seeds  to  plant  and  the 
proper  amount  of  work  to  give  to  each.  He 
remained  with  his  parents  until  he  had  reached 
his  majority  and  then  engaged  in  farm  labor 
in  Allen  county,  Ohio,  now  the  county  of  Au- 
glaize. He  had  no  educational  advantages  at 
all  worth  mentioning,  but  is  an  intelligent, 
plain,  practical  man  who  fully  knows  his  own 
mind  and  is  under  obligations  to  no  one. 

Mr.  Marks  accepted  farming  as  his  life’s 
vocation  and  purchased  his  first  tract  of  land 
in  Delaware  township  in  1851.  He  at  once 
located  on  the  property,  remaining  there  until 
1878,  when  he  moved  to  Blackford  county, 
near  Millgrove,  where  he  remained  for  three 
years.  In  1883  he  sold  out  and  removed  to 
Albany,  where  he  purchased  sixty-three  and 
one-half  acres,  of  which  he  has  sold  twenty, 
retaining  forty-three  acres  of  land  which  con- 
stitutes his  present  comfortable  home.  The 
marriage  of  Mr.  Marks  occurred  in  Clarke 
county,  February  18,  1846,  to  Elizabeth  J. 
Winget,  born  in  Clarke  county,  Ohio,  Novem- 
ber 18,  1822,  daughter  of  John  and  Mary 
(Boyce)  Winget,  natives  of  Ohio,  of  Holland 
descent.  One  child  was  born  of  this  union, 
Sarah  M.,  wife  of  James  H.  Black. 

On  the  2 1st  of  June,  1893,  Mr.  Marks  was 
called  to  mourn  the  death  of  his  devoted  wife, 
who  had  been  his  companion  and  helpmeet  for 
nearly  a half  century.  She  was  a lady  of 
many  admirable  traits  and  died  lamented  by 
all  who  knew  her.  Since  the  above  date  Mr. 
Marks  has  resided  in  the  town  of  Albany. 

Mr.  Marks  is  a democrat  in  politics  and 
has  served  his  party  as  supervisor  of  the 
township.  He  is  ever  willing  to  aid  in  any 
work  calculated  to  advance  the  interests  of  his 
party  and  the  public. 


540 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


AVID  MICHAEL. — One  of  most 

prominent  and  best  known  men  in 
Delaware  township  is  the  subject  of 
this  sketch,  who  was  born  in  Clarke 
county,  Ohio,  August  12,  1874,  and  is  the  son 
of  Adam  and  Catherine  (Over)  Michael,  both 
parents  natives  of  Ohio.  David  Michael  was 
a child  of  four  years  of  age  when  his  parents 
removed  to  this  county,  and  after  the  death  of 
his  father  he  remained  at  home,  and  upon  at- 
taining his  majority  rented  the  home  farm  for 
a period  of  four  years.  He  then  purchased 
his  hrst  piece  of  land  in  1871,  consisting  of 
eighty  acres,  to  which  he  has  added  from  time 
to  time,  until  he  now  owns  175  acres  of  valu- 
able land. 

Mr.  Michael  was  married  October  31, 
1878,  to  Catherine  Zehnir,  who  was  born  in 
Wayne  county,  Ind.,  March  6,  1845,  being 
the  youngest  sister  of  Mrs.  George  A.  Stafford. 
By  this  union  eight  children  have  been  born, 
three  of  whom  are  living,  namely;  Samuel 
Wilbur,  Hester  Ann  and  Joseph  Walter. 

Mrs.  Michael  is  a member  of  the  Lutheran 
church,  and  a lady  who  has  the  esteem  and 
friendship  of  all  who  know  her.  She  has 
proven  herself  to  be  a good  wife,  a devoted 
mother,  and  a kind  friend.  Mr.  Michael 
takes  an  active  interest  in  politics,  casting  his 
vote  for  the  candidate  of  the  democratic  party. 
While  he  has  no  aspiration  for  office,  he  never- 
theless feels  it  his  duty  as  a citizen  to  work  for 
the  party  of  his  choice,  and  his  influence  is 
strong  in  his  community.  Mr.  Michael  is  a 
good  farmer,  and  understands  thoroughly  how 
to  cultivate  the  land  to  the  best  advantage. 
His  farm  consists  of  fine,  well  watered  land, 
and  his  industry  keeps  it  in  splendid  condition, 
and  Mr.  Michael  is  a quiet  unostentatious  man, 
kind  and  considerate,  and  is  much  respected 
by  his  neighbors  and  friends,  with  whom  he 
lives  with  peace  and  concord. 

While  holding  to  his  own  opinions,  he  re- 


spects the  views  of  others,  and  is  always  will- 
ing to  accord  to  them  what  is  their  due.  He 
is  a useful  man  in  his  township,  promptly  as- 
sisting in  carrying  forward  measures  for  its 
benefit,  and  is  progressive  in  his  ideas.  All 
who  know  this  man  will  unite  in  saying  that 
he  is  worthy  of  confidence,  and  entitled  to  the 
respect  and  esteem  of  everybody.  He  owns 
shares  in  a gas  well,  called  the  Cleveland  gas 
well. 


E MORROW,  one  of  the  promis- 
ing and  prosperous  young  business 
men  of  the  town  of  Albany,  Ind. , 
was  born  in  Orland,  LaGrange 
county,  Ind.,  April  20,  1862,  a son  of  J.  S. 
and  Emma  (Calkins)  Morrow.  He  was  reared 
a miller  and  assisted  his  father  in  conducting  a 
mill  until  he  was  eighteen  years  of  age,  after 
which  he  worked  in  Saint  Louis,  Gratiot  county, 
Mich.,  where  he  continued  for  two  and  one- 
half  years.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he  con- 
cluded to  engage  in  another  line,  and  chose 
the  trade  of  jeweler,  at  which  he  served  four 
years  with  L.  W.  Holmes,  of  Grand  Ledge, 
Mich. , becoming  very  proficient  in  the  mean- 
time and  gaining  a thorough  knowledge  of  the 
business.  Not  many  young  men  have  the  ad- 
vantage of  so  e.vtended  an  experience  in  me- 
chanics as  Mr.  Morrow,  and  right  well  has  he 
taken  advantage  of  his  opportunities. 

Mr.  Morrow  next  went  to  Madison  county. 
Neb.,  where  he  opened  up  a business  and  con- 
tinued it  for  four  years,  after  which  time  he 
came  to  Albany,  Ind.,  where  he  has  since  re- 
mained. Mr.  Morrow  was  married  in  Emery 
City,  Mich.,  November  23,  1883, to  Miss  Bina 
E.  Holmes,  a daughter  of  his  teacher,  L.  W. 
Holmes,  by  which  union  he  has  become  the 
father  of  three  bright  children:  Cleo,  Elmer 
and  Arthur.  In  political  affairs,  Mr.  Morrow 
takes  a lively  interest;  is  a prominent  member 


DELAWARE  TOWNSHIP. 


547 


of  the  republican  party.  He  belongs  to  the 
K.  of  P. , and  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  most 
enterprising  and  public  spirited  of  Albany’s 
young  business  men.  His  work  is  well  done 
and  he  does  a good  business  in  his  line, 
carrying  a full  stock  of  watches,  jewelry, 
clocks  and  all  other  articles  usually  found  in 
first  class  establishments  of  the  kind. 


HLBERT  P.  MURRAY,  M.  D.— Con- 
spicuous among  the  successful  medical 
men  of  Delaware  county  is  Dr. 
Albert  P.  Murray,  of  Albany,  who 
was  born  October  i8,  1846,  near  the  town  of 
Blountsville,  Henry  county,  Ind.  His  father, 
Cornelius  B.  Murray,  was  born  in  Washington 
county.  Pa.,  December  22,  1810,  the  son  of 
William  and  Mary  (Boles)  Murray,  who  were 
born  in  Westmorland  county,  that  state. 
In  1826  William  Murray,  Sr.  and  family 
moved  to  Ohio,  thence  in  1833  W'ayne 
county,  Ind.,  and  later  to  the  county  of 
Henry,  where  his  death  occurred  in  1856. 
The  doctor’s  father  was  a farmer,  and  in  his 
younger  days,  taught  school  in  his  native 
state,  and  from  the  age  of  twenty-one  until 
the  present  time  has  been  an  honored  resident 
of  Indiana.  He  resided  in  Henry  county  until 
1 864,  at  which  time  he  removed  to  the  county 
of  Wayne  and  is  now  passing  his  declining 
years  in  retirement  at  his  home  in  Hagers- 
town. His  wife  died  on  the  6th  day  of  May, 
1872.  She  bore  her  husband  the  following- 
children;  John  C.,  William  H.,  R.  V.,  Mar- 
tha E.,  Albert  P.,  Oran,  Ovilla,  C.  C.  and 
Julia.  Mrs.  Murray  was  a consistent  mem- 
ber of  the  Metodist  church  and  a woman 
highly  regarded  by  all  with  whom  she  came  in 
contact.  Mr.  Murray,  Sr. , is  a member  of  the 
I.  O.  O.  F.  and  Masonic  fraternity,  and  in 
religion  is  liberal,  not  subscribing  to  any 


church  or  creed.  He  has  always  taken  an 
active  interest  in  the  cause  of  temperance  and 
is  at  this  time  an  active  worker  in  the  order  of 
Good  Templars. 

Dr.  Murray  was  reared  on  the  farm  until 
his  sixteenth  year  and  attended,  in  the  mean- 
time, the  district  school,  in  which  he  made 
commendable  progress  in  the  branches  usually 
taught  therein.  On  the  8th  day  of  February, 
1864,  he  enlisted  as  a recruit  in  company  K, 
Nineteenth  Indiana  volunteer  infantry,  with 
which  he  served  until  the  surrender  of  Lee’s 
army  at  Appomattox,  April  9,  1865,  and  was 
honorably  discharged  from  the  service  July  18, 
the  same  year,  at  Indianapolis,  Ind.  He  was 
in  the  army  eighteen  months  and  fifteen  days, 
and  the  second  day  after  going  to  the  front 
was  with  his  command  in  the  bloody  battle  of 
the  Wilderness,  and  he  participated  in  all  the 
leading  battles  of  the  Virginia  campaign  until 
the  final  surrender  as  above  noted,  going 
through  all  the  battles  without  receiving  in- 
jury. After  receiving  his  discharge,  he  re- 
turned to  his  home,  and  entering  school  pur- 
sued his  studies  assiduously  in  the  Hagerstown 
academ)'  and  Earlham  college  until  1867,  at 
which  time  he  began  the  study  of  medicine  in 
the  office  of  Dr.  A.  McElwee  at  Hagerstown, 
where  he  remained  for  the  greater  part  of 
three  years.  Before  beginning  practice  he  at- 
tended one  course  of  lectures  at  the  Medical 
college  of  Ohio  at  Cincinnati.  In  August, 
1869,  he  removed  to  the  village  of  Sharon, 
Delaware  county,  and  began  the  practice  of 
his  profession,  and  two  5’ears  later  moved  to 
Albany,  where  he  has  since  resided.  With  a 
laudable  desire  to  increase  his  knowledge  of 
the  profession,  the  doctor  entered  the  college 
of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  of  Keokuk,  Iowa, 
from  which  he  graduated  June  19,  1878. 

Dr.  Murray  was  married  January  25,  1872, 
to  Louisa  Orr,  who  was  born  in  Liberty  town- 
ship, Delaware  county,  Ind.,  on  the  30th  day 


548 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


of  July,  1850,  the  daughter  of  Col.  Samuel  and 
Jane  (Moore)  Orr.  To  this  marriage  five  chil- 
dren have  been  born:  Edgar  C.,  Gertrude 

D. , Leo,  Weldon  Earl  and  Nellie.  Dr.  Mur- 
ray has  an  e.xtensive  and  lucrative  practice  and 
his  skill  has  made  him  a valued  friend  to  those 
needing  medical  assistance.  He  is  recognized 
as  one  of  the  leading  physicians  of  Delaware 
county,  and,  in  addition  to  his  profession,  has 
labored  for  the  upbuilding  and  development  of 
the  community,  being  public  spirited  in  all  that 
term  implies.  He  is  a member  of  the  Citi- 
zens’ Gas  company,  of  Albany,  and  has  taken 
an  active  and  prominent  part  in  the  upbuilding 
of  the  town  and  in  the  material  advancement 
of  the  entire  community.  His  life  has  been 
worthily  spent  and  his  upright  character  has 
won  him  high  esteem.  He  belongs  to  the  G, 
A.  R.  and  K.  of  P. , and  is  an  earnest  supporter 
of  the  republican  party,  but  has  never  sought 
office  at  the  hands  of  his  fellow  citizens. 


EBERT  B.  PARKER.  -The  subject 
of  this  sketch  is  a member  of  the  firm 
of  Hunt  & Johnson,  dealers  in  hard- 
ware, gas  fixtures,  stoves  and  tinware 
in  the  town  of  Albany,  Ind.,  one  of  the  lead- 
ing and  most  prosperous  business  firms  of  the 
place.  Mr.  Parker  was  born  in  Clinton  county, 
111.,  July  30,  1863,  a son  of  William  and 
Eveline  (Keever)  Parker,  the  father  a native 
of  North  Carolina,  born  in  1834,  and  the 
mother  born  in  Ohio  in  1838.  They  were 
married  in  Clinton  county.  111.,  in  1857,  and 
remained  there  for  six  years  when  they  re- 
moved to  Indiana,  locating  near  Richmond, 
where  Mr.  Parker  was  engaged  for  seven  years 
in  milling.  Subsequently  he  removed  to  the 
farm  upon  which  he  still  resides,  and  is  now 
living  a retired  life.  The  names  of  the  eight 
children  of  William  and  Eveline  Parker  are  as 


follows:  Hattie,  Albert  P.,  Ella,  John, 
Earnest,  George,  Louise  and  Oliver.  The 
mother  died  October  18,  1892.  She  was  one 
of  the  best  of  mothers,  and  had  lived  a quiet  and 
consistent  life  in  accordance  with  her  religious 
convictions,  being  a consistent  member  of  the 
Society  of  Eriends.  Lhitil  he  was  sixteen 
years  of  age,  Albert  B.  Parker  spent  his  boy- 
hood days  upon  the  farm.  He  received  the 
education  afforded  by  the  common  schools  and 
then  entered  hrto  business  as  a clerk  in  a hard- 
ware store  at  Lynn,  Randolph  county,  where 
he  remained  for  the  following  two  years,  sub- 
sequently entering  the  employ  of  the  firm  of 
Kent  & Jackson,  of  Winchester,  Ind.,  where 
he  remained  for  nine  years,  thus  becoming 
thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  business  in  all 
of  its  branches.  Upon  the  dissolution  of  this 
firm  he  remained  for  one  year  with  the  suc- 
cessor and  then  engaged  in  business  for  him- 
self in  Winchester  for  two  years.  Selling  his 
interest  there  he  entered  into  partnership  with 
C.  E.  Hunt,  at  Albany,  Ind.,  in  which  busi- 
ness connection  he  is  still  engaged  under  the 
firm  name  of  Hunt  & Johnson. 

Mr.  Parker  was  married  July  30,  1885,  to 
Miss  Annie  M.  Hunt,  in  Huntsville,  Ind.,  a 
daughter  of  William  H.  and  Lovina  (Hunt) 
Hunt.  Mrs.  Parker  was  born  in  Randolph 
county,  September  14,  1862,  and  is  a lady 
of  taste  and  refinement  and  a member  of  the 
Methodist  church.  Mr.  Parker,  like  his  father, 
is  a stanch  republican.  He  is  socially  con- 
nected with  lodge  No.  361,  I.  O.  O.  E. , and 
is  a man  much  respected  in  business  circles. 
His  business  is  a growing  one,  and  comprises 
stoves,  tinware,  gas  fixtures,  hardware,  agri- 
cultural implements  and  machinery  and  is  very 
complete  in  its  line.  As  Mr.  Parker  is  a com- 
petent business  man  and  understands  the 
wants  of  the  public,  his  prosperity  in  this 
line  is  well  assured,  not  only  for  the  present, 
but  for  the  future. 


DELAWARE  TOWNSHIP. 


549 


a H ARLES  M.  PAXTON.— Among  the 
prominent  business  men  of  the  pros- 
perous town  of  Albany,  Ind. , is  the 
well  known  lumber  dealer,  Charles 
M.  Paxton.  He  was  born  in  Johnstown,  Pa., 
February  22,  1852,  a son  of  William  F.,  and 
Isabelle  (Sharp)  Paxton,  natives  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, where  they  married  and  reared  their 
family.  In  1855  these  parents  removed  to 
Union  City,  Ind.,  where  they  remained  for 
some  time,  going  thence  to  Burlington,  Iowa, 
where  they  resided  three  and  one-half  years. 
In  i860  they  removed  again,  this  time  to  their 
present  home  in  Rensselaer,  Ind. , where  Mr. 
Paxton  is  engaged  in  the  mercantile  trade. 
William  F.  and  Isabelle  Paxton  reared  a fam- 
ily of  eight  children,  as  follows:  Virginia,  wife 
of  H.  R.  W.  Smith,  editor  of  Chicago  Tribune 
Exchange;  Charles  M.,;  John  W.  and  Joseph 
C-,  twins;  Ralph  S.,  William  G. . and  Albert 
C.  and  Almira,  twins. 

Charles  M.  Paxton  was  reared  on  the  farm 
and  remained  with  his  parents  until  he  had  at- 
tained his  majority,  at  which  time  he  engaged 
in  farming  and  so  continued  until  1888,  when 
he  engaged  in  the  butchering  business  in  Rens- 
selaer, Ind.  Seven  months  later  he  went  back 
to  farming  and  followed  agricultural  pursuits 
until  July  15,  1892,  when  he  came  to  Albany. 
Here  he  has  been  engaged  extensively  in  hand- 
ling lumber,  in  addition  to  which  he  also  deals 
in  all  kinds  of  sash,  blinds,  doors,  shingles,  etc. 

In  his  political  faith  Mr.  Paxton  is  a stanch 
democrat,  and  his  services  to  the  party  are 
highly  valued.  Socially,  he  is  a K.  of  P.  of 
lodge  No.  82,  at  Rensselaer.  He  was  married 
August  8,  1875,  to  Miss  Mary  G.  Richardson, 
who  was  born  in  Laporte  county  in  October 
of  1856,  a daughter  of  D.  L.  and  Elizabeth 
(Windle)  Richardson.  Two  children  have  been 
born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Paxton;  Harry  W.  and 
Edith  G.  The  family  are  members  of  the 
Free  Methodist  church  of  Albany. 


ARTIN  VAN  BUREN  PHILLIPS. 
Among  the  careful,  discreet  and  en- 
ergetic business  men  of  the  town  of 
Albany,  Ind.,  is  the  subject  of  this 
biography.  He  is  a son  of  Indiana,  born  near 
Windsor,  in  this  county,  March  16,  1834,  a 
son  of  William  and  Harriet  (Brooks)  Phillips, 
of  Pennsylvania,  who  were  married  in  Greene 
county,  Ohio,  in  1825  Later  they  removed 
to  this  state  and  located  in  Delaware  county, 
on  the  old  state  road,  where  they  lived  until 
1842,  when,  on  account  of  the  death  of  Mrs. 
Phillips,  the  family  removed  to  Windsor,  where 
they  resided  for  two  years.  Mr.  Phillips  sub- 
sequently married  in  Greenville,  Ohio,  Miss 
Martha  Rnight,  and  afterward  moved  to  the 
village  of  Parker,  in  Randolph  county,  where 
he  lived  until  his  death,  which  occurred  April 
25,  1865.  He  was  a republican,  a devout 
member  of  the  Methodist  church,  and  left  four 
children;  Mary  A.,  John  A.,  Martin  V.  B.,  and 
William. 

At  the  date  of  his  mother’s  death,  1842, 
the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  but  eight  years 
of  age  and  he  was  taken  in  charge  by  his 
grandfather.  Brooks,  with  whom  he  lived  until 
his  thirteenth  year.  During  the  succeeding 
three  years  he  worked  as  a farm  laborer,  re- 
ceiving for  his  services  for  that  period  the  sum 
of  fifty  dollars,  and  he  continued  working 
at  different  occupations  until  the  breaking  out 
of  the  late  war. 

He  enlisted,  on  July  22  in  company  K,  Nine- 
teenth regiment,  Indiana  volunteer  infantry, 
at  Salem,  Ind. , for  three  years,  and  partici- 
pated in  the  battles  of  the  army  of  the  Poto- 
mac, the  historic  names  of  the  following 
engagements  being  those  in  which  his  young 
life  was  risked:  Gainesville,  Chain  Bridge, 

South  Mountain,  Antietam,  Falmouth,  first 
and  second  battles  of  Fredericksburg,  Chan- 
cellorsville,  Gettysburg,  Mine  Run,  Rappahan- 
nock and  Barley’s  Cross  Roads.  After  the 


550 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


battle  of  Gainesville,  Mr.  Phillips  was  trans- 
ferred to  battery  B,  Fourth  regular  artillery 
with  which  he  participated  in  the  succeeding 
engagements  noted.  At  the  expiration  of  his 
period  of  enlistment,  Mr.  Phillips  re-entered 
the  service  at  Culpeper,  Va.,  for  the  rest  of 
the  war  and  was  with  his  command  through- 
out the  eastern  campaigns,  taking  part  in  the 
battles  of  Spottsylvania  C.  H.,  North  Ann, 
South  Ann,  Wilderness,  Cold  Harbor,  Horse 
Shoe  Bend  and  Old  Church.  The  Nineteenth 
Indiana,  to  which  he  belonged,  was  a part  of 
the  famous  “Iron  Brigade”  and  during  the 
campaign  last  noted  was  engaged  in  active 
operations  and  fighting  for  twenty-one  con- 
secutive days.  At  the  battle  of  Old  Church, 
August,  1864,  he  was  injured  in  the  face  and 
thigh,  necessitating  his  removal  to  the  field 
hospital,  from  which  place  he  was  sent  to  head- 
quarters and  given  a furlough. 

He  came  to  Selma  and  remained  for  thirty- 
five  days  and  again  reported  for  duty  at  Indian- 
apolis, but  his  furlough  was  extended  for  thirty 
days.  At  the  expiration  of  that  time  he  re- 
ported to  Capt.  Burris  at  the  soldiers’  home, 
not  being  yet  able  to  perform  his  duties  as  a 
soldier,  and  was  given  moi'e  time,  and  remained 
until  the  surrender  of  Gen.  Lee  and  the  order 
was  given  for  the  final  discharge  of  all  sick  and 
w'ounded  soldiers.  His  discharge  w^as  dated 
June  22,  I §64,  but  for  the  following  year  he 
w'as  unable  to  pursue  any  kind  of  business. 
Recovering  slowly,  he  cautiously  engaged  in 
farming  and  perhaps  the  touch  of  the  soil  as- 
sisted in  his  recovery,  for  he  continued  it  for 
six  years,  in  Randolph  county.  This  seemed 
too  hard  labor  and  he  looked  about  for  some 
easier  way  of  earning  a livelihood,  accordingly, 
he  interested  himself  in  the  management  of 
portable  engines  and  handled  threshing  ma- 
chines for  five  years;  subsequently,  learned  the 
barber  trade.  He  subsequently  opened  a shop 
in  Albany  and  successfully  conducted  it  for 


eight  years  and  then  sold  out  to  engage  in  his 
present  luci'ative  business  of  grocery  and 
restaurant. 

Mr.  Phillips  has  worked  hard  and  has 
closely  followed  through  life  the  path  of  duty. 
He  votes  with  the  republican  party  and  social- 
ly affiliates  with  the  order  of  Red  Men.  In 
April,  1891,  he  was  elected  to  be  justice  of  the 
peace  and  since  that  time  has  faithfully  and 
efficiently  filled  the  office.  Mr.  Phillips  was 
married,  January  25,  1863,  to  Miss  Susannah 
Badders,  a native  of  this  county,  daughter  of 
Moses  Badders,  w'ho  was  a pioneer  of  the 
township  of  Liberty,  and  to  this  union  one 
child  was  born,  Ida  May,  deceased;  the 
mother  died  in  1866.  In  September,  1867, 
Mr.  Phillips  married  Miss  Clare  Boyce,  a 
native  of  Clinton  county,  Ohio,  daughter  of 
Leonard  Boyce. 


OHN  S.  PIERCE.— Among  the  busi- 
ness houses  of  the  town  of  Albany, 
Ind.,  that  owned  and  managed  by  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  calls  for  special 
mention,  being  one  of  the  most  complete  of  its 
kind  in  this  part  of  the  county. 

John  S.  Pierce  was  born  in  Knox  county, 
Ohio,  February  23,  1865,  son  of  Orange  and 
Caroline  (Selby)  Pierce,  both  parents  natives 
of  Ohio.  Orange  and  Caroline  Pierce  reared 
a family  of  five  children,  as  follows:  Asa,  a 
resident  of  Michigan;  J.  O.,  a professor  in  the 
high  school  at  Portland,  Ind. ; Emmeline,  wife 
of  John  Hockings,  of  Portland;  John  S.  and 
Belle,  wife  of  J.  W.  Allen,  of  Portland.  The 
parents  removed  to  Ridgeville,  Ind.,  in  1866, 
and  there  the  mother  died  in  1868.  They 
were  members  of  the  Baptist  church,  and  Mr. 
Pierce  at  this  time  is  one  of  the  wealthy  and 
influential  men  of  Jay  county,  Ind.  He  is  a 
republican  in  his  politics,  and  during  the  late 


DELAWARE  TOWNSHIP. 


551 


war  testified  to  his  loyalty  by  serving  three 
years  as  a member  of  company  A,  Thirty- 
ninth  Ohio  volunteer  infantry. 

John  S.  Pierce  grew  to  manhood  in  a pleas- 
ant home,  was  reared  on  the  farm  and  received 
good  educational  advantages,  graduating  from 
Ridgeville  college,  in  which  he  took  the  scien- 
tific course.  On  the  completion  of  his  literary 
education,  Mr.  Pierce  engaged  in  the  study  of 
medicine  under  the  instruction  of  Dr.  Far- 
quhar,  of  Ridgeville,  in  whose  office  he  con- 
tinued two  years,  and  then  he  took  a course  of 
lectures  in  the  Miami  Medical  college,  of  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio,  afterward  graduating  from  the 
National  Institute  of  Pharmacy,  at  Chicago. 
His  first  location  was  at  Red  Key,  Jay  county, 
Ind.,  where  he  went  into  the  drug  business  and 
where  he  continued  for  four  years,  lemovingto 
Albany  in  1891,  and  where  he  has  since  car- 
ried on  a successful  trade.  He  has  a very 
complete  stock  of  drugs,  jewelry,  etc.,  and  is 
one  of  the  leading  business  men  and  represent- 
ative citizens  of  the  town  and  county,  Mr. 
Pierce  was  married  November  19,  1889,  in 
Ridgeville,  Ind.,  to  Miss  Lillie  M.  N.  Jones, 
who  was  born  in  Randolph  count}',  Ind.,  Sep- 
tember 10,  1873,  a daughter  of  Daniel  and 
Adeline  (Wood)  Jones.  One  child  was  born  of 
this  marriage,  Edgar  O.,  deceased,  and  Mrs. 
Pierce  also  departed  this  life  in  May,  1892. 
She  was  a good  woman  and  an  active  member 
of  the  United  Brethren  church. 

Mr.  Pierce  affiliates  with  the  republican 
party,  and  takes  a deep  and  intelligent  interest 
in  public  affairs.  He  is  connected  with  the 
I.  O.  O.  F. , No.  231,  of  Ridgeville,  and  be- 
longs to  Valentine  lodge.  No.  278,  K.  of  P.,  of 
Albany.  Since  his  residence  in  iVlbany  he  has 
made  many  friends  by  his  pleasant  and  unas- 
suming manner,  and  all  who  know  him  pro- 
nounce him  a most  courteous  and  genial  gen- 
tleman, as  well  as  a dealer  who  understands 
his  business. 


AMUEL  J.  SHROYER.— The  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch,  a very  worthy  and 
successful  farmer  of  Delaware  county, 
was  born  in  Henry  county,  Ind.,  De- 
cember 12,  1837.  He  is  the  son  of  Anthony 
and  Matilda  (Jones)  Shroyer;  the  father  born 
in  Taylor,  W.  AM.,  in  1815,  and  the  mother 
in  the  same  county  and  state,  one  year  later. 
These  parents  were  married  in  Aurginia  and 
moved  to  Henry  county  in  1837,  Mr.  Shroyer 
buying  land  in  Delaware  township  and  county, 
the  following  year.  Here  he  moved  in  the 
spring  of  1839,  thus  becoming  one  of  the 
earliest  pioneers  of  the  county.  His  land  con- 
sisted of  220  acres,  being  the  original  purchase 
with  additions  made  from  time  to  time  by  sub- 
sequent purchase.  He  improved  and  lived 
upon  the  farm  until  his  death,  November  26, 
1881.  The  wife  survives  and  lives  upon  the  old 
homestead  with  her  youngest  daughter. 

Anthony  and  Matilda  Shroyer  were  the 
parents  of  eleven  children,  six  of  whom  are 
living,  namely:  Lewis  N.,  living  in  Blackford 

county,  Ind.  ; Martha,  wife  of  Thomas  Bart- 
lett, a farmer  of  this  county;  Elmira,’ wife  of 
Samuel  Williams,  deceased;  Sarah,  wife  of 
Benjamin  Whitehair,  of  this  county;  Alice, 
wife  of  Eletcher  O.  Pittenger,  and  Samuel 
J.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Shroyer  were  members 
of  the  Methodist  church,  and  active  workers 
in  that  body.  The  father  always  took  a very 
lively  interest  in  churches  and  schools,  and 
in  fact  was  interested  in  everything  that 
promised  good  to  the  people.  In  politics 
he  was  a republican,  and  earnestly  supported 
the  candidates  of  that  party.  He  accumulated 
a very  handsome  property  in  land  and  personal 
effects,  and  was  one  of  the  representative  cit- 
izens of  the  township  in  which  he  resided  for 
so  many  years. 

Samuel  J.  Shroyer  was  born  two  months 
after  his  parents  became  settlers  of  this  county, 
and  was  reared  on  the  home  farm,  receiving  a 


552 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


common  school  education.  After  reaching  his 
majority  he  began  farming  on  his  own  account, 
buying  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Liberty  town- 
ship, where  he  remained  more  than  twenty- 
five  years;  then  he  sold  this  property  and 
bought  fifty  acres  of  fine  land  where  he  now 
lives,  which  is  well  and  substantially  improved. 
He  was  married  April  i6,  1857,  to  Elizabeth 
Boyles,  who  was  born  May  i,  1834,  in  West 
Virginia,  of  which  state  her  parents,  Joshua 
and  Sarah  (Jones)  Boyles,  were  also  natives. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Shroyer  are  the  parents  of 
ten  children,  eight  of  whom  are  living,  name- 
ly: William  Clark,  a teacher  in  this  township; 
Sarah  E.,  wife  of  John  Jones,  a farmer  of 
Liberty  township;  Matilda,  wife  of  William 
Barnes,  a carpenter;  Martha,  wife  of  Gran- 
ville Simmons,  a farmer  of  this  county;  Leora, 
wife  of  Arthur  Wingate,  a farmer;  Clara,  wife 
of  David  Boots,  of  Delaware  township;  Cora, 
wife  of  Ivan  Justice,  a farmer  of  this  township, 
and  Lola,  who  still  lives  under  the  parental 
roof.  The  subject  and  wife  are  members  of 
the  Methodist  church,  and  are  devoted  be- 
lievers in  its  teachings.  In  politics  Mr. 
Shroyer  is  a republican,  and  has  filled  the 
office  of  justice  of  the  peace  in  Liberty  town- 
ship for  twelve  years.  Since  moving  to  Dela- 
ware he  has  been  township  trustee,  and  has 
been  filling  that  office  since  1889  to  the  satis- 
faction of  the  entire  community.  He  is  a 
member  of  Anthony  lodge  No.  171,  A.  F.  & 
A.  M.  Beside  owning  his  farm  and  other 
property  he  has  stock  in  the  Albany  Land 
company. 


AVID  W.  SLONIKER,  senior  mem- 
ber of  the  firm  of  Sloniker  & Leffler, 
dealers  in  hardware  of  all  kinds,  in 
connection  with  agricultural  imple- 
ments, in  the  town  of  Albany,  Ind.,  is  the 
subject  of  this  sketch.  Mr.  Sloniker  was  born 


in  Hamilton  township,  Delaware  county,  Ind., 
February  28,  1844,  son  of  Jacob  and  Elizabeth 
(McCormick)  Sloniker,  who  came  to  the 
county  in  1836,  being  among  the  earliest  pio- 
neers. They  were  the  parents  of  thirteen 
children,  but  only  four  survive,  these  being, 
Benjamin  F.,  David,  Cornelia,  and  Martha  J. 
Jacob  and  Elizabeth  Sloniker  were  consistent 
members  of  the  Christian  church,  and  Mr. 
Sloniker  became  one  of  the  wealthiest  men  of 
the  county. 

David  W.  Sloniker  was  reared  on  the  old 
home  farm,  receiving  a good  common  school 
education,  and  remained  under  the  parental 
roof  until  he  was  twenty-three  years  old. 
Until  1887  he  followed  the  peaceful  life  of  an 
Indiana  agriculturist,  but  at  that  date  he 
moved  to  the  town  of  Albany,  and  engaged  in 
the  hardware  business.  At  first  his  stock  was 
small,  as  his  means  were  somewhat  limited, 
but,  as  the  years  went  by,  the  country  began 
to  be  more  settled  and  farming  more  generally 
carried  on  in  a large  way,  the  demand  for  his 
goods  grew  apace  and  now  he  has  a large 
trade  and  a complete  stock.  His  son-in-law, 
James  H.  Leffler,  is  connected  with  him  and 
they  are  doing  a prosperous  business. 

When  the  clouds  of  war  hung  over  the 
country,  Mr.  Sloniker  entered  the  army,  en- 
listing in  company  B,  Eighty-fourth  I.  V.  I. 
July  30,  1862,  for  three  years  or  during  the 
war,  and  served  thirty-four  months,  and  was 
honorably  discharged  June  14,  1865,  at  Nash- 
ville, Tenn.  He  took  part  in  the  battles  of 
Rockyface  Ridge,  Dalton,  Tunnel  Hill,  Resaca, 
Burnt  Hickory,  Kingston,  Cartersville,  Alla- 
toonaPass,  Big  Shanty  and  Kenesaw  Mountain, 
where  he  was  wounded.  He  left  the  hospital 
and  joined  his  regiment  in  time  to  take  part  in 
battles  of  Columbia,  Franklin  and  Nashville, 
although  still  suffering  from  the  wound  receiv- 
ed at  Kenesaw.  Mr.  Sloniker  was  married 
November  15,  1866,  in  Hamilton  township. 


DELAWARE  TOWNSHIP. 


553 


this  county,  to  Miss  Elizabeth  E.  Green,  who 
was  born  in  Delaware  county,  January  6,  1846, 
the  daughther  of  Andrew  and  Massey  (John- 
son) Green.  To  this  union  three  children  have 
been  born — an  infant,  deceased;  Nettie,  the 
wife  of  James  H.  Leffler,  and  Matthew,  deceas- 
ed. In  his  political  belief,  Mr.  Sloniker  is  a 
republican,  and  has  served  the  township  as 
assessor  for  five  years.  Eraternally,  he  is  a 
member  of  the  order  of  Red  Men  and  of  I. 
O.  O.  F. , and  also  of  Knights  of  Pythias.  He 
is  one  of  the  best  citizens  of  the  town  of 
Albany,  and  enjoys  the  esteem  and  confidence 
of  a large  circle  of  friends  throughout  the 
county. 


AMUEL  B.  SMITH  was  born  in  Jay 
county,  Ind.,  June  22,  1841,  being 
the  son  of  Matthew  A.  and  Elizabeth 
fHagler)  Smith,  natives  of  Ohio  and 
Virginia,  respectively.  The  father  and  moth- 
er were  married  in  Greene  county,  Ohio,  July 
2,  1840,  and  removed  to  Jay  county,  Ind.,  in 
the  following  year,  where  the  former’s  death 
occurred  March  15,  1882;  his  widow  resides 
there  at  the  present  time.  The  following  are 
the  names  of  their  children:  Samuel  B. ; Laura, 
wife  of  Joel  Green;  Mary  E.,  wife  of  George 
Wilson  and  Lewis  M.  By  persevering  toil 
Matthew  Smith  accumulated  a comfortable 
portion  of  worldly  wealth  and  was  able  to  give 
to  each  of  his  children  one  hundred  acres  of 
land.  In  politics  he  was  a republican  and 
was  frequently  elected  by  that  party  to  respon- 
sible positions.  He  served  as  a justice  of  the 
peace  for  fourteen  years,  an  equal  length  of 
time  as  a county  commissioner,  and  likewise 
represented  his  county  in  the  state  legislature 
from  1875  to  1877. 

Although  not  now  a farmer,  the  gentle- 
man whose  name  introduces  this  mention 
knows  all  about  that  life,  having  spent  all  his 


days  upon  a farm  until  the  period  of  his  en- 
listment in  the  army.  He  entered  the  service 
of  his  country  August  ii,  1862,  at  Muncie, 
becoming  a member  of  company  B,  Eighty- 
fourth  Indiana  infantry,  and  participated  in 
the  following  battles,  namely:  Ghickamaugua, 
Buzzard’s  Roost,  Tunnel  Hill,  Rocky  Face 
Ridge,  Resaca,  Kingstown,  Pumpkin  Vine 
Greek,  Pine  Mountain,  Lost  Mountain,  Kene- 
saw  Mountain,  Neal  Dow  Church,  Peachtree 
Creek,  Siege  of  Atlanta,  Shoals  Creek,  Jones- 
borough,  Lovejoy  Station,  Franklin  and  Nash- 
ville. He  was  discharged  June  17,  1865,  3-t 
Indianapolis,  and  of  the  entire  regiment,  only 
327  men  returned,  so  great  was  the  loss  during 
its  long  and  active  period  of  service.  Return- 
ing home,  Mr.  Smith  engaged  in  farming  and 
continued  that  useful  calling  until  1883,  at 
which  time  he  moved  into  the  village  of  Al- 
bany, where  he  has  since  been  engaged  in 
mercantile  pursuits.  After  the  election  of 
Harrison,  he  was  appointed  postmaster,  and 
the  record  shows  that  he  proved  a very  efficient 
and  painstaking  official.  Mr.  Smith  has  been 
a member  of  the  Methodist  church  since  his 
fourteenth  year,  and  in  politics  he  is  a repub- 
lican, firmly  adhering  to  the  principles  of  that 
party.  He  was  married  September  8,  1866, 
to  Sarah  Burkhead,  born  in  Randolph  county, 
Ind.,  December  27,  1844.  She  is  the  daugh- 
ter of  George  and  Catherine  (Davis)  Burk- 
head, natives  of  Maryland,  of  English  ex- 
traction, and  has  borne  her  husband  two  chil- 
dren, namely:  Annie  K. , wife  of  H.  E.  Babb, 
and  Cora  L. , wife  of  George  A.  Murphy. 
Mr.  Smith  is  a man  who  is  very  popular  with 
all  who  know  him;  genial  and  pleasant  in 
manner,  considerate  of  others,  and  very  ac- 
commodating in  disposition.  Mr.  Smith  has 
lived  the  life  of  a consistent  Christian  and  has 
reared  his  family  to  lead  lives  equally  moral, 
and  trained  them  to  habits  of  industry  and 
usefulness. 


554 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


AMES  E.  STAEEORD. — A successful 
business  man  of  Albany  and  large  land 
holder  of  Delaware  township,  is  the 
second  son  of  Ralph  Stafford,  whose 
biography  appears  elsewhere,  and  was  born 
Eebruary  ii,  1840,  in  Delaware  county, 
Ind.  His  early  educational  advantages, 
though  limited,  were  diligently  improved  and, 
by  a close  application  to  his  studies  and  wide 
range  of  reading,  he  became  the  possessor  of 
a fund  of  valuable  knowledge,  which  has 
enabled  him  to  transact  very  successfully  the 
business  of  an  active  life.  He  taught  four 
terms  of  school  in  Delaware  township  and  such 
was  his  success,  that  had  he  seen  fit  to  remain 
in  the  educational  field  he  doubtless  would 
have  risen  high  in  the  profession.  He  spent 
his  boyhood  days  learning  the  trade  of  tanning 
with  his  father,  and  worked  at  that  business 
until  his  twenty-fifth  year,  at  which  time,  in 
partnership  with  his  brother,  George  Stafford, 
he  engaged  in  farming  in  sections  6 and  7 this 
township.  Erom  the  beginning,  his  success 
was  most  satisfactory,  and  in  time  he  succeeded 
in  accumulating  valuable  real  estate  and  now 
owns  a fine  farm,  consisting  of  229  acres,  the 
greater  part  of  which  is  under  a high  state  of 
cultivation.  Mr.  Stafford  continued  agricul- 
tural pursuits  until  1883,  in  November  of 
which  year  he  engaged  in  the  hardware  busi- 
ness at  Albany,  which  line  of  trade  he  con- 
ducted with  success  and  financial  profit  until 
1891.  In  that  year  he  engaged  with  the 
Albany  Eurniture  company,  and  has  since  been 
a leading  member  of  the  firm. 

Mr.  Stafford  was  married  October  5,  1870, 
in  Hamilton  township  to  Miss  Caroline  Rus- 
sell, daughter  of  John  and  Susannah  Russell, 
of  Columbiana  county,  Ohio.  Mrs.  Stafford 
was  born  March  9,  1841,  and  is  the  mother  of 
one  child,  Laura  Helen  Stafford,  whose  birth 
occurred  October  9,  1871.  Miss  Stafford  is  a 
young  lady  of  culture  and  refinement,  an  ac- 


complished musician,  and  made  commendable 
progress  as  a student  in  the  art  department  of 
the  Greencastle  university.  Politically  Mr.  Staf- 
ford is  a republican  and  has  been  an  aggressive 
worker  in  his  party  for  a number  of  years.  He 
became  identified  with  the  Masonic  fraternity 
twenty-six  years  ago,  and  at  this  time  is  one  of 
the  active  workers  in  lodge  No.  171  at  Albany. 
In  addition  to  his  commercial  and  agricultural 
interests  Mr.  Stafford  is  extensively  engaged 
in  real  estate  transactions  in  Delaware  county. 


H.  STAEEORD.— The  subject  of 
this  sketch  is  a native  of  Delaware 
township,  and  a citizen  of  excellent 
reputation,  whose  success  as  a farmer 
has  been  very  decided.  He  was  born  Septem- 
ber 27,  1842,  being  the  third  son  of  Ralph 
Stafford,  whose  history  may  be  found  else- 
where in  this  volume.  Mr.  Stafford  received 
a common  school  education,  and  lived  at  home 
during  his  boyhood  days,  and  learned  the  trade 
of  a tanner,  which  he  followed  in  connection 
with  farming  for  several  years.  In  1868  he 
took  entire  control  of  the  tan  yards,  and  con- 
tinued in  that  position  for  three  years;  then 
managed  the  home  farm  for  some  time.  In 
1871  he  bought  the  property,  consisting  of 
thirty-two  acres,  upon  which  he  resides. 
Besides  this,  he  owns  the  farm  on  which  his 
father  first  located  in  1834,  having  234  acres, 
in  all,  of  fine  farm  land  substantially  improved. 

Mr.  Stafford  was  married  November  25, 
1875,  at  Muncie,  to  Rachel  Walburn,  born  in 
this  township,  September  24,  1852,  being  the 
daughter  of  Jefferson  and  Rebecca  Walburn. 
Her  father  and  mother  were  natives  of  Ohio, 
and  are  the  parents  of  the  following  children, 
namely;  Margaret,  Martha,  Catherine  (de- 
ceased), William,  Sarah  Ann  and  Rachel.  The 
parents  of  these  children  died  in  1876,  and  now 
rest  in  Union  cemetery. 


DELAWARE  TOWNSHIP. 


555 


Jefferson  Walburn  was  a farmer,  and  a 
man  of  prominence  in  his  community.  In 
politics  he  was  a republican,  and  a very  active 
and  useful  member  of  that  party.  He  and  his 
wife  were  members  of  the  Methodist  church, 
and  devoted  and  upright-  Christian  people. 
They  were  pioneers,  coming  to  this  country  in 
1836.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stafford  are  members  of  the 
Methodist  church,  in  which  body  they  are  rec- 
ognized as  consistent  and  upright  people.  The 
husband  is  a trustee  and  otherwise  prominent 
in  the  church.  In  politics  he  is  a republican, 
and  is  always  ready  to  lend  a helping  hand 
during  any  public  crisis. 

Beside  owning  valuable  landed  property, 
Mr.  Stafford  is  a stockholder  and  a director  of 
the  Granville  turnpike,  and  is  also  interested 
in  the  Delaware  Natural  Gas  company.  He 
enlisted  May  12,  1864,  in  company  G,  One 
Hundred  and  Thirty-fourth  Indiana  volunteer 
infantry,  at  Muncie.  At  Indianapolis  he  was 
made  a fifth  sergeant  of  the  company,  which 
was  recruited  in  Delaware  county  by  Capt. 
Cochran.  The  company  was  reorganized  May 
16,  1864,  and  they,  with  the  remainder  of  the 
regiment,  arrived  at  Bowling  Green,  Ky. , June 
I,  1864,  reached  Nashville  June  6;  left  on  the 
nth,  and  reached  Decatur,  Ala.,  July  6;  re- 
treated to  Nashville,  then  on  the  17th  left  for 
Louisville,  arriving  on  the  i8th;  left  Louisville 
August  4 and  reached  Nashville  on  the  6th,  and 
returned  to  Indianapolis  August  28,  1864.  He 
was  mustered  out  of  the  service  September  6, 
1864.  The  number  of  deaths  occurring  in  his 
company  during  the  period  of  service  was  five, 
and  of  desertion  one. 


AMES  R.  STAFFORD,  a prominent 
business  man  of  Albany,  was  born  in 
Niles  township,  Delaware  county,  Jan- 
uary 22,  1846,  son  of  Joseph  and  Eve 
Stafford.  Subject’s  paternal  grandfather  was 


a native  of  Ireland,  but  early  came  to  the 
United  States,  locating  in  Virginia,  where  he 
was  employed  for  some  time  as  a linen  weaver. 
Later  in  life,  he  located  in  Clarke,  Ohio,  where 
his  death  occurred.  Joseph  Stafford  was  a 
native  of  Clarke  county,  Ohio.  James  R.  Staf- 
ford. the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  reared  on 
the  home  farm  in  Niles  township,  attended  the 
common  schools  during  the  winters,  and  at  the 
age  of  twenty,  attended  school  in  Muncie, 
where  he  made  substantial  progress  in  the 
various  branches  of  learning.  He  fitted  him- 
self for  the  teacher’s  profession,  and  was  thus 
employed  for  twelve  consecutive  years,  devot- 
ing his  attention  in  the  meantime,  during  the 
summer  season,  to  farming  on  the  home  place. 
On  attaining  his  legal  majority,  he  engaged  in 
the  pursuit  of  agriculture  on  a forty  acre  tract 
given  him  by  his  father,  and  on  the  latter’s 
death,  in  1877,  he  purchased  a part  of  the 
homestead  to  which  he  added  other  land  until 
he  because  the  possessor  of  a fine  farm  of  135 
acres,  which  is  well  improved  and  highly  cul- 
tivated. On  the  loth  of  October,  1867, 
when  twenty-one  years  of  age,  Mr.  Stafford  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Nancy  E.  Sharon, 
who  was  born  in  Niles  township,  this  county, 
January  16,  1846,  daughter  of  Henry  Sharon, 
Esq.  Two  children  resulted  from  this  mar- 
riage, Minnie  O.,  wife  of  James  Syphers,  and 
Joseph  H.,  deceased.  Mrs.  Stafford,  a highly 
respected  lady  and  consistent  member  of  the 
Methodist  church,  died  in  the  full  hope  of  a 
happy  future,  March  24,  1873,  and  her  body 
was  laid  to  rest  beneath  the  shades  of  the 
beautiful  Bethel  cemetery  of  Albany.  On  the 
28th  of  May,  1876,  Mr.  Stafford  again  entered 
the  marriage  relation,  choosing  for  his  com- 
panion, Elizabeth  McDaniels,  whose  death  oc- 
curred August  1 6th  of  the  same  year.  She 
was  born  in  Greene  county,  Ohio,  in  1846, 
and  at  the  time  of  her  departure,  had  been  an 
earnest  member  of  the  Methodist  church  for  a 


556 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


period  of  sixteen  years.  Mr.  Stafford’s  third 
marriage  was  celebrated  December  15,  1881, 
in  Greene  county,  Ohio,  with  Miss  Sarah  C. 
Anderson,  a native  of  the  same  county  and 
state,  born  near  Xenia,  April  8,  1857.  Mrs. 
Stafford  is  the  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Mary 
(Standfield)  Anderson,  of  Ohio,  whose  respect- 
ive parents  came  from  South  Carolina  and 
Virginia.  The  following  are  the  names  of  the 
children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stafford:  Edna 
May,  Ruthie  Jane,  and  Roxey  Edith. 

Mr.  Stafford  is  a republican  in  politics,  and 
as  such  was  elected  trustee  of  Delaware  town- 
ship, which  position  he  fillei  for  four  and  one- 
half  years  from  1886  to  1890.  He  was  also 
assessor  of  Niles  township.  He  is  one  of  the 
directors  of  the  Albany  Land  company,  and  is 
the  efficient  superintendent  of  the  Albany 
Natural  Gas  company.  Eor  twenty  years  he 
has  been  a member  of  the  Odd  Eellows  frater- 
nity, belonging  to  lodge  No.  361,  of  which  he 
is  trustee,  and  he  is  also  an  active  worker  in 
the  encampment.  He  is  chaplain  of  the  G.  A.  R. 
post  of  Albany,  and  is  a leader  of  the  Metho- 
dist church  of  his  town,  to  which  denomina- 
tion his  family  also  belong.  In  1864,  May  lo, 
Mr.  Stafford  enlisted  in  company  G,  One 
Hundred  and  Thirty-fourth  Indiana  volunteer 
infantry,  for  the  hundred  days’  service,  and  his 
command  formed  part  of  the  army  of  the 
Cumberland  and  was  assigned  to  guard  duty  in 
Alabama.  Owing  to  physical  disability  he 
was  furloughed  but  continued  in  the  service 
until  the  expiration  of  his  period  of  enlistment, 
leaving  the  army  September,  i 864,  at  Indian- 
apolis. 

Mr.  Stafford  is  the  leading  business  man  of 
the  town  of  Albany  and  one  of  the  representa- 
tive citizens  of  Delaware  county.  He  is  a very 
extensive  buyer  and  shipper  of  grain,  handling 
a large  elevator  which  has  a capacity  of  over 
2,500  bushels  per  day;  he  also  deals  in  baled 
hay,  straw,  etc. , in  which  line  he  does  a very 


large  and  lucrative  business  in  Delaware  and 
other  counties.  Mr.  Stafford  is  public  spirited, 
progressive,  an  earnest  friend  of  education, 
and  it  was  during  his  incumbency  as  trustee, 
that  the  beautiful  graded  school  building  of 
Albany  was  erected.  He  possesses,  in  an  em- 
minent  degree,  the  esteem  and  confidence  of 
his  fellow  citizens,  and  his  name  in  these 
pages  is  a deserving  compliment  to  an  intelli- 
gent, enterprising  and  most  worthy  man. 


EORGE  A.  STAFFORD.— The  town- 
ship of  Delaware,  in  the  county  of 
the  same  name,  has  long  been  noted 
for  its  fine  farms  and  excellent  class 
of  citizens,  and  a prominent  representative  of 
the  latter  is  found  in  the  person  of  the  subject 
of  the  following  sketch. 

George  A.  Stafford  was  born  in  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  November  23,  1835,  a son  of 
Ralph  and  Jane  (Black)  Stafford,  the  former  a 
native  of  Giles  county,  Va..  born  in  1806. 
Ralph  Stafford  was  a son  of  George  and  Gath- 
erine  (Fair)  Stafford,  both  natives  of  Ireland. 
Mrs.  Jane  Black  Stafford  was  born  in  Glarke 
county,  Ohio,  May  30,  1815,  and  was  the 

daughter  of  Andrew  and  Susan  (Ross)  Black, 
whose  genealogy  appears  elsewhere  in  this 
volume.  The  paternal  grandparents  of  the 
subject  located  in  Glarke  county,  Ohio,  in 
1811,  and  there  engaged  in  farming  and  in  su- 
perintending a tannery,  and  remained  in  that 
locality  until  the  times  of  their  demise,  the 
father  dying  in  1876  and  the  mother  in  1888. 

Ralph  Stafford  was  but  a boy  of  five  years 
when  he  accompanied  his  parents  to  Glarke 
county,  and  there  he  grew  to  manhood,  at- 
tending the  common  school  at  intervals  in  the 
meantime.  He  early  learned  the  trade  of 
tanner  and  also  that  of  shoemaking  under  the 
supervision  of  an  uncle,  John  Black,  with 


DELAWARE  TOWNSHIP. 


557 


whom  he  remained  for  a term  of  two  years, 
after  which  he  went  into  partnership  with  Mr. 
Black,  with  whom  he  remained  until  1835, 
when  he  came  to  Delaware  county.  He  had 
visited  this  county  in  1834,  and  entered  160 
acres  of  land,  returning  again  in  September, 
1835.  Here  he  built  an  old  fashioned  log 
cabin,  with  puncheon  floor,  and  this  covered 
but  half  the  area  of  the  house.  He  remained 
on  the  place  until  1854  and  then  removed  to 
the  farm  now  owned  by  his  son,  William, 
where  he  spent  his  declining  years,  departing 
this  life  August  12,  1876;  his  remains  were  laid 
to  rest  in  the  Black  cemetery.  His  wife  sur- 
vived him  until  December  21,  1888,  at  which 
time  she  was  laid  by  his  side  in  the  same  peace- 
ful spot,  where  a beautiful  monument  marks 
their  last  resting  place.  For  many  years  they 
were  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  and  were  well  known  and  respected 
people.  He  had  served  as  trustee  and  gave 
satisfaction  as  an  honest  official,  and  at  the 
time  of  his  death  he  owned  484  acres  of  land 
in  this  township.  They  were  the  parents  of 
five  children,  as  follows;  George  A.,  James 
E.,  John  H.,  William  H.  and  Susan,  deceased. 

The  immediate  subject  of  this  mention  was 
reared  on  the  home  farm  and  received  the  ad- 
vantages of  a good  education  in  the  excellent 
common  schools.  He  learned  the  trade  of 
tanner,  which  he  followed  until  twenty-four 
years  of  age,  and  then  turned  his  attention  to 
agricultural  pursuits,  renting  land  of  his  father. 
He  was  married  April  16,  1867,  at  which  date 
he  located  where  he  now  resides,  owning  at 
this  time  280  acres  of  very  valuable  land,  and 
his  crops  annually  go  far  to  swell  the  yield  of 
the  great  state.  His  residence  is  a modern  one 
of  beauty  and  utility,  and  his  grounds  display, 
in  their  neatness  and  completeness,  the  pres- 
ence of  an  excellent  manager. 

Mr.  Stafford  votes  with  the  republican  party, 
and  rejoices  in  its  successes.  Since  1864  he  has 


been  a member  of  the  Masonic  order.  In  June, 
1892,  he  became  a director  in  the  Farmers’ 
bank,  of  Muncie,  and  is  largely  interested  fn 
the  same.  He  married  Miss  Sarah  A.  Zehner, 
who  was  born  in  Wayne  county,  Ind. , June 
14,  1844,  daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Hester 
(Hoppas)  Zehner,  of  German  ancestry,  who 
were  pioneers  of  this  county  in  1841.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Stafford  have  a family  of  four  chil- 
dren, as  follows:  David  R. , Cyrus  J.,  Emma 

C.  and  Ray  J.  The  family  is  connected  with 
the  Lutheran  and  the  IMethodist  churches,  are 
good  and  worthy  people,  highly  esteemed  in 
Delaware  township. 

Mr.  Stafford  has  been  largely  interested  in 
and  identified  with  the  growth  of  the  city  of 
Muncie,  having  made  a large  purchase  of  real 
estate  in  1887,  which  was  laid  out  in  city  lots 
and  known  as  “Winton  addition.”  He  has 
since  kept  up  his  interests  in  Muncie  by  subse- 
quent purchases,  which  have  been  profitable. 
He  has  just  completed  a large  cracker  factory, 
which  will  be  one  of  the  solid  business  indus- 
tries of  the  city. 


^^y^ILLIAM  HENRY  STAFFORD.— 
Ms  I The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  a na- 
tive  of  the  county  and  township  in 
which  he  lives,  and  is  a man  in  the 
full  vigor  of  life.  His  neighbors  and  friends 
esteem  him  because  of  his  honest  and  manly 
qualities.  Mr.  Stafford  was  born  February  4, 
1848,  being  the  youngest  son  of  Ralph  Staf- 
ford, previously  mentioned  in  this  volume. 
The  boyhood  of  Mr.  Stafford  was  spent  on  the 
home  farm,  and  at  the  age  of  eight  years  he 
removed  with  his  parents  to  the  place  where 
he  now  resides.  His  educational  advantages 
were  reasonably  good,  and  he  profited  by 
them.  As  a dutiful  son,  he  remained  with  his 
1 father  during  the  latter’s  declining  }^ears,  tak- 


558 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


ing  charge  of  the  farm  in  1879.  Prior  to  this 
time  he  had  conducted  it  for  a share  of  the 
proceeds.  In  the  year  1889,  he  purchased 
the  remaining  portion  of  the  farm,  which  gave 
him  236  acres  in  all  of  valuable  land,  well  and 
substantially  improved,  and  all  in  one  body. 

Mr.  Stafford  was  married  in  this  township 
( Delaware)  May  18,  1879,  to  Miss  Lucinda  J. 
Knox,  a native  of  the  township  and  county; 
born  Fel)ruary  20,  i860,  and  daughter  of  John 
and  Madeline  (Berry)  Knox,  residents  of  Ham- 
ilton township,  this  county.  To  this  maniage, 
one  child,  Nora  Edith,  has  been  born,  whose 
birth  occurred  March  18,  1884,  a very  bright 
and  promising  child.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stafford 
are  members  of  the  Methodist  church.  In 
politics  he  is  a republican,  and  always  takes 
an  active  part  in  the  campaigns  as  they  occur. 

When  Mr.  Stafford  was  a lad  of  thirteen, 
he  ran  away  from  home,  in  1863,  to  Indianap- 
olis, to  volunteer  in  the  army,  was  examined 
and  accepted,  but  as  he  was  about  to  take  the 
oath  his  father  stepped  in  and  vetoed  the  pro- 
ceedings, and  the  patriotic  lad  was  returned  to 
his  mother. 


LFRED  B.  STRONG— The  promi- 
nent citizen  whose  name  introduces 
the  following  sketch,  owns  and  oper- 
ates one  of  the  finest  and  largest 
farms  in  Delaware  township.  By  a proper 
rotation  of  crops,  the  land  has  been  brought 
to  a high  state  of  cultivation,  and  the  abun- 
dant harvests  bear  evidence  of  the  thrift  of  the 
manager  The  father  of  A.  B.  Strong  was 
Reuben  Strong,  a native  of  the  state  of  Ver- 
mont. 

Reuben  Strong  was  twice  married,  the  first 
time  in  Greene  county,  Ohio,  to  Anna  Wilson, 
who  bore  him  four  children:  Rhoda,  widow  of 
Martin  Boots,  residing  in  Randolph  county, 
Ind. ; John  W. , a citizen  of  the  county  of 


Delaware;  Catherine,  who  married  George 
Mills,  and  Benjamin,  the  last  two  deceased. 
The  second  marriage  was  consummated  with 
Barbara  Boots,  of  Virginia,  mother  of  the  sub- 
ject. Reuben  Strong  and  family  moved  to 
Delaware  county,  Ind.,  from  Ohio,  in  1834, 
and  resided  here  until  his  death.  Upon  coming 
here,  Mr.  Strong,  entered  600  acres  of  land  in 
the  w'oods,  erected  a log  hut  and  began  the 
clearing  of  the  land.  He  had  made  great  plans 
for  the  future,  but  passed  from  the  scenes  of 
earth  after  a residence  of  only  eighteen  months  in 
his  new  home.  His  death  occurred  August  25, 
1835,  his  remains  were  laid  to  rest  in  a 
private  ground  upon  his  own  land.  The  wife 
and  mother  realizing  that  she  had  a family  to 
rear,  remained  upon  the  farm  and  conducted 
affairs.  Her  death  occurred  in  June,  1861, 
and  she  was  buried  by  the  side  of  her  husband. 
She  was  a member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  and  both  have  the  reputation  of  good 
and  worthy  people.  The  family  consisted  of 
eight  children,  as  follows:  Alfred  B.,  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch;  Lydia,  deceased;  Eliza- 
beth, deceased;  Melinda,  deceased;  Minerva,  a 
resident  of  Randolph  county;  Mary,  the  wife 
of  E.  Bartlett,  living  north  of  Albany;  Napo- 
leon, deceased;  an  infant,  deceased. 

At  the  time  of  his  death  Mr.  Strong  had 
amassed  a fortune  for  those  days,  was  the 
owner  of  much  stock  and  of  680  acres  of  land. 
He  was  a man  who  always  took  a prominent 
position  wherever  he  lived,  and  served  as  just- 
ice of  the  peace  in  this  county,  as  he  had  done 
for  many  years  in  his  old  home  in  Ohio.  One 
of  the  characteristics  of  Mr.  Strong  was  his 
straightforward  way  of  doing  things.  He  be- 
lieved a thing  was  right  and  said  so;  one  of  his 
earnest  desires  being  the  suppression  of  intem- 
perance. His  voice  was  ever  heard  in  favor  of 
any  and  all  things  for  the  benefit  of  the  com- 
munity. Being  a hard  working  man,  he  ex- 
pected much  from  others  and  he  knew  how  to 


DELAWARE  TOWNSHIP. 


559 


manage  his  finances  so  that  he  left  his  family 
in  affluence.  Alfred  B.  Strong  was  born  in 
Greene  county,  Ohio,  Februaiy  9,  1817,  and 
was  reared  on  the  home  farm,  but  received 
only  a limited  education.  He  remained  with 
his  mother  until  her  death,  and  then  bought 
out  the  other  heirs,  and  now  owns  463  acres  of 
well  improved  land.  He  was  married  May  20, 
1841,  in  Delaware  township,  to  Miss  Mary 
Sharin,  born  in  Irwin,  Ohio,  and  a daugh- 
ter of  George  and  Nancy  (Hughes)  Sharin, 
natives  of  Pennsylvania  and  Maryland,  respect- 
ively, who  also  were  pioneers  of  this  county. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Strong  had  a family  of  six 
children,  as  follows;  Reuben,  deceased; 
Nancy  J.,  deceased;  John,  deceased;  George, 
James,  and  Laura,  the  wife  of  Gordon  Smith, 
of  Jay  county,  Ind. 

The  pleasant  home  of  Mr.  Strong  was 
visited  by  the  hand  of  affliction,  January  8, 
1873,  when  the  mother  of  the  family  was  re- 
moved by  death.  She  had  been  a good  woman, 
affectionate  wife  and  mother,  and  a good 
neighbor  and  a consistent  member  of  the 
Methodist  church.  Politically,  Mr.  Strong  is 
a republican,  and  his  first  vote  was  cast  for 
William  Henry  Harrison. 


APOLEON  B.  STRONG.— The  fol- 
lowing record  is  prepared  for  one 
who  has  passed  from  the  scenes  of 
this  life,  but  who  is  yet  tenderly  re- 
membered by  a large  circle  of  friends.  His 
descent  can  be  traced  back  to  his  great-great- 
grandfather,  Noah  Strong,  who  was  born  July 
30,  1752,  in  Salisbury,  Conn.  Napoleon  B. 
Strong’s  birth  occurred  in  Greene  county,  Ohio, 
September  18,  1830.  He  was  a son  of 

Reuben  and  Barbara  (Boots)  Strong,  of  Ger- 
man extraction,  who  reared  the  following  chil- 
dren: John,  Cynthia,  Benjamin,  Alfred,  Eliz- 


abeth, Malinda,  Minerva,  Mary,  the  subject  of 
this  mention  being  the  youngest  member  of  the 
family. 

Of  the  early  life  of  the  subject  but  few 
records  are  accessible.  His  marriage  with 
Miss  Catherine  Woolverton  took  place  Feb- 
ruary 14,  1858.  She  was  the  daughter  of 
Abner  and  Abigail  (Keever)  Woolverton,  na- 
tives of  Germany  and  Ireland.  These  parents 
reared  the  following  family:  Catherine,  Mrs. 
Strong;  Mary,  deceased;  Eva,  the  wife  of 
George  Andrews;  Jane,  deceased,  and  Sarah, 
the  wife  of  James  Manor.  After  his  marriage, 
Mr.  Strong  settled  on  the  fine  farm  now  ably 
managed  by  his  widow,  where  he  lived  all  of 
his  days  and  upon  which  his  death  occurred 
February  14,  1871.  He  was  a good  man,  was 
a very  active  member  of  the  Methodist  church, 
of  which  Mrs.  Strong  was  also  a member,  but 
upon  the  organization  of  the  Christian  church 
at  Albany,  Mrs.  Strong  united  with  the  latter. 
Mr.  Strong's  remains  lie  in  the  Strong  ceme- 
tery, where  a fine  monument  marks  the  last 
resting  place  of  this  worthy  man.  He  had 
been  interested  in  public  affairs  and  voted  with 
the  republican  yarty.  He  came  to  this  county 
at  an  early  day  and  endured  many  hardships 
and  witnessed  much  of  its  wonderful  growth. 

Mrs.  Strong  also  remembers  many  inter- 
esting events  of  pioneer  life,  as  her  parents 
were  early  settlers  in  their  neighborhood,  the 
father  conducting  a saw  mill,  and  also  preach- 
ing, as  they  were  devout  people,  and  earnest 
members  of  the  Christian  church.  The  early 
meetings  were  held  at  the  home  of  the  parents 
of  Mrs.  Strong.  Mrs.  Woolverton  was  an 
expert  weaver  and  was  one  of  those  capable 
and  efficient  women  of  whom  we  love  to  read. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Strong  had  three  children; 
Sarah  L. , wife  of  J.  S.  Manor;  Elmer  A.,  a 
farmer,  and  Emma.  The  fine  farm  of  Mrs. 
Strong  contains  138  acres  of  well  improved 
land. 


560 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


EORGE  W.  SYPHERS,  a leading 
business  man  of  Albany,  Ind.,  was 
born  in  Pendleton  county,  Va. , April 
5,  1827.  His  father,  William  Syph- 
ers,  was  a native  of  the  same  state,  and  there 
married  Eva  Kibler,  who  was  born  in  the 
town  of  Woodstock.  William  Syphers  was, 
by  occupation,  a cooper,  which  trade  he  car- 
ried on  in  connection  with  farming  both  in  his 
native  state  and  Ohio,  having  moved  to  the 
latter  in  1 833,  settling  in  Champaign  county. 
In  1841  he  removed  to  Adams  county,  Ind., 
where  the  death  of  himself  and  wife  subse- 
quently occurred.  William  Syphers  served  in 
the  war  of  1812,  was  a man  of  sterling  worth 
and  strict  integrity,  a democrat  in  politics,  and 
an  active  member  of  the  United  Presbyterian 
church.  His  wife,  also  a member  of  the 
same  denomination,  is  rembered  as  a woman 
of  many  excellent  traits  of  character,  a kind 
mother,  a faithful  friend,  and  a most  exem- 
plary Christian. 

George  W.  Syphers,  the  immediate  subject 
of  this  sketch,  was  reared  on  the  home  farm, 
receiving  a good  education  which  enabled  him 
to  engage  in  teaching,  a profession  he  followed 
very  successfully  for  a number  of  years.  He 
taught  his  first  term  of  school  in  Wiltshire, 
Ohio,  and  his  popularity  as  an  instructor  is 
attested  by  the  fact  that  he  continued  in 
charge  of  the  same  school  for  twelve  consecu- 
tive terms.  On  retiring  from  the  educational 
field,  he  accepted  a clerkship  in  a dry  goods 
house  at  Monmouth,  Adams  county,  Ind., 
where  he  remained  one  year,  after  which  he 
was  similarly  employed  in  Wiltshire,  Ohio,  for 
a period  of  eighteen  months.  Disposing  of  his 
interest  in  that  town,  at  the  request  of  his 
father,  he  returned  home  and  managed  the 
place  for  eight  years,  thence  removed  to  Salem, 
Ind. , and  purchased  land  one  and  one-half 
miles  north  of  the  town,  upon  which  he  found- 
ed a village  and  engaged  in  the  general  trade 


in  partnership  with  a brother.  This  relation 
continued  until  1883,  at  which  date  he  re- 
moved to  Albany,  where  he  has  since  carried 
on  a successful  business  in  the  retail  grocery 
line. 

Mr.  Syphers  was  first  married  in  Decatur, 
Adams  county,  Ind.,  in  1859,  to  Miss  Sarah 
Davey,  a union  blessed  with  the  birth  of  the 
following  children;  Willis,  Amy,  Alice,  Min- 
nie, Annie,  Maynard,  James  E.  and  Eddie. 
The  mother  of  these  children  departed  this  life 
June  2,  1871,  and  January  ii,  1872,  Mr. 

Syphers  married  Elizabeth  johnson,  in  Noble 
county,  Ind.,  who  died  December  9,  1874. 
On  September  22,  1876,  Mr.  Syphers  and  Mrs. 
M.  J.  Mills  were  united  in  the  bonds  of  wed- 
lock in  Belmont  county,  Ohio,  the  result  of 
which  union  was  the  birth  of  one  child,  Clar- 
ence L.  Syphers.  Mr.  Syphers  is  a worthy 
and  energetic  citizen,  fully  alive  to  all  that  has 
a tendency  to  improve  the  town  or  community. 
He  is  treasurer  of  the  German  Mutual  Fire  In- 
surance company,  of  Indianapolis,  and  in  poli- 
tics is  a supporter  of  the  prohibition  party, 
believing  that  the  liquor  traffic  can  be  sup- 
pressed only  by  national  and  state  legislation. 
He  is  a prominent  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  and  in  every  respect  a repre- 
sentative citizen,  and  a notable  example  of  the 
self-made  man. 


OTHOEIC  HENDERSON  TINDALL, 
the  well  known  resident  and  official 
for  whom  this  sketch  is  prepared, 
was  born  in  Van  Wert  county,  Ohio, 
March  21,  1853,  a son  of  Henry  and  Sarah  E. 
(Miller)  Tindall,  the  latter  a native  of  Parkers- 
burg, West  Va. , and  the  former  of  Beaver 
county.  Pa.  These  parents  were  married  in 
Van  Wert  county,  both  having  been  previous- 
ly married.  Henry  Tindall  engaged  in  farm- 


DELAWARE  TOWNSHIP. 


561 


ing  until  his  death  in  November,  1884.  In 
his  political  faith  he  was  a republican,  and  dur- 
ing a long  life  accumulated  some  seven  hun- 
dred acres  of  land  in  Van  Wert  county,  Ohio. 
His  reputation  was  that  of  a man  of  the 
strictest  integrity,  and  both  he  and  wife  were 
members  of  the  United  Brethren  denomina- 
tion. His  widow  now  resides  with  her  son, 
the  subject  of  this  sketch,  at  Albany. 

Otholic  Henderson  Tindall  was  reared  on 
the  home  farm  and  early  became  inured  to 
hard  labor,  remaining  with  his  parents  until 
he  had  reached  his  majority.  P'or  one  year 
he  farmed  the  old  homestead  and  then  bought 
land  in  Adams  county,  Ind. , where  he  re- 
mained nine  months,  selling  this  tract  to  pur- 
chase property  in  Willshire,  Van  W ert  county, 
Ohio.  He  took  charge  of  the  old  homestead 
for  three  years,  paying  a money  rent  of  $300 
per  year,  and  later  went  to  the  town  of  Van 
Wert,  where  for  one  year  he  was  engaged  in 
the  insurance  business. 

His  next  business  venture  was  the  pur- 
chase of  forty  acres  of  land,  in  the  county  of 
Van  Wert,  where  he  remained  one  year,  fol- 
lowing which  he  bought  eighty  acres  in  Adams 
county,  Ind.,  where  he  remained  two  years, 
selling  it  at  the  end  of  that  time  and  locating 
in  the  town  of  Albany,  where  for  a period  of 
six  months  he  was  engaged  in  mercantile  pur- 
suits. Having  been  made  constable,  he  after- 
ward engaged  in  other  occupations.  His 
term  of  service  as  constable  was  two  years, 
and  he  served  as  deputy  sheriff  under  O.  H. 
Swain  for  four  years.  Later  he  went  into  the 
timber  business  and  afterward  engaged  as  tie 
contractor  for  the  L.  E.  & W.  R.  R.,  until 
July,  1891,  at  which  time  he  became  identified 
with  the  Creamery  Package  Manufacturing 
company  of  Portland,  Ind. , with  which  he  has 
since  remained. 

Mr.  Tindall  was  married  in  Willshire, 
Ohio,  February  9,  1873,  to  Miss  Sarah  E. 


Stove,  born  in  Van  Wert  county,  Ohio,  De- 
cember 22,  1853,  a daughter  of  William  and 
Sarah  (Widmer)  Stove,  of  German  and  Eng- 
lish ancestry.  Seven  children  have  been  born 
of  this  marriage — William,  deceased;  Henry 
Frazier;  Amos;  John  H. ; Birdie;  Arlie  and 
Bessie.  The  eldest  son  is  the  telegraph  opera- 
tor on  the  C.  & E.  R.  R. , at  Spencerville, 
Ohio. 

Mr.  Tindall  is  a man  of  considerable  means 
and  has  had  a very  successful  business  career. 
He  owns  ten  shares  in  the  Albany  Land  com- 
pany and  four  shares  in  the  gas  wells. 


OHN  N.  WINGATE.— Among  the 
prominent  farmers  of  Delaware  town- 
ship the  name  of  John  N.  Wingate  is 
entitled  to  specific  mention.  Mr.  Win- 
gate was  born  in  Highland  county,  Ohio,  April 
4,  1830,  and  is  a son  of  Philip  and  Mary  Win- 
gate. The  father  was  born  in  the  state  of 
Delaware,  in  1791,  and  was  married,  in  1822, 
in  Highland  county,  Ohio,  to  Mary  Anderson, 
and  for  a number  of  years  worked  at  the  car- 
penter’s trade.  He  came  to  Indiana  a number 
of  years  ago,  moving  his  family  and  household  ef- 
fects in  one  small  cart,  and  the  sum  total  of  his 
available  wealth,  on  reaching  his  destination, 
was  twenty-five  cents  in  money.  He  worked 
at  his  trade  until  1843,  at  which  time  he  be- 
came a resident  of  Delaware  township  this 
county,  where  his  death  occurred  in  1872.  He 
was  the  father  of  thirteen  children,  five  of 
whom  are  living  at  this  time.  He  belonged  to 
the  Methodist  church,  was  originally  a whig  in 
his  political  belief,  and  later  became  a repub- 
lican, the  principles  of  which  party  he  advo- 
cated until  his  death. 

The  immediate  subject  of  this  sketch,  John 
W.  Wingate,  spent  the  first  fifteen  years  of 
his  life  in  Ohio,  and  then  accompanied  his 


562 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


parents  to  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  remaining 
with  his  father  until  attaining  his  legal  major- 
ity. While  still  young,  he  developed  con- 
siderable skill  as  a mechanic,  and  at  the  age  of 
twenty,  began  working  at  the  carpenter’s  trade, 
which  calling  he  followed  until  1865,  when  he 
engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  on  the  farm 
where  he  has  since  made  his  home.  Mr.  Win- 
gate is  a notable  example  of  what  a young 
man,  without  any  assistance  from  friends  or 
fortune,  can  accomplish,  with  the  aid  of  well 
directed  energy  and  wise  business  foresight. 
From  a small  beginning,  he  has  increased  his 
share  of  this  world’s  wealth,  until  at  this  time 
he  is  the  fortunate  possessor  of  270  acres  of 
fine  land,  which  has  been  developed  into  one 
of  the  best,  and  one  of  the  most  successful 
farms  in  the  county  of  Delaware.  His  early 
education  was  limited  to  a few  months  each 
winter  in  the  common  schools,  and  he  is  in  the 
true  sense  of  the  word  a self  educated  man, 
his  fund  of  practical  knowledge  having  been 
attained  by  years  of  intelligent  observation 
and  business  association  with  his  fellow  men. 

His  first  marriage  was  solemnized  Febru- 
ary 25,  1855,  in  Ohio,  with  Amanda  M.  Black, 
who  died  January  27,  1861,  leaving  two  child- 
ren, Theodore  W. , a farmer  residing  in  Mich- 
igan, and  Robert  N.,  a resident  of  the  town  of 
Alban}^  Delaware  county.  On  the  23d  day  of 
October,  1863,  Mr.  Wingate  took  a second 
wife,  Mrs.  Charlotte  R.  Wilson,  widow  of  the 
late  Morgan  Wilson,  and  daughter  of  James 
R.  and  Eve  Black.  By  her  previous  marriage, 
Mrs.  Wingate  had  two  children:  Anthony  M. 
Wilson,  of  Nebraska,  and  James  R.  Wilson, 
deceased.  The  following  are  the  names  of  the 
children  born  to  her  marriage  with  Mr.  Win- 
gate: Clara  E.,  wife  of  Richard  A.  Jones; 

Arthur  M.,  Eldora,  Clayton  B.,  Lillie  Dell, 
Maud  P.  and  Laura.  Mr.  Wingate  is  a dem- 
ocrat in  politics,  and  at  one  time  served  as 
trustee  of  his  township.  He  is  a member  of 


the  L O.  O.  E.  lodge.  No.  361,  and  is  a share 
holder  and  prominent  factor  in  the  Albany 
Land  company.  Mrs.  Wingate  is  a member 
of  the  Delaware  Chapel  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.  Mr.  Wingate’s  residence  of  fifty  years 
in  this  community  has  acquired  him  many 
friends  and  is  well  respected  as  a substantial 
and  honored  citizen. 


EORGE  W.  WHITEMAN.— Lew  men 
in  Delaware  county  have  had  a more 
interesting  and  varied  experience  in 
life  than  the  gentleman  whose  brief 
biography  is  presented  herewith.  George  W. 
Whiteman  was  born  near  Brighton,  Sussex 
county,  England,  and  is  the  son  of  Charles 
and  Harriet  (Clark)  Whiteman,  both  parents 
natives  of  the  same  country.  By  occupation, 
Charles  Whiteman  was  a railroad  contractor. 
He  laid  out  the  Lewis  and  St.  Albans  canal  in 
1846,  assisted  in  the  construction  of  the  same, 
and  was  made  superintendent  after  its  comple- 
tion. During  the  great  excitement  growing 
out  of  the  discovery  of  gold  in  California,  he, 
with  thousands  of  his  countrymen,  was  at- 
tracted to  that  far  off  country,  and  for  two  or 
three  years  he  participated  in  the  search  for 
hidden  treasures  and  took  part  in  the  exciting 
scenes  of  those  times.  After  living  an  adven- 
turous life  in  California  for  some  time,  he  re- 
turned to  England  and  again  entered  actively 
into  the  business  of  railroad  contracting,  build- 
ing the  branch  road  from  Maidestone  to  Sher- 
ness,  in  Kent,  and  the  London  and  Charring 
Cross  railway,  which  latter  work  included  the 
removal  of  the  old  suspension  bridge  across  the 
river  Thames,  erected  in  the  time  of  George 
HI.  Subsequently,  he  concluded  a contract 
with  the  Brazilian  government  for  the  con- 
struction of  a railroad  from  Rio  Janeiro  to  a 
point  in  the  interior,  and  after  completing  the 


DELAWARE  TOWNSHIP. 


563 


same,  went  to  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  where  he 
rejoined  his  family,  which  had  just  arrived 
from  England,  this  being  about  the  year  1854 
or  1855.  After  remaining  for  a limited  period 
in  California,  Mr.  Whiteman  returned  to  Eng- 
land, leaving  George  W.,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  then  a boy  of  about  fourteen,  an  ap- 
prentice in  the  Eureka  foundry  and  machine 
shops  of  San  Erancisco.  This  appears  to  be 
the  first  introduction  that  George  W.  had  to 
active  life,  and  he  remained  in  the  above  shops 
for  three  years,  going,  at  the  end  of  that  time, 
to  the  city  of  Sacramento,  where,  for  eight 
years,  he  was  employed  in  the  repair  shops. 

In  1862  the  subject  engaged  in  the  con- 
struction of  machinery  at  Sacramento,  re- 
maining there  several  years  and  afterwards 
worked  as  machinist  and  firemen  at  different 
places  until  1868,  in  which  year,  he  and  some 
companions  made  an  extensive  tour  of  the 
southern  states.  Later  he  engaged  with  the 
Kansas  Pacific  R.  R. , and  during  the  winter 
of  1869-70,  was  employed  between  Et.  Wal- 
lace and  Denver  in  the  capacity  of  locomotive 
engineer.  In  the  spring,  he  crossed  the 
mountains,  and  ran  from  Ogden  to  Terrace  on 
the  Central  Pacific,  and  for  some  time,  follow- 
ing the  fall  of  1871,  was  engaged  by  the  Bos- 
ton Rolling  Stock  company  on  the  Santa  Ee 
road.  This  company  was  then  building  west 
of  Emporia,  Kan.,  and  Mr.  Whiteman  had 
charge  of  the  engines  and  car  department  on 
the  line  between  that  city  and  Wichita.  Later 
he  ran  an  engine  on  the  Missouri  Pacific  out 
of  St.  Louis  until  the  spring  of  1872,  at 
which  date,  by  invitation  of  a former  friend, 
whom  he  knew  in  the  west,  and  who  in  the 
meantime  had  located  at  the  town  of  Albany, 
Ind. , he  paid  a visit  to  the  latter  place.  Sub- 
sequently Mr.  Whiteman  again  went  west  to 
Colorado,  and  was  engineer  on  the  Denver  and 
Black  Hawk  railroad  for  one  year,  then  en- 
gaged on  the  Salt  Lake  division  of  the  Cen- 


tral Pacific,  remaining  with  the  same  a few 
months,  when  he  returned  to  the  little  town 
of  Albany,  Ind. , the  attraction  being  a fair 
maiden  whom  he  had  met  on  his  previous  visit 
and  who  afterwards  became  his  wife. 

Remaining  in  Albany  until  the  spring  of 
1874,  Mr.  Whiteman  engaged  with  the 
I.,  B.  & W.  R.  R.  in  their  shops  at  Urbana, 
Ohio,  and  about  three  months  later,  went  to 
Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa,  and  ran  until  1882  on  the 
Burlington  & Cedar  Rapids  road.  In  the 
latter  year  he  had  a collision  at  Rockford  and 
was  sick  for  some  time  thereafter.  Prior  to 
this  he  was  made  engineer  of  the  locomotive 
used  to  draw  the  pay  car  and  officers,  and  ran 
the  same  for  about  two  years.  Owing  to  seri- 
ously impaired  health  he  retired  from  the 
road  in  1882,  and  for  one  year  was  engaged  in 
the  grocery  business  at  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa, 
suffering  a loss  by  fire  at  the  end  of  that 
time.  This  disaster  was  followed  by  three 
months’  sickness,  and  upon  his  recovery  Mr. 
Whiteman  returned  to  Albany,  Ind.,  in  the 
hope  of  recuperating  his  health  and  building 
up  his  shattered  fortune.  Eor  two  years  he 
was  not  able  to  engage  in  business,  but  in 
1885  he  opened  a drug  house,  which  he  has 
made  successful.  Mr.  Whiteman  cast  his 
first  vote  for  Gen.  Grant,  but  now  he  is  a 
democrat. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Whiteman  took  place 
August  23,  1873,  to  Miss  Juliana  McCamish, 
who  was  born  in  Iowa,  September,  1853,  the 
daughter  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Bergel)  Mc- 
Camish, natives  of  Virginia.  Six  children 
have  been  born  to  this  union — George  R. , a 
telegraph  operator  at  Muncie;  Blanche,  Charles, 
Gertrude,  Lenora  and  Harriet.  The  family 
are  members  of  the  Methodist  church.  Mr. 
Whiteman  is  fraternally  connected  with  the 
Brotherhood  of  Locomotive  Engineers,  and  is 
a member  of  Crescent  lodge.  No.  25,  Cedar 
Rapids,  Iowa,  A.  E.  & A.  M.  In  his  business 


504 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


relations,  in  Albany,  he  is  much  esteemed, 
and  is  a member  of  the  Albany  Land  company, 
secretary  of  the  Building  and  Loan  association 
and  president  of  the  Co-operative  Gas  com- 
pany. 


ACHEL  WOOLVEKTON— As  early 
as  1820,  settlers  were  making  homes 
along  the  White  river,  in  the  state  of 
Indiana,  and  among  those  who  came 
at  that  date  were  the  parents  of  the  subject  of 
this  mention.  The  grandparents  came  from 
Ireland  in  an  early  day,  but  the  father  and 
mother  of  Mrs.  Woolverton  had  grown  up  in 
Ohio  and  Pennsylvania  respectively,  and  came 
to  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  in  April  of  the  above 
year,  and  settled  near  Muncie.  Here  her 
father  entered  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
land,  and  here  she  lived  until  her  marriage. 
After  that  event  she  and  her  husband  settled 
on  a farm  of  200  acres,  one  mile  east  of  Albany, 
where  they  remained  until  the  death  of  Mr. 
Woolverton,  April  13,  1889. 

Abner  Woolverton,  the  husband  of  Rachel 
Woolverton,  was  born  October  20,  1815,  near 
Middletown,  Butler  county,  Ohio,  a son  of 
David  and  Eva  Woolverton,  of  whom  he  was 
the  eldest  child.  The  others  were:  Theresa, 

the  wife  of  Dudley  Harris;  Eva,  the  wife  of 
John  Sniter;  Jane,  the  wife  of  John  Neal; 
Kate,  Isaac,  John;  and  Ella,  the  wife  of  Frank 
B.  Banker.  In  1820,  Abner  accompanied  his 
uncle  to  Preble  county,  Ohio,  where  he  grew 
to  manhood,  and  in  1834,  he  was  married  to 
Miso  Abigail  Keever,  who  died  August  lO, 
1863.  Mr.  Woolverton  afterward  married  Miss 
Rachel  Van  Arsdoll,  March  ii,  1864,  at  Mrs. 
Woolverton's  home,  near  Muncie,  where  she 
had  lived  from  childhood. 

Mr.  Woolverton  came  to  Delaware  town- 
ship at  an  early  day,  when  Muncie  was  known 
as  an  Indian  village,  and  by  whom  it  was 


named.  He  settled  in  the  woods  and  built 
one  of  the  first  log  cabins  that  was  built  in 
that  part  of  the  country.  The  whole  country 
was  sparsely  settled  and  Mrs.  Woolverton’s 
brother,  Isaac,  was  the  first  white  child  born 
in  Delaware  county.  Mr.  Woolverton  was  a 
member  of  the  Christian  church,  in  which  he 
was  a minister  for  nearly  forty  years.  Finan- 
cially, he  was  a successful  man,  and  when  he 
was  called  away  from  life  he  was  mourned  by 
many.  He  was  a kind  husband  and,  a fond 
and  loving  father.  He  left  three  children  by 
his  first  marriage  and  three  by  his  second,  they 
being  as  follows:  Catherine,  wife  of  N.  B. 

Strong;  Eva  A.,  wife  of  G.  A.  Andrews;  Sarah, 
wife  of  D.  J.  Manor,  deceased;  Dora  A.,  David, 
a brick  mason,  and  Hallet  A.,  a farmer. 

The  father  of  Mrs.  Wolverton  was  a preach- 
er in  the  Christian  church,  and  the  Indians 
used  often  to  come  to  be  a part  of  his  audi- 
ence. They  respected  the  family  and  never 
in  any  way  molested  them.  Mrs.  Wolverton’s 
family  can  relate  many  interesting  reminis- 
cences of  pioneer  life.  When  her  father  first 
settled  on  the  land  purchased  from  the  govern- 
ment, he  did  not  even  have  a cabin  for  shelter. 
The  first  night  the  family  slept  by  a log  fire  in 
the  open  air  with  no  protection  but  the  hazel 
brush,  and  the  next  day  he,  with  the  help  of 
another  emigrant  by  the  name  of  Makeprice, 
constructed  a temporary  shed  of  saplings, 
which,  being  too  small  to  accomodate  both 
families  with  their  goods,  a part  of  the  latter 
were,  for  the  time,  protected  from  the  rain  by 
a covering  of  bark.  Mrs.  Wolverton  remem- 
bers very  well  the  many  and  uncermonious 
visits  paid  the  family  by  their  Indian  neighbors, 
particularly  of  one  old  squaw  that  they  called 
Sally,  who  thought  much  of  Mr.  Arsdoll  and 
his  family.  When  her  brother  Cornelius  was 
two  years  old,  Sally  begged  the  favor  of  taking 
him  home  with  her  to  her  wigwam,  indicating 
to  his  mother  by  pointing  to  the  sun  at  what 


DELAWARE  TOWNSHIP. 


565 


hour  she  would  bring  him  home.  The  child 
was  promptly  returned  at  the  time  promised 
but  old  Sally  said  she  “much  scared,  ” thought 
she  had  “choked  white  pappoose  almost  to 
death.”  She  had  given  him  a toothsome  mess 
of  venison  on  which  the  child  had  choked. 

The  brothers  and  sisters  of  Mrs.  Wolver- 
ton  were:  Thomas,  a farmer  of  Racket;  Mary, 
wife  of  William  Brown;  John;  Nellie,  wife  of 
Henry  Mulkins;  William,  deceased;  Martha, 
wife  of  Christopher  Ribble;  Isaac,  Cornelius, 
Jane,  the  wife  of  Francis  Wilkins;  Lucretia, 
wife  of  Charles  Hallock. 

Mrs.  Woolverton  has  at  present  a farm  of 
io6  acres  of  good  and  well  improved  land,  and 
also  owns  a nice  home  in  Albany  where  she 
and  her  family  now  reside.  The  family  is  one 
of  the  oldest  and  best  known  in  Delaware 
county. 


ISAAC  WORLEY,  a substantial  citizen 
of  Delaware  township,  was  born  in 
Fayette  county,  Ind. , February  27, 
1827;  being  the  son  of  Moses  and  Sarah 
(Harmon)  Worley.  The  father  was  born  in 
Scioto  county,  Ohio,  the  son  of  Anthony  and 
Mary  Worley,  of  the  same  county  and  state, 
and  the  grandfather  was  engaged  in  farming 
all  his  life,  and  reared  a large  family  of  chil- 
dren. The  father  was  married  in  Scioto  county, 
Ohio,  and  a short  time  after  came  to  Fayette 
county,  being  one  of  its  earliest  pioneers.  He 
engaged  at  once  in  clearing  up  a home;  then 
in  the  fall  of  1836  moved  to  this  county  and 
located  on  1 20  acres  in  this  township,  which  he 
bought  from  a relative,  paying  $350  for  it. 

The  land  was  covered  with  trees,  which  he 
began  at  once  to  chop  away  and  clear  and 
burn  the  brush;  building  a log  cabin  with  an 
old  fashioned  stick  chimney;  the  house 
being  eighteen  feet  square,  with  an  end 
cut  out  for  a fire  place;  the  door  was  of 


clapboard,  and  the  log  cut  out  on  the  side  and 
pasted  over  with  greased  paper,  was  its  win- 
dow. The  roof  did  not  always  keep  out  the 
rain,  and  the  floor  was  made  of  puncheons. 
This  worthy  man  and  his  wife  were  the  par- 
ents of  seven  children,  namely:  Mary  J., 

Emily,  Louise,  all  deceased;  Isaac;  Anthony 
and  Sarah  E.,  deceased;  Margaret,  wife  of  M. 
Boland,  retired,  of  Muncie.  The  father  died 
October,  1864,  and  the  mother,  seven  or  eight 
years  previous  to  that  date.  They  were  iden- 
tified with  the  Methodist  church,  and  were 
good  and  pious  people.  He  was  an  old  line 
whig  of  the  Clay  school.  He  was  a hard 
working  man,  and  a good  manager,  and  had 
the  respect  of  all  who  knew  him. 

Isaac  Worley  was  reared  on  the  farm  which 
he  now  owns,  and  his  early  life  was  required 
to  do  hard  labor.  He  was  but  nine  years  old 
when  he  cam.e  to  this  county,  and  his  work 
began  thus  early.  The  schools  taught  but 
short  terms,  and  he  was  not  always  able  to  at- 
tend them.  He  remained  with  his  father  until 
he  was  twenty-one,  and  then  engaged  in  farm- 
ing the  old  hom.e  place  on  his  own  account, 
and  with  the  exception  of  three  years,  which 
he  spent  in  Illinois,  he  has  lived  there  ever 
since  he  first  came  to  this  county. 

He  was  married  January  30,  1851,  in  Jer- 
sey county.  111.,  to  Harriet  Shafer,  born 
October  9,  1827,  in  Pennsylvania,  being  the 
daughter  of  George  and  Elizabeth  (Pittinger) 
Shafer,  she  being  related  to  the  families  of 
that  name  in  this  county.  To  this  union  were 
born  three  children,  namely:  Andrew  J., 

Mary  E.,  and  Laura  E. , all  dead.  The 
mother  died  January  29,  1857,  and  her  re- 
mains lie  in  Union  cemetery.  Mr.  Worley 
again  married  October  10,  1857,  Nancy  N. 
Pittinger  being  the  maiden  name  of  this  wife. 
She  was  born  in  Indiana  July  4,  1827;  the 
daughter  of  John  and  Nancy  (Humphrey)  Pit- 
tinger. The  results  of  this  marriage  are  the 


566 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


following  children:  Sarah  A.,  wife  of  T.  Con- 
fer, of  this  township;  Ida  F. , died  August  20, 
1862;  Martha  J.,  deceased;  Elizabeth  E., 
wife  of  George  Goings.  The  mother  of  these 
children  died  October  9,  1872,  and  on  the  ist 
of  March,  1873,  Mr.  Worley  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Verlinda  Eadley,  who  was  born  in 
Adams  county,  Ohio,  August  8,  1829;  being 
the  daughter  of  Jesse  and  Mary  (Hamilton) 
Wilcoxon.  Her  parents  were  natives  of  Mary- 
land and  Kentucky  respectively,  and  came  to  this 
county  in  1851;  locating  in  Liberty  township, 
where  the  father  followed  farming  all  his  life. 
Her  parents  reared  a family  of  seven  children: 
Elizabeth,  Verlinda,  John,  of  Blackford  county; 
William  J.,  of  Kansas;  Thomas,  of  this  town- 
ship; James,  of  Carroll  county,  Ind.,  and  an 
infant,  deceased.  The  father  died  Eebruary 


8,  1863,  and  the  m-other  July  15,  1884.  They 
were  very  good  people  and  active  members  of 
the  Methodist  church.  In  politics  Mr.  Wil- 
coxon was  a republican,  and  always  gave  a 
hearty  snpport  to  the  candidates  of  that  party. 
By  her  marriage  with  Adam  Eadley,  Decem- 
ber 15,  1852,  Mrs.  Verlinda  Worley  became  the 
mother  of  hve  children,  namely:  Mary  C., 

deceased;  Elizabeth  J.,  wife  of  J.  Myers;  Ver- 
linda J.,  wife  of  Marion  Pittinger,  and  James 
W. , of  this  township.  Mr.  Eadley  died  Mrrch 
8,  1863.  Mr.  Worley  and  wife  are  members 
of  the  Methodist  church,  and  very  useful  work- 
ers in  that  body.  Mr.  Worley  is  a republican, 
and  has  been  elected  to  a number  of  offices  in 
this  township.  He  owns  320  acres  of  fine 
land,  well  improved,  and  a portion  of  it  lies 
within  the  village  of  Desoto. 


HAMILTON  TOWNSHIP. 


AMES  FLINN  is  descended,  paternally, 
from  Irish  ancestry,  and  traces  his 
family  history  back  through  several  gen- 
erations to  the  old  country.  Sevaral 
members  of  the  family  came  to  the  United 
States  in  an  early  day,  and  John  Flinn,the  sub- 
ject’s father,  was  reared  amid  the  exciting 
scenes  of  pioneer  life  in  Virginia,  and  his  career 
was  more  like  a romance  than  reality.  When 
but  six  years  of  age  the  section  of  Virginia 
where  his  parents  lived  was  raided  by  the  In- 
dians, and  in  the  massacre  which  followed,  his 
father  was  killed,  and  he,  himself,  mother  and 
two  sisters  were  taken  prisoners  by  the  sav- 
ages, who  took  them  west  to  Indiana.  The 
mother  remained  with  the  Indians  until  her 
death,  and  the  celebrated  Daniel  Boone  was 
instrumental  in  securing  the  release  of  the  two 


sisters,  but  John  continued  to  live  with  the 
savages  until  he  grew  to  manhood.  Shortly 
after  his  capture,  he  was  adopted  by  an  Indian 
chief  by  the  name  of  Black  Jacket,  who  not 
only  treated  him  well  but  allowed  him  many 
privileges  not  enjoyed  by  other  members  of  the 
tribe.  Upon  one  occasion  he  was  sent  out  on 
a hunt,  and  while  absent  from  the  encamp- 
ment decided  to  go  back  east  and  look  up  his 
relatives,  if  living.  Accordingly,  he  started  out 
on  his  long  and  perilous  trip  and  eventually 
succeeded  in  reaching  the  old  home  and 
finding  his  relatives,  but  having  been  ab- 
sent so  long  he  almost  concluded  that 
he  was  not  a white  man,  and  after  a 
short  stay  went  back  to  his  Indian  friends, 
with  whom  he  remained  a number  of  years 
longer.  The  longer  he  stayed  with  them,  how- 


HAMILTON  TOWNSHIP. 


567 


ever,  the  less  satisfied  was  he  with  his  condi- 
tion, and  finally  carried  into  effect  a resolution 
to  leave  the  tribe  permanently,  which  he 
eventually  did,  going  to  Ft.  Wayne  and  engag- 
ing as  salesman  with  Messrs.  Murray  & John- 
son, who  kept  a public  store  at  that  place.  At 
the  time  of  engaging  with  this  firm  Mr.  Flinn 
could  speak  fluently  nine  different  Indian  lan- 
guages, which  fact  made  him  a very  valuable 
assistant,  as  nearly  all  the  trading  was  done 
with  the  various  tribes  of  northern  Indiana. 
His  employers  paid  him  a salary  of  $50  per 
month,  and  he  remained  with  them  some 
years.  Finally,  however,  he  went  to  Ohio, 
and  upon  his  return  to  Ft.  Wayne  for  the  pur- 
pose of  getting  some  goods  which  he  had  left 
there,  he  was  induced,  by  his  former  employ- 
ers to  accompany  Gen.  Harrison,  and  act  as 
interpreter  in  the  treaty  made  with  the  In- 
dians in  1812.  Shortly  after  this  he  was  again 
captured  by  the  savages,  but  within  a short 
time  succeeded  in  effecting  his  escape,  after 
which  he  returned  to  Ohio,  settled  down  in 
Miami  county,  where  he  subsequently  married 
Miss  Anus  Priest,  who  bore  him  fourteen  chil- 
dren, all  of  whom  grew  to  be  heads  of  families. 

James  Flinn  was  raised  on  his  father's 
farm  in  Miami  county,  Ohio,  and  shortly  after 
his  marriage,  in  1836,  to  Miss  Mercy  Taylor, 
he  moved  to  Indiana  and  settled  in  Delaware 
county,  where  he  purchased  120  acres  of  land. 
He  has  always  followed  farming  for  an  occu- 
pation and  by  a long  life  of  industry  has 
accumulated  a competence  in  worldly  goods, 
being  the  possessor,  at  this  time,  of  a fine  farm 
upon  which  his  declining  years  are  being 
passed.  To  his  first  marriage,  already  re- 
ferred to,  there  were  seven  children  born. 
The  living  are,  John,  who  resides  in  Iowa; 
Ellen,  wife  of  John  Shideler;  Sarah,  wife  of 
Israel  Kerschner;  and  Cynthia  Ann,  wife  of 
Samuel  Stafford.  His  wife  dying  and  leaving 
him  with  a large  family,  Mr.  Flinn  subsequent- 


ly, April  22,  1880,  married  his  present  wife, 
Mary  A.  Rish,  daughter  of  Henry  and  Esther 
Kerchner,  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  Mrs. 
Flinn  is  the  eldest  in  a family  of  fourteen 
children  and  is  highly  respected  by  all  who 
know  her.  Mr.  Flinn’s  political  training  has 
been  with  the  democratic  party,  and  it  is  a 
fact  worthy  of  record  that  of  the  twelve 
brothers,  of  which  he  is  one,  six  were  republi- 
cans and  six  democrats.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Flinn 
are  members  of  the  Christian  church,  in  wnich 
they  are  highly  respected. 


ENNIS  HEFFNER  is  decended  pa- 
ternall)^  from  German  ancestors,  his 
father,  Lawrence  Heffner,  having 
come  to  the  United  States  when  a 
boy  of  six  years  and  located  with  his  parents  in 
the  state  of  Maryland  Subsequently,  he  ven- 
tured further  west,  going  to  Butler  county, 
Ohio,  thence  to  Clarke  county,  the  same 
state,  and  later,  1849,  became  a resident 
of  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  where  he  purchased 
120  acres  of  land.  Lawrence  Heffner  and  his 
wife,  Charlotte,  had  a family  of  six  children, 
namely:  Mary,  wife  of  Philip  Dick;  Dennis; 

Catherine,  wife  of  Henry  Snyder;  John;  Perry, 
deceased,  and  Ezra,  deceased.  The  mother  of 
these  children  died  in  1858  and  the  father  on 
the  3d  day  of  November,  i860. 

Dennis  Heffner  was  born  in  Frederick 
county,  Md. , March  27,  1820,  was  raised  a 
farmer  and  received  a limited  education  in  the 
country  schools,  which  he  attended  but  few 
months  during  the  winter  seasons.  He  is  a 
man,  however,  with  much  general  information 
and  intelligence,  and  by  attentive  observation 
and  much  mingling  with  his  fellow  men,  has 
become  quite  well  informed.  For  a number 
of  years  a farmer,  he  has  been  successful  in 
that  useful  vocation  to  a goodly  degree,  and  is 


568 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


now  in  the  enjoyment  of  a comfortable  com- 
petence, the  result  of  many  years  of  economy 
and  labor.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one  he 
learned  the  cooper’s  trade,  which  he  followed 
for  some  time,  but  since  i86i,  upon  his  re- 
moval to  Delaware  county,  he  has  been  en- 
gaged in  the  pursuit  of  agriculture.  Novem- 
ber 9,  1847,  he  was  marrird  to  Sarah  Coffett, 
daughter  of  George  and  Sarah  (Rogers)  Cof- 
fett, the  father  a native  of  Virginia,  of  Ger- 
man descent,  and  the  mother  born  in  Ken- 
tucky of  Irish  parentage.  Mrs.  Heffner  is  one 
of  a family  of  seven  children,  three  of  whom 
are  now  living  beside  herself:  Henry,  Joseph 
and  Ellen,  wife  of  John  Shafer.  George 
Coffett  died  in  1879  and  his  wife  in  1862,  and 
both  are  buried  in  Clarke  county,  Ohio.  The 
following  are  the  names  of  the  children  born 
to  Dennis  and  Sarah  Heffner:  Elizabeth,  wife 
of  William  Dick;  Mary  E.,  Sadie  E.  and 
Lawrence,  living;  those  deceased,  were 
Amanda,  Matilda,  Charlotte  and  Millie.  Po- 
litically, Mr.  Heffner  is  a democrat,  and  with 
his  wife,  he  belongs  to  the  Christian  church. 


OBERT  A.  JOHNSON,  a prominent 
farmer  and  the  present  efficient  trust- 
ee of  Hamilton  township,  is  a native 
of  Indiana,  born  in  the  county  of 
Randolph  on  the  20th  day  of  April,  1853.  His 
father,  Josiah  Johnson,  was  also  a native  of 
the  Hoosier  state  and  of  German  lineage. 
Many  years  ago  Josiah  Johnson  moved  from 
Wayne  to  Randolph  county,  and  there  married 
Nancy  Allen,  who  bore  him  three  children, 
namely:  Ellen,  wife  of  William  A.  Kimball: 

George  W.,  who  resides  with  his  widowed 
mother  in  Wayne  county;  and  Robert  A., 
whose  name  introduces  this  biography.  In 
In  early  life  Josiah  Johnson  followed  the  car- 
penter’s trade,  but  later,  on  account  of  a 


severe  attack  of  rheumatism,  which  pre- 
vented active  exercise,  he  followed,  for  some 
years,  the  shoemaker’s  trade.  He  died  July 
22,  1863,  in  Wayne  county,  where  his  widow 
is  still  living. 

Robert  A.  Johnson,  at  the  early  age  of 
thirteen  years,  was  obliged  to  rely  upon  his 
own  resources  for  a livelihood,  and  since  that 
time  has  had  little  or  no  assistance  in  the 
struggle  of  life.  He  worked  at  different  kinds 
of  employment,  and  in  1869  went  to  Illinois, 
where,  for  some  time,  he  was  occupied  as  a 
farm  laborer;  he  remained  in  that  state  about 
ten  months,  returning  to  Indiana  at  the  end  of 
that  time,  and  attending  school  for  a limited 
period  in  Wayne  county.  In  the  spring  of 
1870  he  again  went  to  Illinois,  where  he  re- 
mained until  the  following  fall,  at  which  time 
he  went  further  west,  locating  first  in  Neosho 
county,  Kan. , thence  to  the  county  of  Sumner, 
in  the  latter  o^^  which  he  purchased,  in  1871, 
160  acres  of  land.  He  was  a resident  of 
Kansas  for  a period  of  three  years,  at  the  end 
of  which  time  he  returned  to  Indiana,  and 
since  1883  has  been  a resident  of  Hamilton 
township,  where  he  owns  a good  farm,  pur- 
chased in  the  last  named  year.  In  addition  to 
his  farming  interests  Mr.  Johnson  is  exten- 
sively engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  drain  tile, 
having  a large  factory  on  his  place,  the  prod- 
ucts of  which  have  a wide  sale  in  Delaware 
county.  Politically  Mr.  Johnson  is  a republi- 
can, and  as  such  was  elected,  in  1890,  trustee 
of  Hamilton  township,  the  duties  of  which 
position  he  has  since  discharged  with  credit  to 
himself  and  satisfaction  to  all  concerned. 

Mr.  Johnson  has  been  married  three  times, 
first  in  Sumner  county,  Kan.,  on  the  i6th  day 
of  January,  1872,  to  Hatty  Goodell,  daughter 
of  John  and  Gora  Goodell,  to  which  union  one 
child,  Harland  D.,  was  born.  The  death  of 
Mrs.  Johnson  occurred  on  the  23d  of  Decem- 
ber, 1875,  and  in  January,  1877,  Mr.  Johnson 


R.  A.  JOHNSON 


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HAMILTON  TOWNSHIP. 


569 


married  his  second  wife,  whose  maiden  name 
was  Edith  Bookout,  daughter  of  Thomas  and 
Nancy  (Lumpkins)  Bookout.  Shortly  after 
this  marriage,  Mr.  Johnson  located  in  Ran- 
dolph county,  where  he  followed  contracting 
and  building  about  two  years,  and  later 
located  in  Delaware  county,  at  the  date  above 
mentioned.  His  second  wife  dying  in  1880, 
on  the  2d  of  July,  1882,  he  married  his  pres- 
ent companion,  Laura  Murray,  daughter  of 
James  and  Catherine  (Taylor)  Murray,  who 
were  among  the  old  settlers  of  Henry  county, 
where  they  still  reside.  The  result  of  the  last 
union  has  been  five  children,  whose  names 
are  as  follows:  GuyB.,  Clyde  C.  and  Coma 
A,  twins;  Frank  N.  and  Ruby,  the  last  named 
deceased.  Mr.  Johnson  is  a member  of  Wel- 
come lodge  K.  of  P. , of  Muncie,  and  is  one  of 
the  leading  men  of  Hamilton  township. 


EORGE  JONSONBOUGH  (deceas- 
ed).— Among  the  departed  citizens 
of  Delaware  county,  held  in  grateful 
remembrance  by  a large  circle  of 
relatives  and  friends,  the  name  of  George 
Jonsonbough  is  deserving  of  special  mention. 
The  ancestors  of  Mr.  Jonsonbough  were  na- 
tives of  Pennsylvania,  in  which  state  his  fath- 
er, John  Jonsonbough,  and  mother,  whose 
maiden  name  was  Hannah  Wise,  were  both 
born.  They  were  married  in  Wayne  county, 
Ohio,- January  29,  1828,  and  later  moved  to 
Indiana,  locating  in  White  county,  where  Mr. 
Jonsonbough  followed  his  trade  of  coopering 
until  his  death  in  September,  1878.  His  wife 
died  a number  of  years  previous,  having  been 
called  to  her  final  rest  on  the  21st  of  Novem- 
ber, 1846.  John  and  Hannah  Jonsonbough 
reared  a family  of  eight  children,  whose  names 
are  as  follows:  George,  whose  name  introduces 
this  sketch;  Daniel;  Elizabeth,  deceased; 


Catherine,  deceased;  Henry;  Minta,  deceased; 
Margaret,  wife  of  James  Richie;  and  Hannah, 
wife  of  Perry  Godlove. 

George  Jonsonbough  was  born  in  Wayne 
county,  Ohio,  January  25,  1829.  When  six- 
teen years  of  age  he  began  to  learn  the  trade 
of  carpenter  and  builder,  in  which  he  soon 
acquired  great  proficiency,  and  at  which  he 
worked  for  some  time  in  his  native  state  and 
in  Indiana.  In  1867  he  removed  to  Royerton, 
purchased  the  first  lot  that  was  sold  in  that 
town,  and  erected  a dwelling  thereon,  and  for 
some  time  operated  quite  successfully  a saw  mill, 
which  was  extensively  patronized  by  the  citi- 
zens of  Royerton  and  vicinity.  He  was  a man 
of  sterling  integrity  and  was  highly  respected 
in  the  community  where  he  resided.  His 
death  occurred  on  the  24th  day  of  April,  1888, 
and  Union  cemetery  of  Delaware  county  is  his 
final  resting  place.  Mr.  Jonsonbough  was 
married  on  the  22d  day  of  August,  1857,  to 
Louisa  Gline,  daughter  of  Abraham  and  Massey 
Cline,  natives  of  Ireland  and  Virginia  respect- 
ively. Mrs.  Jonsonbough  was  one  of  a fam- 
ily of  nine  children,  as  follows:  Jane,  Eliza- 

beth, Jemima,  Amanda,  Mahlon  L. , Eli  B , 
Mary  E.,  Sarah  J.  and  Louisa.  The  mother 
of  the  above  children  died  September  14,  1855, 
and  Mr.  Cline  afterward  married  Hannah  Hat- 
field, to  which  union  three  children  were  born: 
Marth  A.,  Emmery  and  Flora.  The  father  and 
mother  of  these  children  died  August  30,  1 866, 
and  October  30,  1892,  respectively.  To  the 
marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jonsonbough  were 
born  seven  children:  Sarah  A.,  April  7,  1859, 
wife  of  Eli  Studebaker;  Elmer  E.,  January  9, 
1862;  Ira  A.,  January  7,  1865;  Henry  K., 
June  20,  1870;  Leotis,  March  31,  1875;  James 
and  Maggie,  deceased. 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  the  Jonsonbough 
family  were  among  the  pioneers  of  Delaware 
county,  and  that  the  family  has  always  main- 
tained a high  standard  of  respectability. 


570 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


ATTHEW  McCORMICK  was  born 
rine  (Stifler)  McCormick,  of  Irish 
25,  1833,  son  of  William  and  Cathe- 
in  Bedford  county,  Pa.,  September 
and  German  descent,  respectively,  and  both 
natives  of  Pennsylvania.  William  McCormick 
was,  by  occupation,  a cabinet  maker,  and 
worked  at  that  trade  in  his  native  state  until 
1837,  at  which  date  he  moved  to  Delaware 
county,  Ind. , and  entered  160  acres  of  land  in 
Hamilton  township,  and  began  farming,  which 
he  followed  the  residue  of  his  days.  He  died 
in  1855,  and  his  wife  followed  him  to  the  grave 
on  the  4th  day  of  October,  1881. 

Matthew  McCormick  was  the  second  in  a 
family  of  nine  children,  and  since  early  boy- 
hood, has  been  a resident  of  Delaware  county 
in  the  growth  and  development  of  which  he 
has  alw^ays  taken  an  active  part.  His  early 
education  was  almost  entirely  neglected,  but, 
possessing  a strong  practical  mind,  which  rises 
above  environments,  he  has  since  become  well 
informed  upon  current  events,  and  has  been 
called  to  fill  important  official  positions  by  his 
fellow  citizens.  Shortly  after  attaining  his 
majority,  in  company  with  other  spirits  as  dar- 
ing as  himself,  Mr.  McCormick  joined  the 
exodus  of  gold  seekers  and  went  to  California 
for  the  purpose  of  improving  his  fortunes.  He 
went  to  that  far  off  state  via  the  New  York  and 
Panama  route,  and  was  thirty  days  making  the 
voyage  from  New  York  city  to  San  Francisco. 
On  reaching  his  destination,  he  found  employ- 
ment for  some  time  in  the  mines,  operated  a 
claim  of  his  own  for  several  months  and  then 
returned  to  Indiana  and  resumed  farming,  having 
been  absent  from  1854  to  1856.  For  a short  time 
after  his  marriage,  which  was  consummated 
June  21,  1856,  with  Miss  Eliza  A.  Lefter, 
daughter  of  Philip  and  Mary  (Stadbrook) 
Lefter.  Mr.  McCormick  had  charge  of  the 
home  farm,  but  subsequently  purchased  a place 
in  Hamilton  township,  where  he  resided  until 


March,  1893,  when  he  removed  to  Shideler. 
He ’entered  the  army,  in  1864,  as  a member 
of  the  Forty-second  Indiana  infantry,  and  was 
with  his  command  in  the  Atlanta  campaign, 
was  present  when  the  confederate  Gen.  John- 
son surrendered  his  forces,  and  was  mustered 
out  by  the  department  of  war  at  Louisville, 
Ky. , in  1865,  receiving  his  final  discharge  at 
Indianapolis,  Ind.  Politically  Mr.  McCor- 
mick is  an  ardent  supporter  of  the  republican 
party,  and  as  such  has  been  three  times  com- 
plimented by  being  elected  to  the  office  of 
county  commissioner,  the  duties  of  which  he 
discharged  with  credit  to  himself  and  satis- 
faction to  his  constituents.  Fraternally  he  is 
member  of  the  G.  A.  R.  post  of  Eaton,  Ind. , 
and  in  religion  belongs  to  the  Christian  church, 
with  which  religious  body  his  wife  is  also 
identified.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McCormick  are  the 
parents  of  the  following  children:  Amelia  and 

Cordelia,  twins,  born  May  22,  1857, — the 

former  the  wife  of  C.  T.  Bartlett  and  the  lat- 
ter of  Charles  Mansfield;  Mary  C. , born 
November  13,  i860,  now  deceased;  Adam, 

born  September  8,  1866;  Savannah,  born 

March  24,  1868,  wife  of  Ralph  H.  Clark;  Eva- 
line,  April  15,  1870;  William,  born  July  ii, 
1874,  and  died  February  9,  1875.  Mr.  Mc- 
Cormick now  owns  160  acres  of  land,  and  is 
one  of  the  leading  men  of  this  county.  He  is 
now  president  of  the  board  of  county  commis- 
sioners. Evaline,  the  youngest  daughter,  has 
been  a teacher,  for  three  years,  in  Muncie 
schools. 


HARON  MOORE  (deceased). — Few 
residents  of  Hamilton  township  were 
as  widely  and  favorably  known  as 
the  late  Aaron  Moore.  He  was  the 
son  of  Lewis  and  Patience  (Truitt)  Moore,  na- 
tives of  Ohio,  who  came  to  Delaware  county 
in  the  fall  of  1829,  settling  in  the  township  of 


I 


■eta 


b - . / 


AARON  MOORE. 


MRS.  MARY  A.  MOORE. 


HAMILTON  TOWNSHIP. 


571 


Centre,  the  former  dying  November  20,  1841, 
and  the  latter  in  1874.  They  were  the  par- 
ents of  ten  children,  of  whom  the  following  are 
now  living:  Parker,  of  Centre  township;  Rhoda, 
wife  of  Lloyd  Wilcoxon  of  Muncie;  Lewis,  who 
lives  in  Illinois,  and  Patience.  The  names  of 
the  deceased  are  as  follows:  Nancy,  John, 
Aaron,  Amanda,  Sarah  and  Mary. 

Aaron  Moore  was  born  in  Scioto  county, 
Ohio,  August  22,  1819,  and  grew  to  manhood 
on  the  farm,  acquiring,  in  the  meantime,  a 
practical  education  in  the  common  schools. 
He  was  married  October  28,  1843,  to  Mary  A. 
Truitt,  and  immediately  thereafter  located  on 
120  acres  of  unimproved  land,  from  which  he 
cleared  a valuable  farm  and  to  which  he  subse- 
quently added  an  additional  seventy  acres, 
making  his  home  place  one  of  the  best  in  Ham- 
ilton township.  He  followed  agricultural  pur- 
suits all  his  life  and  met  with  most  flattering 
success,  acquiring  thereby  a comfortable  com- 
petence, which  with  an  unblemished  name  he 
left  to  his  descendants  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Moore 
had  a family  of  six  children,  two  of  whom  are 
now  living:  Lewis  and  Florence,  the  latter 

born  October  24,  1856,  and  who  in  1885  was 
married  to  W.  T.  Minton.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Minton  have  one  child,  Lucy,  born  June  21, 
1886.  They  reside  on  the  home  place  and  are 
among  the  highly  respected  residents  of  Ham- 
ilton township.  The  following  are  the  names 
of  the  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Moore  who 
have  passed  from  life:  George;  Naomi,  left  one 
child;  Mary  E.  Brook,  born  February  3,  1881; 
Sarah,  and  Julia. 

Mr.  Moore  was  one  of  a class  of  men  who 
are  rapidly  passing  from  this  region,  and  pos- 
sessed, in  a marked  degree,  the  characteristics 
which  distinguish  that  class,  namely,  industry, 
economy,  good  business  foresight  and  a high 
sense  of  moral  obligation  to  the  community. 
He  was  for  years  a faithful  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  in  which  he  held 


the  position  of  class  leader  and  Sunday  school 
superintendent,  and  was  always  identified  with 
the  moral  and  spiritual  advancement  of  his 
neighborhood.  Politically  he  supported  the 
democratic  party,  and  at  one  time  held  the 
office  of  trustee  of  his  township.  The  death 
of  this  good  man  occurred  June  25,  1873,  and 
his  body  was  laid  to  rest  in  the  family  plat  of 
the  Moore  cemetery,  followed  to  the  grave  by 
a large  concourse  of  sorrowing  relatives  and 
friends. 

Mary  A.  Moore  is  the  daughter  of  George 
and  Frances  (Waldren)  Truitt,  both  parents 
natives  of  the  state  of  Pennsylvania.  George 
Truitt  went  to  Ohio  at  the  age  of  fourteen, 
where  he  lived  until  his  majority,  and  in  1820 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Truitt,  who 
bore  him  six  children ; Mrs.  Moore,  being  the 
eldest  of  the  number,  was  born  April  16,  1822, 
in  Adams  county,  Ohio.  The  names  of  the 
other  members  of  the  family  are  as  follows: 
Miner,  deceased;  Rhoda,  wife  -of  Samuel 
Cecil,  a farmer  of  Centre  township;  Joshua, 
who  resides  in  Muncie,  and  William,  deceased. 
The  mother  died  in  1836,  and  the  following 
year  George  Truitt  took  to  wife  Mary  Wal- 
dren, who  bore  him  one  child,  Caroline,  who 
died  some  years  agoT  The  father  died  January, 
1872,  at  an  advanced  age.  Lewis,  the  eldest 
son  of  Aaron  and  Mary  A.  Moore,  was  married, 
in  1874,  to  Miss  Ophelia  G.  Cones,  and  now 
resides  upon  the  home  farm.  He  is  one  of  the 
prominent  citizens  of  the  community  and  one 
of  the  representative  farmers  of  Hamilton 
township.  He  first  attended  the  common 
schools  of  Delaware  county,  and  later  spent 
three  years  at  Wabash  college  at  Crawfords- 
ville,  Ind. , where  he  intended  to  complete  the 
regular  collegiate  course,  but  on  account  of 
the  death  of  his  father  he  abandoned  that  idea. 
At  nineteen  years  of  age  he  enlisted  in  com- 
pany B,  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-fourth  Indi- 
ana volunteer  infantry.  For  three  years  he 


572 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


has  been  giving  special  attention  to  breeding 
thoroughbred  Jersey  cattle. 


AMES  POWELL,  an  old  and  honored 
resident  of  Hamilton  township,  is  a 
native  of  Hampshire  county,  Va., 
where  his  birth  occurred  on  the  2d  day 
of  June,  1809.  His  father,  William  Powell, 
was  born  in  New  Jersey,  of  English  parentage, 
and  the  mother,  whose  maiden  name  was 
Sarah  Cooper,  was  a descendant  of  an  old 
Swedish  family,  that  settled  many  years  ago 
in  Virginia,  where  her  birth  occurred.  Will- 
iam Powell  was  a farmer  and  blacksmith,  both 
of  which  callings  he  followed  in  Virginia  until 
the  year  1818,  at  which  time  he  emigrated  to 
Ohio,  thence,  three  years  later  to  Wayne 
county,  Ind.,  where  he  died  in  the  year  1863. 
His  wife  died  several  years  previous  to  that 
date,  and  both  are  remembered  as  prominent 
pioneers  of  Wayne  county. 

James  Powell  remained  with  his  parents 
until  seventeen  yeai'S  of  age,  when  he  began 
working  at  the  blacksmithing  trade  for  John 
Clark,  of  Richmond,  Ind.,  and  later  effected 
a co-partnership  with  his  father  in  the  same 
business,  which  they  carried  on  for  some  years 
near  the  town  of  Hagerstown.  On  the  2d  day 
of  May,  1830,  he  married  Emma  Hancock, 
daughter  of  Joseph  and  Susanah  (Millman) 
Hancock,  of  Montgomery  county,  Ohio  The 
fruit  of  this  union  was  thirteen  children,  of 
whom  ten  grew  to  be  heads  of  families,  name- 
ly: Sarah,  wife  of  Thomas  Dean;  Vashti, 

wife  of  Benjamin  Shaw;  Elvira,  wife  of  T. 
Bonner;  William,  Ennis,  John,  Anna,  wife  of 
Jonathan  Shaw;  Samuel;  Mary,  wife  of  David 
Watson;  Emily,  wife  of  J.  T.  Julian.  After 
his  marriage  Mr.  Powell  worked  at  his  trade 
about  one  year  in  Wayne  county,  and  in  the 
year  1 846  became  a resident  of  Delaware 


county,  settling  near  the  town  of  Shideler, 
where  he  purchased  seventy  acres  of  wood 
land,  upon  which  he  at  once  erected  a cabin 
and  a blacksmith  shop.  He  cleared  a farm, 
and  in  the  meantime  worked  at  his  trade,  and 
eventually  succeeded  in  placing  himself  in  very 
comfortable  circumstances.  His  grandson, 
Robert  N.  Powell,  is  now  tilling  the  old  home 
farm  and  looking  after  his  grandfather’s  interest. 
In  1861,  Mrs.  Powell  died,  and  in  1863  Mr. 
Powell  married  his  second  wife,  Eliza  J. 
Bounds,  who  difd  in  December,  1890.  For 
many  years  Mr.  Powell  has  been  a member  of 
the  United  Brethren  church,  of  which  denomi- 
nation he  is  a local  minister.  He  cast  his  first 
vote  for  Andrew  Jackson,  but  of  late  years  has 
affiliated  with  the  republican  party. 


AVID  SIMONTON  was  born  in  Athens 
county,  Ohio,  October  9,  1821,  the 
son  of  David  and  Anna  (Ross)  Sim- 
onton,  both  parents  natives  of  the 
same  state.  David  Simonton  remained  in 
Ohio  until  1832,  at  which  time  he  came  with 
his  mother  to  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  his  father 
having  died  ten  years  previous  to  that  date. 
He  began  life  in  obscurity  and  his  early  sur- 
roundings were  of  the  most  discouraging  na- 
ture. Amid  the  stirring  scenes  of  pioneer 
times  the  years  of  his  early  youth  and  man- 
hood were  passed,  and  by  the  most  rigid  econ- 
omy he  succeeded  in  purchasing  forty  acres  of 
land,  which  he  paid  for  by  saving  a part  of  his 
meager  earnings  of  thirty-seven  cents  a day. 
From  this  piece  of  unbroken  forest  he  cleared 
a farm,  and,  as  circumstances  would  permit, 
purchased  additional  land,  until  finally  he  be- 
came one  of  the  largest  and  most  prosperous 
owners  of  real  estate  in  the  county,  being  at 
one  time  the  possessor  of  over  500  acres  of 
valuable  land,  all  of  which  was  gained  by  his 


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HAMILTON  TOWNSHIP. 


573 


own  unaided  efforts.  In  time  he  became  quite 
wealthy,  and  by  judicious  investments  suc- 
ceeded in  laying  a foundation  for  a very  hand- 
some fortune.  To  his  great  credit,  be  it  said, 
that  not  one  cent  of  his  possessions  was  ob- 
tained through  any  but  the  most  honorable 
means,  and  it  is  stated  that  no  poor  man 
ever  went  to  him  for  aid  but  what  the  favor 
was  granted.  At  the  time  of  his  death,  it  was 
ascertained  that  there  were  outstanding  ac- 
counts to  the  amount  of  $5,000  against  cer- 
tain parties  whom  he  had  generously  aided 
and  from  whom  he  never  expected  a return  of 
the  money  loaned.  In  addition  to  his  large 
tracts  of  real  estate  in  Delaware  county,  he 
was  the  possessor  of  much  valuable  personal 
property,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  had  on 
interest  over  $25,000.  Mr.  Simonton  was  a 
firm  believer  in  the  religion  of  the  Bible,  and 
for  many  years  was  an  active  member  of  the 
Christian  church,  in  which  he  held  the  office 
of  deacon.  The  death  of  this  excellent  man 
occurred  in  1885,  and  his  memory  is  gratefully 
cherished  not  only  by  his  immediate  family, 
but  by  a large  number  of  friends  whom  he 
aided  in  times  of  distress  and  financial  embar- 
rassment. Mr.  Simonton’s  first  marriage  was 
solemnized  in  1844,  with  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Shan- 
non, which  union  was  blessed  with  the  birth 
of  four  children;  John  R. ; Elizabeth,  wife  of 
Henderson  Cates;  Sarah  A.,  and  Maria  }.,  the 
last  two  of  whom  are  deceased.  The  mother 
of  these  children  departed  this  life  in  the  year 
1852,  and  subsequently  Mr.  Simonton  married 
Minerva  Burt,  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  A. 
(Thompson)  Kain,  natives  respectively  of  Ken- 
tucky and  Pennsylvania.  To  this  second  mar- 
riage, five  children  were  born,  only  one  of 
whom,  Mrs.  Mary  Studebaker,  is  living  at  this 
time.  By  a previous  marriage  with  Joseph 
Burt,  Mrs.  Simonton  had  two  children;  Mandy 
and  Ludlow,  deceased.  Mrs.  Simonton  was 
born  in  Fayette  county,  Ind. , September  5 


1828,  came  to  Delaware  county  in  1832, 
learned  the  trade  of  a tailoress,  and  worked  at 
that  business  for  about  fifteen  years. 

Rev.  George  Studebaker,  who  married  the 
only  living  child  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Simonton, 
was  born  in  Richland  county.  111.,  July  17, 
1861.  After  receiving  a good  education,  he 
began  teaching,  at  the  age  of  twenty,  and 
followed  that  profession  for  several  years 
longer  with  gratifying  success.  On  the  14th 
of  May,  1879,  he  united  with  the  German  Bap- 
tist church,  was  chosen  a minister  of  the  same 
in  1881,  since  which  time  he  has  devoted  the 
greater  part  of  his  time  to  preaching  the  gos- 
pel, in  which  good  work  he  has  been  greatly 
blessed.  His  marriage  with  Miss  Simonton  was 
consummated  June  10,  1882,  and  their  home  is 
now  gladdened  by  the  presence  of  one  bright 
child,  Mark  E.,  who  was  born  January  21, 
1888.  Their  first  child,  born  October  4,  1883, 
departed  this  life  on  the  21st  day  of  Decem- 
ber, 1884. 


HLEXANDER  snider  is  one  of  the 
largest  farmers  of  Delaware  county, 
as  well  as  one  of  its  most  progressive 
and  enterprising  citizens.  He  is  the 
son  of  Joseph  and  Catherine  (Stemtebaker) 
Snider,  natives,  respectively,  of  Pennsylvania 
and  Ohio,  and  descendants  of  old  and  highly 
respected  German  families.  Joseph  and  Cath- 
erine Snider  were  married  in  Ohio,  and  came 
to  Indiana  as  early  as  1835,  settling  in  Union 
township,  where  Mr.  Snider  purchased  140 
acres  of  land  and  engaged  in  farming. 

Alexander  Snider  was  born  in  Miami  county, 
Ohio,  January  26,  1826.  accompanied  his 

parents  to  Delaware  county  when  but  nine 
years  of  age,  and  here  grew  to  manhood  on 
the  farm,  where  he  assisted  his  father  and 
began  life,  on  his  own  responsibility,  as  a tiller 
1 of  the  soil.  His  early  educational  advantages 


574 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


were  quite  meager,  attending  the  schools  of 
the  country  on  an  average  of  about  four  weeks 
each  year,  but  being  of  an  inquiring  mind  and 
an  intelligent  observer,  he  has  since  become 
the  possessor  of  a fund  of  practical  knowledge 
such  as  schools  and  colleges  fail  to  impart. 
On  the  15th  day  of  March,  1849,  he  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Nancy  Sharp, 
daughter  of  Absalom  and  Rachael  (Beezly) 
Sharp,  natives  of  Indiana  and  Ohio,  re- 
spectively. After  marriage  Mr.  Snider  en- 
gaged in  farming  on  a tract  of  80  acres 
which  he  purchased,  and  to  which  he  has 
added  from  time  to  time  until  he  now  owns 
2 I 5 acres  of  valuable  land,  beside  having  given 
to  each  of  his  children  a good  home.  Mr.  | 
Snider  had  been  very  thrifty  in  his  dealings, 
and  by  the  e.xercise  of  rare  business  tact,  has 
accumulated  a comfortable  fortune,  being  the 
largest  tax  payer  in  Hamilton  township,  and 
among  the  wealthiest  farmers  in  the  county. 
He  is  a public  spirited  man,  and  uses  his  in- 
fluence in  behalf  of  all  enterprises  having  for 
their  object  the  welfare  of  the  community,  and 
stands  deservedly  high  in  the  estimation  of  his 
neighbors  and  fellow  citizens.  Politically  he 
is  a republican,  and  for  many  years  has  been  a 
deacon  in  the  German  Baptist  church,  with 
which  his  wife  is  also  identified.  He  is  one  of 
a family  of  nine  children,  all  of  whom  grew  to 
beheads  of  families,  and  became  worthy  people. 
The  following  are  the  names  of  the  children 
born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Snider:  John  A.,  whose 
birth  occ'  rred  January  7,  1850,  married  Eliza- 
beth Jonsonbourgh,  and  is  located  in  Hamilton 
township;  Rachael  B.,  born  July  30,  i860,  the 
wife  of  Jacob  Raric,  and  is  also  a resident  of 
the  township  of  Hamilton. 

It  is  to  the  men  of  Mr.  Snider’s  caliber  that 
a country  owes  its  growth  and  prosperity, 
and  such  as  he  are  always  made  welcome 
wherever  new  settlements  are  made  by  the 
pioneers. 


HOMAS  STAFFORD,  of  Hamilton 
township,  is  a native  of  Clarke  coun- 
ty, Ohio,  and  dates  his  birth  from  the 
1st  day  of  January,  1819.  His  father, 
Thomas  Stafford,  was  born  in  Ireland,  and  his 
mother,  whose  maiden  name  was  Catherine 
(Williams)  Stafford,  was  a native  of  Virginia 
and  a descendant  of  an  old  and  highly  respect- 
ed German  family  of  that  state.  Thomas  Staf- 
ford, Sr.,  came  to  the  United  States  at  the  age 
of  ten  years,  with  his  parents,  and  passed  the 
early  years  of  his  manhood  in  Virginia,  subse- 
quently moving  to  Ohio,  where  he  remained 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  eighty-two  years.  Mrs.  Staf- 
ford departed  this  life  at  the  age  of  fifty-two, 
and  was  the  mother  of  twelve  children,  all  of 
whom  became  heads  of  families  and  four  of 
whom  are  living  at  this  time,  namely:  George 
W. , of  Clarke  county,  Ohio;  Thomas,  of  Dela- 
ware county,  Ind. ; Henry  W. , a resident  of 
Clinton  county,  Ind, , and  Lucinda,  wife  of 
Michael  Snyder,  who  also  resides  in  the  county 
last  named.  Thomas  Stafford,  Sr.,  followed 
farming  all  of  his  life,  and  was  a very  success- 
ful man,  having  accumulated  a valuable  tract 
of  land  consisting  of  320  acres  in  Clarke 
county,  Ohio. 

Thomas  Stafford,  Jr.,  for  whom  this  sketch 
is  prepared,  was  reared  in  his  native  county 
and  state  and  was  there  married  on  the  20th 
day  of  January,  1846,  to  Matilda  J.  Black, 
daughter  of  Samuel  and  Malinda  (Mitchell) 
Black,  parents  natives  respectively  of  Virginia 
and  Ohio.  Having  definitely  decided  upon 
adopting  the  pursuit  of  agriculture  as  his  life 
work,  he  began  the  same  in  Clarke  county, 
Ohio,  and  five  years  after  his  marriage,  think- 
ing to  improve  his  fortune  further  west,  he 
emigrated  to  Indiana  and  settled  in  Delaware 
county,  where  he  purchased  a tract  of  land 
consisting  of  240  acres,  upon  which  he  at  once 
erected  a small  cabin  and  began  clearing  a 


HAMILTON  TOWNSHIP. 


575 


farm.  From  the  days  of  his  boyhood  Mr. 
Stafford  has  practiced  habits  of  industry  which 
have  borne  rich  fruit,  and  ever  since  locating 
in  this  county  his  financial  condition  has  con- 
tinually improved,  having  at  one  time  been 
the  possessor  of  400  acres  of  as  choice  land  as 
lies  in  the  central  part  of  Indiana.  He  has 
risen  to  his  present  independent  position  by 
his  own  exertions  and  the  competence  he  en- 
joys is  the  reward  of  untiring  labor  and  cour- 
age in  the  battle  with  the  world.  He  has  been 
liberal  with  his  children,  assisting  each  to  a 
good  farm,  and  is  now  passing  his  declining 
years  practically  retired  from  the  active  duties 
of  life  and  in  the  enjoyment  of  well  earned  and 
highly  appreciated  quietude.  To  bless  their 
wedded  life  there  were  five  children  born  to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stafford,  namely;  Sylvester,  a 
prosperous  farmer  who  has  charge  of  the  home 
place;  Samuel,  a \\^ell  known  resident  of  Ham- 
ilton township;  Joseph,  a farmer  of  Delaware 
county;  Laura  E , wife  of  Charles  Spencer. 
As  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  Mr.  Stafford  and  his  estimable  wife 
have  lead  consistent  Christian  lives,  and  by  the 
practice  of  the  religion  they  profess,  have  been 
the  means  of  accomplishing  great  good  in  the 
community. 


OBERT  W.  STRADEING,  one  of 
the  progressive  farmers  of  Hamilton 
township  and  a member  of  one  of  the 
old  and  highly  respectable  families  of 
Delaware  county,  of  which  he  is  a native,  was 
born  in  the  township  of  Hamilton,  March  20, 
1858,  the  son  of  Rhodes  and  Rachel  (McCor- 
mack) Stradling.  Rhodes  Stradling  was  a 
native  of  Ohio  and  came  with  his  parents  to 
Indiana  when  a boy,  and  here  married  Miss 
McCormack,  who  bore  him  two  children, 
namely:  Willie  Ann,  wife  of  Cornelius  B. 
Price,  and  Robert,  whose  name  opens  this 


sketch.  Rhodes  Stradling  was  a prosperous 
farmer,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death,  which 
occurred  in  1861,  was  the  owner  of  240  acres 
of  valuable  land  in  Hamilton  township.  As 
a member  of  the  Methodist  church,  he  had 
for  many  years  lived  a most  excellent  Christian 
life;  in  politics  he  wielded  an  infiuence  for  the 
republican  party,  and  his  death  was  felt  to  be 
a great  loss  to  the  community  in  which  he  had 
so  long  resided.  Mrs.  Stradling  afterward 
re-married,  and  is  still  a resident  of  the  town- 
ship of  Hamilton,  being  now  Mrs.  N.  Poland. 

Robert  W.  Stradling  was  but  five  years  old 
when  his  father  died,  and  with  the  exception 
of  three  years  spent  with  his  grandfather  in 
Muncie,  passed  his  life  upon  the  farm.  He  was 
married  February  16,  1877,  to  Mary  E.  Weir, 
daughter  of  Even  and  Louisa  (Williamson) 
Weir,  the  father,  a native  of  Pennsylvania,  of 
Irish  descent,  and  the  mother  of  Ohio,  where  s-he 
was  born  of  German  parentage.  After  marriage 
Mr.  Stradling  located  about  three  miles  from 
the  village  of  Royerton  on  a farm  of  eighty- 
five  acres,  and  in  1879  removed  to  his  present 
place,  about  one  quarter  of  a mile  of  Royer- 
I ton,  where  he  owns  a valuable  farm  of  180 
I acres,  upon  which  there  is  some  of  the  best 
I improvements  in  the  township.  Mr.  Stradling 
is  one  of  the  progressive  men  of  Delaware 
county,  a representative  farmer,  and  a man 
whom  his  neighbors  and  friends  all  unite  in 
praising.  Politically  he  is  a republican,  and 
while  not  a member  of  any  church,  gives  cheer- 
fully to  aid  all  religious  movements,  and  is  a 
liberal  friend  of  everything  that  has  a tendency 
to  advance  the  moral  well  being  of  the  com- 
munity. Like  his  father.  Mr.  Stradling  posess- 
I es  excellent  business  qualifications,  and  by 
I careful  management  and  wise  foresight  has 
i succeeded  in  accumulating  a goodly  portion  of 
this  world’s  goods.  Mrs.  Stradling  is  a member 
of  the  United  Brethren  church,  and  has  been 
a very  valuable  helpmeet  to  her  husband  during 


576 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


their  wedded  life.  Of  the  eight  children  born 
to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stradling  five  are  living  at 
this  time,  namely:  Frank  H.,  Rachel  E. , 

Huldah  L. , Lillian  L. , and  Jesse  W.  Mrs. 
Stradling  is  one  of  five  children,  namely;  Mrs. 
Emma  Sheets;  Julia;  wife  of  Benjamin  Boyd; 
Rose,  wife  of  Lawrence  C.  Kins;  Thomas  Weir 
and  herself.  The  mother  died  in  1870;  the 
father  is  still  living  in  this  county. 


AMUEL  R.  THOMAS.— Among  the 
pioneers  who  had  the  courage  to  cast 
their  fortunes  in  Delaware  county, 
was  William  Thomas,  who  moved  to 
this  part  of  Indiana  from  the  state  of  Ohio  as 
early  as  1834  and  purchased  160  acres  of  land 
in  what  is  now  Hamilton  township.  He 
cleared  a good  farm  and  became  a leading 
citizen  in  the  community  in  which  he  resided. 
He  married,  in  Ohio,  Louise  Batteral,  and  was 
the  father  of  six  children  when  he  came  to 
this  state.  The  names  of  the  children  of 
William  and  Louisa  Thomas  were  as  follows: 
Nancy,  wife  of  James  Abbott;  Lydia,  wife  of 
George  Fetteral;  James,  John,  Cordelia  and 
Samuel  K.,  whose  name  introduces  this  bio- 
graphical sketch.  Of  the  above  number  James, 
John  and  Cordelia  are  deceased.  The  father 
departed  this  life  in  February,  1863,  and  the 
mother  only  a few  days  previous  to  that  date. 

Samuel  K.  Thomas  was  reared  on  the 
home  farm,  and  since  1834  has  been  a resident 
of  Delaware  county,  the  history  of  which 
would  be  incomplete  without  an  appropriate 
mention  of  his  name.  His  early  educational 
training  was  of  the  most  limited  character,  at- 
tending school  but  a few  months  in  the  winter 
season  during  the  years  of  his  minority,  and 
on  reaching  his  twenty-first  year,  he  began 
working  for  his  father  on  the  home  farm  and 
continued  looking  after  the  latter’s  interest 


until  about  the  age  of  thirty.  In  November, 
1861,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Sarah 
Cochran,  daughter  of  Hiram  and  Betsy  Coch- 
ran, of  Ohio,  and  one  year  later  located  where 
he  now  lives  in  Hamilton  township,  purchasing 
a piece  of  unimproved  land,  which  has  since 
been  developed  into  one  of  the  finest  farms  in 
Hamilton  township.  Mr.  Thomas  has  made 
a careful  study  of  the  science  of  agriculture 
and  has  been  rewarded  by  having  his  efforts, 
in  this  direction,  crrowned  with  the  most  flat- 
tering success.  His  place  is  a model  in  nearly 
every  respect,  and  among  the  many  improve- 
ments on  the  same  are  a large  and  commodi- 
ous brick  residence  and  a very  fine  barn,  in 
which  are  stowed  all  the  modern  appliances  of 
agriculture.  In  January,  1881,  Mr.  Thomas 
suffered  a great  bereavement  in  the  loss  of  his 
wife,  who  died  that  year,  leaving  one  child. 
Three  years  later  Mr.  Thomas  was  united  in 
wedlock  to  Miss  Sarah  A.,  daughter  of  Moses 
and  Sarah  (Bonner)  Ashcraft,  both  parents 
natives  of  Virginia.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas 
ai'e  faithful  members  of  the  Christian  church, 
and  politically  he  is  a supporter  of  the  princi- 
ples of  the  republican  party.  Mrs.  Thomas  is 
one  of  the  family  of  six  children,  the  names  of 
her  brothers  and  sisters  being  as  follows: 
Amos,  deceased;  James,  a resident  of  West 
Virginia;  Daniel,  a farmer  of  Delaware  coun- 
ty, Ind. ; Rebecca,  wife  of  Jacob  Powell,  of 
Wilson  county,  Kan.,  and  John  J.  Ashcraft, 
who  resides  in  West  Virginia. 


OHN  D.  WHITE,  son  of  John  and  Han- 
nah (McDaniels)  White,  was  born  in 
Butler  county,  Ohio,  January  20,  1816. 
John  White,  Sr.,  was  a native  of  Penn- 
sylvania, where  he  was  born  in  1789,  and  the 
mother’s  birth  occurred  in  Virginia  in  1791. 
After  their  marriage,  this  couple  moved  to  But- 


HAMILTON  TOWNSHIP. 


577 


ler  county,  Ohio,  and  in  1817  immigrated  to 
Indiana,  locating  in  Franklin  county,  where, 
in  1826,  Mr.  White  purchased  from  the  gov- 
ernment 126  acres  of  land.  He  died  in  1859, 
and  in  1870  his  faithful  wife,  who  had  been  his 
helpmate  through  so  many  long  years  of  strug- 
gle, was  called  to  her  rest  in  1870.  John  and 
Hannah  White  had  a family  of  ten  children, 
eight  of  whom  lived  to  have  families  of  their 
own,  si.x  of  the  number  now  living,  namely; 
Thomas  N.,  retired  farmer  of  Decatur  county, 
Ind. ; Abigail,  the  wife  of  O.  Reed;  John  D., 
Isaac,  of  Decatur  county,  this  state;  Hannah 
J.,  wife  of  William  Eddings,  and  Samuel  S., 
a resident  of  the  state  of  Kansas. 

John  D.  White  lived  with  his  parents  until 
his  marriage,  which  occurred  December  3 1 , 
1835,  with  Louisa  Earl,  daughter  of  James 
and  Nancy  (Ward)  Earl,  after  which  event  he 
engaged  in  farming  for  himself  in  Decatur 
county,  where  he  lived  until  his  removal  to  the 
county  of  Delaware  in  1869.  He  has  given 
the  best  energies  of  his  life  to  his  chosen  call- 
ing of  agriculture,  and  financially  has  met 
with  gratifying  success,  owning  at  this  time  a 
well  improved  farm  in  Hamilton  township. 
By  his  marriage  with  Nancy  Ward,  Mr.  White 
became  the  father  of  the  following  children: 
Thomas,  deceased;  Mary,  deceased;  Robert; 
Isaac;  John  N.  ; Mary  J.,  wife  of  Charles 
Tingle;  Nancy  L. , wife  of  Joseph  Campbell, 
and  Thomas  R.  In  the  year  1853,  death  in- 
vaded the  home  of  Mr.  White,  and  took 
thence  his  companion,  and  later  he  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Anna  Earl,  of  Indiana. 
Mrs.  White  was  born  in  Franklin  county,  Ind., 
and  has  borne  her  husband  the  following  chil- 
dren: Elizabeth,  wife  of  John  Turner;  Han- 
nah J.,  wife  of  Ephraim  Colvin;  America, 
wife  of  Joseph  Shaffer;  Hester,  wife  of  George 
Rusler;  Samuel  D.,  Edda  N.,  Joseph  E.,  and 
James  O.,  the  last  named  not  living.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  White  are  well  known  and  highly 


respected  citizens,  and  have  endeared  them- 
selves to  their  friends  and  neighbors  by  their 
many  kindly  acts  and  words  of  encouragement. 
For  a number  of  years  they  have  been  mem- 
bers of  the  Christian  church,  and  their  lives 
have  indeed  been  exemplary. 


H’DAM  WILLIAMSON. —The  ances- 
tors of  the  gentleman  whose  sketch 
is  herewith  presented  were  natives  of 
Germany,  from  which  country  his 
paternal  ancestors  emigrated  to  the  United 
States  many  years  ago,  settling  in  one  of  the 
eastern  states,  subsequently  moving  to  Ohio. 
His  father,  Peter  Williamson,  was  born  in 
1802,  and  in  1827  married  Rosanna  Shafer, 
the  daughter  of  a German  emigrant  who  came 
to  this  country  in  the  year  1820.  Peter  Will- 
iamson owned  a farm  in  Ohio,  which  he  dis- 
posed of  in  1834,  and  moved  to  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  where  he  purchased  320  acres  of 
land,  adding  to  the  latter  tract  an  additional 
eighty  acres,  thus  making  a good  home,  upon 
which  his  death  occurred  in  1870. 

John  Adam  Shafer,  the  maternal  grand- 
father of  Adam  Williamson,  accompanied  by 
the  mother  of  Mrs.  Rosanna  Williamson,  left 
Germany  on  the  19th  of  September,  1819, 
with  the  object  of  coming  to  the  new  world. 
He  was  accompanied  by  his  family,  consisting 
of  his  wife,  Sabina,  three  sons  and  five  daugh- 
ters, all  of  whom  were  born  in  the  province  of 
Nuremburg,  and  after  passing  through  several 
provinces  of  Germany,  finally  took  a sailing 
vessel  for  Amsterdam,  Holland,  which  city 
they  failed  to  reach  on  account  of  the  vessel 
springing  a leak,  which  necessitated  the  cap- 
tain putting  into  the  port  of  Lisbon,  Portugal, 
where  they  remained  until  December  24,  of 
the  same  year,  when  they  again  put  to  sea. 
From  Lisbon  the  vessel,  upon  which  they  em- 


578 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


barked,  made  its  way  directly  to  Baltimore, 
Md. , where  they  arrived,  without  any  further 
mishaps,  February  25,  1820.  Having  been  so 
long  upon  the  journey  from  the  fatherland, 
Mr.  Shafer  was  compelled  to  expend  all  of  his 
means,  so  that  upon  arriving  in  the  new 
world,  three  of  the  older  children  were  bound 
out  from  three  to  five  years,  in  order  to  pay 
their  passage,  which  amounted  to  $80  each. 
The  rest  of  the  family  immediately  proceeded 
by  wagon  to  Brownsville,  Pa. , thence  to 
Portsmouth,  Ohio,  by  Hat  boat,  where  Mrs. 
Shafer  died  in  1821,  a short  time  after  reach- 
ing their  destination.  Three  and  one  half 
years  after  their  arrival  at  Portsmouth,  George 
Shafer  walked  to  Baltimore  to  fetch  his  sisters 
to  their  western  home,  two  of  whom  returned 
wiih  him,  while  the  third  remained  in  the  east 
several  years  longer,  rejoining  the  family  in 
1832.  Subsequently,  Mr.  Shafer  came  to 
Indiana  and  settled  in  Hamilton  township, 
Delaware  county,  where  he  remained  until  his 
death,  July,  1870,  at  the  advanced  age  of 
ninety-five  years. 

Adam  Williamson  accompanied  his  parents 
to  Delaware  county  when  five  years  of  age, 
since  which  time  he  has  passed  the  greater 
part  of  his  life  within  its  borders,  being  now 
among  its  oldest  living  residents.  Here  he 
grew  to  manhood,  and  in  his  youthful  days  at- 
tended the  country  schools,  and  on  attaining 
his  majority  engaged  in  the  pursuit  of  agricul- 
ture, which  has  been  his  life  work.  April  12, 
1853,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sarah 
Moore,  daughter  of  Lewis  and  Patience  (Truitt) 
Moore,  the  parents  both  being  natives  of  Ohio 
and  of  English  descent.  Six  children  were 
born  to  this  union,  namely;  William  A.,  a 
resident  of  Muncie;  Flora  B. , wife  of  Amos 
Garrison;  Mary  T. , wife  of  Dant  Smith;  Hat- 
tie, wife  of  William  Norris;  Emma  Z.  and 
Effie.  The  mother  of  these  children  died  No- 
vember 6,  1880,  and  lies  buried  in  Beech  Grove 


cemetery,  Muncie.  Subsequently,  March  8, 
1882,  Mr.  Williamson  married  his  present 
wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Nancy  Pittenger, 
daughter  of  Daniel  and  Ellen  (Jones)  Pitten- 
ger. Mr.  Williamson  is  a democrat  in  politics, 
belongs  to  Muncie  lodge.  No.  74,  I.  O.  O.  F. , 
and  with  his  wife  is  a communicant  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  He  owns  160 
acres  of  fine  land  two  and  one-half  miles  north 
of  Muncie.  He  settled  on  this  farm  forty  years 
ago,  and  cleared  it  from  the  green.  He  is  one 
of  the  leading  citizens  of  the  township. 


AMES  WOOD. — Among  the  well  known 
citizens  of  Hamilton  township  was  the 
late  James  Wood,  who,  for  many  years, 
was  one  of  the  representative  men  of 
this  community,.  His  parents,  William  and 
Dorcas  (Bowen)  Wood,  moved  to  Delaware 
county  in  1839  and  remained  here  until  their 
respective  deaths.  James  Wood  was  born  in 
Ross  county,  Ohio,  April  ii,  1821,  and  when 
thirteen  years  of  age  began  to  learn  the  tailor’s 
trade  in  the  town  of  Greenfield,  the  same  state, 
and  after  remaining  in  that  place  until  1840, 
came  to  Indiana  and  followed  his  chosen  call- 
ing for  some  time  in  the  town  of  Anderson; 
later  he  opened  a shop  of  his  own  in  Granville, 
Ind. , where  he  carried  on  a successful  business 
for  several  years.  In  1850  he  located  on  the 
farm  in  Hamilton  township,  Delaware  county, 
upon  which  his  widow  still  resides,  and  became 
a leading  agriculturist.  Mr.  Wood  was  a man 
of  character  and  good  social  standing,  a devout 
member  of  the  Christian  church,  in  which  he 
had  been  a deacon  for  a number  of  years,  and 
the  precepts  of  which  he  exemplified  in  his 
daily  life  and  conversation.  The  death  of  this 
excellent  man  occurrejd  on  the  29th  day  of  May, 
1892,  and  his  remains  now  rest  beneath  the 
shades  of  the  Granville  cemetery. 


HARRISON  TOWNSHIP. 


579 


His  marriage  with  Miss  Susan  Gregory, 
daughter  of  John  and  Nancy  (Shideler)  Greg- 
ory, took  place  in  1845.  Mrs.  Wood  was  one 
of  a family  of  eleven  children,  only  one  of 
whom,  besides  herself,  is  living,  namely, 
Thomas  Gregory.  The  names  of  those  de- 
ceased, as  far  as  can  be  remembered,  are  as 
follows;  Mary  P.,  Sarah,  Susannah,  Elizabeth, 
Jane,  John  S.,  and  Noble;  the  last  named 
killed  while  serving  this  country  in  the  late 


war.  The  father  of  these  children  died  Janu- 
ary 29,  1843  and  the  mother  departed  this  life 
April  2,  1887.  Mrs.  Wood  resides  on  the 
home  farm,  which  she  manages  very  success- 
fully, and  is  an  estimable  Christian  lady,  highly 
respected  in  the  community.  Never  having 
had  any  children  of  her  own,  she  is  now  rais- 
ing a niece.  Miss  Nettie  Gregory,  daughter  of 
Thomas  and  Jennie  Gregory,  whom  she  took 
at  the  age  of  seven  years. 


HARRISON  TOWNSHIP. 


ENJAMIN  BARCLAY.— All  of  the 
people  of  Harrison  township  know 
Benjamin  Barclay,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  and  know  him  favorably.  He 
was  born  May  4,  1828,  in  Licking  county, 
Ohio,  being  the  son  of  James  and  Elizabeth 
(German)  Barclay.  The  father  was  born  in 
1804  in  Virginia,  and  the  mother  in  Maryland. 
The  father  came  to  Licking  county  when  but 
a boy  with  his  parents,  and  spent  the  greater 
part  of  his  life  in  farming.  In  politics  he  was 
a democrat  of  the  Jackson  school.  He  and 
his  wife  were  members  of  the  Methodist  church. 

Benjamin  Barclay  lived  with  his  parents 
until  the  age  of  eighteen,  when  he  was  ap- 
prenticed to  the  trade  of  a blacksmith,  work- 
ing at  this  for  tv/o  years  for  his  board  and 
clothing.  After  this  he  followed  his  trade  for 
two  years  and  then  was  a farmer  for  one  year. 
At  this  time  he  came  to  Indiana  and  located 
in  Henry  county,  following  his  trade,  after 
which  he  came  to  this  county  and  bought 
eighty'  acres  of  land  in  the  northwest  corner  of 
Harrison  township.  Here  he  built  a shop  and 
worked  at  his  trade,  farming  at  the  same  time 
for  eighteen  years.  At  this  time  our  subject 


lives  on  a farm  in  this  township,  and  still  owns 
the  original  acres  upon  which  he  settled.  Mr. 
Barclay  was  married  November  i,  1849,  to 
Miss  Elizabeth  Mclnturf.  His  wife  was  born 
July  4,  1831,  and  died  January  25,  1865.  She 
was  the  daughter  of  Frederick  and  Anna 
(Myers)  Mclnturf,  they  being  natives  of  Ohio, 
her  father  following  the  occupation  of  a farmer. 
Mrs.  Barclay,  the  wife  of  our  subject,  was  a 
devoted  member  of  the  Methodist  church.  By 
this  marriage  our  subject  was  the  father  of  six 
children,  namely:  Salathiel,  deceased;  Louisa, 
Susannah,  Sarah,  Netta,  and  James  Leonidas. 

Mr.  Barclay  again  entered  into  the  holy 
bonds  of  matrimony  December  24,  1885, 

taking  for  his  wife  the  daughter  of  Joseph  and 
Elizabeth  (Shafer)  Williamson;  her  father 
being  a native  of  New  Jerse}',  where  he  w'as 
born  in  1790,  and  her  mother  was  born  in 
Germany  in  1802,  the  latter  came  to  this 
country  with  her  parents  when  but  a child. 
The  father  of  Mrs.  Barclay  came  to  Scioto 
county,  Ohio,  where  he  owned  a fine  farm  at 
the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1849. 
His  wife  survived  him  until  the  year  1880, 
when  she  died  in  the  faith  of  the  Methodist 


580 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


church,  in  which  she  had  lived  all  her  days. 
The  second  wife  of  Mr.  Barclay  was  the 
widow  of  W.  F.  Nottingham,  who  was  a na- 
tive of  Ohio  and  came  to  this  state  when  but 
a child.  He  was  born  in  1828,  and  died  in 
1880.  He  was  married  to  the  present  Mrs. 
Barclay  August  4,  1850,  and  by  this  marriage 
Mrs.  Barclay  had  four  children,  namely;  Jos- 
eph, deceased;  George,  deceased;  John;  and 
Sarah  Catherine,  deceased.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Barclay  are  both  consistent  members  of  the 
Methodist  church.  Our  subject  is  devoted  to 
the  principles  of  the  democratic  party,  and 
heartily  supports  its  candidates. 


EV.  GEORGE  BOXELL.— Harrison 
township  can  point  to  more  than  one 
of  her  citizens  with  pride,  for  not 
only  have  they  fulfilled  all  the  require- 
ments of  private  life,  but  when  occasion  de- 
manded have  assumed  the  duties  of  public 
office  in  such  a manner  as  to  call  forth  the 
admiration  of  their  constituents.  Such  a man 
is  George  Boxell,  one  of  the  prominent  farm- 
ers of  the  township,  now  serving  as  township 
trustee.  Mr.  Boxell  was  born  January  16, 
1833,  in  the  state  of  Virginia,  a son  of  Joseph 
and  Elenor  (Shamlin)  Boxell,  natives  of  Vir- 
ginia and  Ireland,  respectfully.  Mrs.  Boxell 
came  to  this  country  v.'’hen  still  young.  When 
the  subject  was  still  a boy,  the  family  removed 
to  Boone  county,  Ohio,  and  in  1835  to  Grant 
county,  Ind.  The  family  name  of  Boxell  is  an 
old  one,  the  ancestral  record  reaching  back 
many  generations  to  English  progenitors. 

George  Boxell  remained  with  his  parents 
until  he  reached  his  majority,  when  he 
engaged  in  teaching  for  some  three  years  in 
Grant  county,  after  which  he  began  to  preach, 
riding  what  was  known  as  the  Jonesborough 
circuit  for  a number  of  years.  During  his 


ministry  he  was  greatly  beloved  and  the  good 
he  did  in  this  capacity  can  not  be  over  esti- 
mated. At  present  Mr.  Boxell  is  the  owner  of 
eighty  acres  of  choice  land  in  Harrison  town- 
ship, where  he  is  greatly  respected  by  the 
entire  community.  Mr.  Boxell’s  first  marriage 
was  solemnized  January  16,  1858,  with  Miss 
Rhoda  McKever,  daughter  of  Noah  and  Eliza- 
beth McKever,  natives  of  Ohio.  Mrs.  Boxell 
died  January  10,  1880,  and  July  26,  1882,  Mr. 
Boxell  was  married  again,  his  second  choice 
being  Miss  Emma  Thompson,  who  was  born 
October  18,  1862.  By  this  last  marriage  one 
child,  Estella,  has  been  born.  It  is  a remark- 
able fact,  and  but  an  indication  of  the  popu- 
larity of  Mr.  Boxell,  that,  at  the  time  of  his 
election  to  his  present  office,  he  received  a 
large  majority  over  the  republican  candidate, 
although  he  had  made  no  canvass,  which  fact 
attests  his  great  popularity  with  the  people, 
irrespective  of  party  affiliation.  He  is  a mem- 
ber of  the  democratic  party.  In  the  language 
of  David  Hill,  of  N.  Y. , “I  am  a democrat.” 
He  is  a minister  of  the  Methodist  Protestant 
church  and  for  thirty-five  years  he  has  been 
preaching.  He  has  preached  1,308  funeral 
sermons.  He  has  been  prominent  in  church 
work. 


IRAM  BRANSON  is  a man  approach- 
ing seventy  years,  and  has  spent  his 
life  in  such  a manner  as  to  command 
the  respect  of  his  neighbors,  and 
meet  with  the  approval  of  his  conscience.  He 
was  born  in  Highland  county,  Ohio,  May  4, 
1825;  being  the  son  of  Elizabeth  and  Robert 
Branson;  the  former  was  born  in  North  Caao- 
lina,  in  1798,  and  the  latter  was  born  in  Vir- 
ginia in  1802.  Robert  Branson  settled  in 
Highland  county,  Ohio,  with  his  grandfather 
when  a boy,  going  there  on  a pack  horse.  He 
was  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Henry  county, 


HARRISON  TOWNSHIP. 


581 


Ind.,  reaching  there  in  1827.  In  the  spring 
of  1840  he  came  to  Delaware  county,  Ind., 
where  he  engaged  in  farming  until  his  death, 
which  took  place  in  1852,  Hiram  Branson  re- 
mained at  home  until  his  marriage,  which 
occurred  July  27,  1848;  his  wife  being  Miss 
Charlotte  Jackson,  daughter  of  Jesse  and 
Mary  Jackson,  both  natives  of  Tennessee. 
Mr.  Branson  had  born  to  him  by  this  marriage 
the  following  children:  Rufus,  Isaac,  Sarah, 
NoahC. , John,  Jerry  S.,  Martin,  Phebe  Jane 
and  Oliver  P.  Mr.  Branson  married  again 
January  20,  1865,  his  choice  being  the  widow 
of  Wilson  Lacy;  her  first  husband  being  a 
native  of  Tennessee  and  a farmer.  This  wife 
was  called  away  from  earth  in  August,  1877; 
having  borne  Mr.  Branson  five  children,  as 
follows:  Frances,  Martha,  George,  Cynthia 
Ann,  and  Cora  May,  deceased.  Mr.  Branson 
married  a third  time,  September  27,  1878,  the 
maiden  name  of  his  wife  being  Susanna  Bur- 
gess, the  widow  of  Jacob  Jetmore.  By  this 
wife  there  was  one  child,  Clara  Ellen.  He 
and  his  wife  are  both  members  of  the  German 
Baptist  church. 

Mr.  Branson  enlisted  during  the  war  in 
company  B,  One  Hundred  and  Forty-seventh 
Indiana  regiment,  for  one  year,  or  during  the 
war.  This  was  in  February,  1865,  and  he 
returned  home  May  22  of  that  year,  having 
been  in  no  battle.  Our  subject  was  a whig, 
after  which  he  became  a republican,  and  is 
now  a prohibitionist. 

J.  H.  Branson  was  born  in  Stony  Creek 
township,  Henry  county,  Ind.,  February  10, 
1831,  and  lived  with  his  parents  until  he  was 
of  age,  after  which  he  worked  for  his  father 
two  years  on  the  farm,  and  then  went  to  Cal- 
ifornia. There  he  remained  two  years  engaged 
in  mining,  which  proved  profitable;  then  he 
returned  to  this  township  and  bought  eighty 
acres  of  land,  which  is  his  present  farm,  and 
is  under  good  cultivation.  He  was  united  in 


marriage  July  6,  1856,  to  Miss  Mary  Fox, 
daughter  of  Asa  and  Mary  Fox;  her  mother 
being  a native  of  Connecticut,  and  her  father 
of  Pennsylvania. 

The  father,  when  a young  man,  located  in 
Kentucky,  where  he  remained  thirty  years,  and 
then  came  to  Harrison  township.  The  mother 
of  the  wife  of  our  subject  was  a member  of  the 
Methodist  church. 

By  his  marriage  with  Miss  Fox  our  subject 
had  the  following  children:  Elizabeth,  Sara 

Ann,  Ellen  Martha,  George  W.,  Premma, 
William,  deceased,  Joseph,  William  Jehosha- 
phat,  deceased,  Edward  J. , Asa  deceased. 
Flora  Belle  and  l\fary  Minnie.  In  politics 
Mr.  Branson  was  a whig  until  the  republican 
party  came  into  existence,  since  which  time  he 
has  been  an  active  member  of  that  party.  He 
is  a member  in  good  standing  of  the  Christian 
church,  and  is  a worthy  and  good  citizen. 


JOSEPH  S.  BROWN. — No  man  is  so  in- 
dependent as  the  farmer.  To  him  the 
residents  of  the  great  cities  look  for 
theproducts  of  the  soil,  while  he,  if  he 
wish,  can  be  entirely  independent  of  their  toil. 
After  many  years  devoted  to  the  tilling  of  the 
soil,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  Joseph  S. 
Brown,  is  ready  to  agree  that,  although  the  life 
of  a farmer  be  full  of  toil  and  hardships,  yet  on 
the  whole  it  is  a very  pleasant  one.  Mr.  Brown 
was  born  March  20,  1819,  in  the  state  of  Penn- 
sylvania, son  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Staup) 
Brown,  both  natives  of  Pennsylvania,  of  Ger- 
man descent.  In  1834  the  family  removed  to 
Ohio,  settling  in  Henry  county.  Mr.  Brown, 
Sr.,  remained  in  Henry  county  until  the  time 
of  his  death,  engaged  in  coopering,  carpenter- 
ing and  farming. 

Joseph  S.  Brown  was  educated  in  the  com- 
mon schools  and  remained  with  his  parents 


582 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


until  he  became  of  age,  when  he  rented  a farm 
in  Clinton  county,  Ohio,  where  he  remained 
until  1853,  at  which  date  he  removed  to  Dela- 
ware county,  Ind. , and  purchased  forty  acres  of 
land,  to  which  he  later  added  forty  acres,  making 
eighty  acres  in  all.  This  farm  was  a wild,  unculti- 
vated one,  but  Mr.  Brown  reclaimed  it  from  a wil- 
derness and  brought  it  to  its  present  state  of 
cultivation.  Mr.  Brown  was  married  in  1841, 
to  Mrs.  Mary  (Jones)  Taylor,  born  in  1809, 
widow  of  James  Taylor,  and  daughter  of  Will- 
iam and  Nancy  Jones.  Four  children  were 
born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brown,  namely:  John, 

deceased;  William  Henry;  Eliza  Jane,  wife  of 
William  Downing,  and  James  H.,  deceased. 
Mrs.  Brown  died  in  1891,  and  her  remains  rest 
in  Nottingham  cemetery.  She  died  in  the  faith 
of  the  Christian  church,  of  which  body  her  hus- 
band has  been  for  years  a faithful  member.  In 
politics  Mr.  Brown  supports  the  principles 
enunciated  by  the  democratic  party.  In  every 
particular  he  has  fulfilled  all  the  duties  re- 
quired of  him  in  every  walk  of  life  to  which  he 
has  been  called,  and  justly  meriis  the  esteem 
in  which  he  is  held  by  his  neighbors  and 
friends  throughout  Harrison  and  other  town- 
ships. 


ILLIAM  H.  COFFIN.— Among  the 
prosperous  farmers  of  Harrison 
township  whose  name  his  friends 
will  greet  in  this  volume  with 
pleasure,  is  the  subject  of  the  present  notice. 
He  was  born  in  this  township,  January  20, 
1847,  3.  son  of  Isaac  and  Mary  (Reed)  Coffin, 
the  former  a native  of  Hamilton  county,  Ohio, 
born  there  November  18,  1821,  a son  of  Sam- 
uel and  Rachel  Coffin,  natives  of  Massachu- 
setts and  of  Kentucky.  Samuel  Coffin  was  a 
stone  mason  and  plasterer  by  trade.  He  came 
to  this  state  and  located  in  Fayette  county, 
in  1833,  on  100  acres  of  land  there,  but  six 


years  later  he  came  to  Delaware  county  and 
bought  the  160  acres  now  owned  by  his  son. 
He  died  in  1855  and  his  wife  then  removed  to 
Wayne  county  where  her  life  ended  ten  years 
later.  They  had  both  been  members  of  the 
Baptist  church.  Isaac  Coffin  lived  with  his 
parents  until  he  was  of  age,  and  then  engaged 
to  work,  for  his  father,  by  the  month,  for  a 
few  years,  at  which  time  he  bought  a farm  of 
eighty-five  acres  of  his  father.  For  one  year 
he  lived  in  Butler  county,  Ohio,  since  which 
time  he  has  lived  on  his  present  farm  engaged 
in  agricultural  pursuits.  In  1841  he  married 
Mary  Doty,  the  widow  of  Samuel  Doty,  who 
had  formerly  been  a Reed.  Her  death  oc- 
curred November  15,  1892,  and  her  remains 
rest  in  Bethel  cemetery  in  Harrison  township. 
For  forty  years  both  she  and  husband  were 
members  of  the  United  Brethern  church. 
They  had  two  children,  William  Henry,  and 
Rachel,  the  wife  of  William  Brown. 

William  H.  Coffin  was  reared  on  the  home 
farm  and  remained  during  his  minority  with 
pai'ents.  He  learned  the  carpenter  trade  and 
worked  at  that  for  two  years,  following  which 
he  rented  a farm  of  Mr.  Joseph  Quick  for  two 
years,  and  then  moved  to  Grant  county  where 
he  was  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  tile  for 
two  years.  He  then  moved  to  his  present  farm, 
having  since  resided  in  Harrison  township.  He 
has  a fine  place  here,  and  is  a man  much 
esteemed  in  this  locality.  For  the  past  four  years 
he  has  held  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace. 
Politically,  he  is  a republican.  Mr.  Coffin  was 
married  November  22,  1873,  to  Miss  Mary  Ann 
Needier,  daughter  of  George  and  Lydia  (Cun- 
ningham) Needier,  he  a native  of  Ohio,  born 
in  May,  1832,  and  she  in  the  same  year,  No- 
vember 20,  in  the  state  of  Virginia.  Mrs.  Cof- 
fin accompanied  her  parents  to  Grant  county 
when  three  years  of  age,  and  Mr.  Needier  is 
still  a resident  of  that  county,  where  he  is  en- 
gaged in  farming.  The  mother  died  a year 


HARRISON  TOWNSHIP. 


583 


ago.  Both  parents  were  members  of  the 
Methodist  church,  and  Mr.  Needier  is  a repub- 
lican of  that  county,  known  as  a man  of  worth 
and  sagacity.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Coffin  are  the 
parents  of  the  following  children.  Adam  C. , 
Nora  Josephine,  deceased;  James  Henry, 
Lydia  Margaret,  deceased;  John,  deceased; 
Martha  R. , Walter  Earl,  and  Osa  Edna,  de- 
ceased. Mr.  Coffin  formerly  voted  the  repub- 
lican ticket,  but  in  late  years  his  views  of 
public  questions  have  undergone  a change,  and 
he  now  belongs  to  the  people’s  party.  He  is  a 
man  who  is  highly  respected  wherever  known. 


eNOCH  DRUMM,  an  enterprising  citi- 
zen of  Harrison  township,  Delaware 
county,  Ind. , was  born  in  the  count}^ 
of  Muskingum,  Ohio,  on  the  loth  day 
of  June,  1840,  son  of  Peter  and  Clasissa  (Lake) 
Drumm.  Paternally,  Mr.  Drumm  is  descended 
from  German  ancestry,  and  his  father  was  for 
many  years  a farmer  and  manufacturer  of  stone 
ware  in  the  above  county  and  state.  Mr. 
Drumm’s  boyhood  days  were  spent  on  the 
farm  much  the  same  as  the  majority  of  country 
lads  and  from  the  age  of  twelve  his  time  was 
alternately  devoted  to  tilling  the  soil  and 
working  in  the  stoneware  factory  in  the  sum- 
mer and  attending  the  district  schools  in  the 
winter  season.  In  his  twentieth  year  Mr. 
Drumm  came  to  Muncie,  Ind.,  near  which 
city  he  found  employment  as  a farm  laborer, 
and  later  he  taught  in  the  public  schools  for  a 
limited  period.  On  the  21st  day  of  August, 
1861,  he  married  Margaret  Gibson,  daughter 
of  Andrew  and  Rebecca  Gibson,  of  Delaware 
county,  and  from  that  time  until  April,  1867, 
lived  in  Monroe  township.  He  then  moved 
to  his  present  beautiful  farm  in  Harrison 
township,  where  he  has  since  resided,  and 
he  now  ranks  among  the  most  energetic  and 


thrifty  agriculturists  in  the  county  of  Dela- 
ware. Mrs.  Margaret  Drumm  bore  her  hus- 
band the  following  children:  Emanuel,  An- 

derson, Peter  Emsley,  Marion,  Howard,  Clara 
R.  and  Enoch  Orvil.  Of  these  children  Peter 
E.  and  Anderson  preceded  their  mother  to  the 
grave,  and  on  the  24th  day  of  April,  1879,  she 
was  summoned  to  her  final  rest,  leaving  a child 
twenty-two  days  old,  Enoch  O.,  who  died 
shortly  thereafter.  Left  with  a family  of  de- 
pendent children  on  his  hands,  l\Ir.  Drumm 
managed  to  keep  them  all  together  and  look 
after  their  interests  as  only  an  indulgent  father 
could  have  done,  until  1881,  on  October  29  of 
which  year  he  married  Mrs.  Ann  E.  (Kern) 
Gough,  who  proved  to  be  a kind  mother  to  the 
family  and  a helpmate  in  the  true  sense  of  the 
word  to  her  husband.  Two  children  have  been 
born  to  the  second  marriage:  Addie  F.  and 

Maud.  x\s  already  noted,  Mr.  Drumm  is  one 
of  the  leading  farmers  and  stock  raisers  of  Har- 
rison township,  and  it  is  also  just  to  class  him 
with  its  most  intelligent,  wide-awake  and 
broad  minded  citizens.  His  farm,  consisting  of 
160  acres  of  highly  cultivated  land,  is  well  pro- 
vided with  excellent  buildings,  among  which  is 
a silo,  the  first  structure  of  the  kind  ever  erect- 
ed in  Delaware  county.  Mr.  Drumm  was 
elected  trustee  of  this  township  in  1873,  the 
duties  of  which  office  he  discharged  with  credit 
to  himself  and  satisfaction  to  the  public  for  a 
period  of  nine  years.  He  takes  considerable 
interest  in  all  matters  pertaining  to  natural 
gas  and  he  uses  that  ideal  fuel  in  his  home  also 
for  pumping  water  and  operating  other  kinds 
of  machinery.  He  is  essentially  a self-made 
man  in  all  that  term  implies,  and  his  present 
comfortable  competence  and  fortunate  position 
in  life  are  the  results  of  his  own  unaided 
efforts.  In  all  the  relations  of  life  Mr.  Drumm 
has  proven  himself  up  to  the  mark,  whether 
those  relations  were  of  a public  or  private 
nature. 


584 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


OHN  DRUMM — About  as  near  as  one 
gets  in  this  country  to  being  absolutely 
independent  is  to  be  the  owner  of  a 
nice  farm  in  a section  that  gives  plenty 
of  rain  and  sunshine  for  the  crops.  Take  the 
case  of  John  Drumm,  of  Harrison  township, 
with  his  broad  acres,  his  nice  house  and  barn, 
his  horses  and  cattle  and  hogs,  there  is  no  noble 
in  Europe  half  so  happy  and  independent  as 
he  and  his  neighbors,  who  are  fixed  like  him. 
Mr.  Drumm  has  passed  the  three  score  and 
ten  of  the  psalmist,  and  yet  his  natural  vigor 
is  not  abated,  and  he  enjoys  life  as  it  passes. 
He  was  born  October  20,  1820,  at  Hopewell, 
Muskingum  county,  Ohio,  being  the  son  of 
Samuel  and  Susan  H.  (Writner)  Drumm,  the 
father  being  born  December  15,  1786,  and  the 
mother  February  12,  1795,  he  being  a native 
of  Virginia,  and  she  of  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
Samuel  Drumm  went  to  Ohio  when  a boy  with 
his  parents,  and  lived  with  them  until  he  was 
of  age,  spending  his  time  upon  the  farm.  Then 
he  went  into  the  manufacturing  business,  con- 
tinuing at  it  for  fifteen  years;  after  which  he 
became  a farmer  and  continued  at  that  until 
his  death,  at  the  age  of  sixty-eight.  In  poli- 
tics he  was  a democrat,  and  voted  for  the  can- 
didates of  that  party.  His  wife  survived  him 
six  or  seven  years.  He  and  she  were  members 
of  the  Methodist  church.  At  the  time  of  his 
death  he  owned  640  acres,  the  result  of  the 
labor  of  his  own  hands.  He  was  the  father  of 
twelve  children,  all  of  whom  lived  to  a good 
old  age  except  one,  who  died  in  early  woman- 
hood. 

John  Drumm  remained  at  home  upon  the 
farm  until  he  was  of  age  and  after  that  he  con- 
tinued there,  farming  on  his  own  account, 
until  1863,  when  he  came  to  Harrison  town- 
ship and  bought  land  where  he  now  lives — 
eighty  acres,  and  afterward  added  thirty  acres 
to  that  purchase.  He  was  married,  at  the  age 
of  twenty-four,  to  Sarah,  daughter  of  Andrew 


and  Mary  (Weaver)  Wise,  natives  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, her  mother  being  seven  years  the  junior 
of  her  father.  The  father  was  a farmer  and  a 
member  of  the  United  Brethern  church,  the 
mother  also  being  a member  of  that  body. 
Mrs.  Sarah  Drumm  bore  her  husband  thirteen 
children,  and  died  in  1871  and  was  buried  in 
Bethel  cemetery.  The  names  of  these  child- 
ren were:  Ashford,  married  to  Mary  Eber; 

Millie  Ann,  married  to  John  Eber;  Mary,  wife 
of  Bolen  Weaver;  Leonard,  deceased;  Amelia, 
wife  of  Leander  Weaver;  Elias,  married  to 
Mary  Hale;  Harry  J.,  married  to  Mary  Apple- 
gate;  Jennie,  wife  of  Peter  Wier;  George, 
married  to  Eva  Shucks;  Norma  Belle,  deceased; 
Susannah,  deceased;  Caroline,  deceased;  and 
Laura,  at  home. 

Mr.  Drumm  next  married,  in  July,  1873, 
Mrs.  Auker,  the  widow  of  Henry  Auker.  Mrs. 
Drumm  died  in  the  following  March.  Mr. 
Drumm  was  reared  a United  Brethern,  but 
after  coming  to  this  county  he  became  a Metho- 
dist. In  politics  he  is  a democrat  and  always 
votes  the  ticket  of  that  party. 


ALTER  GRAY,  prominent  farmer 
mm  I lawyer,  is  a native  of  Indiana, 

born  on  the  15th  day  of  July,  1851, 
in  the  county  of  Randolph.  His 
father,  Matthew  Gray,  was  born  in  Wayne 
county,  Ind.,  in  the  year  1822,  moved  to 
Delaware  county  in  1853,  settling  in  Perry 
township,  where  he  resided  for  a period  of 
five  years,  moving  thence  to  the  county  of 
Randolph.  After  a residence  of  seven  years 
in  the  latter  he  returned  to  Delaware  county, 
where  he  made  his  home  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  in  1891.  The  mother  of  Walter 
Gray  was  Margaret  (Sanders)  Gray,  a woman 
of  most  exemplary  character. 

Walter  Gray  remained  with  his  parents 


HARRISON  TOWNSHIP. 


585 


until  arriving  at  the  years  of  his  legal  majority, 
pursuing  his  studies  in  the  meantime  in  the 
common  schools  during  the  winter  seasons  and 
assisting  his  father  on  the  farm  in  the  summer. 
For  some  time  after  his  twenty-first  year,  he 
taught  school,  and  followed  the  pursuits  of 
agriculture  on  the  home  place,  meeting  with 
encouraging  success  in  both  vocations.  In 
1874,  on  the  30th  day  of  December,  when 
twenty-two  years  old,  Mr.  Gray  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Miss  Mary  Vanbuskirk,  and 
shortly  thereafter  purchased  forty  acres  of  land 
in  Jay  county,  upon  which  he  resided  until 
1879,  disposing  of  the  same  in  that  year  and 
removing  to  Kansas.  Not  finding  the  west  suit- 
able to  his  taste,  he  returned  to  Indiana  after 
about  one  year’s  residence,  and  located  in  the 
county  of  Delaware,  where  he  inv^ested  his 
sole  earthly  wealth,  about  seventy  dollars,  in 
a small  tract  of  real  estate,  consisting  of  twenty 
acres.  On  this  modest  homestead  Mr.  Gray 
engaged  in  agriculture  in  a moderate  way,  and 
at  the  same  time  yielded  to  an  inclination  of 
long  standing  and  began  the  study  of  law,  in 
the  prosecution  of  which  his  progress  was 
most  commendable.  In  due  time  he  was 
admitted  to  the  bar,  since  which  date  he  has 
practiced  successfully  in  the  courts  of  Dela- 
ware county,  where  he  has  a large  and  lucra- 
tive busidess,  looking  after  his  farming 
interests  in  the  meantime.  For  four  years  he 
was  associated  in  the  profession  with  Hon. 
George  H.  Koons,  present  judge  Delaware 
circuit  court,  but  since  the  elevation  of  that 
gentleman  to  the  bench,  has  practiced  without 
a partner.  At  this  time  he  resides  on  a beau- 
tiful farm  in  Harrison  township,  in  which,  as 
in  other  parts  of  the  county,  he  owns  valuable 
tracts  of  real  estate,  being  the  possessor  of 
over  three  hundred  acres  of  land,  the  result  of 
his  own  efforts  and  well  directed  energy  and 
business  thrift.  In  every  relation  of  life  Mr. 
Gray  has  proved  a most  exemplary  man 


and  few  citizens  of  his  township  are  as 
widely  and  favorably  known.  A practical 
farmer,  he  believes  in  the  dignity  of 
that  most  useful  and  honorable  calling; 
a lawyer  of  pronounced  ability,  his  legal  record 
during  a number  of  years  of  close  application 
to  the  profession  is  unclouded  b)'  the  slightest 
tinge  of  anything  disreputable  in  the  practice; 
and  a broad  minded,  intelligent  man  of  affairs, 
he  enjoys  the  confidence  of  his  fellow  citizens 
and  is  looked  upon  in  his  community  as  a true 
type  of  the  educated,  courteous  gentleman. 
Mr.  Gray  is  the  proud  father  of  three  sons,  and 
his  home  is  a model  in  its  various  appoint- 
ments, and  the  abode  of  generous,  old  fashioned 
hospitality.  Mr.  Gray  has  always  taken  an 
active  part  in  politics,  and  at  the  early  age  of 
twenty  years  was  chosen  a member  of  the 
democratic  central  committee,  with  which 
party  he  officiated  until  1890,  since  which  time 
he  has  been  identified  with  the  people’s  party. 
Mrs.  Gray  was  born  in  Delaware  county,  Ind. , 
June  30,  1858,  and  is  the  daughter  of  James 
and  Mary  (Grim)  Vanbuskirk.  Mr.  Vanbus- 
kirk was  an  Ohioan  by  birth,  but  came  to 
Delaware  county  in  his  boyhood,  and  became 
one  of  the  successful  farmers  of  this  part  of 
the  country.  He  died  at  the  age  of  fifty-four 
years;  his  widow  is  still  livihg,  making  her 
home  at  this  time  in  Madison  county,  near  the 
city  of  Anderson. 


AMES  M.  HARTLEY.— The  sons  of 
pioneers  have  indeed  reason  to  feel 
proud  of  their  ancestry.  The  early 
settlers  of  Indiana  were  a class  of  men 
and  women  who  came  to  the  new  west,  not 
alone  for  personal  aggrandizement,  but  miainly 
for  the  benefit  of  their  posterity.  They  cheer- 
fully endured  hardships  and  wrought  gladly 
i with  their  hands  that  they  might  provide  a 


586 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


future  for  those  who  were  dependent  upon 
them.  James  M.  Hartley  was  born  October 
24,  1 849,  in  Grant  county,  Ind. , where  his 
parents,  Joseph  and  Ellen  (Hammers)  Hartley, 
settled  on  a farm  of  forty  acres,  which  they 
purchased  from  the  government.  The  father 
still  resides  in  Grant  county,  managing  his 
farm,  which  now  consists  of  120  acres,  but  his 
wife  died  in  1852,  in  the  faith  of  the  Methodist 
church,  of  which  she  was  for  years  a member. 
The  father,  a native  of  Virginia,  born  near 
Fremont,  came  to  Indiana  with  his  parents 
and  settled  in  Henry  county,  where  he  remained 
until  his  removal  to  Grant  county  a short  time 
thereafter. 

James  M.  Hartley  remained  with  his  par- 
ents until  he  attained  his  majority,  when  he 
rented  a farm  until  the  spring  of  1875,  and 
then  purchased  his  present  farm  in  Harrison 
township,  consisting  of  sixty  acres.  On  this 
land  he  has  erected  a comfortable  dwelling  and 
barn,  and  the  entire  property  is  the  result  of 
his  own  unaided  efforts.  October  23,  1873, 
Mr.  Hartley  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Marsha  Scott,  a native  of  Adams  county,  Ohio, 
daughter  of  David  Scott  (see  sketch  elsewhere). 
By  this  marriage  the  following  children  have 
been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hartley:  Carl, 

deceased,  Linnie  and  Icie.  Mrs.  Hartley  is  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  church,  in  which 
body  she  is  an  important  factor.  Mr.  Hart- 
ley’s political  convictions  are  in  accordance 
with  those  enunciated  by  the  democratic  party. 
A life  like  Mr.  Hartley’s  is  an  example  to  all 
of  what  industry  and  honest  perseverance  will 
accomplish. 


RS.  H.  E.  HARTLEY  is  a lady  who 
is  highly  respected  by  all  the  people 
of  Harrison  township,  where  she 
lives.  She  was  born  March  8,  1841, 
in  Henry  county,  Ind.,  being  the  daughter  of 


Thomas  and  Dinah  (Jones)  Gough.  Her  father 
was  born  June  i,  1800,  and  her  mother  Octo- 
ber 28,  1801,  both  being  natives  of  Monongalia 
county,  Va. ; the  father  dying  October  22,  1883, 
and  the  mother  April  2,  1874.  Mrs.  Dinah 
Hartley,  in  early  womanhood,  came  from  Vir- 
ginia to  Henry  county,  Ind.,  on  horseback. 
Mr.  Gough  came  to  Henry  county,  Ind.,  in 
1835,  and  engaged  in  the  practice  of  medicine, 
and  at  the  same  time  carried  on  farming.  Mr. 
Gough  was  a very  prominent  man  in  the  county, 
and  was  held  in  the  highest  repute.  After  a 
number  of  years  he  disposed  of  his  farm,  and 
lived  a retired  life  at  Luray,  Henry  county. 
During  his  life  he  filled  the  office  of  justice  of 
the  peace  for  a number  of  years,  to  the  entire 
satisfaction  of  the  people. 

Mrs.  H.  E.  Hartley  was  married  in  1863 
to  Benjamin  F.  Hartley,  a native  of  Henry 
county,  who  was  born  September  3,  1833. 

He  was  the  son  of  Elisha  and  Sarah  (Emer- 
son) Hartley,  both  natives  of  Virginia.  Ben- 
jamin F.  Hartley  was  a successful  farmer, 
owning  194  acres,  which  he  acquired  by  the 
labor  of  his  own  hands.  He  came  to  this 
county  in  1867  and  located  on  a farm  in  Har- 
rison township,  which  is  now  occupied  by  his 
widow.  In  politics  Mr.  Hartley  was  a demo- 
crat, and  always  supported  the  candidates  of 
that  party.  The  deceased  was  a kind  and 
loving  father,  and  a devoted  husband,  as  well 
as  a worthy  citizen.  By  her  marriage  with 
Mr.  Hartley  our  subject  is  the  mother  of  the 
following  children:  John  M.,  Warren,  de- 
ceased; Harley  D.,  Sarah  and  Thomas,  both 
living  at  home.  The  father  of  these  children 
took  much  interest  in  the  Odd  Fellows,  being 
a member  of  Lodge  No.  74  at  Muncie.  His 
remains  lie  in  the  Beech  Grove  cemetery,  Henry 
county.  His  widow  lives  at  the  old  home- 
stead in  the  midst  of  her  family,  passing  her 
life  quietly,  and  proving  herself  to  be  a kind 
neighbor  and  a considerate  friend.  Mrs. 


HARRISON  TOWNSHIP. 


587 


Hartley  is  a member  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal church. 


OHN  KIRKMAN. — Among  the  many 
well-to-do  citizens  of  Harrison  town- 
ship, John  Kirkman  is  prominent  and 
highly  esteemed  by  all  who  know  him. 
He  was  born  in  1835,  in  Bartholomew  county, 
Ind. ; being  the  son  of  John  and  Malaha  (Dil- 
lon) Kirkman.  His  father  was  born  in  Guil- 
ford county,  N.  C. , March  3,  1788,  and  his 
mother  in  the  same  county  in  1792.  The 
father  was  a hatter  by  trade,  and  lived  until 
his  twenty-second  year  in  his  native  county. 
At  this  time  he  came  to  Indiana,  and  located 
in  Howard  county,  where  he  engaged  in  farm- 
ing until  1875.  Then  he  removed  to  Oregon, 
and  there  lived  a retired  life  in  Douglas  county 
in  that  state,  until  October,  1892,  the  date  of 
his  death,  at  the  age  of  104  years.  The 
mother  of  our  subject  died  in  1836,  when  his 
father  married,  a few  years  later,  Margaret 
Pike,  a native  of  North  Carolina. 

In  consequence  of  the  death  of  his  mother, 
John  Kirkman  lived  with  his  sister  until  he 
was  fourteen,  and  then  for  the  next  four  years 
with  a man  by  the  name  of  Skein,  after  which 
he  made  his  home  with  his  brother,  Peter,  in 
Howard  county.  At  the  latter  place  he 
worked  at  whatever  thing  came  to  hand.  He 
was  married  December  30,  1863,  to  Miss 

Elizabeth  Parker,  daughter  of  ’Squire  Parker, 
an  old  pioneer  of  this  county.  She  was  born 
in  Delaware  county  February  13,  1841.  Mr. 
Kirkman,  soon  after  his  marriage,  began  lum- 
bering by  renting  a saw  mill,  which  business 
he  followed  for  thirty  years  at  different  places 
in  the  county.  He  then  bought  160  acres  of 
splendid  land  in  the  northwest  part  of  Har- 
rison township,  where  he  now  lives  a retired 
life.  This  farm  is  the  reward  of  his  own 
labor.  John  Kirkman  enlisted  in  1861  for 


one  year  in  company  B,  Twelfth  Indiana  regi- 
ment, and  served  sixteen  months,  having 
taken  part  in  several  skirmishes.  He  receives 
a pension  of  seventeen  dollars  a month  as  the 
result  of  disabilities  received  in  the  service. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kirkman  are  the  parents  of  one 
child,  John  P. , who  is  a prosperous  merchant. 
They  are  prominent  members  of  the  Christian 
church.  Mr.  Kirkman  is  an  active  member  of 
lodge  No.  425,  I.  O.  O.  F. , at  New  Corner. 


HOMAS  McCREERY  is  one  of  the 
prominent  and  successful  farmers  of 
Harrison  township,  being  held  in 
highest  esteem  by  all  who  know  him. 
He  was  born  in  Carroll  county,  Ohio,  October 
7,  1826,  and  came  from  that  county  at  an  early 
day  with  his  parents,  with  whom  he  lived  until 
twenty-four  years  of  age,  when  he  was  married. 
After  he  became  of  age  he  worked  with  his 
father  until  his  marriage.  After  the  event  he 
engaged  in  clearing  up  an  eighty  acre  contract, 
which  his  father  gave  him,  beside  working  his 
father's  farm  on  shares.  He  has  added  to  this 
property  at  different  times,  and  at  the  present 
owns  417  acres  and  has  given  160  acres  to  his 
sons.  He  also  owns  a half  interest  in  a large 
store  room  in  New  Corner,  and  has  other  prop- 
erty located  there. 

Mr.  McCreery  was  married  October  25, 
1849,  to  Miss  Catherine  Brown,  daughter  of 
Samuel  and  Phebe  Brown,  natives  of  Clinton 
county,  Ohio.  He  came  to  this  county  and 
located  in  the  western  part  of  it,  and  was  en- 
gaged in  farming.  He  was  also  a cooper  by 
trade.  IMrs.  Catherine  McCreery  was  born 
April  7,  1828,  and  died  April  15,  1886.  Her 
remains  rest  in  the  Wheeling  cemetery,  where 
a beautiful  monument  marks  the  spot.  She 
was  a devoted  member  of  the  Methodist 
church,  and  enjoyed  the  esteem  of  everyone. 


588 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


By  the  marriage  the  following  children  were 
born;  Samuel  j.,  married  to  Martha  Trout; 
Hannah  Elizabeth,  wife  of  William  Jenny; 
Rebecca,  deceased;  James  William,  living  at 
home;  Nathan  Andrew,  married  to  Nettie 
Trout;  John  Wesley,  married  to  Martha  Wood- 
ring; Sarah  L. , wife  of  John  Kirkland;  and 
Mary  M.,  wife  of  of  Barney  Hannan.  Mr.  Mc- 
Creery  married  September  i8,  1888,  for  his 
second  wife,  Mrs.  Margaret  Ellen  Anderson, 
widow  of  O,  Anderson,  a native  of  Clermont 
county,  Ohio,  who  practiced  medicine  in  High- 
land county,  Ohio,  a number  of  years.  Mr. 
McCreery  is  a republican  in  politics,  and  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Espiscopal  church. 
He  is  the  son  of  Samuel  and  Elizabeth  (May- 
nard) McCreery.  Samuel  McCreery  was  born 
July  9,  1801,  in  Virginia;  emigrated  to  Carroll 
county,  Ohio,  when  a young  man,  and  pur- 
chased one  hundred  acres  of  land,  which  he 
farmed,  and  remained  there  until  1838,  when 
he  came  to  this  county  and  entered  360  acres 
of  land,  then  in  a primitive  state.  Mrs.  Mc- 
Creery departed  this  life  Eebruary  2,  1889,  and 
her  remains  rest  in  the  Wheeling  cemetery. 
She  was  a Methodist  and  a devoted  Christian 
woman.  Samuel  McCreery  died  November  23, 
1893,  at  the  age  of  ninety-two,  and  was  one  of 
Harrison  township’s  most  highly  respected  citi- 
zens; he  was  a member  of  the  Methodist  church, 
and  a stanch  supporter  of  the  republican  party. 


ENRY  MILLER,  a well  known  farm- 
er and  respected  citizen  of  Harrison 
township,  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  is 
the  subject  of  the  present  sketch.  He 
was  born  in  Adams  county,  Ohio,  June  14, 
1835,  3.  son  af  Levi  and  Rheuhama  (Summer) 
Miller,  the  former  born  April  i,  1801,  in  High- 
land county,  Ohio,  and  the  latter  June  5, 
1809,  He  died  in  1871,  in  Delaware  county, 


Ind.,  and  she  in  1878,  in  Delaware  county, 
Ind.  Both  were  members  of  the  Methodist 
church.  They  first  located  in  Henry  county 
; after  coming  to  this  state,  and  then  came  to 
Delaware  county,  where  Mr.  Miller  entered 
eighty  acres  of  land,  owning  at  the  time  of  his 
death,  a fine  tract  of  420  acres,  i 50  of  which 
was  cleared.  He  lived  here  at  the  time  when 
transportation  facilities  were  almost  nothing, 
and  the  only  way  to  obtain  a market  for  his 
wheat  was  to  haul  it  to  Cincinnati,  where  he 
received  for  it  forty  cents  a bushel. 

Henry  Miller  remained  with  his  parents 
until  he  was  of  age,  when  he  engaged  in  work 
for  his  father  for  one  year,  and  then  went  into 
the  same  pursuit  for  himself,  on  a farm  of 
sixty  acres,  from  1858  to  1875,  when  he  came 
to  his  present  farm  in  Harrison  township, 
which  at  that  time  consisted  of  160  acres,  but 
now  he  owns  only  147  acres,  all  of  which  is 
under  a high  state  of  cultivation. 

On  December  2,  1858,  Mr.  Miller  married 
Miss  Ellen  McLaughlin,  who  was  born  June 
23,  1 840, in  Washington  county,  Ohio,  daugh- 
ter of  James  and  Elnora  (Boyle)  McLaughlin, 
the  former  born  in  May,  1807,  and  the  latter 
in  May,  1814.  Mr.  McLaughlin  came  from 
Allen  county,  Ohio,  to  this  township  and  lo- 
cated on  the  farm  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Miller, 
but  passed  out  of  life  June  10,  1852.  His 
widow  is  still  living  in  this  township.  They 
were  worthy  people  and  members  of  the 
Methodist  church. 

Mr.  Miller  was  a soldier  in  the  late  war, 
enlisting  August  12,  1862,  in  company  D, 

Eighty-fourth  Indiana  regiment,  for  three 
years  and  served  until  the  close  of  the  war, 
engaging  in  a number  of  skirmishes,  and  now 
receives  a pension  of  $4.  per  month.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Miller  have  the  following  children: 
James  Levi,  Martha  Jane,  the  wife  of  Derilus 
Trout;  Sarah  Samantha,  wife  of  Andrew 
Woodring;  Ora  Elmer,  and  Nora  Ann  who  is 


HARRISON  TOWNSHIP. 


589 


deceased.  Mr.  Miller  is  a democrat  in  his 
political  convictions  and  is  a worthy  citizen. 
He  and  wife  are  worthy  members  of  the  United 
Brethern  church. 


AMUEL  J.  NEWMAN.— Among  the 
very  respectable  and  honest,  hard- 
working citizens  of  Harrison  town- 
ship, is  Samuel  J.  Newman.  He  was 
born  May  30,  1839,  in  Adams  county,  Ohio, 
being  the  son  of  Samuel  D.  and  Serena  (Ran- 
dall) Newman.  The  father  was  born  July  15, 
1803,  in  Virginia,  and  the  mother  Eebruary 
29,  1804,  in  New  York  state.  The  father, 
Samuel  D.  Newman,  came  to  Blue  Creek, 
Adams  county,  Ohio,  with  his  parents  when  he 
was  about  thirteen  years  of  age,  and  remained 
there  until  he  was  twenty-one,  when  he  bought 
a farm  in  this  county.  When  about  thirty- 
five  years  old  he  engaged  in  the  mercantile 
business  at  Blue  Creek,  Adams  county,  Ohio, 
conducting  a general  store  for  about  thirty-five 
years;  also  operating  a saw  mill  and  grist  mill 
at  the  same  place  during  this  time.  This  en- 
terprising man  was  also  a very  large  land 
owner,  having  at  the  time  of  his  death  1,000 
acres.  Notwithstanding  his  arduous  duties  he 
was  likewise  a minister  for  the  Christian 
church  for  a number  of  years  prior  to  his  death, 
which  occurred  March  26,  1888.  In  politics 
he  was  a democrat  of  the  Jacksonian  school. 
His  worthy  wife,  to  whom  he  was  married  in 
1825,  died  January  30,  1887.  Both  of  them 
were  of  English  descent,  and  were  very  much 
esteemed  by  their  neighbors  and  friends. 

Samuel  J.  Newman  lived  with  his  parents 
until  he  was  twenty-two  years  old,  and  then 
he  engaged  with  his  father  as  an  engineer  in 
the  mill,  working  in  this  capacity  for  two  years; 
then  entered  a store  and  continued  there  as 
clerk  for  the  same  length  of  time.  He  was  then  1 


employed  as  an  engineer  by  William  Wansley 
for  one  year,  then  came  to  Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  and  worked  in  Harrison  township  for 
David  Scott,  his  father-in-law,  for  five  years, 
when  he  bought  the  farm  upon  which  he  now 
lives.  The  marriage  of  our  subject  occurred 
May  4,  1865,  his  wife  being  Melissa  Scott,  who 
was  born  April  28,  1848,  being  the  daughter  of 
David  Scott,  whose  sketch  appears  in  another 
part  of  this  work.  The  children  of  this  mar- 
riage were  nine  in  number,  as  follows:  Mat- 

tie,  born  September  22,  1866,  and  died  Janu- 
ary 28,  1883;  Oscar  C.,  born  March  ii,  1869, 
and  died  October  2,  1876;  Charles  S.,  born 
September  28,  1870,  and  died  December  24, 
1870;  Millard,  born  May  27,  1872;  Walter  S., 
born  November  6,  1876;  S.  Pearl,  born  De- 
cember II,  1878;  Jessie  L. , born  February  9, 
1882;  Cora,  born  August  2,  1883,  and  died 
May  6,  1887,  and  Carrie,  born  May  i,  1887. 

Mr.  Newman  was  brought  up  in  the  demo- 
cratic faith  and  has  adhered  to  the  principles 
of  that  party  ever  since.  He  owns  sixty  acres  of 
fine  land. 


A.  QUICK,  a prominent  farmer  and 
stockgrower  of  Harrison  township,  Del- 
aware county,  was  born  February  8, 
1839,  in  Henry  county,  Ind.  He  is 
the  son  of  John  and  Nancy  (Clary)  Quick;  the 
father  was  born  in  Ohio,  in  April,  1781,  and 
the  mother  was  a native  of  Hamilton  county, 
Ohio.  John  Quick  settled  in  Henry  county, 
Ind.,  in  1827,  and  entered  160  acres  of  land, 
where  he  lived  the  life  of  a pioneer  and 
remained  there  until  1858,  when  he  removed 
to  Madison  county,  and  lived  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  1881.  The  mother,  Mrs, 
Nancy  Quick,  died  in  1843,  and  Mr.  Quick 
married  for  his  second  wife  Miss  Levina 
Heath,  the  daughter  of  Robert  Heath  and  a 
1 native  of  North  Carolina.  They  were  prom- 


590 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


inent  members  of  the  Christian  church.  The 
father  was  an  earnest  republican,  and  always 
voted  the  ticket  of  that  party. 

J.  A.  Quick  dutifully  remained  at  home 
with  his  parents  until  he  was  eighteen  years 
old,  receiving  a common  school  education,  and 
then  became  clerk  in  a store,  following  this 
until  he  was  twenty-one  years  old.  He  then 
engaged  in  farming,  renting  his  father’s  farm 
in  Madison  county,  for  one  year,  and  then 
bought  ninety  acres  in  the  same  county,  on 
which  he  located  and  resided  until  1886,  at 
which  time  he  exchanged  this  farm  for  240 
acres  in  Harrison  township,  where  he  now 
lives,  paying  a difference  of  $2,  500.  At  the 
present  time  he  owns  280  acres,  and  except 
the  time  he  was  employed  in  the  store,  has 
been  a farmer  all  his  life.  He  was  elected 
township  trustee  in  1870,  and  held  the  office 
four  years;  was  again  elected  in  1876,  and 
continued  in  it  until  1880.  Mr.  Quick  is  a re- 
publican, and  one  of  the  most  prominent  men 
in  the  township. 

He  was  married  January  2,  i860,  to  Miss 
Mary  E.  Love,  daughter  of  James  and  Jane 
(Johnson)  Love,  who  were  natives  of  Ireland. 
Her  father  was  born  in  1812,  and  her  mother 
in  1814,  and  they  emigrated  to  this  country  in 
1849,  landing  in  Pittsburg,  Pa.;  remained 
there  a short  time,  and  then  went  to  Lranklin 
county,  Ind. , where  Mr.  Love  engaged  in 
farming  and  renting  land,  and  then  settled  in 
Madison  county.  Mrs.  Love  died,  after  which 
Mr.  Love  lived  with  his  daughter,  Mr.  Quick, 
for  two  years,  when  he  removed  to  Minnesota, 
where  he  resided  the  remainder  of  his  life. 

He  and  wife  were  consistent  members  of 
the  Methodist  church.  Mrs.  Quick  was  born 
January  2,  1837,  3,nd  is  the  mother  of  four 
children,  namely:  Lizzie  Josephine,  deceased; 
John  C.,  a physician  at  Muncie;  Nettie  J.,  a 
teacher,  living  at  home;  James  M.,  a teacher 
of  this  county.  Mr.  Quick  and  wife  are  up- 


right and  worthy  members  of  the  Christian 
church.  He  is  a republican  and  a man  of 
much  influence  in  his  township,  and  this  In- 
fluence is  always  exerted  for  good.  He  is  one 
of  the  progressive  men  of  the  county,  ever 
ready  to  assist  in  all  public  improvements. 


AMES  W.  RICHARDSON  is  one  of 
the  oldest  pioneers  and  prominent  citi- 
zens of  Harrison  township.  He  was 
born  December  7,  1815,  in  Erie  county, 
N.  Y.,  in  sight  of  the  old  Lillmore  place, 
where  ex-President  Lillmore  was  born.  The 
parents  of  James  W.  were  John  and  Sukey 
(Washburn)  Richardson,  the  father  of  Welsh 
descent  and  a native  of  Maine,  and  the  mother 
of  the  same  state  but  of  Scotch  descent. 
They  both  came  with  their  parents  to  Wood- 
stock,  Vermont,  when  quite  young.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Richardson  remained  with  their  parents 
until  1814,  and  then  came  to  Erie  county, 
N.  Y. , where  the  father  engaged  in  shoe- 
making (having  learned  the  trade  when  a boy), 
also  in  farming,  and  later  purchased  100  acres 
of  land.  He  sold  this  in  1835,  and  came  to 
Delaware  county,  settling  near  Smithfield. 
Here  he  bought  i 20  acres  of  land,  on  which  he 
lived  until  the  death  of  his  wife,  which  oc- 
curred five  years  later.  He  was  married 
soon  after  to  Jane  Blunt,  the  widow  of  William 
Blunt,  who  lived  only  a couple  of  years  after 
her  marriage.  His  father  died  on  White 
River,  in  this  county. 

James  W.  Richardson  remained  with  his 
parents  until  he  was  eighteen  years  of  age, 
and  then  went  to  Canada,  where  he  worked 
for  two  years  on  a farm,  and  then  went  to 
Michigan,  settling  near  Ann  Arbor.  Here  he 
learned  the  carpenter's  trade  with  Calvin  T. 
Lillmore,  the  brother  of  ex-President  Lillmore. 
Mr.  Richardson  remained  here  for  about  two 


HARRISON  TOWNSHIP. 


591 


years  and  then  went  to  a place  in  Illinois, 
which  was  about  twenty-seven  miles  northwest 
of  Chicago,  working  in  a saw  mill  for  eighteen 
months.  From  there  he  removed  to  Delaware 
county,  Ind. , remaining  until  spring,  and  then 
went  to  Marion  county,  where  he  worked  on  a 
farm  for  one  year  at  ten  dollars  per  month. 
Mr.  Richardson  then  worked  on  th©  Mississip- 
pi river  for  three  years,  beginning  as  a common 
hand,  but  in  two  years  acting  as  captain  of 
the  boat.  Tiring  of  this  life,  he  returned  to 
Harrison  township,  where  he  was  married 
August  28,  1841,  to  Miss  Lilly  Blunt,  who 
was  born  in  Randolph  county,  Ind.,  May  2, 
1820,  being  the  daughter  of  William  and  Jane 
(Barnes)  Blunt.  They  were  both  natives  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  came  to  Harrison  township 
when  they  were  about  twenty  years  of  age. 
Mrs.  Richardson's  parents  built  the  first  cabin 
in  Delaware  county  in  1818  and  settled  there, 
when  their  only  neighbors  were  the  Indians, 
and  their  daughter  Lilly’s  only  playmates  were 
the  little  Indian  maidens.  Mr.  Blunt  died  and 
then  Mrs.  Blunt  married  our  subject’s  father. 

James  W.  Richardson,  after  his  marriage, 
rented  a farm  and  worked  this  for  six  years. 
He  then  bought  twenty-seven  acres  (which  are 
now  included  in  his  present  farm),  the  land 
being  in  its  primitive  state.  On  this  tract  of 
land  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Richardson  began  their 
housekeeping,  carrying  all  of  their  goods  to  the 
cabin  in  one  trip.  This  couple  saw  many 
hardships,  as  only  the  early  pioneer  can  tell 
anything  about,  but  they  were  industrious  and 
economical,  and  as  a result  of  their  labor  they 
have  a fine  home.  Mr.  Richardson  received  a 
present  of  $250  from  his  father,  with  which  he 
bought  land,  continuing  until  he  had  ninety 
acres,  later  trading  it  for  ninety  acres  in  a dif- 
ferent location  with  a Mr.  Corry.  He  soon 
sold  this  for  $1,600,  and  bought  160  acres  for 
$1,200.  On  this  land  Mr.  Richardson  lived  for 
thirty  years,  and  then  bought  100  acres  of  as 


fine  land  as  in  the  county,  included  in  which 
was  the  twenty-seven  acres  he  had  first  settled 
on.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Richardson  are  both  attend- 
ants of  the  Christian  church,  of  which  Mrs. 
Richardson  has  been  a devoted  member  ever 
since  she  was  eighteen  years  of  age.  Politi- 
cally, Mr.  Richardson  is  an  independent. 


AVID  SCOTT. — Among  the  many 
land  owners  and  fine  agriculturists  of 
Delaware  county,  Ind.,  is  David 
Scott,  who  was  born  in  Adams 
county,  Ohio,  December  18,  1820,  a son  of 
James  and  Agnes  (Young)  Scott,  the  former  of 
Pennsylvania.  In  that  state  James  Scott  grew 
to  manhood,  engaged  in  farming  and  also 
followed  the  trade  of  stone  mason,  but  while  a 
young  man  emigrated  to  Adams  county,  Ohio, 
seeking  a better  condition.  He  remained  in 
the  latter  state  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
in  1847, 

David  Scott  lived  with  his  parents  until 
the  time  of  his  marriage,  having  grown  up  a 
farmer,  and  being  employed  at  various  jobs  of 
work  that  came  under  his  notice.  He  then 
learned  the  blacksmith  trade  in  1847,  and 
worked  at  the  same  until  1865  when  he  came 
to  Indiana  and  located  on  his  present  farm, 
where  he  has  since  remained,  engaged  in  farm- 
ing, in  connection  with  his  trade,  which  has 
always  been  a lucrative  one.  He  now  owns 
120  acres  of  land,  forty  of  which  are  covered 
with  valuable  timber.  The  marriage  of  Mr. 
Scott  took  place  in  1843,  Miss  Sarah  Ham, 
born  July  9,  1825,  daughter  of  Isaac  and 

Elizabeth  (Anderson)  Ham,  he  a native  of 
Maine  and  she  of  Adams  county,  Ohio,  the 
father,  by  occupation,  a farmer  and  blacksmith. 
Mr.  Ham  lived  in  Ohio  until  1844  and  then 
moved  to  Illinois,  where  he  died  in  1887;  the 
mother  of  Mrs.  Scott  dying  in  1850.  Mr. 


592 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


Scott  and  wife  have  had  five  children,  as  fol- 
lows: Lee,  who  married  Elizabeth  Piles; 

Isaac  M. , deceased;  Malissa,  wife  of  Samuel  J. 
Newman;  Marsha  Alice,  wife  of  James  M. 
Hartley;  and  Tabitha,  wife  of  James  Eber. 
Mr.  Scott  is  a stanch  democrat  and  has  testi- 
fied to  his  social  instincts  by  becoming  a mem- 
ber of  the  Muncie  lodge  of  Odd  Eellows,  No. 
74.  The  family  is  one  much  esteemed  in  this 
neighborhood,  where  they  are  best  known. 
Kind  neighbors  and  good  citizens  all  wish  them 
well. 


OHN  SIMPSON. — Among  those  brave 
patriots  who  promptly  responded  to  the 
call  of  duty  in  the  late  war  occurs  the 
name  of  John  Simpson,  one  of  the 
prominet  farmer  residents  of  Harrison  town- 
ship. Mr.  Simpson  was  born  in  1839,  nine 
miles  north  of  the  city  of  Richmond,  Wayne 
county,  Ind.,  son  of  Henry  and  Polly  Ann 
(Woods)  Simpson.  Henry  Simpson  was  a 
native  of  North  Carolina  and  came  to  Indiana, 
when  a boy  of  nine  years,  with  his  parents, 
with  whom  he  remained  until  he  attained  his 
majority,  when  he  learned  the  plasterer’s  trade. 
In  addition  to  this  calling  he  was  an  engineer, 
and  followed  these  two  trades  throughout  his 
life.  Both  he  and  his  estimable  wife  died 
about  the  year  1861.  They  were  the  parents 
of  eight  children,  four  of  whom  are  still  living. 

John  Simpson,  at  the  age  of  twenty-one, 
in  1861,  enlisted  in  company  B,  One  Hundred 
and  Forty-seventh  Indiana  volunteer  infantry, 
for  three  months.  At  the  expiration  of  his 
term  of  service,  he  re-enlisted  for  one  year  or 
during  the  war,  and  saw  some  eight  months’ 
service  in  all.  On  account  of  injuries  received 
during  the  war,  he  now  receives  a pension  of 
$20  dollars  per  month.  Until  becoming  of 
age  Mr.  Simpson  resided  with  his  parents,  but 
after  his  return  from  the  war  began  life  for 


himself,  and  now  is  the  fortunate  possessor  of 
172  acres  of  land,  all  well  improved. 

The  first  marriage  of  Mr.  Simpson  occur- 
red in  1872,  with  Miss  Betsy  Lenox,  a daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Nancy  Lenox,  the  former  of 
whom  came  to  this  county  at  an  early  date, 
almost  penniless,  but  by  hard  and  patient  in- 
dustry he  accumulated  property,  and  at  the 
time  of  his  death  owned  some  470  acres  of 
finely  cultivated  land.  Mrs.  Simpson  died  in 
1877,  leaving  two  children:  Borter,  married 
to  Nora  Hudson,  and  Jane,  wife  of  Elmer 
Reece.  Mr.  Simpson  married  in  1878,  his 
second  wife  being  Harriet  Reynolds,  a native 
of  Indiana,  born  June  4,  1857,  daughter  of 
Breckenridge  and  Ellen  Reynolds,  natives  of 
Virginia.  Mr.  Reynolds  came  to  Indiana  at 
an  early  date,  settling  near  Muncie.  Although 
he  possessed  nothing  at  the  time  of  his  location 
here,  at  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  the 
owner  of  1,300  acres  of  good  land,  well  im- 
proved. His  death  occurred  in  1887,  his  wife 
having  preceded  him  to  the  grave  in  1865. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Simpson  have  one  child,  Addie, 
at  home.  Mr.  Simpson  enjoys  the  respect 
and  esteem  of  his  fellow  citizens  and  is  regard- 
ed as  one  of  the  substantial  farmers  of  this 
region  of  country. 


AVID  L.  TROWBRIDGE,  M.  D.— 
The  duties  imposed  upon  a physician 
are  very  arduous,  and  oftentimes  he 
is  taxed  beyond  his  strength  in  com- 
plying with  all  the  demands  made  upon  his 
time  and  skill.  David  L.  Trowbridge,  M.  D., 
of  Harrison  tqwnship,  belongs  to  this  class, 
and  many  there  are  throughout  the  county  who 
can  testify  to  his  patience  and  skill  in  times  of 
sickness.  Dr.  Trowbridge  was  born  in  Boone 
county,  Ky. , February  4,  1834,  a son  of  Joseph 
and  Ruama  (Riley)  Trowbridge. 


DR.  DAVID  TROWBRIDGE. 


HARRISON  TOWNSHIP. 


598 


The  doctor  remained  with  his  parents  until 
he  attained  his  majority,  his  boyhood  days 
being  spent  upon  the  farm.  When  he  became 
of  age  he  engaged  in  farming  in  Henry  county 
on  a small  tract,  but  in  a few  years  he  sold 
this  place  and  removed  to  Bluntsville,  where  he 
became  interested  in  a saw  mill,  which  he  con- 
tinued to  operate  until  its  destruction  by  fire 
about  one  year  later.  This  left  him  with  but 
little  money,  but  he  rebuilt  the  mill  and  con- 
tinued the  business  for  some  nine  years.  About 
the  time  of  the  burning  of  the  mill,  he  began 
the  study  of  medicine,  also  practicing  a little 
among  the  neighbors,  in  1867,  in  Randolph 
county.  In  1868,  he  changed  his  location  to 
Cowan,  Delaware  county,  where  he  remained 
until  1881,  at  which  time  he  located  in  Muncie, 
remaining  in  that  city  until  1885,  when  he 
bought  a small  farm  in  Harrison  township, 
upon  which  he  lived  until  1892.  In  the  latter 
year  he  sold  the  farm  with  the  intention  of 
again  locating  in  Muncie,  but  afterward  pur- 
chased another  farm  located  in  Harrison  town- 
ship, where  he  now  makes  his  home.  In  addi- 
tion to  his  agricultural  interests,  Mr.  Trow- 
bridge makes  chronic  diseases  a specialty  and 
also  pursues  a general  practice. 

Dr.  Trowbridge  has  been  married  twice, 
his  first  wife  having  been  Miss  Rebecca  Stout, 
of  Henry  county,  Ind.,  born  in  1837,  daughter 
of  Elijah  and  Sallie  (Williams)  Stout,  natives 
of  Ohio.  Mrs.  Trowbridge  died  in  1876  after 
bearing  her  husband  the  following  children: 
Alice  V.,  wife  of  Emerson  Case;  Sallie  R. , 
wife  of  Smith  Childs,  deputy  sheriff  of  Dela- 
ware county;  Rosella  E.,  wife  of  John  W. 
McKinley;  William  B. ; Merrit  E.  and  Ernest, 
both  deceased.  The  first  wife  was  a member 
of  the  Christian  church.  In  1878  Dr.  Trow- 
bridge married  again,  his  second  wife  being 
Amanda  Clevenger,  born  March  14,  1857,  in 
Delaware  county,  Ind.,  daughter  of  Job  and 
Elizabeth  (Bower)  Clevenger,  natives  of  Ohio. 


Three  children  have  been  born  of  this  marriage, 
namely:  Jesse,  deceased.  Barton  W.  and 

Laurel  May  and  an  infant  unnamed.  Both 
the  Doctor  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Chris- 
tian church,  in  which  body  they  are  prominent 
factors.  In  politics  Dr.  Trowbridge  was  a re- 
publican until  a few  years  since,  when  he 
identified  himself  with  the  peoples’  party.  At 
the  last  election  he  was  the  nominee  for  repre- 
sentative to  the  national  assembly  and  was 
also  endorsed  by  the  democratic  party. 

Rev.  Joseph  Trowbridge,  the  father  of 
Dr.  Trowbridge,  was  born  in  New  Jersey  and 
died  in  the  city  of  Muncie,  Ind.,  in  1884,  at 
eighty-six  years  of  age.  He  was  a farmer  and 
minister.  He  began  preaching  at  twenty-one 
years  of  age  and  continued  until  his  death,  a 
minister  of  the  Christian  church.  The  mother 
of  Dr.  Trowbridge  was  also  born  in  New  Jer- 
sey, in  1818,  and  is  now  living  with  her  son 
David.  The  family  came  originally  from  Eng- 
land and  settled,  first,  on  Long  Island,  N.  Y. , 
prior  to  the  Revolutionary  war,  then  went  to 
New  Jersey,  then  to  New  York  and  later  to 
Ohio. 


OHN  UNDERWOOD,  a well  known 
farmer  and  good  citizen  of  Harrison 
township,  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 
He  was  born  January  27,  1827,  in 

Jefferson  county,  Ind  , a son  of  James  and 
Nancy  (Ray)  Underwood,  the  former  a native 
of  Virginia  and  the  latter  of  Jefferson  county, 
Ind.  He  came  to  the  latter  county  at  an 
early  day  and  lived  there  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  1839,  and  that  of  his  wife 
in  1834.  Both  were  members  of  the  Presby- 
terian church,  and  good  and  worthy  people. 
Mr.  Underwood  made  a success  of  his  farming- 

O ’ 

owning,  at  the  time  of  his  death  160  acres  of 
fine  land.  John  Underwood  lived  with  his 
parents  until  he  was  twelve  years  of  age,  then 


594 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


he  went  to  reside  with  his  brother  for  two 
years,  and  then  with  a Mr.  Camon,  where  he 
lived  until  the  time  of  his  marriage,  in  1849, 
with  a Miss  Nancy  Himelick,  who  was  born 
April  8,  1833,  and  died  April  4,  1881.  Her 
parents  died  when  she  was  young  and  she 
knew  but  little  of  them. 

Mr.  Underwood  rented  land  until  1866, 
when  he  bought  fifty-five  acres  in  Jennings 
county  and  remained  upon  it  for  a few  years 


and  then  moved  to  Madison  county,  where  he 
bought  forty  acres.  He  remained  there 
twelve  years  and  then  came  to  this  county, 
purchasing  forty-five  acres,  upon  which  he 
now  resides.  Mr.  Underwood’s  family  con- 
sists of  the  following  children;  Samantha 
Jane,  Elizabeth  Ann,  Mary  Catherine,  Cyn- 
thia Ellen,  Sarah  Alice  and  George  W.  His 
wife  was  a member  of  the  Dunkard  church, 
and  a most  estimable  lady. 


LIBgRTY  TOWNSHIP. 


R.  ALONZO  H.  GOOD.— Perhaps 
there  is  no  broader  field  for  a man  to 
become  familiar  with  all  phases  of 
human  life  than  that  of  a physician. 
Among  those  well  known  and  appreciated  in 
Liberty  township,  Delaware  county,  Ind. , is 
the  subject  of  this  biographical  sketch.  Dr. 
Good  was  born  in  Wayne  county,  Ind.,  Sep- 
tember 22,  1843,  son  of  John  W.  and  Mornin 
(Howell)  Good,  natives  respectively  of  Penn- 
sylvania and  Indiana.  The  father  settled  in 
Wayne  county  about  1832,  and  still  resides 
there.  He  is  an  active  member  of  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  church,  is  prominent  in  the 
Masonic  order,  and  is  regarded  as  one  of  the 
best  citizens  of  the  county.  Dr.  Good  is  one 
of  a family  of  two  children.  He  received  his 
early  education  in  the  common  schools  of  his 
native  county,  and  in  1862,  entered  his 
country’s  service  by  enlisting  in  company  D, 
Sixty-ninth  Indiana  volunteer  infantry.  In  the 
first  engagement  in  which  his  regiment  took 
part,  at  Richmond,  Ky.,  on  the  30th  of  August, 
1862,  he  was  wounded  and  taken  prisoner, 
which  occurred  about  eighteen  days  after  his 
enlistment.  He  was  paroled  on  the  field  of 


battle  and  sent  to  Paoli  camp  at  Richmond, 
Ind.,  where  he  remained  until  he  was  ex- 
I changed,  some  two  months  afterward.  On  his 
return  south  with  his  regiment,  he  contracted 
the  measles  at  Indianapolis,  which,  together 
with  cold  from  exposure,  caused  him  to  be 
again  ordered  to  the  hospital,  where  he  was 
dangerously  ill  for  several  weeks;  upon  his 
partial  recovery  he  was  offered  a discharge,  the 
surgeons  saying  that  on  account  of  the  solidifi- 
cation of  his  lungs,  and  loss  of  voice,  conse- 
quent upon  his  disease,  he  would  be  unfit  for 
further  service;  but  the  doctor’s  patriotism, 
which  was  strong,  and  his  wish  to  be  of  further 
use  to  his  country  was  such  that  he  refused  to 
accept  it.  He  was  then  assigned  to  detached 
service,  in  capacity  of  clerk  for  Gen.  William 
Hanaman,  sanitary  agent  for  the  state  of  In- 
diana, in  which  capacity  he  made  several  trips 
to  Washington,  D.  C. , and  several  points 
south,  in  the  interests  and  care  of  the  Indiana 
troops,  under  the  direction  of  the  celebrated 
war  governor,  O.  P.  Morton.  Afterward  he 
was  placed  on  duty  with  Capt.  (afterward 
Col.)  Prank  Wilcox,  and  several  of  his  success- 
ors. During  this  time  he  was  offered  a com- 


DR.  A.  H.  GOOD 


LIBERTY  TOWNSHIP. 


597 


mission  by  Gov.  Morton  as  major  in  the  Nine- 
teenth Indiana  cavalry,  which  position  he  de- 
clined, as  his  physical  condition  was  such  that 
he  was  unable  to  go  into  active  service.  In 
1864,  he  was  transferred  to  the  Ninety-fourth 
company  V.  R.  C. , in  which  corps  he  served 
until  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  service, 
when  he  was  mustered  out  as  first  sergeant  of 
the  Twentieth  company  Second  battalion  V. 
R.  C. 

Prior  to  his  enlistment  the  doctor  engaged 
in  the  study  of  medicine  and  was  kept  much 
of  the  time  in  the  medical  department  of  the 
army,  and  was  from  time  to  time,  in  the  ab- 
sence of  the  commander,  in  charge  of  the 
soldiers’  home  in  Indianapolis.  Upon  his 
return  to  Wayne  county,  he  completed  his 
medical  studies  under  the  able  instruction  of 
Drs.  P.  H.  Jamison,  of  Indianapolis,  and 
J.  B.  Clark,  of  Economy,  Ind.  In  1867  he 
commenced  practice  in  Bloomingsport,  Ind., 
and  continued  there  for  fourteen  years,  and  in 
1880,  located  at  Selma,  where  he  has  since 
enjoyed  a large  and  lucrative  practice.  He 
has  many  of  the  gifts  which  go  so  far  to  make 
a successful  physician,  for  nothing  is  truer 
than  that  in  many  cases  of  illness  the  adminis- 
tration of  medicine  is  the  least  part  of  a 
physician’s  art  of  curing. 

Dr.  Good  is  a member  of  the  Delaware  coun- 
ty Medical  society  and  has  been  called  upon  to 
fill  many  of  the  offices  of  this  body.  He  also 
is  a member  of  the  Indiana  State  Medical 
society  and  the  American  association.  In  the 
District  Medical  association  he  has  been  chair- 
man and  secretary  and  is  noted  for  his  skill 
and  wise  manner  of  treating  difficult  cases. 
Dr.  Good  is  a member  of  Gol.  S.  J.  Williams 
post.  No.  267,  G.  A.  R.  of  Selma;  a member 
of  Selma  lodge.  No.  189,  I.  O.  O.  F. , and 
also  of  Selma  encampment.  He  has  found 
time  from  his  labors  and  studies  to  acquaint 
himself  with  business  interests,  and  is  a char- 


ter member,  a director  and  treasurer  of  the 
Citizens’  Land,  Gas  and  Improvement  com- 
pany of  Selma,  Ind. 

Dr.  Good  was  married  in  1866,  at  Econ- 
omy, Ind.,  to  Miss  Nannie,  daughter  of 
Charles  Green,  of  Ohio.  Mrs.  Good  died  in 
1878,  leaving  four  children,  who  are  named  as 
follows:  Magnolia  G. , the  wife  of  Homer  K. 
Lewis;  John  B.,  deceased;  Lillian  M.  and 
Edna  L.  In  1879  Dr.  Good  married  Miss 
Sadie  Personette,  daughter  of  Dr.  L.  D. 
Personette,  of  Wayne  county,  Ind.  In 

his  political  faith,  the  doctor  is  a stanch 
republican,  and  was  appointed  pension 

examiner  by  President  Harrison,  and  is  a 
member  of  the  board  of  health  of  Delaware 
county.  His  family  are  members  of  the  Meth- 
odist church  and  are  among  the  most  respected 
residents  of  the  county. 


ENON  FAMILY.— The  biographer 
takes  pleasure  in  mentioning,  among 
the  prominent  families  of  Liberty 
township,  Delaware  county,  Ind. , the 
Lenon  family,  which  has  been  prominenty 
identified  with  the  interests  of  the  county  for 
many  years.  Peter  Lenon  was  born  near 
Lima,  Ohio,  in  1820.  He  was  reared  a farm- 
er, and  when  yet  a young  man,  came  to  Indi- 
ana, locating  in  Delaware  county,  and 
purchasing  land  in  Perry  towmship,  consisting 
of  a tract  of  160  acres.  This  he  improved, 
and  subsequently  purchased  a tract  of  320 
acres,  where  his  two  sons,  Orrin  S.  and  Alonzo 
R. , now  reside  and  where  he  lived  until  his 
death  in  1881.  He  married  Miss  Ann  Jane 
Stanley,  of  Indiana,  who  survives  him  and  re- 
sides in  Liberty  township.  By  this  union  they 
became  the  parents  of  five  children;  George  L. , 
James  M.,  Walter,  deceased,  Orrin  S.  and 
Alonzo  R.  In  his  political  views,  Mr.  Lenon 


*>;■ 


-iP. 


LIBERTY  TOWNSHIP. 


599 


Mass.  The  second  Mrs.  Lewis  was  Mrs.  Eliza 
Mix,  who  died  in  1854,  by  whom  he  had  a 
family  of  three  children:  Cornelia  A.,  the  wife 
of  Frank  M.  Brown,  of  Lafayette,  Ind. ; Mary 
L. , the  wife  of  George  Denny,  of  Dayton, 
Ohio,  and  Lorinda,  the  wife  of  John  L.  Moore, 
of  Indianapolis,  Ind.  The  third  Mrs.  Lewis 
was  Miss  Margaret  Dynes,  whose  death  oc- 
curred in  1865,  and  the  present  Mrs.  Lewis 
was  Miss  Mary  S.,  the  daughter  of  Conrad 
Kurtz,  of  Greene  county,  Ohio.  She  survives 
her  lamented  husband  and  resides  on  the  old 
homestead,  a fine  property  of  387  acres  of  land 
in  a high  state  of  cultivation,  and  a commodi- 
ous residence  erected  by  Mr.  Lewis  thirty  years 
ago.  By  this  marriage  two  children  were  born, 
Homer  R.  and  Harriet. 

Mr.  William  Lewis  ended  his  life  of  useful- 
ness on  the  26th  of  January,  1892,  having  been 
an  invalid  for  the  greater  part  of  his  life,  not- 
withstanding which  he  was  a man  of  very 
active  habits  of  life.  The  immediate  cause  of 
his  death  was  la  grippe,  followed  by  pneumo- 
nia, which  ended  his  life  after  a short  illness  of 
a week.  Miss  Harriet  Lewis  was  born  Octo- 
ber 3,  1868,  at  Hartford,  Conn.  She  was 
educated  in  the  common  schools,  the  high 
school  at  Selma,  and  later  took  a course  of 
study  in  the  Conservatory  of  Music  at  Chicago. 
She  was  married  at  her  home  June  i,  1893,  to 
Dr.  E.  D.  Clark,  of  Economy,  Wayne  county, 
Ind.,  where  he  is  engaged  in  practice  with  his 
father,  who  has  been  in  practice  in  this  locality 
all  his  life.  The  family  is  an  old  and  promi- 
nent one  in  Wayne  county.  Dr.  E.  D.  Clark  is 
a graduate  of  Bellevue  college  hospital  of  New 
York,  and  is  highly  regarded  as  an  able  and 
competent  physician. 

Homer  Lewis  was  born  at  the  family  home- 
stead, in  Liberty  township,  Ind.,  July  19,  1866, 
and  was  educated  in  the  common  schools.  He 
now  resides  on  the  old  place  and  attends  to  the 
great  farming  interests  of  the  extensive  estate 


left  by  his  father.  In  1891  he  was  married  to 
Miss  Magnolia,  the  daughter  of  Dr.  A.  H. 
Good,  whose  sketch  is  presented  in  this  vol- 
ume. Politically  he  is  a republican,  and  is  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 
The  family  is  one  well  known  and  highly  es- 
teemed in  the  county,  and  has  been  prominent 
in  the  affairs  of  Liberty  township. 


ILLIAM  JACKSON  MOORE.— Few 
of  the  early  settlers  of  Delaware 
county  were  as  widely  and  favorably 
known  as  the  late  William  Jackson 
Moore,  a brief  epitome  of  whose  life  is  here- 
with presented.  Mr.  Mooi'e  was  an  Ohioan 
by  birth  and  a descendant  of  a sturdy  Scotch 
family,  a number  of  the  representatives  of 
which  became  residents  of  the  New  England 
states  at  an  early  period  of  the  country’s  his- 
tory. The  parents,  John  and  Nancy  (Jackson) 
Moore,  moved  from  their  New  England  home 
to  Ohio  many  years  ago,  settling  in  the  county 
of  Scioto,  where  the  birth  of  William  J.  occur- 
ed  on  the  14th  day  of  June,  1813.  The  sub- 
ject was  reared  a farmer,  received  a common 
school  education,  and  on  arriving  at  man- 
hood’s estate  began  the  pursuit  of  agriculture, 
to  which  he  devoted  his  attention  until  his 
thirty-ninth  year.  In  early  manhood  he  ac- 
companied his  parents  to  Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  locating  about  three  and  one-half  miles 
east  of  Muncie,  in  the  townsihp  of  Centre, 
where  the  mother  died  in  1838,  and  the  father 
in  1 840. 

After  the  death  of  his  father,  Mr.  Moore 
settled  the  estate,  and  continued  farming  until 
1852,  at  which  time  he  erected  a large  saw 
mill  at  the  town  of  Selma,  Ind.,  and  engaged 
in  the  manufacture  of  lumber.  Subsequently, 
he  opened  a general  mercantile  business  in 
Selma,  and  was  also  engaged  for  some  time  as 


600 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


carpenter  and  builder,  his  skill  as  a mechanic 
having  been  utilized  in  the  erection  of  a num- 
ber of  dwellings  and  other  buildings  in  various 
parts  of  Delaware  county.  Shortly  after 
moving  to  Delaware  county,  Mr.  Moore  was 
employed  as  a teacher  at  Selma  and  did  much 
toward  awakening  an  interest  in  matters  edu- 
cational. Mr.  Moore  was  married  August  13, 
1835,  to  Miss  Sarah  Wilcoxon,  daughter  of 
Lloyd  Wilcoxon,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of 
Delaware  county,  and  a family  of  four  sons 
and  four  daughters  were  the  fruits  of  the  union: 
their  names  are  as  follows:  Louisa,  widow  of 

Dr.  Clark  Skiff;  Asbury,  a cabinet  maker  of 
Bellefontaine,  Ohio;  John  L. , wholesale  mer- 
chant of  Indianapolis;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Henry 
Burt;  William  R.,  secretary  of  the  Delaware 
County  Building,  Saving  & Loan  association 
of  Muncie;  Charles  R.,  dealer  in  boots  and 
shoes,  Winchester,  Ind.  ; Sarah  A.,  and  Cyn- 
thia E.,  wife  of  John  Clark,  of  Selma. 

In  many  respects  Mr.  Moore  was  much 
more  than  an  ordinary  man,  and  to  him  is  the 
township  of  which  he  was  an  honored  resident 
for  so  many  years  greatly  indebted  for  much 
of  its  present  prosperity.  He  took  an  active 
and  prominent  part  in  the  building  of  the  Big 
Four  railroad  through  Delaware  county,  and  as 
local  agent  of  the  same  at  Salem  was  instru- 
mental in  developing  a large  business  at  that 
village  and  making  it  one  of  the  best  trading 
points  in  the  county.  His  intelligence  and 
superior  business  qualifications  made  him  a 
very  useful  man  in  the  community,  and  he  was 
frequently  consulted  in  the  settlement  of  es- 
tates. He  served  as  justice  of  the  peace  for 
several  terms  and  proved  a model  dispenser  of 
justice.  In  early  life  he  united  with  the 
Methodist  church,  of  which  he  was  an  honored 
and  consistent  communicant  for  over  a half- 
century — his  wife  and  the  majority  of  his 
family  also  belonging  to  the  same  denomina- 
tion. Fraternally  he  was  a member  of  the 


Masonic  and  Odd  Fellows  orders,  the  princi- 
ples of  which  he  exemplified  in  his  every  day 
life  and  conversation.  He  departed  this  life 
on  the  1st  day  of  September,  1893,  at  the 
ripe  old  age  of  eighty  years.  His  wife,  who 
had  been  his  faithful  helpmate  for  so  many 
years,  preceded  her  husband  to  the  grave  Jan- 
uary 12,  1893,  at  the  age  of  seventy-six. 


a 


^APT.  WILLIAM  H.  MURRAY,  ex- 
auditor of  Delaware  county,  is  the 
second  son  of  Cornelius  B.  and  Lu- 
cinda (Burroughs)  Murray.  The  father 
is  a native  of  Westmoreland  county.  Pa.,  and 
the  mother  was  born  near  the  town  of  Pendle- 
ton, Madison  county,  Ind.  Cornelius  and  Lu- 
cinda Murray  were  married  in  the  year  1836, 
in  the  county  of  Randolph,  Ind.,  to  which  part 
of  the  state  Mrs.  Murray’s  parents  had  previ- 
ously removed.  About  two  years  later  (1838) 
they  settled  upon  a farm  near  Blountsville, 
Henry  county,  wdiere,  on  the  i ith  day  of  Janu- 
ary, 1840,  William  H.  Murray  was  born. 
Mrs.  Murray  departed  this  life  in  1873,  after 
which  Cornelius  B.  Murray  moved  to  Hagers- 
town, Wayne  county,  where  he  still  lives, 
aged  eighty-two  years. 

William  Murray,  grandfather  of  Capt.  Will- 
iam H.,  was  of  Irish  parentage  and  a native  of 
Pennsylvania.  His  father,  great-grandfather 
of  William  H.,  was  a native  of  Ireland,  came 
to  America  in  the  time  of  the  colonies  and 
fought  valiantly  in  the  struggle  for  American 
independence.  William  H.  Murray  was  reared 
upon  the  home  farm  near  Blountsville  up  to 
eighteen  years  of  age,  receiving  the  educational 
advantages  afforded  by  the  common  schools  of 
that  period.  His  father  having  given  him 
freedom  to  do  for  himself  at  the  above  age,  he 
first  sought  higher  educational  attainments 
with  the  object  of  entering  the  teacher’s  pro- 


LIBERTY  TOWNSHIP. 


601 


fession  in  view.  For  some  time  he  was  a stu- 
dent in  the  Blountsville  academy,  where  he 
pursued  his  studies  until  the  breaking  out  of 
the  rebellion,  at  which  time,  in  i86i,  July  14, 
he  laid  aside  his  books  and  entered  the  service 
of  his  country  as  a member  of  company  K, 
Nineteenth  Indiana  volunteers,  with  which  he 
served  during  the  war,  re-enlisting  January  i, 
1864.  Entering  the  army  as  a private  and 
passing  up  through  the  various  grades  of  non- 
commissioned officers,  Mr.  Murray,  on  the  2d 
of  July,  1863,  was  promoted  second  lieutenant 
of  his  company  for  gallant  conduct  at  the  bat- 
tle of  Gettysburg,  and  the  following  year  was 
commissioned  a first  lieutenant.  By  reason, 
however,  of  his  regiment  consolidating  with 
the  Twentieth  Indiana  volunteers,  he  was 
never  mustered  in  with  said  rank- of  first  lieu- 
tenant, but  at  the  close  of  the  war  he  received 
a commission  as  brevet  captain  from  Gov. 
Morton,  of  Indiana. 

It  would  far  transcend  the  limits  of  a sketch 
of  this  kind  to  give  in  detail  an  account  of 
Capt.  Murray’s  military  career,  as  he  saw 
much  active  service  and  participated  in  some 
of  the  bloodiest  battles  of  the  war,  among 
which  may  be  mentioned  Lewinsville,  Rappa- 
hanock  Station,  Second  battle  of  Manassas  or 
Bull  Run,  and  South  Mountain.  In  the 
engagement  last  named  he  was  dangerously 
wounded  in  both  hips  by  a minie  ball,  disabling 
him  to  such  an  extent  that  he  was  compelled 
to  remain  for  two  months  at  the  hospital  at 
Middletown,  Md.  As  soon  as  he  was  able  to 
travel,  he  returned  home,  but  after  a short 
time  rejoined  his  command  in  time  to  take 
part  in  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg,  fought  on 
the  1 2th  and  13th  days  of  December,  1862. 
Subsequently,  on  account  of  his  wound,  he 
was  placed  on  detached  duty  until  more  fully 
recovered,  serving  as  clerk  in  the  quarter- 
master department,  in  preference  to  again 
entering  the  hospital.  Hero-like,  and  without 


being  reported  for  duty  to  his  company,  and 
w'ith  a musket  borrowed  from  a disabled  sol- 
dier, he  voluntarily  rejoined  his  regiment  to 
help  fight  the  great  battle  of  Gettysburg,  in 
which  he  took  part  from  the  firing  of  the  first 
gun  until  the  retreat  of  the  enemy,  displaying 
such  praiseworthy  conduct  that  at  the  instance 
of  his  lieutenant.  Col.  W.  W.  Dudley,  he  re- 
ceived his  first  promotion,  as  above  noted,  of 
second  lieutenant.  Subsequently  he  accom- 
panied his  command  throughout  the  opera- 
tions of  the  army,  took  part  in  a number  of 
engagements,  including  the  battle  of  the 
i Wilderness,  w'here  he  was  again  severely 
i wounded  in  the  right  leg  on  the  first  day  of 
that  terrible  conflict.  May  5,  1864.  Having 
been  removed  to  Washington  on  account  of 
his  wound,  he  was  furloughed  home  for  sixty 
days,  and  at  the  expiration  of  that  time  was 
granted  an  extension.  Finally  recovering  suf- 
j ficiently,  he  returned  to  the  front,  joined 
j his  command  near  Yellow  Tavern,  and 
took  part  in  the  siege  of  Petersburg.  He 
I remained  at  his  post  until  September  14,  1864, 
when,  by  reason  of  physical  disability  caused 
by  his  various  wounds,  he  was  honorably  dis- 
! charged  from  the  service.  Returning  home, 
i he  settled  in  Selma.  Delaware  county,  and  on 
i February  16,  1865,  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Maggie  Orr,  daughter  of  Hon.  James  Orr, 
of  Liberty  towmship,  alternately  pursuing  the 
vocations  of  farming  and  teaching  in  the  pub- 
lic scools  until  April,  1870,  when  he  engaged 
j in  the  mercantile  business  at  the  town  of 
Selma,  where  he  conducted  a very  successful 
business  until  October,  1878,  at  which  time  he 
he  was  elected  auditor  of  Delaware  county, 
discharging  the  duties  of  that  position  in  a 
highly  creditable  manner  for  a period  of  four 
years.  At  this  time  Capt.  Murray  is  living  a 
life  of  retirement  on  his  beautiful  farm  in  Lib- 
erty township.  He  still  owns  business  prop- 
erty in  Selma  and  Muncie,  and  his  life  has 


602 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


been  one  of  great  activity.  In  the  language  of 
another,  the  following  is  a brief  statement  of 
his  standing  in  the  community  since  earl}'  boy- 
hood: “An  industrious,  studious  boy;  an 

ambitious,  self  educated  youth;  a patriotic, 
valiant  soldier;  an  earnest,  successful  man  of 
business,  an  efficient,  faithful  servant  of  the 
public;  liberal  and  enterprising  beyond  his 
means;  happy  in  his  domestic  relations,  he  is 
a genial  associate  and  enjoys  the  esteem  of  a 
large  circle  of  friends.”  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mur- 
ray are  the  parents  of  the  following  children: 
Lulu  M.,  James  O.,  Don  P. , Maggie,  Arthur 
L. , Edna  K.  and  Robert  F.  Lulu  M.  is  the 
wife  of  John  E.  Reed,  deputy  clerk  of  the  Del- 
aware circuit  court;  James  O.  is  a successful 
merchant,  and  Don  P.  recently  graduated 
with  high  honors  from  the  Medical  college  of 
Indiana,  and  is  now  a physician  with  a lucra- 
tive practice.  The  other  four  children  live  at 
home  with  their  parents. 


ON.  JAMES  ORR  was  born  near  the 
town  of  Omagh,  county  Tyrone,  Ire- 
land, February  25,  1815.  His  parents 
were  James  and  Elizabeth  (Jamison) 
Orr,  both  members  of  very  large  families,  the 
ancestors  of  which  lived  in  the  Emerald  Isle 
for  many  generations.  They  were  protestants, 
and  were  active  for  many  years  in  their  oppo- 
sition to  the  prevailing  church  of  Ireland.  Mr. 
Orr’s  parents  were  substantial  farmers,  and 
leading  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church 
of  the  town  where  they  resided.  In  the  year 
1821,  James  Orr  and  family,  consisting  of  the 
wife  and  six  children,  emigrated  to  the  United 
States,  taking  ship  at  Londonderry,  Ireland, 
for  St.  John,  New  Brunswick,  thence  to  Balti- 
more by  water,  and  from  the  latter  place, 
moved  in  wagons  to  West  Virginia,  locating  at 
what  is  known  as  White  Sulphur  Springs, 


Greerbrier  county.  They  lived  in  what  is 
known  as  the  “Tuckahoe  Draft”  during  the 
winter  of  1821,  and  the  following  year  moved 
to  Monroe  county,  the  same  state,  where  they 
resided  for  a period  of  five  years.  The  life 
work  of  Mr.  Orr,  Sr. , was  that  of  farming, 
but  he  added  to  his  income  by  teaching  school, 
having  been  a man  of  good  mental  attainments 
and  education.  The  family  moved  to  Ohio  in 
1836.  locating  in  Greene  county,  near  Xenia, 
where  they  remained  until  1838,  at  which  time 
Mr.  Orr  moved  to  Delaware  county,  Ind. , 
selecting  a home  in  what  is  now  the  township 
of  Delaware.  As  noted  above,  the  family  of 
James  and  Elizabeth  Orr  consisted  of  six 
children.  The  eldest,  Joseph,  married  in 
Greene  county,  Ohio,  Mary  Hopping,  and  died, 
on  his  farm  in  Liberty  township,  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  in  March,  1881;  his  wife  died 
August  26,  1885.  The  second  child,  Margaret, 
married  Robert  Dean,  a prominent  citizen  of 
Greene  county,  Ohio,  and  died  there  in  1859, 
her  husband  departing  this  life  a short  time 
previous  to  that  date.  The  second  son,  Samuel 
Orr,  a farmer  by  occupation,  was  lieutenant 
colonel  of  the  Eighty-fourth  Indiana  infantry 
during  the  late  war,  and  also  represented  Dela- 
ware county  three  times  in  the  state  legislature 
as  a whig.  He  was  twice  married,  his  first 
wife  having  been  Jane  Moore,  of  Xenia,  Ohio, 
and  his  second  wife,  Mrs.  Jane  Morrison,  whom 
he  married  in  Muncie,  Ind. ; he  died  November 
19,  1876.  Hon.  James  Orr  is  the  fourth  in 
order  of  birth,  after  whom  came  Martha,  wife 
of  John  Jones.  She  moved  to  Kansas  with 
her  husband  many  years  ago,  in  which  state 
they  both  died.  The  youngest  member  of  the 
family,  William  Orr,  died  when  a young  child 
at  the  family  home  in  Virginia. 

Hon.  James  Orr  passed  his  youthful  years 
in  Virginia  and  Ohio,  and  grew  to  manhood 
possessed  of  a vigorous  constitution  and  great 
bodily  strength.  He  was  early  taught  the 


LIBERTY  TOWNSHIP. 


608 


principles  of  industry,  perseverance  and  econ- 
omy, which  made  him  so  successful  in  all  his 
undertakings  in  after  life;  in  1836  he  moved 
with  his  parents  to  Greene  county,  Ohio, 
thence,  in  October,  1837,  came  to  Delaware 
county,  Ind,  He  remained  here  but  a short 
time,  returning,  in  the  fall  of  the  above  year, 
to  his  former  home  in  Ohio,  where,  on  the  i ith 
day  of  January,  1838,  he  was  uuited  in  mar- 
riage to  Julia  Ann  L.  Hopping.  Within  a 
short  time  after  his  marriage,  Mr.  Orr  returned 
to  Delaware  county,  and  has  been  an  honored 
resident  of  the  same  every  since  and  one  of 
its  most  substantial  and  well  known  citizens. 
Agriculture  has  been  his  life  work,  in  which 
useful  calling  his  success,  always  very  en- 
couraging, has  placed  him  in  the  front  rank 
among  the  representative  farmers  of  Delaware. 
He  has,  at  different  times,  been  called  to  fill 
prominent  official  positions,  having  been  elect- 
ed commissioner  of  Delaware  county  in  1844,  i 
and  served  five  years.  In  1853  he  was  elected  j 
representative  to  the  general  assembly  from 
this  county,  re-elected  in  1861,  and  in  1871 
was  elected  joint  senator  for  the  counties  of 
Delaware  and  Madison,  in  which  body  he 
served  two  sessions.  Politically,  Mr.  Orr  was 
a whig  until  the  organization  of  the  republican 
party,  since  which  time  he  has  been  a stanch 
supporter  of  the  latter.  In  religion  Mr.  Orr  is 
a member  of  the  United  Presbyterian  church, 
in  which  he  is  highly  respected  and  in  which 
he  has  held  different  official  positions.  Mrs. 
Orr,  who  is  remembered  as  of  most  excellent 
Christian  character,  departed  this  life  on  the 
30th  of  April,  1869;  she  bore  her  husband  eight 
children,  namely;  William,  James  D.,  Margaret 
J.,  Samuel,  Joseph  N.,  Charles  M.,  Elizabeth 
M. , and  Mary  R. ; of  these,  five  are  yet 
living. 

William,  the  eldest  son,  was  born  in  Dela- 
ware county  in  the  year  1838,  received  a liber- 
al education  and  began  teaching  school  at  the 


early  age  of  fifteen.  While  still  young,  before 
attaining  his  majority,  he  began  taking  an 
active  interest  in  political  matters  and  acquired 
considerable  reputation  as  a campaign  speaker. 
He  began  the  study  of  law  in  1868  with 
Thomas  J.  Sample  of  iSIuncie,  finished  his 
legal  course  at  the  Indianapolis  Law  school, 
after  which  he  began  to  practice  his  profession 
in  partnership  with  his  preceptor.  At  the 
breaking  out  of  the  war  he  entered  the  army, 
enlisting  in  the  Nineteenth  Indiana  volunteers, 
— being  made  lieutenant  of  company  K.  He 
participated  in  a number  of  battles  in  which 
his  command  was  engaged,  was  shot  through 
the  lungs  at  Antietam,  the  effects  of  which 
necessitated  his  retirement  from  the  service  for 
a time.  After  being  sufficiently  recovered,  he 
rejoined  his  command,  from  which  time  until 
the  close  of  the  war  he  took  part  in  a number 
of  active  campaigns  and  bloody  battles.  He 
was  commissioned  second  lieutenant  in  July, 

1861,  promoted  first  lieutenant  August  23, 

1862,  became  captain  of  his  company  Septem- 

ber 18,  1862,  was  made  major  August  4,  1864 
and  upon  the  consolidation  of  the  Nineteenth 
with  the  Twentieth  regiment  was  appointed 
colonel  Col.  Orr  was  married  November  18, 
1862  to  Margaret  J.  Small,  who  bore  him  one 
child,  a daughter,  wife  of  Charles  P.  Camp- 
bell of  Chicago.  IMargaret  J.  Orr,  married 
William  H.  Murray,  who  lives  near  Selma. 
James  "D.  Orr,  second  son  of  subject,  was 
born  April  5,  1841.  He  was  a farmer  by  oc- 
cupation, served  in  the  late  war  in  the  One- 
hundred  and  Thirty-fourth  Indiana  infantry, 
and  married  December  20,  1864,  Mary  L. 

Baldridge,  who  bore  him  two  children;  Marj' 
A.,  and  Julia  M.  James  D.  Orr  died  in  the 
year  1876.  Samuel  Orr,  born  November  3, 
1846,  married  Mary  Jane  Goings  August  6, 
1868;  his  wife  died  in  February,  1884;  he  died 
in  1871,  Joseph  N.  Orr  was  born  February 
18,  1849,  married  Miss  Mamie  Simmons,  who 


604 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


bore  him  three  children:  Bertha,  James  G.  and 
Nellie.  He  is  a prominent  merchant  of  Sel- 
ma, where  he  has  carried  on  an  extensive 
business  since  1871.  Charles  M.  Orr  was 
born  August  3,  1 850;  married  July  15,  1875, 
Kate  Sayers,  and  is  now  in  the  United  States 
postal  service.  Elizabeth  M.,  born  April  20, 
1853,  married  Dr.  Fertich  of  Dunkirk,  Ind., 
and  is  the  mother  of  six  children.  Mary  R. 
Orr  was  born  August  9,  1857,  married  Lewis 
S.  Sparks  March  30,  1875,  has  three  chil- 
dren. 

Hon.  James  Orr  married  for  his  second 
wife,  June  30,  1870,  Miss  Martha  J.  Camp- 
bell, daughter  of  Samuel  G.  and  Elizabeth 
Campbell,  old  citizens  of  the  town  of  Selma. 


CLARK  SKIFF  (deceased).— 
I I Many  of  the  brightest  minds  and  the 
P leading  thinkers  of  the  last  century 
have  been  found  in  the  medical  pro- 
fession, and  in  the  life  of  Dr.  Skiff  could  be 
found  an  example  illustrating  these  facts  in  a 
local  sense  in  the  practice  of  his  profession  in 
Delaware  county,  Ind  His  birth  occurred 
near  Wilmington,  in  Clinton  county,  Ohio, 
January  16,  1826;  son  of  John  and  Lucretia 
Skiff,  natives  of  New  York  state.  The  boy- 
hood days  of  Dr.  Skiff  were  passed  upon  the 
farm  in  his  native  commonw'ealth,  where  he 
was  a student  in  the  common  schools.  He 
began  the  study  of  medicine  in  the  office  of 
Dr.  Hubble,  of  Amelia,  Ohio,  at  which  place 
he  practiced  his  profession  for  some  time, 
having  attended  lectures  and  graduating  from 
the  Eclectic  Medical  institute,  of  Cincinnati, 
Ohio.  In  1854  Dr.  Skiff  located  at  Selma, 
Ind.,  where  he  established  an  extensive  prac- 
tice and  made  for  himself  a reputation  that 
lives  beyond  his  death.  He  was  a man  gen- 
erally well  appreciated,  and  his  friends  were 


numerous.  The  practice  of  medicine,  which 
he  loved,  he  continued  until  forced,  by  failing 
health,  to  abandon  it.  He  was  an  active 
member  of  the  Medical  association;  kept  fully 
abreast  of  the  profession,  and  was  always  re- 
garded as  a true  physician.  In  politics.  Dr. 
Skiff  was  an  earnest  republican,  and  a member 
of  the  Masonic  and  Odd  Fellows  societies.  His 
first  marriage  was  with  Miss  Catherine  Smith, 
of  Clinton  county,  Ohio.  Mrs.  Skiff  died  in 
1853,  leaving  a son,  John  Skiff,  now  of 
Lebanon,  Ind.  November  18,  1855,  Miss 

Louisa  Moore  became  the  wife  of  Dr.  Skiff. 
To  this  marriage  relation,  there  is  one  son, 
Charles  Eberle,  an  enterprising  farmer  of  Lib- 
erty township,  this  county.  Mrs.  Skiff  is  the 
daughter  of  William  J.  Moore  (one  of  the 
early  settlers  of  Delaware  county),  and  was 
born  in  Liberty  township,  this  county,  Janu- 
ary 13,  1837.  She  resides  at  Selma,  and  has 
a comfortable  home.  Mrs.  Skiff  is  a promi- 
nent member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  and  is  regarded  as  a woman  of  rare 
worth  throughout  the  community.  Dr.  Skiff 
united  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  in 
1880  and  lived  a devoted  Christian  the  remain- 
der of  his  life,  an  untiring  worker  in  the 
church.  The  death  of  Dr.  Skiff  occurred 
October  12,  1888. 


^ILLIAM  HENRY  WILLIAMS, 
township  trustee  and  leading  citizen 
of  the  town  of  Selma,  is  the  son  of 
the  late  gallant  Col.  Samuel  J. 
Williams,  who  was  killed  in  the  late  war  while 
leading  his  regiment,  the  Nineteenth  Indiana, 
in  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness.  Col.  Will- 
iams was  born  in  Montgomery  county,  Va. , 
and  while  quite  young,  was  brought  by  his 
parents  to  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  where  he 
grew  to  manhood.  Reared  on  a farm,  his 


;-V 


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DR.  CLARK  SKIFF. 


MRS.  LOUISA  SKIFF, 


COL.  S.  J.  WILLIAMS 


LIBERTY  TOWNSHIP. 


605 


early  educational  training  embraced  the  studies 
usually  taught  in  the  common  schools  of  that 
period,  but  he  obtained  his  principal  knowledge 
of  books  by  private  study  and  wide  reading 
after  attaining  his  majority.  At  the  early  age 
of  eighteen,  he  was  united  in  m^arriage  with 
Lorena  Davis,  who  at  that  time  was  but 
seventeen  years  old,  to  which  union  one  child, 
Lorena,  wife  of  Luther  Harris,  of  Muncie,  was 
born.  Mrs.  Williams  dying.  Col.  Williams 
afterward,  when  twenty-two  years  of  age,  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Rebecca  Shroyer 
of  Delaware  county,  who  bore  him  five  chil- 
dren, the  subject  of  this  mention  being  the 
oldest  in  point  of  birth.  The  next  oldest 
child,  Parthena,  was  born  in  1854  and  married 
W.  P.  Dunkle,  a carpenter  and  builder  of 
Selma;  Mary  E.,  was  born  in  1856,  married 
A.  C.  Martin,  and  is  the  mother  of  six  chil- 
dren, five  of  whom  are  living;  her  husband 
died  in  January,  1891;  Samuel  J.,  the  next  in 
order  of  birth,  is  general  freight  agent  of  the 
M.,K.  & T.  R.  R. , with  headquarters  at  Par- 
sons, Kansas.  The  youngest  member  of  the 
family,  Cassius,  was  born  in  i860,  and  de- 
parted this  life  in  the  year  1874. 

In  1855  Col.  Williams  located  in  the  town 
of  Selma  after  the  completion  of  the  railroad, 
and  engaged  in  the  warehouse  and  stock  ship- 
ping business,  continuing  the  same  until  the 
breaking  out  of  the  great  rebellion,  when  he 
recruited  company  K,  Ninteenth  Indiana  vol- 
unteers, and  entered  the  service  of  the  country 
as  captain  of  the  same.  For  gallant  and  meri- 
torious conduct  cn  a number  of  different  bat- 
tle fields,  he  passed  through  different  grades  of 
promotion,  including  that  of  major  and  lieu- 
tenant colonel,  and  finally  became  colonel  of 
the  Nineteenth,  and  as  such  fell,  as  already 
noted,  at  the  head  of  his  men  in  the  battle  of 


the  Wilderness.  Col.  Williams  was  a brave 
and  gallant  soldier,  and  in  the  civil  walks  of 
life  was  honored  and  respected  by  all  who 
knew  him.  Williams  post.  No.  78,  G.  A.  R. , 
of  Muncie,  Ind. , was  named  in  his  honor,  also 
Col.  S.  J.  Williams  post.  No.  267,0.  A.  R. , of 
Selma,  Ind.  He  was  an  active  member  of  the 
Masonic  and  Odd  Fellows  fraternities,  and 
originally  supported  the  democratic  party,  cast- 
ing his  first  presidential  ballot  for  Franklin 
Pierce.  He  was  always  opposed  to  the  insti- 
tution of  slavery,  however,  in  consequence  of 
which  he  changed  his  political  views  and  be- 
came a republican  on  the  organization  of  that 
party,  and  supported  its  principles  until  his 
death. 

William  Henry  Williams  was  born  in  Del- 
aware county,  Ind.,  August  3,  1853.  He 

married  March  12,  1872,  Joanna  Fielder,  who 
has  borne  him  six  children,  namely:  Myrtle, 

Willie,  Samuel  Claude,  Iva  Pearl,  Anna  Fern 
and  Pansy.  Mr.  Williams  has  always  been  a 
citizen  of  Liberty  township,  and  for  some 
years  followed  agricultural  pursuits  in  connec- 
tion with  the  manufacture  of  brick,  in  both  of 
which  occupations  he  was  very  successful. 
During  President  Arthur’s  administration  he 
was  in  the  United  States  mail  service  for  thir- 
teen months.  He  is  now  in  the  employ  of 
J.  N.  Orr,  of  Selma.  He  was  elected  trustee 
of  Liberty  township  in  1891,  since  which  date 
he  has  discharged  the  duties  of  the  position 
with  credit  to  himself  and  satisfaction  to  the 
people  of  his  township,  irrespective  of  party. 
Politically,  he  is  a republican,  and  fraternally 
is  identified  with  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  belonging  to 
lodge  No.  189,  Selma.  The  Methodist  church 
represents  his  religious  creed,  of  which  denom- 
ination both  he  and  wife  are  active  mem- 
bers. 


MONROE  TOWNSHIP. 


ILLIAM  F.  ANDERSON,  a promi- 
nent farmer  and  stock  raiser,  and 
one  of  the  large  land  holders  of 
Monroe  township,  wasbornin  Miami 
county,  Ohio,  January  21,  1854,  and  is  a son 
of  Joseph  and  Mary  (Smith)  Anderson.  His 
paternal  ancestors  were  early  residents  of  Vir- 
ginia, in  which  state  his  grandfather  was  a 
planter  and  large  slave  holder.  Joseph  and 
Mary  Anderson  had  a family  of  eight  children 
whose  names  are  as  follows:  Maggie,  wife  of 

Charles  Malcolm;  David  H.  ; John  W.  ; James 
J. ; Charles  E. ; Joseph  H. ; and  Sallie,  wife,  of 
H.  H.  Youngs;  and  the  gentleman  whose  name 
introduces  this  sketch. 

William  F.  Anderson  spent  the  years  of 
his  youth  and  early  manhood  in  his  native 
state  where  he  was  raised  on  the  farm,  and  in 
April,  1875,  became  a resident  of  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  settling  in  the  township  of 
Monroe,  where  he  now  has  a beautiful  farm, 
consisting  of  300  acres  of  good  land,  upon 
which  are  some  of  the  best  improvements  in 
the  township.  Mr.  Anderson  has  made  a suc- 
cess of  farming,  and  the  comfortable  com- 
petence which  he  now  enjoys  is  largely  the 
result  of  his  own  well  directed  efforts,  and 
through  real  estate  received  by  marriage.  He 
received  his  education  in  the  schools  of  his 
native  state,  was  a teacher  for  some  time,  and 
having  always  been  a reader  and  observer,  is 
now  one  of  the  well  informed  men  of  the  com-  I 
munity  in  which  he  resides.  The  father  of  | 
Mr.  Anderson  died  August  3,  1886,  and  his  ' 


widowed  mother  still  resides  in  Miami  county, 
Ohio.  December  23,  1875,  was  solemnized 
the  marriage  of  William  F.  Anderson  and 
Martha  Clark,  the  issue  of  which  union  is  two 
children,  namely:  Charles  E.,  and  Anna  B. 

Mrs.  Anderson’s  parents  were  natives  of  Vir- 
ginia, and  members  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
church.  She  had  two  sisters,  namely:  Mary 

J.,  wife  of  Thaddeus  Tuthill;  and  Julia  A., 
who  died  February,  1876. 


OHN  D.  BARTLING.— Few  of  the 
deceased  residents  of  Monroe  township 
are  held  in  more  grateful  remembrance 
than  the  late  John  D.  Bartling,  who, 
for  a number  of  years,  was  a well  known  and 
highly  respected  citizen  of  the  county  of  Dela- 
ware. Mr.  Bartling  was  a native  of  Ohio, 
born  in  Hamilton  county,  the  son  of  William 
and  Christina  Bartling,  who  came  to  the 
United  States  from  their  native  country,  Ger- 
many, many  years  ago. 

Mr.  Bartling  passed  the  years  of  his  youth 
and  early  manhood  in  his  native  state,  and  in 
the  spring  of  1864,  became  a resident  of  Dela- 
ware county,  purchasing  a beautiful  farm  in 
the  township  of  Monroe,  upon  which  the  re- 
maining days  of  his  life  were  passed.  He 
early  chose  agriculture  for  an  occupation,  and 
followed  that  useful  calling  all  of  his  life,  and 
such  was  his  success,  that,  without  any  assist- 
ance in  a financial  sense,  he  succeeded  in 


MONROE  TOWNSHIP. 


607 


accumulating  a fair  share  of  this  world’s  wealth, 
owning  a farm  in  Marshall  county,  Ind.  Mr. 
Bartling  responded  to  the  country’s  call  for 
volunteers  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  rebellion, 
enlisting  July  8,  i86i,  in  company  E,  Eighth 
Missouri  volunteer  infantry,  with  which  he 
shared  the  vicissitudes  and  fortunes  of  war  for 
a period  of  three  years.  During  his  term  of 
service  he  was  with  his  command  in  a number 
of  campaigns  and  participated  in  eleven  hard 
fought  battles,  in  all  of  which  his  conduct  was 
that  of  a brave  and  gallant  soldier,  and  against 
his  military  record  no  breath  of  suspicion  was 
ever  known  to  have  been  uttered.  He  received 
an  honorable  discharge  July,  1864,  in  the  city 
of  St.  Eouis,  from  which  time  until  death  his 
life  was  devoted  to  the  peaceful  pursuit  of  his 
chosen  calling. 

Mr.  Bartling  was  married  November  16, 
1869,  to  Mrs.  Rachel  Armitage,  the  fruits  of 
which  union  were  three  children,  namely: 
Effie  M.,  wife  of  J.  R.  Stipp;  Laura  L.  and 
Addie  E.  Mr.  Bartling’s  death,  which  oc- 
curred on  the  4th  day  of  June,  1878,  was  felt 
as  a great  loss  to  the  community,  and  he  was 
followed  to  his  last  resting  place  in  the  Tom- 
linson cemetery  by  a large  concourse  of  sor- 
rowing friends  and  neighbors.  He  was  a mem- 
ber of  the  I.  O.  O.  E.,  a most  worthy  and 
conscientious  citizen,  and  every  laudable  en- 
terprise that  had  a tendency  to  elevate  and 
improve  the  community  found  in  him  a zeal- 
ous friend  and  earnest  patron.  In  his  imme- 
diate family  he  is  remembered  as  a fond  and 
loving  husband,  a kind  father,  and  the  influ- 
ence of  his  example  is  the  richest  heritage  to  a 
grateful  posterity.  Mrs.  Bartling’s  maiden 
name  was  McDonald,  and  she  was  born  in 
Champaign  county,  Ohio,  September  16,  1833. 
She  now  owns  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Monroe 
township,  where  she  lives  in  quietude,  enjoy- 
ing the  esteem  and  respect  of  a large  circle  of 
acquaintances  and  neighbors. 


HBSALOM  brown  is  a native  of 
Delaware  county,  Ind.,  and  the  eld- 
est son  of  Joel  and  Diana  (Gibson) 
Brown.  He  was  born  in  the  town- 
ship of  Monroe,  December  18,  1841,  and  grew 
to  manhood  on  the  farm,  and  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  time  spent  in  the  army  has  ever 
since  followed  the  pursuit  of  agriculture  in  the 
county  of  his  nativity.  He  entered  the  service 
of  his  country  December,  1863,  as  a member 
of  company  G,  Ninth  regiment  Indiana  caval- 
ry, and  took  part  in  some  of  the  bloodiest 
battles  of  the  southwestern  campaign,  in- 
cluding the  first  engagement  of  Lawrence, 
Tenn.,  Eranklin  (where  he  received  a severe 
wound  in  the  left  side),  and  Nashville.  Owing 
to  disability  occasioned  by  the  wound  he  was 
for  three  months  compelled  to  remain  in  the 
hospital,  and  on  the  4th  of  July,  1865,  was 
honorably  discharged  from  the  service.  Erom 
the  effects  of  disability  received  while  in  the 
army  Mr.  Brown  has  never  entirely  recovered 
and  he  is  now  remembered  by  a grateful 
country  with  a pension  amounting  to  $12 
per  month.  After  his  discharge,  Mr.  Brown 
returned  to  Delaware  county  and  resumed  his 
chosen  calling,  and  is  now  one  of  the  well 
known  and  successful  agriculturists  of  Monroe 
township.  He  is  a highly  respected  citizen 
and  belongs  to  that  large  and  influential  class 
who  in  a quiet  way  do  much  for  the  moral 
well  being  of  the  community. 

Mr.  Brown  was  married  January  24,  1871, 
to  Rebecca  Grim,  daughter  of  Nicholas  and 
Susanna  (Jones)  Grim,  who  has  borne  him  the 
following  children;  Caroline,  wife  of  Arch 
Brown;  Samuel,  Benjamin,  David,  John  and 
Thomas.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brown  are  members 
respectively  of  the  Methodist  church  and  the 
Society  of  Friends.  In  March,  1893,  Mr. 
Brown  removed  from  Monroe  township  to  a 
farm  in  Centre  township,  and  now  is  living  on 
the  John  McConnell  place. 


608 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


KS.  NELLIE  CHEESEMAN— A 
well  known  and  popular  lady  of 
Monroe  township,  was  born  in  Gray- 
son county,  Va.,  May  i6,  1820,  and 
spent  the  years  of  her  girlhood  in  the  state  of 
her  nativity.  She  was  married  to  Richard 
Cheeseman,  a prosperous  farmer  who  moved 
with  his  family  to  Indiana  1857,  settling,  in 
September  of  that  year,  in  Delaware  township, 
this  county,  on  forty-five  acres  of  land,  which 
he  cleared  and  brought  under  cultivation.  The 
country  at  that  time  was  comparatively  new, 
and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cheeseman  made  their  way 
to  their  new  home  by  blazing  their  path  through 
the  woods,  traveling  under  many  difficulties. 
Game  was  plentiful  and  formed  a large  part  of 
the  diet  of  the  family  for  some  time  after 
making  their  settlement.  Subsequently,  Mr. 
Cheeseman  moved  to  a point  twelve  miles 
northwest  of  Muncie,  and  in  1861,  purchased 
land  in  Monroe  township,  upon  which  he  built 
a cabin,  and  from  which  he  developed  a good 
farm.  He  was  a man  of  great  industry,  and 
his  efforts  were  crowned  with  success,  and 
Bt  the  time  of  his  death,  he  was  the  possessor 
of  160  acres  of  valuable  land,  the  greater 
part  of  which,  under  his  successful  manage- 
ment, was  brought  to  a high  state  of  cultiva- 
tion. He  was  a popular  citizen  of  the  com- 
munity, intelligent  and  enterprising,  and  well 
deserves  mention  as  one  of  the  representative 
men  of  Monroe  township.  His  memory  is 
revered  in  his  neighborhood  by  all  with  whom 
he  came  in  contact.  Ten  children  were  born 
to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cheeseman,  namely:  Man- 

tilla, wife  of  Samuel  Andrews;  Alexander,  de- 
ceased; Mary  J.,  wife  of  George  Mansfield; 
Thomas  J.;  E.  Lydia,  wife  of  David  White; 
Sarah  A.,  wife  of  John  Roller;  Isaac  L. , de- 
ceased; William  J. ; Hannah  E.,  wife  of  Amos 
Acer,  and  Sylvester.  Mrs.  Cheeseman  has 
borne  her  full  share  of  the  vicissitudes  of  life 
on  a farm  in  a new  country,  and  has  reared 


her  large  family  to  honorable  manhood  and 
womanhood.  She  has,  indeed,  been  a true 
woman,  and  in  her  declining  years  her  children 
rise  up  to  call  her  blessed.  In  1887  she  had 
the  misfortune  of  becomfng  crippled  in  the 
ankle,  from  the  effects  of  which  she  has  not 
been  able  to  walk  since.  This  severe  affliction, 
has  been  borne  with  most  commendable  pati- 
ence, and  has  been  the  means  of  bringing  out 
all  the  finer  and  better  qualities  of  her  nature. 
She  is  beloved  by  all,  and  her  example  could 
safely  be  imitated  by  those  who  are  just  be- 
ginning the  toilsome  journey  of  life.  See  sketch 
of  John  Roller. 


^ILLIAM  T.  CLARK.— Upon  the 
successful  farmer  depends,  in  a large 


measure,  the  material  well  being  of 
the  country,  for  it  is  to  his  efforts 
that  all  occupations  and  professions  must  de- 
pend for  an  existence.  The  subject  of  this 
mention  belongs  to  that  large  class  of  success- 
ful tillers  of  the  soil  who  have  done  so  much 
toward  the  development  of  our  noble  state, 
and  particularly  that  part  embraced  within  the 
present  limits  of  Delaware  county.  William 
T.  Clark  was  born  in  Delaware  county,  Ind., 
March  4,  1847,  the  son  of  James  and  Hester 
(Goble)  Clark,  natives  respectively  of  Ohio 
and  Pennsylvania.  He  grew  to  manhood 
amid  the  active  scenes  of  farm  life,  and  his 
inclinations  leading  him  to  agricultural  pur- 
suits, he  early  became  a tiller  of  the  soil  and 
has  devoted  his  entire  time  and  attention  to 
that  useful  and  honorable  occupation.  He 
owns  seventy-three  acres  of  land  in  Monroe 
township,  which  is  well  improved,  and  he  is 
surrounded  by  many  of  the  modern  conveni- 
ences of  farming  which  bespeak  the  presence 
of  a careful  and  painstaking  manager.  Mr. 
Clark  has  been  twice  married,  the  first  time  on 


MONROE  TOWNSHIP. 


609 


the  24th  of  December,  1882,  to  Nancy  E., 
daughter  of  John  and  Barbara  Lambert,  who 
died  October  i,  1884.  The  second  marriage 
was  consummated  May  17,  1887,  with  Nancy 
Moffet,  daughter  of  Lambert  and  Maria  Moffet. 
Mrs.  Clark’s  parents  were  natives  of  Ohio,  but 
moved  from  Tennessee  when  quite  young  to 
Layette  county,  Ind. , where  they  were  mar- 
ried and  where  they  resided  until  their  deaths, 
the  mother  dying  September  30,  1887,  and 
father  on  the  7th  day  of  Lebruary,  1892.  They 
reared  a family  of  eleven  children,  namely: 
Mary,  wife  of  Abraham  Pence;  Samuel  C., 
Susan  M.,  wife  of  D.  C.  Campbell;  James  A., 
Sarah,  deceased;  William  H.,  deceased;  Nancy 
E.,  wife  of  William  Clark;  Jemima  A.,  wife  of 
Henry  Stewart;  John  T. , and  Clarinda,  wife  of 
Thomas  Barret.  Mrs.  Clark’s  parents  were 
earnest  Christian  people,  the  mother  having 
belonged  to  the  United  Brethren  church  and  the 
father  to  the  Lutheran  denomination.  Mrs. 
Clark  owns  eighty  acres  of  fine  land  in  this 
township,  which  she  inherited  from  her  par- 
ents. She  is  the  mother  of  one  living  child, 
Dayton  Ray,  and  one  deceased,  Irven  M. 


^^qi^ILLIAM  S.  COOLEY  was  born  in 
Mm  I Washington  county,  Vt.,  March  4, 
1800,  and  came  to  Muncie,  Ind.,  in 
the  year  1837.  By  occupation  Mr. 
Cooley  was  a manufacturer  of  woolen  goods, 
but  he  abandoned  his  trade  eighteen  years 
after  moving  to  Delaware  county,  and  pur- 
chased a farm  of  100  acres  and  engaged  in  the 
pursuit  of  agriculture.  Subsequent!}',  he  pur- 
chased his  present  farm  in  Monroe  township, 
consisting  of  140  acres,  upon  which  he  resided 
the  remainder  of  his  life.  Mr.  Cooley’s  origi- 
nal purchase  consisted  almost  entirely  of  wood 
land,  and  he  shared,  in  full  measure,  the  hard- 
ships encountered  by  the  early  pioneers  of  the 


great  west,  and  by  industr}'  and  judicious 
management  became,  in  time,  the  possessor  of 
a very  comfortable  fortune.  On  the  5th  day 
of  January,  1824,  he  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Jane  Rogers,  daughter  of  Charles 
and  Nancy  Rogers,  who  moved  from  their 
native  country,  Ireland,  to  the  United  States 
in  1816,  settling  at  Albany,  N.  Y.  To  the 
union  of  William  S.  and  Jane  Cooley  w'as  born 
the  following  children,  namely:  Blanchard, 

deceased,  Jennie,  deceased,  John,  deceased, 
Charles,  by  occupation  a miller,  Henry,  a 
farmer,  William,  also  a tiller  of  the  soil; 
Nancy,  wife  of  John  Wdlson,  and  Robert,  an 
engineer  and  farmer.  Mr.  Cooley  was  a firm 
believer  in  the  doctrine  embodied  in  the  Uni- 
versalist  creed  and  died  in  the  full  hope  of  a 
happy  future,  on  the  17th  of  September,  1874; 
his  wife,  who  is  a member  of  the  Presbyterian 
church  and  a woman  of  many  Christian  virtues, 
is  still  living  at  an  advanced  age  with  her  son 
in  Monroe  township. 

Robert  Cooley,  son  of  William  S.  and  Jane 
Cooley,  was  born  May  18,  1846,  on  the  old 
homestead,  in  Monroe  township,  Delaware 
county,  where  he  still  resides,  looking  afterthe 
interests  of  his  aged  mother.  He  received  a 
good  education,  and,  with  the  exception  of  six 
years,  has  always  followed  agriculture,  which 
useful  calling  he  still  carries  on  with  success 
and  financial  profit,  being  one  of  the  represent- 
ative farmers  of  Monroe.  Lor  six  years  he 
was  an  engineer,  during  which  period  he  did 
not  lose  sight  of  his  farming  interest.  He 
owns  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Jackson  township, 
Blackford  county,  well  improved.  He  married 
September  18,  1893,  Christena  (Stainbrook) 
Potter,  a member  of  the  Christian  church. 

Mr.  Cooley’s  neat  farm  gives  every  out- 
ward indication  that  it  is  under  the  control  of 
a master  hand,  and  that  intelligence,  skill  and 
thrift  are  the  prime  factors  in  its  management, 
and  that  these  are  backed  by  industry. 


610 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


HNDREW  JACKSON  FLEMING  is 
descended  from  Virginia  ancestry  and 
traces  the  family  history  back  through 
a number  of  generations  to  the  first 
settlement  of  the  Old  Dominion  state.  His 
father,  Andrew  Fleming,  was  born  in  what  is 
now  West  Virginia,  near  the  town  of  Fair- 
mont, where  his  family  were  among  the  first 
settlers,  having  emigrated  to  the  head  of  the 
Monongahela  river  in  company  with  a large 
number  of  settlers  from  the  eastern  part  of  the 
state.  Settlements  were  made  along  the  val- 
leys, farms  were  opened  upon  which  cabins 
were  erected  and  the  people  began  to  feel  hap- 
py over  the  prospect  of  soon  having  homes. 
This  feeling  of  content,  however,  was  soon 
doomed  to  be  dissipated,  for  alas,  the  savages 
from  the  Northwest  Territory  found  out  the 
settlement  and  at  once  planned  a raid  against 
the  same.  They  killed  several  of  the  settlers, 
burned  dwellings,  stole  horses  and  committed 
other  depredations  until  it  became  necessary 
to  take  some  decided  means  of  protecting  the 
settlers  from  their  encroachments.  According- 
ly a meeting  was  held  and  volunteers  called 
for  to  act  as  scouts  between  the  settlement 
and  the  Ohio  river,  a distance  of  fifty  or  sixty 
miles  through  an  unbroken  wilderness.  A 
well  known  spy,  by  the  name  of  Morgan,  and 
Andrew  Fleming  tendered  their  services  for 
this  ardiirous  and  dangerous  duty,  which  right 
nobly  they  performed.  The  Indian  warriors, 
after  crossing  the  Ohio,  would  follow  some 
creek  or  water  course  to  its  head,  and  then  go 
down  the  other  side  of  the  ridge  until  they 
reached  the  settlement.  The  duty  of  the 
scouts  was  to  traverse  the  country  from 
spring  until  fall,  not  far  from  the  Ohio  river, 
and  search  for  Indian  trails,  and  when  it  was 
ascertained  that  the  savages  had  crossed  the 
river  the  scouts  would  start  for  the  settlements, 
traveling  day  and  night  through  the  wilder- 
ness until  they  had  reached  their  destination 


and  given  the  alarm.  The  settlers  would  then 
hasten  to  the  fort  and  protect  themselves 
against  their  wily  foes,  who,  finding  them- 
selves outwitted,  would  soon  retreat  into  the 
wilderness.  Upon  starting  on  this  dangerous 
duty  Mr.  Fleming  took  nothing  with  him  but 
his  gun,  blanket  and  a sack  of  salt,  being  com- 
pelled to  obtain  his  food  from  the  wild  game 
with  which  the  country  then  abounded.  How 
long  he  continued  in  this  dangerous  duty  is 
not  now  known,  but  upon  his  return  home  he 
was  worn  out,  broken  in  health,  having  given 
the  very  prime  of  his  life  to  the  protection  of 
his  countrymen,  while  they  attended  to  the 
clearing  of  their  farms  and  laid  the  founda- 
tions of  their  fortunes.  For  all  this  sacrifice 
of  health  and  means,  Mr.  Fleming  never  re- 
ceived a single  cent,  in  consequence  of  which 
he  was  little  able  to  assist  his  children,  finan- 
cially, when  they  grew  to  the  years  of  man- 
hood and  womanhood. 

Andrew  Jackson  Fleming  was  born  in 
Marion  county,  W.  Va. , January  9,  1819,  was 
reared  on  the  home  farm  in  his  native  state 
and  remained  there  until  1863,  at  which  time 
he  came  to  Henry  county,  Ind. , and  engaged 
in  the  mercantile  business  in  that  county.  He 
took  charge  of  his  father’s  place  when  but 
seventeen  years  of  age,  and  continued  to  oper- 
ate the  same  until  1850,  when  he  moved  to 
Palatine,  opposite  Fairmont,  where,  for  some 
time,  he  was  variously  employed,  giving  con- 
siderable attention  to  painting.  In  the  fall  of 
1861  he  entered  the  Union  army  as  private  in 
company  C,  Sixth  regiment.  West  Virginia  vol- 
unteer infantry,  and  shortly  thereafter  was  pro- 
moted first  lieutenant,  in  which  capacity  he 
served  for  a period  of  two  years.  While  in  the 
service,  he  participated  in  a number  of  skir- 
mishes and  irregular  battles,  in  one  of  which  he 
received  a severe  wound  in  the  thigh,  and  for 
some  time  was  detailed  with  his  command  to 
guard  the  B.  & O.  railroad.  After  his  dis- 


MONROE  TOWNSHIP. 


611 


charge  he  returned  to  his  home  in  Virginia, 
and,  subsequently,  as  already  stated,  moved  to 
Indiana  and  carried  on  the  goods  business  for 
some  years  in  Henry  county.  Abandoning 
merchandizing,  he  engaged  in  the  pursuit  of 
agriculture  in  Henry  county,  purchasing  a farm 
of  sixty  acres,  which  he  afterward  sold,  and  in 
1870  came  to  the  township  of  Monroe,  where, 
for  three  succeeding  years,  he  again  followed 
the  mercantile  trade,  meeting  with  a fair  de- 
gree of  success  in  the  meantime.  He  then  pur- 
chased his  home  place,  consisting  of  sixty-six 
acres  of  well  improved  land,  and  is  now  pass- 
ing his  declining  years  upon  the  same  in  the 
enjoyment  of  that  quietude  which  a long  and 
somewhat  arduous  life  has  so  nobly  earned. 
He  has  served  his  township  as  trustee,  aside 
from  which  position  he  has  never  been  an  as- 
pirant for  the  honors  of  office.  Mr.  Fleming 
was  married  September  17,  1851,  in  Marion 
county,  W.  Va. , to  Mary  E.  Miller,  who  was 
born  in  Harrison  county,  that  state,  September 
22,  1827.  Mrs.  Fleming  was  a daughter  of 
Jesse  and  Eliza  (Brown)  Miller,  natives  of 
Maryland  and  West  Virginia  respectively,  and 
of  English  descent.  Mr.  Eleming  comes  of  a 
good  family,  which  is  widely  and  favorably 
known  in  West  Virginia,  of  which  state  one  of 
his  relatives,  A.  B.  Fleming,  is  now  serving  as 
governor.  Mr.  Fleming  is  personally  very 
popular,  and  is  a man  of  more  than  ordinary 
powers  of  mind,  having  for  years  been  a close 
reader  and  intelligent  observer  of  men  and 
events.  He  stands  deservedly  high  in  the  com- 
munity and  may  be  taken  as  a true  type  of  the 
Virginia  gentleman  of  the  old  school. 


aHARLES  A.  ELEMING,  a well 
known  business  man  of  Oakville, 
Monroe  township,  was  born  in  Marion 
county,  W.  Va. , March  29,  1840. 
His  parents,  Andrew  B.  and  Mary  Fleming, 


were  both  born  in  the  town  of  Fairmont,  W. 
Va.,  in  1803.  The  father  died  in  1885,  in 
Fairmont,  and  the  mother  departed  this  life  in 
February,  1892,  at  Oakville,  Ind.  They  were 
both  estimable  people,  and  Mrs.  Fleming  was, 
for  over  fifty  years,  an  active  member  of  the 
Methodist  church.  Charles  A.  Fleming  was 
reared  to  manhood  in  his  native  state,  and  in 
Novembej,  i860,  came  to  Indiana,  locating  in 
Middletown,  Henry  county,  where  he  remained 
until  the  breaking  out  of  the  war,  at  which 
time,  in  August,  1861,  he  entered  the  army, 
enlisting  in  company  E,  Eighth  Indiana  volun- 
teer infantry.  He  accompanied  his  command 
to  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  thence  to  Georgetown,  and 
while  at  the  latter  place  was  poisoned,  from 
the  effects  of  which  he  was  sent  to  the  hospi- 
tal, where  he  remained  for  a period  of  four 
months,  being  discharged  November  25,  1862. 
December  15,  1863,  he  re-enlisted  in  company 
E,  Ninth  Indiana  cavalry,  which  was  assigned 
to  duty  at  Nashville,  and  later  to  Pulaski, 
Tenn.,  where  Mr.  Fleming  for  some  time  did 
garrison  duty.  On  the  25th  of  September, 
1864,  he  was  with  his  regiment  in  a severe 
battle  at  Sulphur  Branch,  Ala.,  where  his  com- 
pany lost  heavily,  and  on  December  7,  the 
same  year,  took  part  in  the  bloody  battle  of 
Franklin,  Tenn.  In  February,  1865,  the  com- 
pany left  Gravely  Springs  for  New  Orleans, 
but  before  reaching  its  destination,  was  order- 
ed back  to  Vicksburg,  and  the  following  May 
was  sent  to  Mississippi.  Mr.  Fleming  was  dis- 
charged September  6,  1865,  and  was  immedi- 
ately thereafter  returned  to  Indiana,  and  has 
since  that  time  been  a resident  of  Delaware 
county,  where  he  is  widely  known  and  uni- 
versally respected.  He  was  married  August  16, 
"1882,  to  Mary  F. , daughter  of  James  and 
Matilda  (Losh)  Watson,  to  which  union  one 
child,  Alta  L.  Fleming,  has  been  born.  The 
following  are  the  names  of  the  brothers  and 
sisters  of  Mrs.  Fleming:  Martha,  wife  of 


612 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


Frank  Nottingham;  Laura,  wife  of  Thomas 
Peckenpaugh;  George,  Homer,  John,  deceased; 
and  Charles  Watson. 

Mr.  Fleming  has  been  engaged  in  business 
for  a number  of  years  at  the  town  of  Oakville 
and  has  met  with  a reasonable  degree  of  suc- 
cess. He  suffered  a serious  loss  by  the  cyclone 
of  1884,  in  which  all  the  town,  except  three 
houses,  was  destroyed.  Mr.  Fleming  was  badly 
injured  and  his  store  and  goods  were  completely 
destroyed,  so  that  he  was  rendered  well  nigh 
penniless  by  the  disaster.  He  recommenced 
business,  however,  in  a box  car,  and  has  since 
succeeded  very  well,  being  at  this  time  in  the 
enjoyment  of  a lucrative  trade,  which  is  con- 
stantly increasing.  Mr.  Fleming  is  a republi- 
can in  politics  and  enjoys  the  esteem  and  con- 
fidence of  the  people  of  the  town  in  which  he 
resides.  Maria  Fleming,  sister  of  Charles  A. 
Fleming,  was  born  December  i,  1844,  in  P'air- 
mont,  W.  Va.,  and  came  to  Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  in  the  year  1885.  She  resided  first  at 
Cowan,  then  at  Oakville,  where  she  has  since 
resided,  making  her  home  with  her  brother. 


J.  FLEMING,  a well  known  farmer 
of  Monroe  township,  was  born  March 
2,  1841,  in  Henry  county,  Ind.,  and 
is  a son  of  George  and  Clarissa  F'lem- 
ing,  natives,  respectively,  of  Indiana  and  Vir- 
ginia. George  Fleming  settled  in  Henry 
county  as  early  as  the  year  1830,  and  experi- 
enced, in  full  measure,  all  the  vicissitudes  and 
hardships  incident  to  a life  in  the  wilderness 
during  the  pioneer  period.  Subsequently  he 
moved  to  Delaware  county,  where  he  died; 
but  he  is  still  remembered  as  an  industrious 
and  energetic  man,  and  a true  type  of  the 
pioneer  of  a half  century  ago. 

N.  J.  P'leming  was  raised  in  the  country 
and  his  educational  training  embraced  the 
English  branches  which  constituted  the  course 


usually  taught  in  the  common  schools.  He 
early  chose  agriculture  for  an  occupation,  and 
has  followed  that  useful  calling  all  of  his  life, 
with  results  that  are  very  gratifying  and  which 
speak  well  for  his  competency  as  a farmer. 
Mr.  Eleming  has  lived  an  upright  and  credit- 
able life  and  by  his  fair  and  honorable  dealings 
has  established  himself  in  the  confidence  of  his 
fellow  citizens,  among  whom  he  is  highly  es- 
teemed. He  has  succeeded  well  in  life,  from 
a financial  standpoint,  and  with  but  little 
assistance  of  a pecuniary  nature,  has  worked 
his  way  from  humble  circumstances  to  a posi- 
tion of  comfort,  being  at  this  time  the  possessor 
of  a beautiful  farm  of  129  acres,  the  greater 
part  of  which  is  under  a high  state  of  cultiva- 
tion. Mr.  F'leming  was  married  October  24, 
1871,  to  Cynthia  Babb,  daughter  of  Evan  T. 
and  Martha  Babb,  natives  of  Ohio  and  Vir- 
ginia, respectively.  Three  children  have  been 
born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Eleming — Lillian  L. , a 
college  student;  Martha  C.  (deceased);  and 
Andi'ew  Claude,  who  is  also  attending  school. 
Mr.  Eleming  wields  an  influence  in  the  demo- 
cratic party  but  has  never  been  a seeker  after 
office.  The  following  are  the  names  of  the 
brothers  and  sisters  of  Mr.  Eleming;  Mary, 
wife  of  Benjamin  Thomas;  Erancis  P. , died  in 
Illinois  April  ii,  1872;  Sina,  wife  of  Noah 
Swain;  Eugene;  Nathan  R.  ; and  Loverna, 
wife  of  Madison  Peckinpaugh,  and  Louisa, 
wife  of  John  Jones.  Mrs.  Fleming  is  one  of  a 
family  of  eight  children  born  to  Evan  and 
Martha  Babb;  the  following  are  their  names: 
Samuel,  Milton,  Jennie,  wife  of  EdwardHealy; 
John  M.,  Erank  B.,  Charles  and  Henry  Babb. 


^ s II. LI  AM  GIBSON,  deceased,  was 
£ M I born  in  Monroe  township,  Delaware 
ill  county,  Ind.,  April  i,  1838,  on  the 
farm  entered  from  the  United 
States  government  by  his  father,  Robert  Gib- 


■c 


-.^3 


ri>  ' 

f-. 


• . 'A-  ■ - 'V' 


W M 


MRS.  WM.  GIBSON. 


MONROE  TOWNSHIP. 


613 


son,  in  1822.  Robert  Gibson  was  born  in 
Virginia  in  1804,  and  died  on  this  farm  in 
Delaware  county,  Ind.,  in  1858.  The  family 
from  which  he  descended  came  originally  from 
Ireland  and  settled  in  the  Carolinas,  whence 
they  moved  to  Virginia;  later  several  of  its 
members  located  in  Ohio,  and  eventually,  in 
1822,  Robert  with  four  brother  found  his  way 
to  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  when  the  county 
was  a wilderness  teeming  with  wild  animals, 
while  men  were  particularly  scarce.  Robert 
Gibson  married  for  his  second  wife  Miss  Nancy 
Davis  (the  mother  of  William,  her  first  born, 
whose  name  opens  this  sketch),  but  this  lady 
survived  only  until  about  1844,  and  the  re- 
mains of  these  two  pioneers  now  repose  in 
Rees  cemetery,  this  county.  William  Gibson 
was  reared  on  the  farm  on  which  he  was  born, 
and  for  about  forty-five  years  pursued  an  in- 
dustrious farmer’s  life,  and  at  the  time  of  his 
death,  August  28,  1893,  owned  120  acres  of 
fine  land  five  miles  south  of  Muncie.  His 
education  had  benn  such  as  is  usually  given 
farmers’  lads,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-one 
years  he  began  farming  on  his  own  account. 
But  the  Civil  war  came  on,  and  he,  being  a 
staunch  republican  and  a true  patriot,  became 
a member  of  the  One  hundred  and  Forty-ninth 
Indiana  volunteer  infantry,  joining  in  1864 
and  serving  until  the  close  of  hostilities,  and 
being  mustered  out  as  sergeant. 

In  the  fall  of  1892,  Mr.  Gibson  bought 
property  in  Muncie,  on  which  he  resided  until 
August,  1893,  when  he  returned  to  Monroe 
township.  He  was  always  a prosperous  man 
in  his  business,  was  careful,  considerate  and 
just,  and  never  contracted  an  obligation  unless 
he  was  positive  that  he  could  meet  it.  He 
was  a consistent  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  a devout  observer  of  its 
teachings,  a liberal  man  to  the  poor,  and 
never  turned  from  his  door  a hungry  man. 
He  was  also  a member  of  the  G.  A.  R. , 


Williams  post.  No.  78.  He  was  popular  with 
young  and  old,  and  especially  with  yonng 
people,  who  loved  him  for  his  jovial  disposi- 
tion. 

October  14th,  1858,  Mr.  Gibson  was 

united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Catherine  John- 
son, born  in  Henry  county,  Ind.,  March  8, 
1838,  daughter  of  John  and  Charlotte  (Ste- 
phenson) Johnson.  Her  father  was  born  June  2, 
1811,  in  Virginia,  and  then  moved  to  Ohio, 
and  in  a very  early  day  came  to  Indiana  and 
settled  in  Henry  county.  Here  he  lived  until 
his  death,  March  21,  1889,  He  was  mar- 
ried in  Ohio  before  coming  to  Indiana, 

I November  27,  1834,  his  wife  being  Charlotte 
I Stephenson,  who  was  born  April  9,  1812,  in 
I Muskingum  county,  Ohio.  Mrs.  Johnson  now 
1 lives  in  Henry  county  on  the  old  homestead. 
To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johnson  were  born  nine 
children,  four  of  whom  are  living,  as  follows: 
Catharine  J.,  Silas;  Lewis,  and  William  K. 
The  names  of  the  deceased  ones  are  Martha, 
who  died  August  23-,  1840;  Elizabeth,  June  25, 
1871;  Sarah,  August  16,  1852;  Anna,  Septem- 
ber 10,  1852,  and  Mary,  March  21,  1858. 

Mrs.  Gibson  is  a member  of  the  High  street 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  of  Muncie,  and 
holds  a eigh  position  in  the  esteem  of  neigh- 
bors and  friends. 


V?j?^ILLIAM  P.  GILMORE,  one  of  the 
Mm  I intelligent  and  promising  young 
farmers  of  Monroe  township,  Ind., 
was  born  September  20,  1867,  a 
son  of  Ames  B.  and  Mary  (Wilson)  Gilmore, 
natives  of  Indiana.  He  was  reared  at  Spring- 
port,  Henry  county,  Ind. , and  for  twelve  years 
worked  for  his  father  at  that  place,  in  the 
warehouse.  His  father  was  born  in  Madison 
county,  Ind.,  and  is  now  about  fifty-three 
years  of  age.  His  mother  was  born  in  Rush 


614 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


county,  Ind.,  and  is  now  about  forty-two 
years  of  age.  His  father  was  a stock  merchant 
and  a worthy  member  of  the  Christian  church. 
William  P.  Gilmore  was  educated  at  the  com- 
mon schools;  began  life  empty  handed;  estab- 
lishing a home  of  his  own  by  his  marriage, 
November  22,  1888,  to  Miss  Cora  Bowers, 
daughter  of  Jacob  and  Rebecca  (Sharp)  Bow- 
ers; to  this  union  two  children  have  been  born: 
Mabel  R.  and  Lottie.  Mr.  Gilmore  has  a fine 
farm  of  fifty-five  and  one-half  acres  of  well 
improved  land,  and  in  connection  with  farming 
he  is  making  a specialty  of  raising  Jersey 
cows,  in  which  he  is  very  successful.  Socially, 
he  is  connected  with  the  I.  O.  O.  F. , and  re- 
ligiously he  and  wife  belong  to  the  Christian 
denomination.  He  is  much  respected  by. all 
in  his  locality.  In  politics  he  is  a democrat. 


OHN  C.  HAYS  is  a native  of  Henry 
county,  Ind. , and  dates  his  birth  from 
the  7th  day  of  December,  1850.  His 
father,  Simeon  Hays,  was  a native  of 
North  Carolina,  and  his  mother,  whose  maiden 
name  was  Catherine  Bouslog,  was  born  in  In- 
diana. Simeon  and  Catherine  Hays  had  a 
family  consisting  of  the  following  children : 
John  C. , David  M.,  Maggie,  wife  of  William 
Painter;  Miles  A.,  died  in  1878;  Rachel,  wife 
of  Joseph  Mann;  Strauther,  Mary  J.,  deceased; 
Martha  and  an  infant  which  died  unnamed. 
The  early  life  of  John  C.  Hays  was  quiet  and 
uneventful,  being  made  up  chiefiy  of  the  du- 
ties of  farm  life.  Having  been  early  obliged  to 
rely  upon  his  own  resources  for  a livelihood,  he 
has  labored  arduously  and  his  efforts  have  been 
crowned  with  success  in  a financial  sense.  He 
attended  school  in  the  winter  during  his  boy- 
hood, acquiring  a practical  education,  and  ever 
since  his  early  manhood  has  devoted  all  his 
time  and  attention  to  the  pursuit  of  agricul- 


ture. He  settled  on  his  present  farm,  in  Mon- 
roe township,  in  1881,  and  now  has  a comfor- 
table home,  consisting  of  eighty  acres  of  fer- 
tile land,  upon  which  are  some  of  the  most 
substantial  improvements  in  the  neighborhood 
where  he  resides. 

On  the  1 8th  day  of  December,  1879,  Mr. 
Hays  was  united  in  marriage  to  Sarah  A. 
Strough,  daughter  of  Absalom  and  Mary 
(Foltz)  Strough,  parents  natives  of  Virginia 
and  early  pioneers  of  Henry  county,  to  which 
part  of  the  state  they  removed  when  the  conn- 
try  was  a comparative  wilderness.  The  wed- 
ded life  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hays  has  been  blessed 
with  the  birth  of  six  children,  whose  names  are 
as  follows:  Amanda  E.,  Mary  C.,  Gordia  J., 

Alta  May,  died  January  24,  1889;  Edna  F.  and 
Edith  B.  Mr.  Hays  is  a member  of  the  Christ- 
ian church  and  fraternally  belongs  to  the  I.  O. 

1 O.  E.  The  following  are  the  names  of  the 
brothers  and  sisters  of  Mrs.  Hays:  John  D. 

Strough,  Ora  O.,  Frank  W. , George  L. , 
Amanda  E. , Eddie  and  Cora  Strough,  the  last 
two  of  whom  died  in  infancy. 


ILES  HARROLD  is  one  of  the  old 
settlers  of  Monroe  township,  of 
which,  for  over  a half  century,  he 
has  been  a well  known  figure.  Mr. 
Harrold  was  born  in  Hardin  county,  Ky.,  July 
8,  1815,  and  is  a son  of  Jonathan  and  Esther 
(Nelson)  Harrold.  Jonathan  Harrold,  the 
father,  was  born  in  North  Carolina  April  23, 
1780,  the  son  of  Jonathan  and  Charity  (Bee- 
..son)  Harrold,  descendants  of  old  and  well 
known  families  who  settled  in  that  common- 
wealth at  a period  antedating  the  war  of  the 
Revolution.  Jonathan  Harrold,  Jr.,  was  the 
third  son  in  his  father’s  family  and  was  reared 
a farmer  in  his  native  state,  and  departed  this 
life  May  17,  1865.  Originally  a democrat, 


MONROE  TOWNSHIP. 


615 


he  afterward  changed  his  political  views,  and 
at  the  time  of  his  death  was  a supporter  of 
the  republican  party.  His  wife,  the  mother 
of  the  subject,  died  on  the  20th  day  of  July, 
1858.  They  were  the  parents  of  eight  children 
and  were  most  excellent  and  worthy  people, 
highly  respected  by  all  who  knew  them. 

Miles  Harrold  passed  his  boyhood  days  in 
traveling  about  from  place  to  place,  as  his 
father  was  a man  of  rambling  disposition,  and 
never  resided  at  one  point  any  great  length  of 
time.  Until  seventeen  j’ears  of  age  he  re- 
mained with  his  parents  and  then  began  learn- 
ing the  blacksmithing  trade,  and  which  was 
his  occupation  for  about  one  year.  Abandon- 
ing this  calling  he  engaged  in  farming,  which 
he  has  since  followed  with  success  and  finan- 
cial profit,  and  February,  1837,  became  a resi- 
dent of  Delaware  county,  locating  in  the 
township  of  Monroe  upon  eighty  acres  of  land 
which  he  had  purchased  a year  previous  from 
the  government,  at  $1.25  per  acre.  He  re- 
sided upon  his  original  purchase  until  1866, 
when  he  disposed  of  the  same  and  bought  his 
present  place,  consisting  of  160  acres. 

Mr.  Harrold’s  early  educational  advantages 
were  very  limited,  but  he  acquired  sufficient 
information  from  books  to  enable  him  to  teach, 
which  profession  he  followed  during  the  winter 
season  in  a rude  log  cabin  in  Wayne  county. 
Mrs.  Malinda  Rhodes,  who  was  born  in  Ohio, 
November  3,  1812,  became  his  wife  August 
25,  1838.  Mrs.  Harrold  is  the  daughter  of 

Valentine  and  Catherine  (Harrold)  Gibson, 
who  were  the  parents  of  fourteen  children, 
seven  sons  and  seven  daughters,  six  of  whom 
are  living  at  this  time.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Harrold  have  been  born  the  following  children: 
Almira,  deceased;  Calvin,  deceased;  Mary  A., 
wife  of  S.  Fleming;  Esther,  wife  of  R.  Robe; 
Valentine,  Jonathan,  Wilson,  deceased;  John 
W.,  Bnj.  F.  and  Milton,  deceased.  In  public 
affairs  Mr.  Harrold  has  ever  manifested  con- 


siderable interest,  and  from  1864  to  1866  held 
the  office  of  county  commissioner,  beside 
which  position  he  has  held  other  places  of 
trust.  Financially,  he  has  met  with  most 
gratifying  success,  and  in  addition  to  his  fine 
farm  owns  valuable  town  property,  and  has 
stock  in  a gas  company.  Mr.  Harrold  is  es- 
sentially a self-made  man,  and  his  success  in 
life  is  the  immediate  results  of  his  industry 
and  unaided  efforts.  He  looks  back  upon 
a long  and  useful  life,  against  which  no  suspi- 
cion of  anything  dishonorable  has  ever  been 
uttered.  Politically,  he  is  a republican. 


FORGE  W.  HIMES,  was  born  in 
Wayne  county,  Ind.,  on  the  2d  day 
of  March,  1842,  and  is  the  son  of 
Louis  and  Martha  Himes,  of  German 
and  Irish  descent  respectively.  By  occupation 
the  father  was  a farmer  and  shoemaker,  and 
died  on  the  30th  day  of  August,  1856;  the 
mother  died  August  22,  1852.  They  were  both 
members  of  the  Christian  church,  and  earned 
the  reputation  of  most  excellent  and  praise- 
worthy people. 

George  W.  Himes  remained  in  Wayne 
county,  until  a little  past  ten  years  of  age, 
when  he  moved  with  his  parents  to  the  county 
of  Howard,  and  there  resided  until  the  spring 
of  1861.  He  received  a liberal  education,  and 
in  1865  began  teaching,  which  profession  he 
continued  with  gratifiying  success  for  a number 
of  years,  having  taught  in  all  some  thirty-three 
terms.  On  severing  his  connection  with  the 
teacher's  profession,  Mr.  Himes  accepted  ,a 
clerkship  with  a mercantile  firm,  in  which  capa- 
city he  continued  two  years,  and  for  sometime 
afterward,  sold  books  in  various  parts  of  Dela- 
ware and  other  counties.  He  became  a resi- 
dent of  Monroe  township  in  December,  1865, 
and  after  following  the  vacations  already  re- 


616 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


ferred  to,  purchased  the  farm  where  he  at 
present  resides.  Mr.  Himes  was  married  Octo- 
ber 27,  1868,  to  Mary  McLain,  daughter  of 
Isaac  and  Maria  (Hinaker)  McLain.  The 
wedded  life  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Himes  has  been 
blessed  by  the  birth  of  the  following  children, 
namely:  Cindora,  wife  of  D.  H.  Smith;  Al- 

nora  A.;  Loyola  M. , wife  of  C.  M.  Harris; 
Leora,  Indamora,  Mary  Lavora,  and  Ethel 
Lacora.  Mr.  Himes  has  always  been  active 
in  behalf  of  the  interest  of  his  township,  and 
for  two  years  served  as  trustee  of  the  same. 
He  and  wife  are  members  of  the  United 
Brethren  church,  to  which  denomination  the 
different  members  of  their  family  also  belong. 

Mr.  Himes  has  a military  record  of  which 
he  feels  justly  proud  and  of  which  a brief  syn- 
opsis is  herewith  presented.  In  the  spring  of 
1861  he  started  from  Kokomo  to  Indianapolis, 
expecting  to  become  a member  of  the  Twelfth 
Indiana  volunteer  infantry  under  Capt.  T.  P. 
Kirkpatrick  for  the  twelve  months  service. 
While  at  Indianapolis  a call  was  issued  from 
Washington  for  three  years’  troops  and,  Mr. 
Himes  with  other  of  his  comrades  of  the 
Twelfth  regiment,  asked  to  be  transferred  to 
the  three  years’  service.  The  request  of  his 
company,  in  this  regard  was  accordingly 
granted,  and  he  became  a member  of  company 
E,  Thirteenth  Indiana  volunteer  infantry, 
which  took  the  oath  of  allegiance  on  the  9th 
day  of  June,  1861.  On  the  evening  of  July  4, 
the  command  received  orders  to  proceed  to 
the  front,  and  at  once  went  to  West  Virginia, 
where  he  received  his  first  introduction  to  the 
active  service  of  war.  After  a long  and  tire- 
some march  over  almost  impassable  roads, 
meeting  with  some  opposition  from  the  enemy 
on  the  way,  the  regiment  engaged  in  its  first 
battle  at  Rich  Mountain  on  the  iith  day  of 
July,  1861.  Subsequently,  Mr.  Himes  parti- 
cipated, with  his  command,  in  the  battle  of 
Greenbrier,  and  was  with  Gen.  Milroy  in  an 


expedition  which  resulted  in  a number  of  skir- 
mishes and  battles,  in  one  of  which  Mr.  Himes 
was  badly  wounded  by  a minie  ball  which 
passed  through  his  left  hand,  rendering  that 
member  uselees  for  life.  The  missile  also 
shattered  the  gun  stock,  passed  through  nine 
thicknesses  of  clothing  and  penetrating  the 
right  breast  and  lung,  almost  disabling  the 
right  hand  at  the  time.  His  sufferings,  from 
this  severe  wound  were  most  painful,  and  for 
four  months  thereafter  he  was  confined  to  the 
hospital.  On  attempting  to  rejoin  his  regi- 
ment he  was  intercepted  by  the  proper  authori- 
ties and  compelled  to  remain  one  month 
longer  in  the  hospital  in  Maryland.  He  re- 
joined his  regiment  at  Winchester,  Va. , how- 
ever, but  after  one  month’s  service  was 
discharged  on  account  of  his  disability  and  re- 
turned home  where  he  has  since  been  engaged 
in  the  peaceful  pursuit  of  agriculture.  His 
wound  rendered  him  a cripple  for  life  and  he 
now  receives  a liberal  pension  from  a generous 
government,  in  the  saving  of  which  he  bore 
so  brave  and  gallant  a part. 


T.  HOLSINGER,  manufacturer  of 
drain  tile,  was  born  in  Bedford  county. 
Pa.,  November  27,  1845,  the  son  of 
John  and  Sallie  (Teter)  Holsinger,  par- 
ents natives  of  the  same  state.  John  Holsinger 
moved  to  Indiana  with  his  family  in  1849, 
settling  first  near  Hagerstown,  Wayne  county, 
thence  later  moved  to  the  county  of  Henry, 
where  in  addition  to  farming  he  worked  at  his 
trade  of  coopering.  He  purchased  160  acres 
of  land,  to  which  he  afterward  added  another 
quarter  section,  upon  which  he  lived  until 
1876.  In  1870  he  laid  out  the  town  of  Oak- 
ville, and  was  there  engaged  in  the  mercantile 
business  for  a brief  period  and  then  went  to 
Fillmore  county.  Neb.,  where  he  purchased  a 


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MONROE  TOWNSHIP. 


617 


farm  of  i6o  acres,  upon  which  he  lived  until 
1889,  when  he  returned  to  Indiana.  He  died 
at  Oakville,  August  20,  1892.  He  was  born 
in  Franklin  county,  Pa.,  February  2,  1820. 
He  was  a son  of  Jacob  Holsinger,  Sr.,  a native 
of  Pennsylvania.  The  mother  was  born  Jan- 
uary 16,  1822,  in  Bedford  county.  Pa.,  and 
died  November  8,  1889.  He  was  a member 
of  the  German  Baptist  church,  a consistent 
Christian  and  a very  succeseful  business  man. 
His  body  lies  buried  in  Beech  Grove  cemetery, 
Henry  county,  and  his  wife,  who  died  in 
Nebraska,  was  laid  to  rest  near  the  town  of 
Carlton,  that  state. 

J.  T.  Holsinger  was  but  a lad  when  his 
parents  moved  to  Indiana  and  he  has  spent 
the  greater  part  of  life  in  this  state.  He  was 
reared  a farmer,  received  his  educational 
training  in  the  common  schools,  and  on  the 
1 8th  day  of  April,  1872,  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Mary  C.  Graham,  daughter  of  David  A. 
and  Mary  (Rutherford)  Graham,  the  father  a 
native  of  Ireland.  David  Graham  moved  with 
his  family  to  Delaware  county  in  1859  and 
remained  here  until  entering  the  service  of  his 
country  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  great  rebel- 
lion. He  passed  through  the  Virginia  cam- 
paigns, and  participated  in  numerous  battles 
and  engagements  and  earned  the  reputation  of 
a brave  soldier.  His  wife  died  in  the  spring 
of  1859  and  was  buried  near  Fairmount,  W. 
Va.  Besides  Mrs.  Holsinger,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Graham  had  one  son  and  four  daughters, 
namely:  Anna,  wife  of  Joseph  Jenkins;  Ellen, 

wife  of  James  Skinner;  Fanny,  wife  of  Samuel 
Conwell;  Eliza,  wife  of  Coleman  Waters;  and 
John  Graham,  who  married  Miss  Sarah 
Waters.  The  wedded  life  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Holsinger  has  resulted  in  the  birth  of  three 
children  whose  names  are  as  follows:  EvaP. , 

now  Mrs.  George  A.  Metzger;  Rosa  L.  and 
Meda,  the  last  named  of  whom  died  August 
24,  1887.  At  the  present  time  Mr.  Holsinger 


is  extensively  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
drain  tile.  His  success  in  this  line  of  industry 
has  been  very  marked,  and  the  output  of  his 
tile  factory  finds  a ready  sale  in  the  markets 
of  Delaware  and  other  counties.  As  a busi- 
ness man  Mr.  Holsinger  has  an  enviable  repu- 
tation, and  as  a citizen  is  fully  alive  to  all  the 
interests  or  benefits  of  the  public;  he  is  widely 
and  favorably  known  throughout  the  township 
in  which  he  resides.  In  politics  he  is  a repub- 
lican; and  a member  of  the  Progressive  Breth- 
ren church.  He  has  made  his  own  way  in  life 
and  is  successful.  His  tile  factory  has  a 
capacity  for  150,000  tiles  per  annum,  sizes 
ranging  from  three  inches  to  twenty  inches. 


EDIAH  HOUCK  (deceased)  was  born 
in  Lancaster  county,  Ohio,  February 
4,  1832,  the  son  of  George  and  Eliza- 
beth Houck,  parents  both  natives  of 
Germany.  Mr.  Houck  was  raised  in  his  native 
state,  came  to  Delaware  county  a number  of 
years  ago,  settling  in  Monroe  township.  On 
the  1st  day  of  February,  1852,  he  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Hannah  Rogers,  daughter  of 
George  and  Anna  (Spratts)  Rogers,  and  to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Houck  were  born  six  children: 
Viretta,  Ann  E.,  Sarah,  Arminta,  John  and 
Alice. 

Mr.  Houck  continued  to  reside  on  his  farm 
in  Monroe  township  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred about  twenty-eight  years  ago.  He  was 
a man  widelj^  and  favorably  known  in  the 
community,  noted  for  his  honesty  and  integ- 
rity of  purpore  and  his  death  was  felt  to  be  a 
great  loss  in  the  neighborhood  in  which  he  had 
for  so  many  years  resided.  His  widow  re- 
mained single  for  three  years  and  then  mar- 
ried George  Vores.  This  marriage  resulted  in 
the  birth  of  four  children:  MaryE.,  deceased, 

James  V.,  Melvina  and  Frank.  George  and 


618 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


Anna  Rogers,  parents  of  Mrs.  Vores,  were 
descendants  of  Irish  and  German  ancestors 
respectively,  and  they  reared  a family  of  eight 
children,  whose  names  are  as  follows:  Eliza 

J.,  wife  of  James  Powers;  Rachel,  wife  of  John 
Miller;  Hannah,  Henry  E.,  Candace,  wife  of 
Wilson  Daniels;  Watson,  deceased,  Clarissa, 
wife  of  Marion  Davis,  and  Amanda,  wife  of 
Silas  Rennedy. 

Sarah  Houck,  third  daughter  of  Jediah  and 
Hannah  Houck,  was  born  January  12,  1859, 
in  Delaware  county,  Ind. , and  has  spent  the 
greater  part  of  her  life  in  the  township  of 
Monroe.  She  early  began  making  her  own 
living  working  from  place  to  place,  and  since 
early  girlhood  has  made  her  home  with  Mrs. 
Lackey,  with  whom  she  at  present  resides. 
Her  life  has  been  one  of  great  usefulness  and 
her  friends  are  numerous  in  the  community 
where  she  lives  and  throughout  the  township 
of  Monroe. 


aHARLES  HOUCR,  an  intelligent  gen- 
tleman and  progressive  farmer  of  Mon- 
roe township,  of  which  he  is  a native, 
was  born  February  18,  i860,  and  is  a 
son  of  George  and  Sarah  (Louthain)  Houck. 
George  Houck,  the  father,  was  a native  of 
Virginia,  but  early  moved  to  Henry  county, 
Ind. , where  he  was  married  in  1 849,  and  where 
he  followed  farming  until  he  moved  to  Dela- 
ware county,  in  1852.  On  coming  to  this 
county  he  purchased  160  acres  of  fine  land 
which,  at  that  time,  was  in  a primitive  condi- 
tion, and  by  dint  of  hard  work  succeeded  in 
developing  therefrom  a beautiful  home.  Un- 
fortunately he  was  not  long  permitted  to  enjoy 
the  fruits  of  his  labor,  having  been  called  to  his 
final  reward  on  the  26th  day  of  January,  1887. 
George  Houck  was  a man  known  far  and  wide 
for  his  sterling  worth  and  high  sense  of  honor. 
By  careful  financiering  he  became  the  possessor 


of  a goodly  portion  of  this  world’s  goods,  and 
his  death  was  felt  as  a great  loss  to  the  com- 
munity. 

Charles  Houck  is,  in  many  respects,  like 
his  father  before  him,  whose  qualities  of  man- 
hood he  has  inherited.  Reared  on  the  home 
farm,  he  was  early  taught  those  lessons  of  in- 
dustry and  frugality  by  which  his  subsequent 
life  has  been  characterized,  and  upon  attaining 
his  legal  majority  he  chose  the  pursuit  of  agri- 
culture for  his  permanent  business  and  has 
since  followed  the  same  with  success  and  finan- 
cial profit.  Mr.  Houck  was  married  December 
22,  1883,  to  Miss  Malissa  Davis,  a native  of 
Delaware  county,  born  in  the  township  of  Sa- 
lem, April  4,  i860.  Mrs.  Houck  is  a daughter 
of  Samuel  and  Emily  (Trout)  Davis,  natives  of 
Ohio  and  Virginia.  These  parents  had  a family 
of  nine  children,  eight  of  whom  are  living  at 
this  time,  Mrs.  Houck  being  the  fourth  in  or- 
der by  birth.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Davis  are  living  a 
life  of  retirement  in  a beautiful  home  in  the 
city  of  Muncie.  To  Charles  and  Melissa  Houck 
have  been  born  four  children:  Warren  W., 

infant,  deceased;  Maggie  and  Effie  E.  Mr. 
Houck  enjoyed  but  few  advantages  of  obtain- 
ing an  education  in  his  youth,  attending  the 
common  schools,  but  is  now  one  of  the  well 
informed  men  of  the  neighborhood  where  he 
resides.  He  is  a good  farmer  and  an  industri- 
ous and  enterprising  citizen,  and  possesses  in  a 
marked  degree  the  confidence  and  esteem  of 
those  who  know  him. 


OHN  WESLEY  HOUCK,  a prominent 
business  man  of  Cowan,  and  an  old 
and  well  known  resident  of  the  town- 
ship of  Monroe,  is  a native  of  Henry 
county,  Ind.,  born  on  the  25th  day  of  March, 
1839.  His  father,  George  Houck,  was  born 
in  Hagerstown,  Md. , about  the  year  1786,  and 


MONROE  TOWNSHIP. 


619 


grew  to  manhood  in  that  state,  moving  in 
1834,  to  Indiana,  and  locating  in  Henry  county. 
His  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Elizabeth 
Mummaugh,  and  whom  he  married  in  1834, 
was  born  in  Fairfield  county,  Ohio.  Shortly 
after  their  marriage  they  removed  to  this  state, 
and  were  residents  of  Henry  county  until  1866, 
at  which  time  they  removed  to  the  county  of 
Delaware,  where  their  respective  deaths  occur- 
red, the  mother  dying  February  22,  1867,  and 
the  father  on  the  3d  day  of  March,  1872. 
George  Houck  was  by  occupation  a farmer, 
which  useful  calling  he  followed  all  his  life, 
and  is  remembered  as  a man  of  excellent  parts, 
and  a devout  member  of  the  Christian  church. 
Mrs.  Houck  was  also  a member  of  the  same 
denomination,  and  was  noted  for  her  many 
kindly  acts  and  deeds. 

John  Wesley  Houck  was  reared  to  man- 
hood in  Henry  county,  and  early  in  life  learned 
those  lessons  of  industry  which  have  redound- 
ed to  his  success  in  subsequent  years.  He 
labored  hard  on  the  farm  during  his  minority, 
attended  the  indifferent  schools  of  the  country, 
in  which  he  obtained  a limited  education,  and 
at  the  age  of  twenty-one  began  life  for  him- 
self as  a farm  laborer,  receiving  for  his  ser- 
vices first  $16  per  month,  and  afterward  the 
sums  of  $20  and  $25  per  month.  He  was 
thus  engaged  for  a period  of  six  years,  when 
he  married  and  began  farming  for  himself  on 
rented  land,  continuing  to  receive  a share  of 
the  proceeds  of  the  soil  tilled  for  about  eight 
years.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he  purchased 
an  improved  farm  of  eighty  acres,  which  he 
now  owns,  and  upon  which  he  resided  until 
1890,  when  he  discontinued  agricultural  pur- 
suits, and  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  coil 
hoops  at  the  town  of  Cowan.  He  is  asso- 
ciated in  this  interest  with  Messrs.  Davis  & 
Perdiue,  under  the  firm  name  of  the  Cowan 
Coil  Hoop  company,  and  is  doing  a very  suc- 
cessful business.  In  addition  to  his  manu- 


facturing interests,  he  is  also  proprietor  of  a 
hotel  at  Cowan,  which  is  a well  known  and 
favorite  stopping  place  for  the  traveling  public. 

Mr.  Houck  was  married  November  29, 
1866,  to  Miss  Rebecca  Conner,  who  was  born 
in  Henry  county,  Ind. , January  17,  1847. 

Mrs.  Houck  is  a daughter  of  Marshall  and 
Susan  (Fadley)  Conner,  and  is  one  of  the  fam- 
ily of  eight  children,  only  one  of  whom,  beside 
herself,  is  living  at  this  time,  to  wit,  Mrs. 
Susan  Clevenger.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Houck 
have  been  born  three  children,  namel}^: 
Charles  F. , principal  of  the  New  Corner 
school  and  one  of  the  efficient  instructors  of 
, Delaware  county;  Laura  Bell,  also  a well 
known  teacher,  and  Dora  Lee,  at  present  a 
student  of  the  Cowan  schools.  Politically  Mr. 
Houck  is,  and  always  has  been,  a supporter  of 
the  democratic  party  and  he  is  also  a wide 
awake  and  progressive  citizen.  He  is  a mem- 
ber of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  lodge.  No.  561,  of 
Cowan,  in  which  he  holds  the  positions  of 
trustee  and  treasurer.  Of  the  family  of  ten 
children,  of  which  he  is  a member,  only  two 
beside  himself  are  now  living,  namely,  Michael 
and  Maria. 


FORGE  W.  KABRICH,  farmer  of 
Monroe  township,  was  born  October 
3,  1852,  in  Loudoun  county,  Va., 
and  is  the  son  of  Rev.  John  M.  and 
Eve  M.  (Fry)  Kabrich,  both  parents  natives  of 
the  Old  Dominion  state.  Rev.  John  M.  Ka- 
brich moved  to  Indiana  in  1863,  locating  near 
Fairfield,  Franklin  county,  thence  in  1874  to 
the  county  of  Delaware.  At  this  time  he  is 
pastor  in  charge  at  Daleville,  where  he  resides 
— one  of  his  preaching  points.  John  M.  and 
Eve  M.  Kabrich  have  a family  of  eleven  chil- 
dren, seven  of  whom  were  born  in  Virginia, 
and  all  save  one  are  living  at  this  time.  Their 
names  are  as  follows;  Lydia  M.,  deceased; 


620 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


George  W. , David  W. , Henrietta,  Sophia, 
Florence,  Eliza,  Henry,  Recompense,  Minnie 
and  Charles.  The  first  ten  years  of  the  life  of  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  were  spent  in  his  native 
county  and  state,  and  he  then  removed  with 
his  parents  to  Maryland,  which  was  his  home 
until  the  family  located  in  Franklin  county  in 
the  year  above  noted.  In  1875  he  came  to 
Delaware  county,  and  for  the  four  succeeding 
years  was  employed  by  M.  R.  Harris  in  labor 
upon  a farm.  December  8,  1878,  he  married 
Josephine  Kessinger,  who  was  born  in  Henry 
county,  Ind.,  October  9,  1859,  and  who  died 
December  31,  1883,  leaving  one  child,  Walter 
M.  Kabrich.  She  was  a true  wife,  a sincere 
Christian,  and  died  highly  esteemed  by  all  who 
knew  her.  Mr.  Kabrich’s  second  marriage 
took  place  December  25,  1889,  with  Bertha  I. 
McLain,  who  was  born  in  Delaware  county, 
October  12,  1868,  daughter  of  Thomas  and 
Jane  (Perdiue)  McLain,  a union  blessed  with 
the  birth  of  one  child,  Gladys.  Mr.  Kabrich 
purchased  his  present  farm  in  Monroe  town- 
ship in  1880,  and  has  a good  home  supplied 
with  a comfortable  portion  of  this  world’s 
goods.  He  is  a republican  in  his  political  be- 
lief, stands  high  in  the  community  where  he 
resides,  and  is  one  of  the  intelligent  and  well 
informed  citizens  of  Monroe  township.  He 
now  owns  fifty-seven  acres  of  choice  land. 
He  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Christian 
church  at  Tabor. 


OSEPH  E.  KERN  is  a native  of  West 
Virginia  and  dates  his  birth  from  the 
20th  day  of  December,  1855.  His 
parents,  Jacob  and  Mary  (Dean)  Kern, 
were  of  German  descent  and  came  from  Vir- 
ginia to.  Indiana  in  October,  1861,  settling 
in  Henry  county  near  the  town  of  Luray,  and 
seven  years  later,  removed  to  Oakville  where 


the  mother’s  death  occurred  February  17, 
1880.  The  father,  by  occupation,  is  a car- 
penter and  he  reared  a family  consisting  of  the 
following  children,  namely;  Eliza,  wife  of 
Enoch  Drumm;  Sophia,  wife  of  Samuel 
Drumm;  Sarah,  wife  of  Robert  A.  Johnson; 
James  W. , Mary,  wife  of  Rev.  L.  T.  Holsinger, 
Isaac  Kern  and  Susan  E. , wife  of  James 
Harris. 

Joseph  E.  Kern  accompanied  his  parents 
from  Virginia  to  Indiana  and  grew  to  manhood 
on  the  farm,  attending,  in  the  meantime  such 
schools  as  the  country  afforded.  He  resided 
for  some  years  near  Oakville,  Delaware  coun- 
ty, and  after  beginning  life  for  himself  moved 
to  his  present  farm,  consisting  of  sixty  acres  of 
well  improved  land,  situated  in  Monroe  town- 
ship, Delaware  county,  where  he  has  since 
resided.  Mr.  Kern  is  a man  of  intelligence 
and  excellent  judgment  and  has  been  compli- 
mented by  his  fellow  citizens  by  being  elected 
to  the  responsible  position  of  township  trustee, 
the  duties  of  which  he  has  discharged  in  a 
highly  commendable  manner. 

Mr.  Kern  was  married  January  21,  i877,to 
Miss  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Hayden  and 
Nancy  Yelton,  and  his  family  consists  of  three 
children,  Walter,  Hayden  and  Jacob;  the  old- 
est child,  whose  name  was  Frank,  is  deceased. 
The  parents  of  Mrs.  Kern  were  natives  of 
Kentucky  and  early  settlers  of  Hancock  coun- 
ty, Ind.  Subsequently  they  removed  to  the 
county  of  Henry,  and  afterward  purchased  the 
present  home  west  of  New  Castle,  on  the  i8th 
day  of  June,  1865.  By  his  first  marriage  with 
Nancy  Hopkins,  Hayden  Yelton  had  the  fol- 
lowing children;  Varonia  A.,  deceased;  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  Kern;  Charles  A.,  Amelia  M. , wife 
of  Dr.  R.  Marshall;  Sarah  J.,  wife  of  Stephen 
Harlan;  Mary  L. , wife  of  James  Baughn, 
Peter,  deceased,  and  Hayden.  Two  years 
after  his  first  wife’s  death,  Mr.  Yelton  married 
Jennie  Cook,  by  whom  he  has  one  child,  Joel 


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ISAAC  LENOX. 

HAZEL  A.  LENOX,  Granddaughter, 


MRS.  A.  C.  LENOX. 


MONROE  TOWNSHIP. 


621 


C.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kern  are  members  of  the 
Society  of  Friends,  in  which  church  he  has 
been  an  assistant  in  the  ministry  for  five  years. 
In  politics  Mr.  Kern  is  an  ardent  republican 
and  is  one  of  the  representative  men  of  Mon- 
roe township. 


SAAC  LENOX  was  born  in  Delaware 
county,  Ind. , Monroe  township,  and  is  a 
son  of  John  and  Nancy  (Brown)  Lenox. 
He  was  reared  to  manhood  on  the  farm, 
and  like  the  majority  of  country  boys  his  life 
was  comparative  uneventful.  His  opportuni- 
ties for  acquiring  an  education  were  somewhat 
limited,  and  the  schools  he  attended  were  sup- 
ported by  voluntary  subscription  and  lasted 
but  two  or  three  months  of  the  year.  His  life 
has  been  one  of  great  industry,  and,  actuated 
by  a determination  to  succeed,  he  early  en- 
gaged in  farming  upon  his  responsibility,  and 
in  1858  purchased  a tract  of  wood  land  from 
which  he  cleared  and  developed  a beautiful 
home,  owning  at  this  time  a highly  improved 
farm  of  160  acres.  He  was  married  April  12, 
1855,  to  Catherine,  daughter  of  James  and 
Thankful  A.  Masterson,  to  which  union  the  fol- 
lowing children  were  born:  Borter,  Thankful 

A.,  died  June  5,  1858;  Thomas,  died  June, 
1861;  James,  John  T.,  Nancy,  wife  of  Alonzo 
Cooper,  and  three  children  who  died  in  infancy 
unnamed.  The  mother  of  these  children  died 
March  19,  1888,  and  lies  within  the  silent 
shades  of  the  Rees  cemetery,  where  a hand- 
some marble  shaft  with  an  appropriate  epitaph 
serves,  to  mark  her  last  resting  place.  Mrs. 
Lenox  was  held  in  high  esteem  by  her  nrany 
friends  and  neighbors,  and  bore,  nobly,  her 
part  towards  the  founding  of  the  comfortable 
^ home  where  the  family  now  reside.  She  was 
a woman  of  many  excellent  qualities,  uniformly 
kind  and  considerate  to  all,  and  her  life  was 
a grand  simple  poem  of  toilsome  duties  well 


and  uncomplainingly  done.  Mr.  Lenox  in  his 
political  affiliations  was  originally  a whig  and 
cast  his  first  presidential  vote  for  Gen.  Win- 
field Scott.  Since  the  birth  of  the  republican 
party  he  has  been  one  of  its  supporters,  and 
takes  great  interest  in  the  leading  questions  of 
the  day,  but  has  never  been  an  aspirant  for 
official  position. 

John  P.  Lenox,  son  of  Isaac  and  Catherine 
Lenox,  was  born  November  i,  1864,  in  Dela- 
ware county,  Ind. , and  has  passed  the  greater 
part  of  his  life  within  the  limits  of  his  native 
township.  He  received  a liberal  education, 
early  became  a farmer,  and,  in  addition  to 
agriculture  pursuits,  pays  considerable  atten- 
tion to  stock  raising,  which  he  has  pursued 
very  profitably.  His  life  has  been  marked  by 
industry  and  thrift,  and  he  is  a true  type  of 
that  large  and  progressive  class  of  American 
farmers  to  whose  industr}^  our  western  country 
is  largely  due  for  much  of  its  present  advance- 
ment and  prosperity.  He  is  a member  of  the 
Improved  Order  of  Red  IMen  and  takes  an 
active  interest  in  the  affairs'  of  the  fraternity. 
Mr.  Lenox  was  married  April  4,  1888,  to  Miss 
Sina  Skinner,  daughter  of  William  and  Eliza- 
beth Skinner,  a union  blessed  with  the  birth 
of  one  child,  namely.  Hazel  A.  Lenox.  Mrs. 
Lenox  is  a consistent  member  of  the  Society 
of  Friends  and  a lady  highly  respected  by 
every  body  in  the  community. 


ORTER  LENOX,  the  eldest  son  of 
Isaac  and  Ann  Lenox,  was  born  in 
Monroe  township,  Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  January  12,  1856.  He  was 

educated  at  the  country  schools  and  remained 
on  the  home  farm  with  his  father  until  twenty- 
one  years  of  age,  when  he  began  general  farm- 
ing on  his  own  account,  and  this  pursuit  he 
has  successfully  followed  until  the  present 


622 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


time,  living  on  the  farm  of  his  father,  which 
comprises  160  acres,  and  is  situated  five  miles 
south  of  Muncie.  October  29,  1 889,  he 

married  Miss  Ann  Evans,  who  was  born  in 
Henry  county,  Ind.,  August  18,  1856,  and  is 
the  daughter  of  David  and  Elizabeth  (Johnson) 
Evans.  The  father  is  a native  of  Ohio,  and  is 
now  fifty-five  years  of  age.  Miss  Evans  had 
the  misfortune  to  lose  her  mother,  June  25, 
1871,  when  the  former  was  very  little  more 
than  an  infant.  She  was  thus  thrown  upon 
the  world  at  a tender  age,  but  was  taken 
charge  of  by  Mrs.  Catherine  Gibson,  her  aunt, 
and  Mr.  William  Gibson,  her  uncle,  who 
reared  her  with  parental  affection  and  care 
until  her  marriage.  To  the  union  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Lenox  has  been  born  one  son,  William 
Clifford,  who  consummated  the  happiness  of  his 
parents  August  20,  1890.  The  parents  enjoy 
the  esteem  of  all  their  neighbors  and  are  con- 
sidered to  be  among  the  most  worthy  of  the 
county,  Mrs.  Lenox  being  an  exemplary 
member  of  the  Methodist  church,  of  which  he, 
also,  is  an  attendant.  In  politics  he  is  a 
republican,  and  is  a faithful  worker  for  his 
party  at  the  polls. 


OHN  LOSH  (deceased)  was  born  in 
Northumberland  county,  Pa.,  June  18, 
1819,  the  son  of  John  and  Susannah 
Losh,  parents  both  natives  of  the  same 
state.  John  Losh  was  reared  a farmer  and 
came  to  Delaware  county  in  1855,  and  pur- 
chased the  farm  still  in  possession  of  the 
family,  upon  which  he  resided  until  his  death. 
He  was  married  November  5,  1840,  to  Mary 
Tompson,  daughter  of  Robert  and  Matilda 
Tompson,  and  became  the  father  of  the  follow- 
ing children:  Matilda,  wife  of  James  Watson; 

Robert  T. , died  June  21,  1849;  Martha,  wife  of 
Oliver  Carmichael;  Wilson,  died  June  24, 


1865;  John  F.,  died  June  21,  1885;  infant,  de- 
ceased, and  Charles  M.  Losh,  a resident  of  the 
city  of  Muncie.  Mr.  Losh  was  always  a hard 
working  man,  was  upright  and  honorable  in 
his  dealings,  won  universal  respect  and  confi- 
dence, and  was  valued  as  a substantial  and 
public  spirited  citizen,  and  loved  as  a friend 
and  neighbor.  He  departed  this  life  at  Eaton 
Rapids,  Mich.,  on  the  17th  day  of  July,  1880. 

Mrs.  Losh  was  subsequently  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Aaron  Lackey,  son  of  Joseph  and  Ad- 
die  Lackey.  Mr.  Lackey  was  born  in  Butler 
county,  Ohio,  in  1821,  and  has  always  followed 
the  farmer’s  occupation.  He  has  been  a resi- 
dent for  some  years  of  Monroe  township,  where 
he  is  universally  respected,  and  as  a citizen  oc- 
cupies a conspicuous  place  in  the  estimation  of 
his  friends  and  neighbors.  Mrs.  Lackey  is  a 
highly  esteemed  lady  in  the  community  in 
which  she  resides,  and  her  life  has  been 
fraught  with  kind  words  and  good  deeds.  She 
has  indeed  been  a helpmate,  and  in  the  later 
years  of  her  life  many  are  the  friends  that  rise 
up  and  call  her  blessed.  Mrs.  Lackey  has 
lived  in  Monroe  township  continuously  since 
1841.  She  and  her  former  husband  settled  in 
the  southwest  part  of  this  township,  where 
they  cleared  a farm  from  the  green.  She  came 
to  her  present  place  of  residence  in  1853. 


BRAHAM  McConnell  is  an  in- 
dustrious and  highly  respected  farmer 
of  Monroe  township,  and  possesses 
in  an  eminent  degree  the  esteem  and 
confidence  of  a large  circle  of  friends  through- 
out the  county.  Mr.  McConnell  was  born  in 
Delaware  county,  Ind.,  June  17,  1843,  and  is 
a son  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Covault)  Mc- 
Connell. He  was  reared  a farmer,  has  followed 
that  useful  occupation  all  his  life,  and  at  this 
time  has  a well  improved  place  of  seventy- 


MONROE  TOWNSHIP. 


623 


nine  acres,"  which  is  under  a very  successful 
state  of  cultivation.  As  a tiller  of  the  soil 
Mr.  McConnell  has  met  with  well  deserved 
success,  and  by  well  directed  effort  has  ac- 
cumulated a sufficiency  of  this  world’s  goods  to 
enable  him  to  live  in  comparative  independ- 
ence. He  served  his  township  as  assessor  for 
one  term,  acted  as  supervisor  for  a period  of 
about  seven  years,  and  he  has  always  taken  an 
active  interest  in  promoting  the  well  being  of 
his  neighborhood  and  community, 

Mr.  McConnell  was  united  in  marriage 
October  30,  1864,  to  Elizabeth  Fuson,  who 
departed  this  life  April  6,  1867,  deeply  lament- 
ed by  all  who  knew  her.  She  was  a consistent 
member  of  the  United  Brethren  church,  and  a 
lady  of  many  excellent  traits  of  character.  On 
the  1 6th  day  of  February,  1868,  Mr.  McCon- 
nell married  his  second  wife,  Frances  E.  Heath, 
who  died  May  14,  1886.  Like  the  first  Mrs. 
McConnell,  she  was  a woman  whose  life  was 
fraught  with  good  deeds,  a sincere  Christian, 
and  a fond  and  loving  mother.  To  the  second 
marriage  the  following  children  were  born: 
Minnie  O.,  Bertha  L. , Mary  Ak,  Harvey  H., 
Charles  N.,  Curtis  O.,  Jessie  L. , and  three 
whose  deaths  occurred  in  infancy.  Mr.  Mc- 
Connell, on  the  7th  day  of  April,  1887,  mar- 
ried his  present  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was 
Elizabeth  Gossett,  a union  blessed  with  the 
birth  of  one  child,  Asa  Mabel  McConnell. 
Mrs.  McConnnell  was  born  in  Henry  county, 
Ind. , November  9,  1856.  John  and  Elizabeth 
Gossett,  the  parents  of  Mrs.  McConnell,  were 
prominent  members  of  the  United  Brethren 
church,  and  most  excellent  citizens.  Of  their 
family  of  eight  children,  three  are  living  at 
this  time,  Rebecca  R. , wife  of  B.  B.  Richards; 
Mrs.  McConnell  and  Malinda,  wife  of  William 
Miller. 

Mr.  McConnell  has  an  army  record  of 
which  he  feels  deservedly  proud  and  which 
proves  him  to  have  been  one  of  the  brave  de- 


fenders of  the  national  Union  in  the  dark  days 
of  the  Rebellion.  - On  the  22nd  day  of  Octo- 
ber, 1861,  he  enlisted  in  company  E,  Fifty- 
seventh  regiment  Indiana  volunteer  infantry, 
and  was  actively  engaged  in  the  service  for  a 
period  of  four  years,  during  which  time  it  was 
his  lot  to  take  part  in  a number  of  bloody 
battles.  October  3,  1862,  his  regiment  went 
to  Louisvile,  thence  to  Prairieville,  and  after 
leaving  Nashville,  was  engaged  in  the  battle 
of  Stone  River,  January  i,  1863,  where  Mr. 
McConnell  received  a severe  gun  shot  wound 
in  the  face,  which  necessitated  his  remaining 
in  the  hospital  for  a period  of  six  weeks.  Sub- 
sequently he  rejoined  his  command  and  par- 
ticipated in  the  battle  of  Chatt.mooga  in  the 
summer  of  1863,  and  afterward  took  part  in 
the  battle  of  Mission  Ridge.  He  re-enlisted 
at  Knoxville  in  the  spring  of  1 864,  from  which 
time  until  June,  of  that  year,  he  was  almost 
continually  under  fire,  having  taken  part  in 
nearly  all  the  battles  around  Atlanta.  At 
Kenesaw  Mountain  he  was  shot  in  the  left 
shoulder  and  right  hand,  from  the  effects  of 
which  wounds  he  remained  in  the  hospital 
eight  months.  He  was  then  sent  to  Rock 
Island,  Ilk,  thence  to  Springfield,  where  he 
remained  until  honorably  discharged  Novem- 
ber 12,  1865,  reaching  home  one  month  later 
than  that  date.  Mr.  McConnell  is  a promi- 
nent member  of  the  United  Brethren  church, 
belongs  to  the  Knight  of  Honor  and  is  promi- 
nently identified  with  the  F.  M.  B.  A.  Mr. 
McConnell  is  a stalwart  and  true  republican. 


ESSE  W.  McKIMMEY,  a native  of  In- 
diana, was  born  in  Salem  township, 
Delaware  county,  and  was  the  son  of 
James  and  Susanah  (Adamson)  McKim- 
mey,  parents  natives  of  North  Carolina  and 
Indiana  respectively.  Mr.  McKimmey  was 


624 


DELAWARE  (BOUNTY: 


reared  a farmer,  and  spent  the  greater  part  of 
his  life  within  the  boundary  of  his  native  county, 
and  always  followed  agriculture  as  his  occupa- 
tion. He  was  married,  in  i860,  to  Lucinda 
Clevenger,  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Margaret 
Clevenger,  who  bore  him  four  children,  namely: 
Sanford  L. , Elnora  A.,  wife  of  John  Lowe; 
James  O.,  died  in  infancy,  and  Charles  B. , 
also  deceased.  Mrs.  McKimmey  dying,  Mr. 
McKimmey,  two  years  later,  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Rebecca  (Sharpe)  Bowers,  daugh- 
ter of  Edward  and  Anna  Sharp,  a union  blessed 
with  the  birth  of  three  children,  namely:  In- 

fant, deceased  August,  1877,  March  M.  and 
Erie  E.  Mrs.  McKimmey,  who  had  previously 
been  married  to  Jacob  Bowers,  was  one  of  the 
family  of  fourteen  children,  whose  names  are 
as  follows:  Nancy,  wife  of  Benj.  Sourewine; 

Thompson,  William,  Mary,  wife  of  Noah 
Bowers;  Amanda,  wife  of  Rev.  Mr.  Quick; 
Minerva,  deceased;  George,  deceased;  infant, 
deceased;  John,  Martha,  wife  of  Ira  Kidwell; 
Loretta  J.,  wife  of  Solomon  Skinner — she  died 
March  7,  i888;  Joseph  P. , died  March,  1890, 
and  Sophia  C.,  wife  of  Rev.  W.  R.  Lowe. 
Mrs.  McKimmey  is  the  ninth  in  order  of  birth. 

The  wedded  life  of  Jacob  Bowers  and  Re- 
becca Sharpe  resulted  in  the  birth  of  thirteen 
children,  as  follows:  L.  C.,  Edward  M., 

Isabella  A.,  Oliver  P. , Russell,  Cora  L. , wife 
of  William  P.  Gilmore;  Amanda,  died  in  1859; 
John  C. , died  in  1858;  infant,  died  August, 
1862;  Martha,  died  1863;  infant,  died  Octo- 
ber, 1869,  and  Earl  O.,  died  1870.  After  his 
marriage,  Mr.  Bowers  moved  to  the  present 
home  farm,  where  he  lived  until  his  death, 
which  was  caused  by  an  accident  at  the  rais- 
ing of  a neighbor’s  barn,  on  June  6,  1873.  By 
a life  of  industry  and  prudent  management, 
Mr.  Bowers  became  the  possessor  of  a reason- 
able amount  of  this  world’s  wealth  and  at  the 
time  of  his  death  was  in  very  comfortable  cir- 
cumstances. In  the  affairs  of  business  and 


every  day  life  his  actions  were  governed  by  a 
high  sense  of  honor  and  right,  and  by  a long 
life  of  usefulness  he  gained  and  retained  the 
confidence  of  all  with  whom  he  came  in  con- 
tact. Mrs  McKimmey’s  father  and  mother 
died  in  the  years  1854  and  1877,  respectively. 
They  were  prominent  members  of  the  Dis- 
ciples church,  belonged  to  the  Independent 
Order  of  Good  Templers,  and  were  people 
highly  respected  in  the  community  where  they 
resided. 


MARSHALL,  M.  D.,  a well  known 
physician  and  surgeon  of  Cowan,  is  a 
native  of  Delaware  county,  Ind. , born 
April  9,  1840,  the  son  of  Miles  and 
Elizabeth  (Bell)  Marshall.  The  doctor’s  an- 
cestors paternally  were  among  the  early 
settlers  of  Tennessee,  in  which  state  his  grand- 
parents, Thomas  and  Hannah  Marshall,  were 
born,  and  from  which  they  emigrated  many 
years  ago  to  Indiana,  locating  in  Wayne  coun- 
ty, where  Miles  Marshall  was  born  September 
13,  1 81 1.  The  family  were  among  the  pio- 
neers of  Wayne  county,  where  a number  of 
descendants  still  reside.  Miles  Marshall  was, 
by  occupation,  a farmer,  and  he  was  known  as 
a successful,  reliable  man.  He  was  married 
in  Wayne  county,  Ind.,  1834,  to  Elizabeth 
Bell,  and  reared  a family  consisting  of  the 
following  children:  Thomas,  Margaret,  Miles, 
Reuben,  Hannah,  wife  of  J.  H.  Templin, 
William  H.,  Jacob  W. , deceased;  Jane  Eliza- 
beth, wife  of  J.  B.  Jackson,  Rebecca  E.,  who 
was  the  wife  of  Albert  Ofterdinger;  Horace, 
deceased,  and  John  B.  The  father  died 
March,  1886;  the  mother  is  still  living. 

Doctor  Marshall  was  educated  in  the  com- 
mon schools  and  grew  to  manhood  on  a farm. 
After  reaching  the  years  of  his  majority  he 
taught  school  for  some  years  in  Delaware  and 
Henry  counties,  in  all  eight  terms,  pursuing 


R,  MARSHALL,  M.  D, 


MONROE  TOWNSHIP. 


625 


his  literary  studies  in  the  mean  time.  Orig- 
inally, he  had  no  intention  of  entering  the 
medical  profession,  but  while  teaching  con- 
cluded to  prepare  himself  for  the  practice  of 
the  healing  art,  and,  accordingly,  began  the 
study  of  the  same  about  the  year  1872.  In 
1874,  in  order  the  better  to  prepare  himself  for 
the  medical  profession,  he  entered  the  Miami 
college  of  Medicine,  of  Cincinnati,  in  v/hich 
he  took  two  courses  of  lectures.  In  1877  he 
located  in  the  permanent  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession at  the  village  of  Cowan,  where  he  re- 
mained until  1879,  at  which  time  he  moved 
to  Gifford,  Champaign  county.  111  , thence 
one  year  later  to  Ogden,  same  county  and 
state,  where  he  practiced  for  about  twenty 
months,  returning  to  Cowan  December,  1881, 
where  he  has  since  resided.  Dr.  Marshall  is 
well  read  in  the  principles  of  the  healing  art, 
keeps  fully  abreast  of  the  times  and  is  now  in 
the  enjoyment  of  a lucrative  practice,  in  which 
he  has  met  with  well  deserved  success.  In 
politics  a republican,  he  has  never  been  am- 
bitious for  official  preferment,  all  of  his  atten- 
tion having  been  given  to  the  practice  of  his 
chosen  calling.  September  i,  1 888,  the  doctor 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Amelia  Yelton, 
who  was  born  in  Henry  county,  Ind.,  Novem- 
ber 5,  1856,  the  daughter  of  Hayden  and 

Nancy  (Hopkins)  Yelton.  In  1889  Dr.  Mar- 
shall was  president  of  the  Delaware  county 
Medical  society.  He  is  also  secretary  of  the 
Cowan  Exploring  company. 


^ILLIAM  H.  NEFF.— Prominent 
among  the  representative  citizens 


oT 

and  manufacturers  of  the  gas  belt 
of  Indiana  is  William  H.  Neff, 
whose  birth  occurred  on  the  19th  of  Septem- 
ber, 1848,  in  Rockingham  county,  Virginia. 
His  father,  Elias  Neff,  was  born  in  the  same 


county  and  state  March  i,  1818,  and  there 
married  Sarah  Ritchey,  also  of  Virginia  birth, 
who  became  the  mother  of  three  children, 
namely:  George,  William  H.,  and  Catherine, 

wife  of  George  Will,  the  first  named  being  de- 
ceased. The  mother  of  these  children  de- 
parted this  life  in  the  year  1854  and  subse- 
quently Elias  Neff  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Margaret  Eamb  of  Rockbridge  county,  Va. , 
who  bore  him  fourteen  children,  of  whom  the 
following  are  living:  Michael,  Sarah,  Mathias, 
Ada,  Lewis,  Alice  and  John.  Mrs.  Neff  dying, 
Mr.  Neff  afterward  wedded  Leana  Miller  by 
whom  he  had  one  child,  Hannah.  By  occu- 
pation Elias  Neff  is  a carpenter  and  cooper, 
both  of  which  trades  he  has  carried  on,  since 
early  manhood,  in  his  native  county  and  state, 
where  he  still  resides. 

The  early  life  of  William  H.  Neff  was 
passed  amid  the  ordinary  routine  of  home 
duties,  and  while  still  young  he  entered  upon 
an  apprenticeship  to  learn  carpentering  with 
one  William  Toppin,  of  Rockingham  county, 
under  whose  guidance  he  continued  for  a 
peidod  of  eight  months.  Becoming  proficient 
in  his  chosen  calling,  he  worked  about  one 
and  a half  years  with  an  uncle,  Jacob  Ritchey, 
at  the  end  of  which  time,  thinking  that  the 
west  afforded  better  advantages  to  a young 
man,  he  came  to  Indiana,  locating  in  Henry 
county,  where,  for  a brief  period,  he  found 
employment  as  a wood  chopper,  and  later 
made  rails,  for  a short  time,  in  the  same 
locality.  For  about  one  year  he  was  employed 
as  a farm  laborer  by  O.  E.  Glevenger,  Esq., 
of  Delaware  county,  and  later  resumed  car- 
pentry, which  he  carried  on  until  1882, 
having  in  the  meantime  devoted  much  atten- 
tion to  the  perfecting  of  an  improved  washing 
machine,  for  which  he  obtained  letters  patent 
in  the  year  noted.  Satisfied  that  the  machine 
of  which  he  was  the  patentee  possessed  supe- 
rior merits,  he  began  its  manufacture  at  Cowan, 


62G 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


Delaware  county,  in  1882,  on  a small  scale, 
employing  three  workmen.  After  continuing 
at  the  business  for  some  time  he  disposed  of 
his  establishment  to  R.  M.  Ball,  of  Cowan, 
now  of  Muncie,  and  for  one  year  thereafter 
was  engaged  in  the  general  mercantile  trade  at 
the  former  place.  Discontinuing  the  goods 
business,  Mr.  Neff  again  turned  his  attention  to 
the  manufacture  of  washing  machines,  which  he 
has  since  continued,  being  at  this  time  the 
proprietor  of  the  largest  and  best  equipped 
factory  for  the  exclusive  manufacture  of  these 
necessary  articles  of  household  comfort  and 
convenience  in  the  United  States.  The  story 
of  Mr.  Neff’s  experience  as  a manufacturer 
would  form  an  interesting  chapter,  and  for  the 
benefit  of  those  whose  lives  are  beset  with 
discouragements,  caused  by  repeated  miscarry- 
ings  of  well  laid  plans,  the  following  brief  out- 
line, gleaned  from  a published  account  written 
by  himself,  is  given:  In  1882,  as  already 

stated,  he  commenced  the  business  with  a cash 
capital  of  $10  and  an  indebtedness  of  $200 
hanging  over  him.  He  made  his  own  ma- 
chinery, principally  out  of  wood,  which  cost 
him  $2,  thus  leaving  him  $8  with  which  to  pur- 
chase material  for  the  machines.  After  judi- 
ciously spending  the  $8,  and  having  one  man 
to  furnish  steam  power,  he  proceeded  to  busi- 
ness, and  the  first  week  manufactured  six 
washers,  which  were  painted  and  sold  the  week 
following.  He  continued  in  this  way  until 
March,  1883,  when  he  purchased  a horse  and 
horse  power,  which,  attached  to  his  machinery, 
greatly  facilitated  the  means  of  manufacturing 
and  enabled  him  to  place  the  products  of  his 
factory  on  the  market  in  greater  numbers. 
Through  the  medium  of  the  machines  previ- 
ously sold,  the  merits  of  the  washer  went 
abroad,  in  consequence  of  which  the  demand 
increased  to  such  an  extent  that  an  establish- 
ment of  greatly  enlarged  capacity  became  nec- 
essary, accordingly  he  purchased  a larger 


building,  which  was  supplied  with  improved 
machinery,  operated  by  a ten-horse  power  en- 
gine. Under  the  new  conditions  he  was  en- 
abled to  manufacture  about  100  washers  per 
week,  yet  in  less  than  twelve  months  he  was 
again  obliged  to  enlarge  his  buildings  and 
grounds  and  purchase  new  and  better  ma- 
chinery, including  a twenty-five  horse  power 
engine,  thus  turning  out  a large  number  of 
machines  to  meet  the  demands  of  the  con- 
stantly increasing  trade..  He  continued  in  this 
manner  with  the  demand  gradually  spreading 
and  crowding  until  1891,  when,  for  the  fourth 
time  he  was  compelled  not  only  to  enlarge  his 
old  buildings,  but  to  erect  new  and  more  com- 
modious structures  and  add  to  the  space  al- 
ready occupied  until,  as  stated  in  a preceding 
paragraph,  his  factory  is  the  largest  and  most 
thoroughly  equipped  establishment  of  the  kind 
in  the  United  States.  The  machine  he  makes 
is  known  as  “The  Perfection  Washer,”  which, 
as  the  name  implies,  has  no  superior  in  the 
market.  The  almost  phenomenal  sales  during 
the  few  years  past  is  proof  sufficient  that  the 
Perfection  is  duly  appreciated  by  the  public, 
and  in  view  of  the  continued  demand  it  is  safe 
to  predict  that  within  a comparatively  brief 
period  the  capacity  of  the  factory  will  again 
have  to  go  through  a process  of  enlargement. 

Mr.  Neff  is  a wide  awake,  progressive  man, 
fully  alive  to  the  interest  of  his  business  and 
the  general  prosperity  of  the  community. 
Personally  he  is  very  popular  with  all,  and 
those  who  know  him  best,  unite"  in  pronounc- 
ing him  a true  type  of  the  broad  minded,  in- 
telligent and  courteous  gentleman.  He  is  a 
supporter  of  the  democratic  party,  and  while 
not  a partisan  in  the  sense  of  aspiring  to  offi- 
cial honors,  he  has  decided  opinions  on  all 
public  questions  and  expresses  the  same  in  a 
manner  not  to  be  misunderstood  whenever 
occasion  makes  it  necessary.  With  the  I.  O. 
O.  F.  local  lodge.  No.  561,  he  has  been  identi- 


MONROE  TOWNSHIP. 


627 


fied  for  some  years  and  is  also  a member  of 
the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  belonging  to 
Cheyenne  tribe,  No.  133. 

Mr.  Neff  and  Miss  Helen  Fulton  were 
made  man  and  wife  on  the  6th  day  of  Novem- 
ber, 1871.  Mrs.  Neff  was  born  in  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  in  1852  and  she  is  the  m.other 
of  the  following  children:  Sanford,  an  employe 
in  his  father’s  factory;  Alberta  May,  wife  of 
Jacob  Rinker;  Edward,  also  works  for  his. 
father;  John,  Lillie  and  Nellie. 


EORGE  NICHOLS  (deceased) — Lew 
residents  of  Monroe  township  were 
more  highly  esteemed  and  universally 
respected  than  the  late  George  Nich- 
ols, whose  death  was  felt  as  a personal  loss  to 
the  community  in  which  he  formerly  resided. 
He  was  born  in  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  on  the 
14th  day  of  May,  1857,  the  son  of  John  and 
Martha  (Lyons)  Nichols.  He  became  a suc- 
cessful farmer,  and  displayed  good  ability  as  a 
financier,  having  accumulated  during  his  life, 
a comfortable  fortune,  which  he  left  to  his 
widow,  who  still  resides  upon  the  home  place. 
As  a member  of  the  German  Baptist  church, 
he  exemplified  the  teachings  of  the  Christian 
religion  in  his  daily  life,  and  as  a citizen  few 
men  in  the  township  enjoyed,  in  as  great  a 
degree,  the  confidence  of  the  community. 
Educated  in  the  common  schools,  which  he 
attended  at  intervals  in  his  youth,  he  was  not, 
in  the  strict  sense  of  the  word,  a scholar  so 
far  as  books  were  concerned,  but,  possessing  a 
fund  of  practical  common  sense,  he  was 
enabled  to  discharge  very  successfully  the 
duties  of  a very  active  life.  He  was  married 
September  ii,  1878,  to  Ida  L.  Hill,  daughter 
of  Charles  and  Eunice  Hill,  to  which  union 
the  following  children  were  born:  Charles  E. 

deceased;  Lemuel  N.,  Arietta  J.,  Roscoe  J., 


John  L. , and  Lulu.M.,  deceased.  Mr.  Nichols 
died  on  the  20th  day  of  August,  1892,  and 
amid  a sorrowing  concourse  of  friends  and 
neighbors  was  laid  to  his  last  rest  in  what  is 
known  as  the  Fall  Creek  cemetery. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Nichols  were  early 
settlers  of  Monroe  township,  to  which  they 
removed  many  years  ago,  and  where  they  still 
reside.  Mr.  Hill  is  a successful  farmer,  owning 
120  acres  of  valuable  land,  is  a republican  in 
politics,  and  a member  of  the  Odd  Fellows 
fraternity. 


0^ LAYTON  NICODEMUS,  proprietor 
of  a large  and  successful  saw  mill  of 
Monroe  township,  was  born  in  Preble 
county,  Ohio,  October  ii,'  1863,  a 
son  of  Aaron  and  Maria  (Sayler)  Nicodemus, 
both  parents  natives  of  the  same  county  and 
state,  and  of  German  descent.  Aaron  Nico- 
demus is  by  occupation  a farmer  and  is  still 
living  in  the  county  of  his  nativity;  all  his 
family  of  six  children  are  living  at  this  time. 
Clayton  Nicodemus,  like  the  majortyof  country 
boys,  early  became  acquainted  with  the  rug- 
gedusagesof  farm  life,  was  reared  to  agricultural 
pursuits  in  his  native  county  and  had  the  ad- 
vantages of  a common  school  education.  He 
remained  with  his  parents  until  reaching  the 
years  of  his  majority,  ahd  then  began  farming 
for  himself  on  rented  land,  and  was  thus  em- 
ployed for  a period  of  three  years.  In  March, 
1892,  he  purchased  the  mill  of  which  he  is 
now  proprietor,  and  since  that  date  has  been 
actively  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  lum- 
ber, which  business  is  now  among  the  most 
profitable  of  the  kind  in  Delaware  county. 
His  mill  is' supplied  with  the  latest  improved 
machinery  for  the  manufacture  of  lumber. 

Mr.  Nicodemus  was  united  in  marriage 
December  2,  1886,  in  Preble  county,  Ohio, 
with  Miss  Dora  E.  Goodwin,  of  the  same 


628 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


county  and  state,  where  she  was  born,  on  the 
30th  day  of  October,  1861,  the  daughter  of 
Timothy  and  Sarah  (Parish)  Goodwin.  Mr. 
Nicodemus  is  a public  spirited  citizen,  a repub- 
lican in  political  belief,  and  is  a member  of  the 
Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  belonging  to 
lodge  No.  133.  He  stands  high  in  the  com- 
munity where  he  resides  and  has  a wide 
acquaintanceship  throughout  his  township  and 
Delaware  county. 


UJi 


ILLIAM  H.  PEACOCK.— Promi- 
nent among  the  well  known  citizens 
of  Monroe  township  is  the  gentle- 
man whose  biographical  sketch  is 
herewith  presented.  William  H.  Peacock, 
son  of  Elijah  and  Mary  (Wright)  Peacock,  was 
born  in  Tyler  county,  Va. , March  28,  1845, 
and  in  his  veins  flows  the  blood  of  Scotch  and 
Irish  ancestry.  His  father,  a blacksmith  by 
occupation,  moved  with  his  family  to  Indiana 
a number  of  years  ago,  settling  in  Henry 
county,  where,  near  the  town  of  Luray,  the 
early  years  of  William  H.  were  passed.  He 
spent  his  youth  on  a farm  and  remained  under 
the  parental  roof  until  the  age  of  seventeen, 
at  which  time  he  responded  to  the  country’s 
call  for  volunteers,  enlisting,  December  15, 
1863,  in  company  G,  Ninth  Indiana  cavalry, 
with  which  he  served  until  honorably  dis- 
charged June  25,  1865.  His  military  career 
was  an  eventful  one,  and  during  his  period  of 
service  he  participated  in  a number  of  battles 
and  experienced  vicissitudes,  through  the  like 
of  which  but  few  ever  passed  and  lived  to  tell 
the  story.  He  was  made  a prisoner  of  war  at 
Sulphur  Branch  Trestle,  September  25,  1864, 
and  kept  in  confinement  at  Castle  Morgan, 
Alabama,  for  nine  months,  during  which  period 
his  sufferings  and  privations  were  of  a most 
aggravated  character,  the  effects  of  which 


served  to  impair  his  health  seriously  for  a 
number  of  years  after  leaving  the  army. 
When  captured,  he  was  in  robust  health,  weigh- 
ing 197  pounds,  but  when  released  his  weight 
had  diminished  to  eighty-one  pounds,  and  his 
constitution  was  greatly  shattered  by  cruel 
treatment  and  exposure.  His  daily  rations, 
during  the  greater  part  of  his  prison  life,  con- 
sisted of  one  quart  of  corn  meal,  ground  cob 
and  all,  and  at  one  time  he  was  compelled  to 
undergo  much  inconvenience  and  suffering 
caused  by  an  overflow  of  the  Alabama  river, 
which  flooded  the  prison  to  a height  of  almost 
six  feet.  Among  the  battles  in  which  he  took 
part  were  Sulphur  Branch,  Duck  River,  and 
Franklin,  beside  which  his  command  was 
engaged  in  skirmishing  with  the  enemy  nearly 
all  the  way  from  Nashville  to  Atlanta  and 
back  again  to  the  former  city.  After  his  re- 
lease from  prison  he  started  from  Vicksburg 
with  several  thousand  others  by  boat,  but 
seven  miles  above  Memphis  the  boiler  of  the 
steamer  exploded,  resulting  in  the  loss  of 
nearly  two  thousand  lives.  This  terrible  dis- 
aster occurred  in  the  night  time,  and  the  hor- 
rible sufferings  of  the  poor  scalded  creatures 
who  plunged  or  were  thrown  into  the  merciless 
waves  of  the  Mississippi,  baffle  all  efforts  of 
description.  Mr.  Peacock  was  on  board  the 
ill  fated  vessel  and  he  struggled  between 
death  by  scalding  and  in  the  waves  most 
bravel}'  during  the  long  hours  of  that  sad 
night,  and  was  picked  up  about  seven  and 
one-half  miles  below  where  the  disaster  oc- 
curred. He  received  a severe  cut  on  the  left 
shoulder,  and  after  reaching  the  shore 
rambled  around  for  three  days  before  he  suc- 
ceeded in  finding  any  of  his  comrades.  The 
agony  experienced  by  Mr.  Peacock  in  this  ter- 
rible catastrophe,  made  a vivid  impression 
upon  his  mind,  and  he  recalls  the  scene  only 
with  feeling  of  the  most  acute  emotion.  For 
nearly  three  years  after  returning  from  the 


MONROE  TOWNSHIP. 


629 


army  Mr.  Peacock  suffered  greatly  from  the 
effects  of  his  imprisonment,  and  at  one  time 
became  so  emaciated  that  his  weight  was  only 
seventy  pounds.  After  sufficiently  recovering 
his  health  he  began  working  for  his  father,  and 
on  July  25,  1868,  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Martha  A.  Reynolds,  to  which  union  three 
children  were  born,  namely:  Mary  E.,  wife  of 
John  Watts;  James  R.  and  John  C. 

Mr.  Peacock  has  a nice  little  home,  the 
abode  of  hospitality  and  plenty,  and  he  is 
highly  respected  by  all  who  know  him.  Breck- 
enridge  Reynolds,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Peacock, 
was  a large  and  wealthy  land  holder,  being  at 
one  time  the  possessor  of  over  1,000  acres. 
He  was  a native  of  Virginia  and  the  father  of  a 
number  of  children,  a mention  of  whom  is 
found  elsewhere  in  this  volume.  Mr.  Peacock 
owns  140  acres  of  land,  and  built  his  present 
residence  in  1893.  In  his  political  views  he  is 
an  uncompromising  republican. 


a LARISSA  PHILLIPS,  a well  known 
lady  of  Perry  township,  of  which  she 
is  a native,  was  born  November  18, 
1854,  the  daughter  of  Daniel  and 
Elizabeth  Kisling,  natives  respectively  of  Vir- 
ginia and  Indiana.  Daniel  Kisling  left  his  na- 
tive state  in  an  early  day,  emigrated  to  Indi- 
ana, and,  in  1831,  come  to  what  is  now  Monroe 
township  and  settled  on  a farm  of  160  acres, 
which  he  purchased  from  the  government.  He 
bore  an  active  part  in  the  growth  and  develop- 
ment of  the  country,  and  saw  the  county  of 
Delaware  redeemed  from  a wilderness  state 
and  become  one  of  the  most  highly  civilized 
and  progressive  sections  of  Indiana.  He  died 
on  the  6th  day  of  April,  1884,  and  on  the  lOth 
of  September,  1890,  his  good  wife  followed  him 
to  the  grave.  Daniel  and  Elizabeth  Kisling 
raised  a large  family,  consisting  of  the  follow- 


ing children:  Sophia,  John,  Sarah,  Martha, 

Isaac,  Hugh,  Jacob,  Mary  C.,  wife  of  John 
Will;  Daniel,  Emma,  Elizabeth,  Clarissa,  wife 
William  Phillips,  and  Rosanna,  wife  of  Elwood 
Reese. 

Clarissa  Kisling  was  raised  in  Monroe 
township,  where,  on  the  iith  day  of  Aprd, 
1872,  she  was  united  in  marriage  to  B.  G. 
Cunningham,  of  Virginia,  and  son  of  B.  G.  and 
Mary  (Rees)  Cunningham.  By  this  union  she 
became  the  mother  of  five  children,  namely: 
Stella  A.,  Nellie  E.,  Elsie  L. , Isca  E.  and 
Rollin,  who  died  Eebruary  14,  1879.  Mr.  Cun- 
ningham was  a man  highly  prized  in  the  neigh- 
borhood for  his  integrity  and  honorable  deal- 
ings, and  his  success  as  a farmer  is  attested  by 
the  fact  that  he  accumulated  a good  property 
which  he  left  to  his  children.  After  Mr.  Cun- 
ningham’s death,  which  occurred  on  August  17, 
1880.  Mrs.  Cunningham  remained  single  until 
January  29,  1891,  when  she  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Mr.  W.  H.  Phillips,  a successful 
farmer  and  business  man,  and  a prominent  citi- 
zen of  Liberty  township.  Religiously  he  and 
his  wife  are  earnest  workers  in  the  Methodist 
denomination.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Phillips  are  peo- 
ple of  eminent  respectability,  and  few  resi- 
dents of  Liberty  township  possess  the  confi- 
dence and  esteem  of  their  fellow  citizens  in  a 
more  marked  degree  than  they. 


ENJAMIN  F.  RALSTON,  a native  of 
Wayne  county,  Ind.,  was  born  on 
the  14th  day  of  February,  1835.  His 
father,  Andrew  Ralston,  was  a native 
of  Kentucky,  in  which  state  his  mother,  whose 
maiden  name  was  Millie  J.  Street,  was  also 
born,  both  families  being  of  English  origin. 
Benjamin  F.  Ralston  grew  to  manhood  on  a 
farm,  received  a common  school  education,  and 
after  his  twenty-first  year  engaged  in  various 


630 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


employments.  He  subsequently  engaged  in 
farming,  and  on  the  5th  day  of  August,  1862, 
entered  the  army,  enlisting  in  company  G, 
Eighty-fourth  Indiana  volunteers,  for  the 
three  years’  service  or  during  the  war.  He 
was  with  his  command  until  May  19,  1865, 
and  participated  in  many  of  the  hardest  battles 
of  the  rebellion,  in  all  of  which  he  bore  the 
part  of  a brave  and  gallant  soldier,  thus 
making  a record  in  which  his  family  takes 
pardonable  pride.  During  his  period  of  serv- 
ice he  encountered  many  severe  hardships 
the  effect  of  which  was  a serious  impairment 
of  his  health,  and  he  retired  from  military  life 
a great  sufferer,  and  continued  as  such  until 
his  death,  on  the  9th  day  of  May,  1877.  Mr. 
Ralston  was  a true  type  of  a gentleman  and 
numbered  his  friends  by  the  score  in  whatever 
locality  his  lot  was  cast.  He  was  a republi- 
can in  his  political  belief,  but  he  never  aspired 
to  office.  On  the  27th  day  of  May,  i860,  Mr. 
Ralston  and  Nancy  J.  Windsor  were  united  in 
the  bonds  of  wedlock,  a union  blessed  with 
the  birth  of  five  children,  namely:  Hannah, 

wife  of  Frank  Angel;  William  A.;  Laura  B., 
wife  of  Valentine  Turner;  John  R.  ; and  Dick. 

Mrs.  Ralston  was  born  in  Monroe  township, 
Delaware  county.  May  12,  1845,  and  is  the 
daughter  of  William  and  Jane  (Conner)  Wind- 
sor. These  parents  were  of  English  and  Irish 
descent,  respectively,  and  emigrated  from 
Rentucky  to  Indiana  in  an  early  day  and  were 
among  the  pioneers  of  Delaware  county.  Mrs. 
Ralston  is  a highly  respected  lady  and  a con- 
sistent member  of  the  Christian  church,  with 
which  she  has  been  connected  for  a number  of 
years. 


ACOB  REPLOGLE,  is  a native  of  In- 
diana, born  in  the  county  of  Wayne, 
on  the  7th  day  of  February,  1845,  the 
son  of  David  and  Nancy  Hoover  Replo- 
gle.  Both  these  parents  were  natives  of  Penn- 


sylvania, where  they  were  reared  and  married, 
and  where  the  father  followed  the  occupation 
of  farming  in  connection  with  that  of  milling, 
which  trade  he  learned  in  his  early  manhood. 
David  Replogle  left  his  home  in  Bedford 
county.  Pa.,  and  emigrated  to  Wayne  county, 
Ind.,  where  he  engaged  in  farming,  and  where 
he  remained  until  his  removal  to  Jefferson 
county,  Kan.,  in  the  year  1857.  In  the  latter 
state  Mr.  Replogle  died  on  the  20th  day  of 
March,  1870,  and  five  years  later  Mr.  Replogle 
followed  her  to  the  grave.  Ten  children  was 
the  result  of  their  union,  all  of  whom  grew  to 
the  years  of  manhood  and  womanhood,  and 
the  majority  of  whom  became  heads  of  fami- 
lies. The  following  are  their  names;  Katie, 
deceased;  John,  Samuel,  David,  Jacob,  Susan, 
Barbara,  Nancy,  Mary,  deceased;  and  Levi. 
David  Replogle  earned  the  reputation  of  a 
very  worthy  citizen,  and  his  success  in  life  was 
most  gratifying,  having  by  close  attention  to 
his  business  accumulated  a comfortable  com- 
petence, which  he  left  to  his  children.  He  was 
a member  of  the  German  Baptist  church,  and 
while  not  a partisan,  took  considerable  interest 
in  matters  political,  voting  with  the  republican 
party. 

Jacob  Replogle  was  reared  to  agricultural 
pursuits,  and  his  lot,  like  the  majority  of  boys 
raised  in  the  country,  was  one  in  which  hard 
work  formed  a goodly  part.  While  still  young, 
he  learned  the  cooper’s  trade,  which  he  followed 
with  fair  success  for  a period  of  five  years, 
and  then  began  farming,  which,  in  connection 
with  threshing,  he  continued  during  the  greater 
part  of  the  time  until  1875.  In  the  mean  time 
he  spent  four  years  in  the  state  of  Kansas,  and 
in  1877  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  lumber 
in  Wayne  county,  purchasing  a mill  at  Cam- 
bridge City,  which  he  operated  with  financial 
profit  until  his  removal  to  the  town  of  Oak- 
ville, Delaware  county,  in  1880.  Eight  years 
from  the  last  date  he  moved  to  the  place  where 


c 


B.  REYNOLDS. 


MRS.  E.  REYNOLDS, 


■ N 


■ \ 


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.r 


'-I 

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-'n 


MONROE  TOWNSHIP. 


631 


he  nov/  resides,  where,  in  addition  to  the  saw 
milling  business,  he  carries  on  the  manufacture 
of  drain  tiling,  both  these  enterprises  being 
very  successful  and  largely  patronized.  By 
strict  integrity  and  honest  dealing  with  all 
men,  Mr.  Replogle  has  won  the  confidence 
and  esteem  of  all  with  whom  he  has  had  busi- 
ness transactions.  As  a member  of  the  Soci- 
ety of  Friends,  he  has  proved  his  profession  of 
religion  genuine,  by  a life  of  good  deeds,  and 
his  denomination  finds  in  him  an  earnest  friend 
and  liberal  promoter.  Mr.  Replogle  was  mar- 
ried in  Wayne  county.  May  lO,  1866,  to  Miss 
Susan  Heiney,  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Susanah 
(Kinsey)  Heiney,  both  parents  of  German 
lineage.  Jacob  and  Susan  Heiney  were  mar- 
ried in  Ohio  and  raised  a family  of  eight  chil- 
dren. He  was  a soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  a 
prominent  member  of  the  Lutheran  church  and 
died  on  the  ist  day  of  July,  1883;  his  widow  is 
still  living,  residing  at  this  time  in  the  town  of 
Hagerstown,  Wayne  county.  To  the  union  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Replogle  have  been  born  four 
children,  whose  names  areas  follows:  Charles, 
a well  known  teacher  of  Delaware  county; 
Clinton  S.,  who  also  follows  the  profession  of 
teaching;  Amos  E.,  a student,  and  an  infant, 
which  died  unnamed. 


RECKENRIDGE  REYNOLDS— (de- 
ceased). The  late  Breckenridge  Rey- 
nolds, one  of  the  pioneers  of  Dela- 
ware county,  was  a native  of  Vir- 
ginia, born  on  the  2d  day  of  March,  1815.  He 
came  to  Indiana  when  the  country  was  new, 
and  settled  about  four  miles  south  of  Muncie, 
where  he  built  a small  cabin,  and  in  a primi- 
tive way  began  life  in  the  wilderness.  Within 
a short  time  he  moved  to  the  site  of  the  pres- 
ent home  in  Monroe  township,  where  he  clear- 
ed a farm,  which,  in  after  years,  became  one 


of  the  finest  and  best  cultivated  places  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  county.  He  began  this 
strugle  in  Delaware  county,  with  but  a limited 
amount  of  this  world’s  goods,  and  it  is  stated 
that  he  paid  for  the  corn  with  which  to  plant 
his  first  crop  by  grubbing  for  a neighbor  at  the 
insignificant  remuneration  of  twenty-five  cents 
a day.  He  toiled  early  and  late,  and  being  a 
man  of  great  physical  endurance  and  deter- 
mined energy,  he  eventually  succeeded  in  lay- 
ing the  foundation  for  the  competence  which 
rewarded  his  efforts  in  alter  years.  In  a finan- 
cial sense,  he  met  with  the  most  encouraging 
success,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  was  the 
owner  of  925  acres  of  valuable  land,  beside  a 
great  deal  of  personal  property,  and  a com- 
fortable bank  account.  He  died  on  the  17th 
day  of  February,  1887. 

Mr.  Reynolds  was  twice  married,  the  first 
time,  on  the  13th  day  of  September,  1838,  in 
Virginia,  to  Ellen  Lucas,  who  bore  him  the  fol- 
lowing children:  Archibald H. , deceased; James 
A. ; William  A. : Hugh  C. ; Mary,  deceased  wife  of 
H.  Brown;  Martha,  wife  of  William  Peacock; 
John  H. ; Robert  H. : and  Harriet,  wife  of  John 
Simpson.  Mr.  Re}  nolds’  second  marriage  was 
solemnized  June  i,  1868,  with  Euphamia 
Gibson,  daughter  of  Borter  and  Mary  A. 
(Rhoads)  Gibson.  The  parents  of  Mrs.  Rey- 
nolds came  to  Monroe  township  in  a very  early 
day  and  were  among  the  prominent  pioneers 
of  the  southern  part  jof  Delaware  county.  The 
following  are  the  names  of  the  children  born 
to  Borter  and  Ma.y  Gibson:  Nicholas  (de- 

ceased), Julia  (deceased),  Thomas,  Elizabeth, 
wife  of  John  Bradrick;  Harriet,  wife  of  Robert 
Rees;  Eliza,  wife  of  William  Bridges;  Francis, 
deceased.  Mrs.  Euphamia  Reynolds;  Maria, 
wife  of  John  Driscoll;  and  Charlotte,  wife  of 
Charles  Kiger.  Mr.  Reynolds’  second  mar- 
riage resulted  in  the  birth  of  three  children, 
namely:  Indiana,  wife  of  Philip  Turner; 

Union,  wife  of  Charles  Springer;  an  infant. 


632 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


died  April  25,  1875.  Mrs.  Reynolds  resides 
upon  the  home  farm,  consisting  of  236  acres, 
and  is  a woman  highly  respected  in  the  com- 
munity where  she  has  lived  for  so  many  years. 
She  is  a consistent  member  of  the  Christian 
church. 


OHN  H.  REYNOLDS  is  a well  known 
farmer  and  stock  raiser  of  Monroe 
township  and  one  of  the  representative 
agriculturists  of  Delaware  county,  Ind. , 
Mr.  Reynolds  was  born  in  Monroe  township, 
the  son  of  Breckenridge  and  Ellen  (Lucas)  Rey- 
nolds, natives  of  Virginia  and  the  father  a 
farmer  by  occupation.  John  H.  Reynolds  was 
reared  on  the  home  farm,  received  an  education 
in  the  common  schools  and  has  devoted  all  his 
life  tilling  the  soil,  having  commenced  farming 
for  himself  on  140  acres  of  land,  a part  of  which 
was  left  him  by  his  father.  He  has  been  a 
hard  worker,  and  industry  and  economy  have 
been  the  characteristic  traits  of  his  life.  He 
has  added  to  his  original  place  from  time  to 
time,  and  is  now  the  possessor  of  180  acres  of 
valuable  land,  the  greater  part  of  which  is  un- 
der a successful  state  of  cultivation,  and  his 
improvements  rank  among  the  best  in  the 
neighborhood  where  he  resides. 

On  the  13th  day  of  September,  1873,  Mr. 
Reynolds  and  Mary  J.  Masterson  were  united 
in  the  bonds  of  wedlock,,  and  their  union  has 
been  blessed  with  the  birth  of  the  following 
children:  Frank,  died  March  22,  1875;  Breck- 
enridge, James,  infant,  died  November  29, 
1878;  Charles,  Lucy,  died  March  ii,  1883,  and 
two  infants,  whose  deaths  occurred  January, 
1884,  and  January,  1886,  respectively.  The 
parents  of  Mrs.  Reynolds  were  James  and 
Thankful  (Daniels)  Masterson,  natives  of  Penn- 
sylvania, and  of  Irish  descent.  They  removed 
to  New  York  in  1830,  and  in  an  early  day  emi- 
grated to  Indiana,  settling  first  in  Henry  coun- 


ty, thence  moving  to  Delaware  county, locating 
in  the  vicinity  of  Muncie,  when  there  were  but 
three  houses  in  the  place.  Mr.  Masterson,  at 
one  time,  operated  a carding  machine,  a saw 
mill  and  a distillery,  but  after  coming  to  Indi- 
ana gave  his  entire  attention  to  farming.  He 
cleared  a farm  from  the  woods,  and,  at  the 
time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  in  August, 
1870,  owned  a valuable  tract  of  240  acres  of 
land.  He  was  a member  of  the  Catholic 
church,  served  as  trustee  for  three  terms,  and 
IS  remembered  as  a man  of  local  prominence 
in  the  neighborhood  of  his  home.  He  was 
buried  in  the  Lebanon  cemetery,  and  his  wife, 
who  died  in  1853,  rests  by  his  side.  The  fol- 
lowing are  the  names  of  the  children  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Masterson;  Mrs.  Mary  J.  Reynolds, 
Albert,  Henry,  John,  Thomas,  Josiah,  Anna  E., 
James  E.,  Samantha  and  Maria,  the  last  five 
of  whom  are  deceased. 


AMES  L.  RINKER  was  born  Septem- 
ber 26,  1842,  in  Shenandoah  county, 
Va. , and  was  the  son  of  Philip  and 
Lydia  Rinker.  The  father  was,  by 
occupation,  a farmer  and  died  in  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  in  the  year  1882;  the  mother  is 
is  still  living  and  makes  her  home,  at  this  time, 
in  the  township  of  Salem.  James  J.  Rinker 
always  followed  the  farmer’s  occupation  and 
devoted  himself  to  his  chosen  calling  with  an 
earnestness  that  wrought  good  results.  He 
was  an  honest  man,  whose  word  was  as  good 
as  his  bond,  and,  as  a member  of  the  Chris- 
tian church,  he  lived  out  his  profession  in  the 
actions  of  his  daily  life.  Financially,  he  met 
with  well  merited  success,  and  by  diligent  at- 
tention to  his  chosen  calling  succeeded  in  gain- 
ing a fair  share  of  this  world’s  goods.  His 
honorable  dealings  with  his  fellow  men  won 
their  confidence  and  esteem,  and  he  was 


MONROE  TOWNSHIP. 


633 


recognized  as  one  of  the  best  citizens  in  the 
community  in  which  he  resided. 

Mr.  Rinker  was  married  October  31,  1861, 
to  Miss  Mary  A.  Clevenger,  daughter  of  James 
and  Mary  Clevenger,  natives,  respectively  of 
Virginia  and  Ohio.  This  marriage  resulted  in 
the  birth  of  six  children,  namely;  Amanda, 
wife  of  Joseph  Myres;  Ida  L. , wife  of  Fred 
Cewert ; Marion  O.  ; Otto  E.  ; Ollie  E.  and  Bertha 
E.  Mr.  Rinker  departed  this  life  on  the  26th 
day  of  October,  1870,  deeply  lamented  by  all 
who  knew  him.  Mrs.  Rinker  resides  upon 
the  home  place,  a beautiful  farm,  in  the  man- 
agement of  which  she  displays  great  energy 
and  forethought.  The  following  are  the  names 
of  the  two  brothers  and  one  sister  of  Mr. 
Rinker:  John  H.,  Jacob  and  Julia  A.  James 
and  Mary  Clevenger,  the  parents  of  Mrs. 
Rinker,  had  a family  of  six  children,  whose 
names  are  as  follows:  Mary  A.;  Sarah  J., 

wife  of  William  Kneepman;  Nancy  E.,  wife  of 
R.  Gum;  Catherine,  wife  of  Calvin  Skinner; 
John;  and  Phebe,  wife  of  Frank  Heaton. 


OHN  ROELER  was  born  June  4,  1855, 
in  Wayne  county,  Ind.,  the  son  of 
William  R. , and  Anna  M.  (Smith) 
Roller.  The  names  of  the  children  of 
these  parents,  aside  from  the  subject  are 
Alonzo,  Erank,  deceased;  Emma,  wife  of 
Jonathan  Harrold;  Kate  and  Lizzie  Roller. 
The  mother  of  these  children  died  November 
14,  1883,  and  the  father  resides  at  this  time  in 
the  city  of  Muncie.  John  Roller  received  his 
education  in  the  common  schools,  and  moved 
to  Delaware  county  in  the  year  1862,  his  voca- 
tion at  this  time  being  that  of  farming.  He 
spent  three  years  in  the  village  of  Cowan, 
resided  one  and  one-half  years  in  Muncie,  and 
moved  from  there  to  Harrison  township,  where 
he  followed  the  pursuit  of  agriculture  for  a 


period  of  three  years.  From  Harrison  he 
moved  to  his  present  place,  in  the  township  of 
Monroe,  and  at  this  time  is  one  of  the  success- 
ful farmers  of  the  community  in  which  he  re- 
sides. As  a citizen,  Mr.  Roller  is  held  in  high 
esteem,  and  he  has  a host  of  friends  among 
the  people  of  Monroe  and  adjoining  townships, 
who  respect  him  for  his  many  sterling  qualities 
of  manhood.  He  is  recognized  as  one  of  the 
wide  awake  and  enterprising  men  of  Monroe 
township,  and  takes  an  active  interest  in  the 
advancement  of  his  neighborhood,  both  ma- 
terially and  morally.  Mr.  Roller  was  married 
February  25,  1879,  to  Sarah  H.  Cheeseman, 
who  has  borne  him  two  children,  Charley  and 
Stella.  Mrs.  Roller  is  the  daughter  of  Richard 
and  Nellie  Cheeseman,  whose  sketch  appears 
elsewhere  in  this  volume.  See  sketch  of  Mrs. 
Nellie  Cheeseman. 


ALENTINE  SHOCKLEY,  an  old 
and  highly  respected  farmer  of  Mon- 
roe township,  now  living  a life  of  re- 
tirement, was  born  in  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  March  ii,  1838,  the  son  of 
James  and  Mary  (Ogle)  Shockley.  These 
parents  emigrated  from  Virginia  to  Indiana  in 
1834,  and  settled  in  Delaware  county,  where 
they  bought  forty-five  acres  of  land  and  cleared 
a farm.  They  bore  their  full  share  of  the 
hardships  and  vicissitudes  of  life  in  the  back 
woods,  and  were  creditable  representative  of 
that  large  class  of  pioneers  to  whose  industry 
and  perseverance  the  county  is  so  largely 
indebted  for  its  present  advanced  and  prosper- 
ous condition.  James  Shockley  was  a member 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  for  a great 
many  years,  as  was  also  his  wife,  and  they  are 
remembered  as  people  of  excellent  character 
and  consistent  Christians. 

Valentine  Shockley  grew  to  manhood  in 


684 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


Monroe  township,  where  he  was  born,  and  re- 
mained with  his  father  until  the  latter’s  death, 
which  occurred  on  the  15th  day  of  June,  1849. 
He  early  learned  those  lessons  of  industry  and 
economy  which  bore  their  fruit  in  the  success 
of  subsequent  life,  and,  having  decided  upon 
agriculture  as  an  occupation,  steadily  pursued 
that  useful  calling  until  a competency  enabled 
him  to  retire  from  the  active  duties  of  life. 
Mr.  Shockley  is  a self  made  man  in  all  that 
term  implies,  and  the  beautiful  and  highly 
cultivated  farm  of  i 50  acres  and  other  proper- 
ty which  he  now  owns  are  the  direct  results  of 
his  own  efforts.  Mr.  Shockley  was  married 
February  2,  1863,  to  Martha,  daughter  of 

John  and  Cynthia  (DeWitt)  Gibson.  The 
wedded'  life  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Shockley  has 
been  gladdened  by  the  birth  of  seven  children, 
namely:  Etta,  deceased  wife  of  William 

Hutchings;  she  left  one  child.  Grade;  Re- 
becca, wife  of  Allen  Drumm;  Frank;  Ollie, 
wife  of  Grant  Keesling;  Marion,  Charles,  and 
an  infant  that  died  without  being  named. 
The  father  and  mother  of  Mrs.  Shockley  died 
in  the  years  1882  and  1844,  respectively,  and 
lie  buried  in  the  Reynolds  cemetery.  They 
were  the  parents  of  the  following  children: 
Rebecca,  wife  of  Robert  Turner;  Mary,  wife  of 
James  Ross;  Jane,  wife  of  John  Nelson;  Fran- 
cis, deceased;  Clark,  and  Gibson.  Mr.  Shock- 
ley  is  an  active  worker  in  the  F.  M.  B.  A.  and 
a republican  in  his  political  affiliations.  He  is 
a member  of  the  church  of  the  Christian  Con- 
nection, in  which  he  is  highly  esteemed,  and 
to  which  his  wife  also  belongs. 


w’  ILLIAM  SNIDER,  late  prominent 
■ ■ I farmer  of  Monroe  township,  was 
born  July  16,  1814,  in  the  state  of 
Kentucky,  and  was  a son  of  Peter 
and  Mary  Snider.  These  parents  settled  in 


Henry  count}^  in  an  early  day  on  a farm  and 
there  resided  until  their  respective  deaths. 
William  Snider  was  by  occupation  a farmer, 
and  during  a long  residence  in  the  township  of 
Monroe,  earned  the  reputation  of  an  honorable 
citizen,  and  by  his  upright  conduct  gained 
many  friends  in  the  community.  He  was  mar- 
ried, in  1839,  to  Jane  Russell,  who  subse- 
quently died,  leaving  one  child,  Calvin  Snider. 
Afterward  Mr.  Sutton  met  and  married  Sabra 
Sutton,  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Candace 
(West)  Sutton,  the  ceremony  having  taken 
place  on  the  27th  day  of  January,  1876.  The 
result  of  the  second  marriage  is  four  children, 
namely:  Ola,  Effie,  Vora  and  Sylvia. 

By  industry  and  diligence,  Mr.  Snider  met 
with  much  success  as  a farmer,  and  the  result 
of  his  labors  was  a beautiful  home  of  230 
acres  of  well  improved  land,  upon  which  his 
widow  and  children  now  reside.  He  lead  a 
busy  and  useful  life,  and  during  his  residence 
in  Delaware  county,  gained  a host  of  friends, 
who  mourn  his  loss  as  almost  a personal  ca- 
lamity. His  death  occurred  on  the  4th  day  of 
May,  1891,  and  he  was  laid  to  his  last  rest  in 
the  Hillsborough  cemetery,  where  loving  hands 
have  erected  a beautiful  and  costly  monument 
to  his  memory.  Born,  married,  reared  a fam- 
ily and  died — thus,  as  a tale  that  is  told, 
endeth  life’s  brief  history.  His  widow,  a lady 
widely  and  favorably  known  and  highly  re- 
spected for  her  many  excellent  traits  of  char- 
acter, resides  upon  the  home  farm,  which  she 
manages  with  care  and  good  judgment. 


aHARLES  W.  SPRINGER  was  born  in 
Marion  county,  W.  Va. , January  3, 
1864,  the  son  of  John  J.  and  Rebecca 
(Dodds)  Springer,  natives  of  the  same 
state.  John  Springer  and  family  moved  to  In- 
diana in  an  early  day,  settling  in  Henry  coun- 


MONROE  TOWNSHIP. 


635 


ty,  thence  moved  to  the  county  of  Delaware. 
In  his  native  state  Mr.  Springer  was,  for  a 
number  of  years,  engaged  in  rafting  timber 
down  the  Kanawha  river,  but  after  coming  to 
Indiana  engaged  in  farming,  and  bore  his  part 
in  assisting  to  clear  and  develop  the  country. 
He  died  in  October,  1883;  his  wife  preceded 
him  to  the  grave,  departing  this  life  the  loth 
day  of  May,  1872.  They  were  both  members 
of  the  Baptist  church  and  people  of  the  high- 
est respectability  in  the  community  in  which 
they  resided.  Charles  W.  Springer  was  less 
than  four  years  of  age  when  he  accompanied 
his  parents  to  Indiana,  and  the  greater  part  of 
his  life  has  been  spent  within  the  limits  of 
Delaware  county.  He  has  always  been  a 
farmer  and  ranks  with  the  successful  agiicul- 
turists  of  Monroe  township,  where  he  is  widely 
and  favorably  known,  not  only  as  a thrifty  til- 
ler of  the  soil,  but  also  as  a man  of  intelligence 
and  good  social  standing.  Mr.  Springer  was 
married  July  5,  1890,  to  Union,  daughter  of 
Breckenridge  and  Euphemia- (Gibson)  Re}'- 
nolds,  to  which  union  one  child,  Gailord,  has 
has  been  born. 

Breckenridge  Reynolds,  father  of  Mrs. 
Springer,  came  to  Delaware  county  many  years 
ago,  and  his  sole  wealth,  upon  arriving  at  his 
destination  in  the  new  country  consisted  of 
forty-five  cents  in  cash.  It  is  stated  that  the 
first  money  he  ever  earned  was  a dime,  which 
he  received  as  pay  for  carrying  a pail  of  water 
for  an  auctioneer.  Shortly  after  coming  to 
Indiana,  he  went  back  to  his  native  state  of 
Virginia,  and  moved  two  families  through  to 
the  west  with  a lumber  wagon,  making  the 
journey  in  the  face  of  many  serious  obstacles. 
He  was  a man  of  industrious  habits,  possessed 
shrewd  business  tact,  and  by  skillful  manage- 
ment accumulated  great  wealth,  and  left  his 
children  in  good  circumstances.  Mr.  Springer 
is  a democrat  in  politics,  and  is  faithful  in  ex- 
ercising his  franchise  for  that  party. 


HBRAHAM  TUTTLE,  farmer,  and  in 
point  of  continuous  residence,  one  of 
the  oldest  citizens  of  Monroe  town- 
ship, was  born  July  10,  1833,  in 

Warren  county,  Ohio,  being  a brother  of 
Darlin  M.  Tuttle,  whose  sketch  appears  in 
this  connection.  Mr.  Tuttle  spent  his  youthful 
years  on  the  old  homestead  in  Delaware  county, 
and  amid  the  active  labors  of  the  farm.,  receiv- 
ed a fine  physical  training  in  the  country 
schools  of  that  period.  He  was  brought  by 
his  parents  to  Delaware  county  in  October, 
1836,  and  he  distinctly  recalls  the  journey  to 
the  new  home,  which  was  reached  by  cutting 
a road  through  a thick  forest;  a number  of 
friends  and  acquaintances,  who  had  proceeded 
them,  meeting  the  family  at  a point  about 
three  miles  northwest  of  Sulphur  Springs,  on 
what  is  now  the  Bell  Creek  turnpike,  accom- 
panied them  to  their  destination.  The  land 
on  which  the  family  settled  had  been  entered 
by  the  father  previously,  and  a more  dis- 
couraging prospect  than  the  first  home  pre- 
sented on  the  family’s  arrival,  would  be  diffi- 
cult to  imagine. 

Young  Abraham  contributed  his  share  to- 
ward developing  the  farmi,  and  he  also  taught 
school  for  some  time.  With  the  use  of  the  ax, 
plow  and  old  fashioned  flail,  he  easily  became 
familiar,  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  he  began 
operating  a “chaff  piler”  in  the  neighborhood, 
one  of  the  first  threshing  machines  ever  brought 
to  his  part  of  the  county.  Later  he  operated 
a separator,  one  of  the  first  machines  of  the 
kind  in  Monroe  township,  and  did  a good  busi- 
ness threshing  wheat  for  several  years.  On 
attaining  his  legal  majority,  Mr.  Tuttle  pur- 
chased eighty  acres  of  land,  from  which  he 
afterward  developed  a good  farm;  he  has  met 
with  good  success,  acquiring  a comfortable 
competence  of  this  world’s  goods.  He  now 
owns  1 10  acres. 

On  the  1 8th  day  of  February,  1858,  Mr. 


636 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


Tuttle  and  Miss  Saloma  Heath,  of  Delaware 
county,  were  united  in  the  bonds  of  wedlock; 
their  marriage  has  been  blessed  with  the  fol- 
lowing children:  Marion  S.,  a farmer  residing 
in  Wells  county;  Morton  L. , farmer  of  Mon- 
roe township,  also  leader  of  the  Cowan  Cornet 
band;  Charles  E.,  an  employee  in  the  Neff 
manufacturing  establishment,  and  Cora  B., 
whe  lives  with  her  parents.  He  resides  in  the 
village  of  Cowan.  For  a number  of  years  he 
has  been  a faithful  and  consistent  member  of 
the  Society  of  Friends,  belonging,  at  this  time, 
to  the  Winchester  Quarterly,  Muncie  Monthly 
and  Cowan  Preparative  meetings.  He  pos- 
sesses a deeply  religious  nature,  dignifies  his 
profession  by  a dignified  life,  consecrated  to 
the  Master’s  service,  and  since  the  dedication 
of  the  Cowan  church,  October,  1888,  has  been 
present  and  participated  in  nearly  every  exer- 
cise, missing  but  one  prayer  meeting,  except 
when  prevented  from  attending  by  sickness. 
His  chief  delight  is  to  know  and  do  the  will  of 
the  Heavenly  Father  and  to  keep  a conscience 
void  of  offense  before  God  and  man;  the  ful- 
fillment of  his  honest  obligations,  however 
small,  he  considers  as  part  of  the  very  founda- 
tion of  his  religion,  and  temperance,  without 
which  no  Christian  character  would  be  com- 
plete, he  looks  upon  as  one  of  the  great  needs 
of  the  age.  With  consciencious  devotion  he 
has  ever  been  growing  in  the  Christian  graces, 
and  he  firmly  believes  that  an  intelligent 
knowledge  of  the  Sacred  Record  is  a potent 
means  of  spiritual  advancement.  With  this 
object  in  view  he  began,  January  12,  1868,  to 
read  the  New  Testament,  betwen  which  date 
and  July  5,  1892,  he  perused  its  pages  thirty- 
six  times  by  reading  one  chapter  each  day. 

Politically,  Mr.  Tuttle  is  a republican,  the 
principles  of  which  party  he  has  ever  sup- 
ported, always  favoring,  however,  absolute 
prohibition.  Although  nearly  sixty-one  years 
of  age,  he  is  still  vigorous,  and  with  the  excep- 


tion of  an  injury  received  by  a fall  in  1892, 
while  descending  a stairway,  he  has  always 
enjoyed  good  bodily  health.  He  is  one  of 
Monroe  township’s  represenattive  citizens  and 
the  future  awaits  him  with  bounteous  re- 
wards for  the  duties  he  has  so  faithfully  per- 
formed. 


(D 


ORTON  L.  TUTTLE.— Prominent 
among  the  intelligent  and  popular 
younger  residents  of  Delaware 
county  is  the  gentleman  whose 
name  introduces  this  sketch.  He  was  born 
September  16,  1865,  the  son  of  Abraham  J. 
Tuttle,  whose  biography  also  appears  in  this 
connection.  Morton  Tuttle  was  reared  and 
educated  in  his  native  county,  and  after  com- 
pleting the  prescribed  course  of  the  common 
schools,  attended  the  High  school  of  Muncie, 
where  he  acquired  a good  knowledge  of  the 
higher  branches  of  learning.  For  a period  of 
three  years  he  was  one  of  the  successful  teach- 
ers of  Delaware  county,  and  such  was  his 
record  during  that  time,  that,  had  he  concluded 
to  remain  in  the  profession,  he  would  no 
doubt  have  achieved  distinction  in  educational 
work.  After  abandoning  the  teachers’  pro- 
fession, he  began  farming  on  the  old  home- 
stead, which  place  he  still  operates,  and  which, 
under  his  snpervision,  is  easily  classed  with 
the  best  improved  places  of  the  township. 
Mr.  Tuttle  was  united  in  marriage  December 
20,  1888,  in  Muncie,  with  Miss  Minnie  Myers, 
who  was  born  in  Delaware  county  on  the  19th 
day  of  March,  1868,  daughter  of  Thomas  and 
Anna  (Hatfield)  Myers.  These  parents  were 
born,  respectively,  in  Ohio  and  Indiana  and 
are  of  German  and  English  extraction.  The 
home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tuttle  is  brightened  by 
the  presence  of  three  children — Herschel  G. , 
William  Bliss,  and  Fay  Anna.  Mr.  Tuttle  is 
one  of  the  thrifty  farmers  of  Monroe  township 


MONROE  TOWNSHIP. 


637 


and  occupies  a prominent  place  in  the  public 
affairs  of  the  county,  being,  at  this  time,  a 
member  of  the  republican  central  committee, 
in  which  his  advice  and  good  judgment  have 
been  felt  in  the  planning  and  carrying  to  a 
successful  issue  several  important  campaigns. 
He  has  achieved  some  distinction  as  a musician 
and  as  a leader  of  the  McCowan  Cornet  hand 
has  acquired  more  than  a local  reputation. 
Enterprising  and  progressive  in  all  those  terms 
imply,  he  is  justly  esteemed  by  his  neighbors 
and  friends,  and  has  before  him  a future 
fraught  with  much  promise. 


EV.  JOHN  S.  TUTTLE,  deceased, 
son  of  Darlin  Tuttle,  of  Rumley,  Va. , 
was  born  January  29,1804,  in  Clinton 
county,  Ohio,  where  he  received  his 
education  and  grew  to  manhood.  In  the  twen- 
tieth year  of  his  age,  June  3,  1823,  he  married 
Hannah  Hale,  and  thirteen  years  later  he  came 
to  Indiana,  in  the  prime  of  vigorous  manhood, 
to  carve  for  himself  and  family  a home  from 
the  forests  of  Delaware  county.  He  settled  in 
the  west  part  of  Monroe  township  and  there 
cleared  and  improved  a farm,  upon  which  he 
lived  the  residue  of  his  life.  In  his  youth, 
Mr.  Tuttle  gave  a great  deal  of  attention  to 
music,  and  he  was  a man  of  much  more  than 
ordinary  mental  endowments.  In  a financial 
sense,  he  became  quite  successful,  and  was  the 
owner  of  a fine  farm,  which  became  noted 
throughout  the  country  as  the  abode  of  plenty 
and  hospitality.  In  the  early  day  he  became 
quite  a skillful  hunter,  and  with  an  old  gun, 
an  heirloom  in  the  family,  he  used  to  kill  from 
one  to  three  deer  each  day.  He  possessed  a 
powerful  constitution,  was  a stranger  to  weari- 
ness, and  hardly  knew,  by  actual  experience, 
what  the  word  sickness  meant.  He  was  a no- 
ble Christian  gentleman,  a prominent  minister 


of  the  Protestant  Methodist  church,  and  his 
kindness  of  heart  and  generosity  of  disposition 
were  such  that  all  who  knew  him  united  in 
pronouncing  him  a good  man.  He  was  the 
friend  of  all  public  improvements,  and  every 
enterprise  that  had  for  its  purpose  the  moral 
or  commercial  well  being  of  the  community 
was  sure  to  receive  his  encouragement  and  co- 
operation. He  took  an  active,  though  unsel- 
fish, interest  in  political  affairs,  and  labored 
earnestly  for  the  success  of  his  party  in  all  its 
campaigns.  He  died  April  4,  1872,  in  the 
sixty-ninth  year  of  his  age,  deeply  lamented  by 
those  who  had  known  him  in  life.  His  wife, 
who  had  been  his  companion  for  so  many 
years,  departed  this  life  April  4,  1873,  and  lies 
by  his  side  in  the  Taber  cemetery.  John  S. 
and  Hannah  Tuttle  reared  a family  of  fourteen 
children,  all  of  whom  lived  and  married  and 
had  children  of  their  own.  Their  names  are  as 
follows;  Delilah,  wife  of  Solomon  Clevenger, 
deceased;  MaryJ.,  deceased;  Isaiah,  deceased; 
Thomas  W.,  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Henry  Reming- 
ton, deceased;  Hannah,  wife  of  Morris  Kid- 
nocker;  Abraham  J. ; Amanda,  wife  of  Addison 
Stafford;  Ellen,  wife  of  Elisha  Clevenger;  Dar- 
lin M. ; Minerva,  deceased;  Catherine,  wife  of 
Isaac  Lake;  John  W. ; and  William  F.,  de- 
ceased. 

Darlin  Marion  Tuttle,  tenth  child  of  John 
S.  and  Hannah  Tuttle,  was  born  in  Monroe 
township,  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  July  7, 
1839,  and  grew  to  manhood  on  the  home  farm, 
attending,  in  the  meantime,  the  public 
schools,  in  which  he  received  a fair  English 
education.  He  spent  fourteen  seasons  thresh- 
ing wheat,  receiving  for  his  labor  seven  bush- 
els out  of  every  hundred  the  first  two  years, 
and  continued  the  same  until  1858.  On  the 
I ith  day  of  June,  1858,  he  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Susan  Lake,  a native  of  Licking 
county,  Ohio,  where  her  birth  occurred  July 
10,  1840.  She  is  the  daughter  of  George  D. 


638 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


and  Nancy  (Roe)  Lake.  By  her  marriage 
with  Mr.  Tuttle  she  is  the  mother  of  the  fol- 
lowing children;  John  S.,  Mary  R.,  wife  of 
Walter  G.  Shiry;  George  A.,  Oliver  F. , Mari- 
on H.  and  Lillian.  Mr.  Tuttle,  with  the 
assistance  and  economy  of  his  faithful  com- 
panion, has  accumulated  a sufficiency  of 
worldly  goods  to  place  him  in  comfortable 
circumstances,  owning  at  this  time  a beautiful 
farm  of  lOO  acres,  the  greater  part  of  which  is 
well  cultivated.  He  has  served  as  justice  of 
the  peace  in  his  township,  besides  filling  other 
official  positions,  and  since  attaining  his  legal 
majority  has  exercised  the  elective  franchise 
in  behalf  of  the  republican  party.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  United  Brethren  church;  his 
wife  is  a member  of  the  Society  of  Friends. 
In  May,  1864,  Mr.  Tuttle  enlisted  in  company 
G,  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-fourth  Indiana 
volunteer  infantry,  and  served  until  honorably 
discharged  at  Indianapolis  on  September  2,  of 
the  same  year.  Fraternally  he  is  a Mason, 
belonging  to  lodge  No.  334,  and  is  also  a 
member  of  the  G.  A.  R. , Williams  post,  at 
Muncie. 


OBERT  TURNER.— Among  the  well 
known  citizens  of  the  township  of 
Monroe  was  the  late  Robert  Turner, 
who  was  born  in  Greene  county,  Ohio, 
July  17,  1846,  the  son  of  George  and  Fanny 
Turner.  His  early  life  was  passed  amid  the 
scenes  of  farm  labor,  and  until  his  marriage 
he  found  employment  at  different  occupations, 
but  agriculture  was  practically  his  life  work. 
He  came  to  Delaware  county  a number  of 
years  ago,  purchased  a tract  of  woodland, 
from  which  he  developed  a comfortable  home, 
and  at  the  time  of  his  death  was  an  owner  of  a 
farm  of  1 20  acres  of  highly  cultivated  and 
well  improved  land.  He  began  the  struggle 
of  life  with  but  a small  amount  of  this  world’s 


goods,  but  possessing  an  energy,  born  of  a 
determination  to  succeed,  he  overcame  the 
many  difficulties  and  obstacles  by  which  his 
pathway  was  beset,  and  accumulated  a com- 
fortable competence.  Personally,  he  was  a 
genial  and  intelligent  citizen,  whose  integrity 
and  social  standing  were  never  questioned,  and 
in  his  immediate  neighborhood  he  was  held  in 
the  highest  esteom  by  a host  of  friends,  with 
whom  he  was  always  popular.  He  was  de- 
voted to  his  family,  earned  the  reputation  of  a 
loving  husband  and  kind  father,  and  died  in 
full  assurance  of  the  Christian  faith  October 
15,  1882. 

Mr.  Turner  was  married  to  Rebecca, 
daughter  of  John  and  Cynthia  (DeWitt)  Gib- 
son, to  which  union  eight  children  were  born, 
whose  names  are  as  folloows;  John,  deceased; 
George,  Martha,  deceased;  William  R. , Clark 
E.,  Phillip  E.,  ErancisM.  and  Emma  E.  The 
following  are  the  names  of  the  brothers  and 
sisters  of  Mrs.  Turner;  Martha,  wife  of  Valen- 
tine Shockley;  Mary,  wife  of  James  Ross; 
Jane,  wife  of  John  Nelson;  Erancis,  deceased, 
and  Clark  Gibson.  The  father  and  mother  of 
Mrs.  Turner  died  in  June,  1882,  and  in  De- 
cember, 1 844,  respectively.  They  were  na- 
tives of  Ohio  and  were  highly  respected  by  all 
who  knew  thrm.  Since  her  husband’s  death 
Mrs.  Turner  has  resided  upon  the  home  farm, 
which  her  son  manages.  She  is  a woman  of 
excellent  tact  end  judgment,  and  occupies  a 
prominent  position  in  the  society  of  Monroe 
township  and  in  the  United  Brethren  church, 
of  which  she  has,  for  years,  been  a consistent 
member. 

Philip  Turner,  son  of  Robert  and  Rebecca 
Turner,  was  born  in  Delaware  county  on  the 
9th  day  of  February,  1866.  He  was  reared  on 
the  farm,  and  remained  with  his  mother  until 
his  marriage,  which  occurred  on  March  17. 
1888,  to  Indiana,  daughter  of  Breckenridge 
and  Euphernia  Reynolds.  After  his  marriage. 


MONROE  TOWNSHIP. 


639 


Mr.  Turner  resided  on  the  home  farm  for  one 
year,  and  then  removed  to  his  present  place,  a 
valuable  farm  of  eighty  acres,  where  he  has 
sinceresided.  Mr.  Turner  has  some  very  valu- 
able improvements  upon  his  place,  among 
which  may  be  noted  a handsom.e  residence, 
erected  in  the  summer  of  1892.  He  has  been 
a very  successful  farmer,  and  is  not  only  a 
leading  agriculturist  but  is  recognized  as  a very 
valuable  citizen  in  the  community.  In  1886, 
Mr.  Turner  met  with  a serious  accident,  by 
having  his  leg  broken  in  a fall,  and  the  next 
year  v/as  similarly  unfortunate  in  having  his 
shoulder  broken,  from  the  effects  of  which  he 
never  expects  to  recover.  Two  children  have 
been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Turner,  namely: 
Estella  L. , deceased;  and  Glenn  W. 


HAD.  TUTHILL,  farmer  and  stock 
raiser  of  Monroe  township,  was  born 
in  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  May  i, 
1856,  the  son  of  Phineas  and  Amanda 
(Horner)  Tuthill,  natives  respectively  of  Ohio 
and  Pennsylvania.  Phineas  and  Amanda  Tut- 
hill were  among  the  early  pioneers  of  Dela-  [ 
ware  county,  locating  here  as  long  ago  as  1830. 
He  was  by  occupation  a shoemaker,  but  en- 
gaged in  farming  on  coming  to  this  county, 
and  now  lives  a retired  life  at  the  town  of  New 
Burlington.  He  and  wife  are  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  the  parents 
of  the  following  children:  William,  a plas- 

terer of  Muncie;  Nettie,  wife  of  George  Wil- 
son, and  Thad.  Tuthill,  whose  name  appears 
at  .the  head  of  this  paragraph. 

Thad.  Tuthill  was  reared  to  manhood  in 
Delaware  county,  within  the  bonndaries  of 
which  his  life  has  been  spent,  and  he  early 
chose  agriculture  for  his  life  work  and  has  met 
with  most  encouraging  success  in  that  voca- 
tion. In  addition  to  tilling  the  soil  he  gives 


considerable  attention  to  stock  raising,  paying 
special  attention  to  hogs,  and  keeps  upon  his 
place  the  finest  of  thoroughbred  Poland  China 
and  other  valuable  breeds.  He  has  served  as 
justice  of  the  peace  one  term,  and  is  in  every 
respect  an  intelligent  and  progressive  citizen, 
and  a man  worthy  of  the  high  esteem  and  con- 
fidence with  which  he  is  held  by  his  many 
friends  and  neighbors.  His  large  and  beauti- 
ful farm  contains  210  acres  of  valuable  and 
highly  improved  land,  beside  which  he  owns 
good  property  in  the  city  of  Muncie.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
and  is  prominently  identified  with  the  Masonic 
fraternity  and  the  Improved  Order  of  Red 
Men. 

Mr.  Tuthill  was  married  August  20,  1891, 
to  Mary  J.,  daughter  of  James  and  Harriet 
(Armprister)  Clark,  parents  natives  of  Mary- 
land. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clark  entered  160  acres 
of  land  in  Delaware  county  as  early  as  1832, 
and  their  deaths  occurred  March  7,  1858,  and 
October  17,  1866,  respectively.  Mrs.  Tuthill’s 
grandparents  are  buried  on  the  old  home  farm, 
which  has  been  in  the  family  for  three  genera- 
tions, over  sixty-five  years.  Grandmother 
Clark  died  August,  1830,  and  her  husband 
followed  her  to  the  grave  on  the  5th  day  of 
December,  1840.  Mrs.  Tuthill  has  one  sister, 
Martha,  wife  of  W.  F.  Anderson. 


AMES  WATSON,  a retired  farmer,  re- 
siding in  Monroe  township,  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  was  born  in  Muskingum 
county,  Ohio,  January  i,  1834,  a son 
of  James  and  Frances  (Frantz)  Watson,  natives 
of  Virginia.  In  an  early  day  these  parents 
moved  to  the  above  named  county  and  state, 
where  they  married,  and  where  James  Watson 
followed  the  occupation  of  farming  until  1840, 
at  which  time  he  moved  to  Delaware  county. 


640 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


Ind.,  and  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land.  Re- 
turning to  Ohio  he  died  the  following  year, 
and  his  wife  in  1843  came  to  Indiana  and 
occupied  the  farm  which  her  husband  and  pur- 
chased until  her  death,  in  1853.  James  Wat- 
son was  a soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  is 
remembered  as  a man  of  strong  power  of 
mind,  and  a most  exemplary  neighbor  and 
citizen.  James  and  Frances  Watson  reared 
a family  of  fifteen  children,  fourteen  of  whom 
reached  maturity,  the  following  now  living: 
Frances,  Stephen,  James,  Strawder,  Miranda, 
Tacy,  William  F.,  Levi  and  Abraham. 

James  Watson  grew  to  manhood  a farmer, 
and  remained  with  his  parents  until  his  elev- 
enth year,  at  which  early  age  he  was  thrown 
upon  the  world  and  obliged  to  rely  upon  his 
own  resources  for  a livelihood.  Until  his 
eighteenth  year  he  was  variously  employed, 
earning  an  honest  dollar  whenever  a favorable 
opportunity  presented  itself,  and  by  the  exer- 
cise of  the  most  rigid  economy,  succeeded  in 
laying  up  sufficient  means  to  purchase  a home 
of  his  own,  consisting  of  172  acres  of  land  in 
the  state  of  Iowa.  Fie  resided  in  that  state 
until  1855,  conducting  his  farming  operations 
very  successfully  in  the  meantime,  and  one 
year  later  exchanged  his  western  land  for  an 
eighty  acre  tract  in  Delaware  county,  Ind., 
which  he  afterward  sold  to  good  advantage, 
the  money  realized  from  the  same  being  in- 
vested in  160  acres  he  purchased  in  1863.  In 
1876,  he  bought  his  present  farm,  consist- 
ing of  320  acres  of  fine,  arable  land,  which 
is  well  and  substantially  improved,  and  its 
high  state  of  cultivation  stamps  its  owner  as 
one  of  the  most  intelligent  and  progressive 
farmers  in  the  township  in  which  he  resides. 
On  the  1 2th  day  of  August,  1858,  in  Monroe 


township,  Mr.  Watson  and  Miss  Tilda  Losh, 
daughter  of  John  and  Mary  (Thompson)  Losh, 
became  husband  and  wife.  To  this  union 
seven  children  were  born,  the  following  of 
whom  reached  the  years  of  maturity,  namely: 
Mary,  wife  of  Charles  Fleming;  Martha,  wife 
of  Frank  Nottingham:  Laura,  wife  of  John 
Pickingpaugh ; George;  and  Homer.  On  the 
9th  day  of  May,  1 890,  the  mother  of  these 
children  was  called  away  by  death;  she  was  a 
consistent  member  of  the  Christian  church, 
greatly  respected  by  all  who  knew  her,  and  an 
imposing  monument,  erected  to  her  memory, 
marks  her  last  resting  place  in  the  Sharp  cem- 
etery. Mr.  Watson’s  second  marriage  was 
solemnized  June  9,  1892,  in  Indianapolis,  with 
Miss  Louisa  Eglis,  a native  of  Delaware 
county,  Ind. , where  her  birth  occurred  Novem- 
ber 5,  1854.  Mr.  Watson  is  justly  recog- 
nized, by  all  who  know  him,  as  a man  of 
sterling  worth  and  integrity.  Genial  and  hos- 
pitable in  his  home,  honest  and  upright  in  his 
dealings  with  the  world,  he  has  won  the  con- 
fidence of  all  with  whom  he  has  been  associ- 
ated. As  already  stated,  his  farm  is  one  of 
the  best  improved  in  the  township,  and  he 
pursues  his  chosen  calling  with  a system  of 
one  whose  heart  is  in  his  work.  The  citi- 
zens of  his  township  elected  him  to  the  posi- 
tion of  trustee,  which  office  he  held  from  1884 
to  1886,  aside  from  which  he  has  not  been  an 
aspirant  for  any  other  official  honors.  Frater- 
nally he  is  connected  with  the  I.  O.  O.  F. , 
being  a member  of  the  grand  lodge;  and  also 
stands  high  in  the  society  of  Red  Men.  He  is 
a republican  in  politics  but  liberal  with  those 
with  whom  he  differs  upon  the  great  questions 
of  the  day.  His  wife  is  a member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church. 


MOUNT  PLEASANT  TOWNSHIP 


^ i-*  W.  BLACK,  one  of  the  well  known 
J farmers  of  Mount  Pleasant  township,  | 
A y Delaware  county,  Ind.,  was  born  in  , 
Wayne  county,  Ind.,  June  4,  i860,  a ; 
son  of  Washington  and  Sarah  (Mahoney) 
Black,  the  former  born  in  Wayne  county,  Ind.,  | 
June  3,  1830.  Washington  Black  has  been  a 
resident  of  Indiana  all  of  his  life  and  is  a large 
land  owner  of  Madison  county,  owning  a fine 
farm  of  173  acres,  all  of  which  is  finely  culti- 
vated. He  is  considered  one  of  the  best  citi- 
zens of  the  county,  and  is  a representative 
farmer  of  southern  Indiana. 

J.  W.  Black  made  his  home  with  his  par- 
ents until  his  marriage,  which  took  place 
December  2,  1880,  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Han- 

cock, daughter  of  Pollard  S.  and  Sarah  J. 
Hancock,  natives  of  Indiana,  the  father  and 
mother  both  having  been  born  in  1832.  Mr. 
Hancock  was  quite  a successful  man  in  his 
lifetime,  owning  at  the  time  of  his  death,  in  ^ 
1875,  220  acres  in  Delaware  county.  J.  W. 
Black  is  a strong  advocate  of  the  principles  of 
the  republican  party,  with  which  he  works  and 
for  the  nominees  of  which  he  casts  his  vote. 
Mrs.  Black  is  a consistent  member  of  the 
Methodist  church,  in  which  body  she  is  a 
faithful  worker.  Socially  inclined,  Mr.  Black 
has  united  himself  with  the  order  of  Odd 
Fellows,  and  takes  a great  deal  of  interest  in 
the  meetings  of  his  lodge.  By  this  marriage 
four  interesting  children  have  been  born, 
namely:  Sarah  Feme,  Flotia  May,  Ocie  Inus 
and  Charles  Webster.  Mr.  Black  is  a young 


man,  full  of  energy,  devoted  to  his  work,  and 
one  who  is  destined  to  make  his  mark  in  the 
world.  He  has  the  happy  faculty  of  making 
friends  and  a large  circle  of  them'(testify  their 
appreciation  of  his  many  good  traits  of  char- 
acter. 


L.  BLACK. — To  be  an  honorable  and 
successful  agriculturist  in  the  state  of 
Indiana,  where  the  soil  responds  so 
generously  to  the  hand  of  him  who 
cultivates  it,  is  to  be  almost  insured  in  having 
a comfortable  home  and  happy  and  congenial 
surroundings.  Upon  a fine  farm  of  120  acres 
of  land  in  the  northwestern  part  of  Mount 
Pleasant  township  lives  a prosperous  farmer, 
the  subject  of  this  sketch.  Since  coming  to 
the  township  about  five  years  ago,  Mr.  Black 
has  taken  an  active  interest  in  all  the  affairs 
of  the  place  and  has  become  one  of  the  lead- 
ing men  of  the  community  in  which  he  resides. 
J.  L.  Black  was  born  July  10,  1862,  son  of 
Washington  and  Sarah  (Mahoney)  Black.  Mr. 
Black,  Sr. , was  born  in  Wayne  county,  Ind. , 
June  3,  1830,  and  has  always  remained  a resi- 
dent of  the  state.  He  has  a fine  farm  of  173 
acres  in  Madison  county,  all  of  which  he  has 
put  under  a fine  state  of  cultivation.  The 
mother  of  the  subject  is  a native  of  West  Vir- 
ginia. 

J.  L.  Black’s  boyhood  days  were  spent  on 
the  farm  of  his  father,  and  after  marriage  he 
lived  on  a farm  which  he  rented  for  six  years. 


C42 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


At  that  time  he  bought  his  present  place,  upon 
which  he  now  resides,  and  where  he  has  a fine 
residence — one  of  the  best  in  the  township. 
Beside  having  his  fine  farm  under  a successful 
state  of  cultivation  he  engages  quite  extensive- 
ly in  the  breeding  of  Hambleton  and  American 
Boy  breeds  of  horses,  for  which  he  receives 
the  best  prices.  His  animals  are  of  fine  grade, 
as  he  will  have  none  but  the  best.  He  is  con- 
sidered one  of  the  most  successful  among  the 
young  farmers  of  the  locality  and  also  stands 
high  in  the  estimation  of  his  neighbors  as  an 
honorable  and  upright  fellow  citizen. 

Mr.  Black  was  married  December  24,  1882, 
to  Miss  Henrietta  Neely,  daughter  of  Isaac 
and  Sarah  Margaret  Landry,  both  of  whom 
died  when  she  was  very  young,  and  their 
remains  rest  in  Mount  Pleasant  cemetery.  At 
one  time  Mr.  Landry  was  a man  of  considera- 
ble means,  but  lost  all  by  misfortune.  Both 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Landry  were  members  of  the 
Methodist  church. 

Mrs.  Black  is  an  excellent  lady  of  many 
pleasant  traits  of  character,  and  is  the  happy 
mother  of  two  bright  children,  Sadie  Pearl  and 
Carl  Washington.  Mr.  Black  is  a stanch 
democrat  and  boldly  upholds  the  principles  of 
that  party.  The  religious  connection  of  the 
family  is  with  the  Christian  church. 


BKINDEL. — There  are  many  land 
owners  who  would  be  well  enough 
pleased  to  reap  the  benefits  of  the 
yields  from  the  surface  of  a fine  Indiana 
farm,  but  the  subject  of  this  mention  is  doubly 
fortunate,  as  he  not  only  does  that,  but  also 
enjoys  a liberal  income  from  three  gas  wells 
underneath  the  surface.  This  prominent  and 
well-to-do  citizen  of  Mount  Pleasant  township, 
Delaware  county,  Ind. , was  born  in  Franklin 
county.  Pa.,  February  6,  1838,  a son  of  J. 


Brindel,  who  was  also  born  in  the  same  county 
and  state.  The  father  was  a tanner  by  occu- 
pation and  carried  on  that  trade  in  connection 
with  his  farming  interests.  He  is  still  living, 
having  been  born  in  1805,  and  owns  300  acres 
of  land  in  his  native  township,  where  he  has 
been  trustee  and  is  a respected  citizen.  He  is 
a republican,  politically. 

The  gentleman  for  whom  this  sketch  is 
prepared  was  born  and  reared  on  a farm,  re- 
mained on  the  old  place  until  he  was  twenty- 
two  years  of  age,  at  which  time  he  moved  to 
Indiana  and  settled  near  New  Castle,  where  he 
remained  about  a year,  working  on  a farm. 
He  then  went  to  Pennsylvania,  working  in  that 
state  until  the  following  summer  for  $10  per 
month,  but  again  came  to  New  Castle  and 
found  employment  on  the  farm.  He  married 
January  i,  1861,  Miss  Margaret  Brenneman, 
who  was  born  September  14,  1842,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Henry  and  Fannie  (Doane)  Brenneman, 
the  father  a native  of  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  born  in 
1805,  and  the  mother  of  Bartholomew  coun- 
ty, Pa.,  born  in  1809.  Mr.  Brenneman  learned 
the  trade  of  shoemaker  and  worked  at  it  until 
1851,  when  he  removed  to  Henry  county,  Ind., 
and  engaged  in  farming,  at  his  death,  in  1878, 
owning  200  acres  of  land.  His  wife  had  passed 
away  one  year  prior  to  this,  and  their  remains 
rest  in  the  Fliot  cemetery,  in  Henry  county. 

After  marriage,  Mr.  Brindel  engaged  in 
farming  on  rented  land,  and  so  continued 
until  1869,  when  he  bought  120  acres  of  his 
present  farm,  to  which  he  has  since  added 
until  he  now  owns  152^  acres  of  well  improved 
land  in  Delaware  county.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brin- 
del have  worked  hard  and  often  practiced  self 
denial,  but  are  nowin  a condition  financially  to 
enjoy  the  best  that  life  affords.  The  three 
gas  wells  upon  the  place  make  it  of  great 
value. 

The  following  children  have  been  born  to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brindel;  Catherine  Hettie,  wife 


MOUNT  PLEASANT  TOWNSHIP. 


643 


of  William  Moore;  Rozilla,  wife  of  Morton  L. 
Cassell;  Tamar  Doane,  wife  of  James  Pierce; 
Ida,  wife  of  Shuman  Ross,  a Methodist  minis- 
ter; William  Henry,  Malachi,  and  Claydelia. 
Mr.  Brindel  is  a stanch  republican  and  is  one 
of  the  solid,  substantial  citizens  of  whom  any 
county  may  be  proud.  He  and  his  good  wife 
are  active  and  useful  members  of  the  Metho- 
dist church,  in  which  they  are  highly  esteemed. 


aHARLES  BROWN  was  born  May  6, 
1829,  in  Wayne  county,  Ind.,  and  is 
the  son  of  Samuel  and  Susan  (Stout) 
Brown,  both  parents  natives  of  Vir- 
ginia. The  family  moved  to  Indiana  in  an 
early  day,  locating  in  the  count}"  of  Wayne,  j 
thence,  in  1828,  moved  to  Delaware  county, 
having  been  among  the  early  pioneers  of  Mon- 
roe township,  where  Mr.  Brown,  Sr. , purchas- 
ed a tract  of  land,  consisting  of  160  acres. 
Upon  this  farm  Charles  Brown  passed  the 
years  of  his  youth  and  early  manhood,  and  j 
having  decided  to  make  the  pursuit  of  agricul- 
ture his  life  work,  began  the  same  at  the  age 
of  twenty-one,  tilling  his  father’s  place  for  a > 
share  of  the  proceeds.  After  a year  thus  spent, 
he  purchased  forty  acres  of  his  own,  to  which 
he  moved  two  years  later,  and  on  which  he 
made  some  very  substantial  and  valuable  im- 
provements. He  purchased  his  present  beauti- 
ful farm  in  Mount  Pleasant  township  about 
the  year  1871,  and  has  since  that  time  given 
his  attention  almost  exclusively  to  the  cultiva- 
tion of  the  soil,  in  which  he  has  met  with  most 
encouraging  success,  being  now  among  the 
well-to-do  citizens  of  the  community  in  which 
he  resides.  For  a limited  period  the  subject’s 
father  was  engaged  in  teaming  between  the 
cities  of  Cincinnati  and  Muncie,  but  did  not 
long  continue  in  that  occupation.  He  was  for 
many  years  a prominent  minister  of  the  Ger- 
man Baptist  church. 


Charles  Brown  and  Miss  Julia  Ann  Gibson 
were  united  in  marriage.  Mrs.  Brown  was  the 
daughter  of  Valentine  and  Catherine  Gibson, 
who  came  to  this  country  in  an  early  day, 
locating  in  Delaware  county,  of  which  they 
were  pioneers.  Mrs.  Brown  was  born  in  1830, 
and  died  in  1889;  she  was  the  mother  of  the 
following  children:  Caroline,  wife  of  William 

Jones;  Sarah  Jane,  wife  of  David  Gibson,  An- 
drew, Garret,  Millie,  wife  of  Peter  Smeltzer; 
William,  Louisa,  wife  of  George  Howe;  Erne- 
line,  wife  of  Walter  Everett;  and  Susan,  wife 
of  R.  Wilbern.  Mr.  Brown  is  a republican  in 
politics,  and  belongs  to  the  Christian  church, 
of  which  his  wife  is  also  a devoted  member. 


OHN  BURK  was  born  November  18, 
1850,  in  Wayne  county,  Ind.,  and  is 
the  son  of  George  and  Elizabeth  (Ma- 
honey) Burk.  George  Burk,  the  father, 
was  a native  of  Germany,  which  country  he 
left  when  a boy,  coming  to  the  United  States; 
and  about  the  time  he  attained  his  majority 
became  a resident  of  Wayne  county,  Ind. 
From  Wayne  he  subsequently  moved  to  the 
county  of  Madison,  where  he  lived  for  a num- 
ber of  years,  following  the  occupation  of  farm- 
ing, and  subsequently  exchanged  his  land  in 
Madison  for  a farm  in  Delaware  county,  upon 
which  he  lived  for  a limited  period,  eventually 
returning  to  the  county  of  Madison.  John 
Burk  lived  with  his  parents  until  his  twenty- 
first  year  and  then  began  life  for  himself  as  a 
farmer,  to  which  useful  vocation  he  has  since 
given  his  entire  attention.  He  is  a progressive 
man,  stands  well  in  the  community,  and 
politically  wields  an  influence  for  the  demo- 
cratic party.  His  wife,  whom  he  married  May 
26,  1878,  was  Miss  Nancy  Walker,  daughter 
of  Hugh  and  Mary  (Richard)  Walker,  an  ap- 
propriate mention  of  whom  will  be  found  else- 


644 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


where  in  this  volume.  Mrs.  Burk  is  a lady  of 
excellent  judgment  and  rare  business  tact,  and 
occupies  a deservedly  popular  place  in  the 
social  circles  of  Mount  Pleasant  township. 
She  is,  in  the  true  sense  of  the  word,  a help- 
meet, and  the  successful  management  of  their 
beautiful  farm  is  largely  due  to  her  intelligence 
and  wise  foresight.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Burk  own 
a fine  farm  of  eighty  acres  in  the  township  of 
Mount  Pleasant,  upon  which  are  a number  of 
valuable  improvements,  including  a splendid 
barn,  and  they  are  now  preparing  to  erect  a 
large  and  spacious  dwelling.  He  is  a member 
of  Yorktown  lodge,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  No.  345. 


AVID  CAMPBELL  was  born  in 
Miami  county,  Ohio,  on  the  4th  day 
of  September,  1827.  He  is  de- 
scended from  an  old  family  which 
settled  in  Virginia  many  years  ago,  in  which 
state  his  father,  Adam  Campbell,  was  born  on 
the  6th  day  of  May,  1802.  Adam  Campbell 
married  in  Miami  county,  Ohio,  in  the  year 
1826,  Elizabeth  Kepper,  who  was  born  in  the 
same  state  in  the  year  1804.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Campbell  lived  in  Miami  county,  Ohio,  about 
six  years  after  their  marriage,  and  then  re- 
moved to  Indiana,  settling  in  Delaware  county, 
having  been  among  the  pioneers  of  what  is 
now  Salem  township.  Adam  Campbell  pur- 
chased 220  acres  of  woodland  and- experienced 
all  the  vicissitudes  and  hardships  of  life  in  a 
new  and  undeveloped  country  His  wife  died 
in  1840,  and  he  afterwards  married  Judith 
Luce,  also  a native  of  Miami  county,  Ohio, 
and  resided  on  his  original  purchase  until 
1865,  at  which  time  he  disposed  of  the  prop- 
erty and  emigrated  to  Douglas  county.  Ilk, 
purchased  land  in  the  latter  state  and  resided 
upon  the  same,  and  in  1868  returned  to  Dela- 
ware county,  Ind. , and  here  his  death  occurred 


on  the  27th  day  of  April,  1872.  Mr.  Camp- 
bell was  a very  energetic  and  successful  man, 
a democrat  in  politics,  and  attended  the  Bap- 
tist church.  His  widow  afterward  married 
Daniel  Howell,  and  at  this  time  resides  in 
Mount  Pleasant  township,  Delaware  county. 

David  Campbell  was  reared  to  manhood 
on  the  farm,  received  a limited  education  in 
the  indifferent  schools  of  the  country,  and  re- 
mained with  his  parents  until  attaining  his 
majority,  when  he  went  to  Miami  county, 
Ohio,  and  was  employed  there  for  a period  of 
one  year.  He  then  returned  to  Delaware 
county,  but  shortly  thereafter,  thinking  to  bet- 
ter his  condition  financially,  went  to  the  dis- 
tant states  of  California  and  Oregon,  where 
he  remained  for  five  years,  prospecting  and 
running  a pack  train  in  the  meantime,  in  the 
latter  of  which  he  was  fairly  successful.  He 
went  west  by  the  overland  route,  starting  on 
the  20th  of  May  and  reaching  Portland,  Ore., 
his  destination,  on  October  20,  of  the 
same  year.  During  his  sojourn  in  the  west  he 
accumulated  considerable  money  and,  upon 
his  return  to  Delaware  county,  purchased  a 
farm  in  Mount  Pleasant  township,  which  he 
disposed  of  in  1866.  In  that  year  he  bought 
the  farm  where  he  now  resides,  which  under 
his  successful  management  has  been  greatly 
improved,  until  it  now  ranks  with  the  best 
places,  not  only  in  Mount  Pleasant  township, 
but  in  the  western  part  of  Delaware  county. 
His  farm  consists  of  162  acres  of  fertile  land, 
over  I 50  of  which  are  under  a high  state  of 
cultivation.  Mr.  Campbell  was  married  No- 
vember 15,  1858,  to  Miss  Susan  Moffett,  who 
was  born  in  Salem  township,  on  the  lOth 
day  of  October,  1837.  Mrs.  Campbell  died 
July  13,  1861;  leaving  two  children,  namely: 
Adam,  and  Minerva,  deceased.  Mr.  Camp- 
bell’s second  marriage  was  solmnized  October 
4,  1865,  with  Miss  Ellen  Buckles,  of  Delaware 
county,  who  bore  him  two  children:  Cora  B., 


MOUNT  PLEASANT  TOWNSHIP. 


645 


wife  of  D.  R.  Slack,  and  an  infant  that  died 
unnamed.  On  the  13th  day  of  October,  1870, 
Mr.  Campbell  wedded  his  present  wife,  whose 
maiden  name  was  Catherine  E.  Shimer.  Mrs. 
Campbell  was  born  in  Chesterfield,  Madison 
county,  Ind.,  the  daughter  of  Jacob  Shimer, 
and  has  borne  her  husband  and  child,  Nellie 
C.,  deceased.  Mr.  Campbell  is  a democrat 
in  politcs,  and  a member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F., 
with  which  he  is  prominently  identified.  He 
started  in  life  for  himself  a poor  boy,  with 
nothing  to  depend  on  but  his  own  exertions, 
but  his  industry,  perseverance  and  good  man- 
agement have  gained  for  him  a comfortable 
competence  of  this  world’s  goods.  He  is  an 
estimable  citizen  and  very  popular  in  the  town- 
ship where  he  resides. 


ACOB  WILLIAM  CRAWFORD  —The 
ancestors  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch 
were  of  German  and  Irish  descent,  and 
were  among  the  early  settlers  of  Penn- 
sylvania, in  which  state  his  grandparents, 
George  and  Rebecca  (Rambo)  Crawford,  were 
born  and  married.  In  an  early  day  George 
Crawford  emigrated  to  Perry  county,  Ohio, 
thence  to  the  county  of  Pickaway,  that  state, 
where  his  death  occurred  in  January,  1888,  at 
an  advanced  age.  His  wife  died  about  fifteen 
years  previous  to  that  date.  They  were  the 
parents  of  ten  children,  the  following  of  whom 
are  living  at  this  time:  Eliza,  Allen,  Alfred, 

Jane,  Rachel,  Augustus,  Maria,  Susan  and 
Amanda.  Alfred  Crawford,  the  third  of  the 
above  children,  and  father  of  the  gentleman 
whose  name  introduces  this  biography,  was 
born  in  Perry  county,  Ohio,  on  the  i 5th  day  of 
November,  1832.  His  early  life  was  passed  on 
his  father’s  farm,  and  his  educational  advan- 
tages were  limited  to  a few  months’  attendance 
each  year  at  the  common  schools,  which,  at 


that  time,  were  very  indifferent.  He  was  early 
taught  those  lessons  of  industry,  thrift  and 
economy  which  contributed  to  his  success  in 
after  life,  and,  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  began 
working  for  himself  at  farming  in  the  county  of 
Pickaway,  Ohio,  to  which  he  had  previously 
removed.  His  first  marriage  was  solemnized  in 
1 843  with  Miss  Frances  Merrill,  who  died  in  1861, 
leaving  two  children,  Jacob  William  and 
James  I.  Crawford,  both  residents  of  Delaware 
county,  Ind.  Mr.  Crawford  enlisted  June  15, 
1862,  in  company  A,  Forty-hfth  Ohio  volun- 
teer infantry,  with  which  he  served  three  years, 
four  months  and  twenty  days,  during  which 
period  he  participated  in  a number  of  hard 
fought  battles,  including,  among  others,  the 
engagements  at  Knoxville,  Frankfort,  Nash- 
ville, and  numerous  battles  around  Atlanta. 
He  was  honorably  discharged  at  Columbus, 
Ohio,  in  June,  1865,  and  immediately  there- 
after returned  to  his  home  in  Ohio,  where  he 
remained  until  his  removal  to  Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  in  March,  1881.  On  moving  to  this 
county  he  purchased  sixty  acres  of  fertile  land 
in  Mount  Pleasant  township,  upon  which  he 
has  since  resided,  engaged  in  farming  and 
stock  raising.  He  was  married  in  July,  1886, 
to  Caroline  Blaine,  who  bore  him  three  chil- 
dren, namely:  Frank,  Lawson,  and  Pearl. 

Mrs.  Crawford  departed  this  life  in  1883,  and 
on  the  1 2th  day  of  December,  1887,  Mr. 
Crawford  wedded  his  present  companion, 
Sarah  E.  Thumma,  of  Madison  county,  Ind, 
Mr.  Crawford  is  a democrat  in  politics  and  a 
man  of  local  prominence  in  the  community. 
He  is  an  intelligent  and  highly  respected  citi- 
zen, and  is  well  deserving  of  mention  in  this 
connection  with  the  representative  men  of 
Mount  Pleasant  towmship. 

Jacob  William  Crawford,  son  of  the  prece- 
ding and  present  postmaster  of  Yorktown,  was 
born  December  28,  1858,  in  Pickaway  county, 
Ohio.  He  passed  the  years  of  his  youth  and 


64G 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


early  manhood  on  the  home  farm,  and,  after 
attending,  for  a limited  period,  the  common 
schools,  took  a course  in  the  Northwestern  nor- 
mal at  Ada,  Ohio,  for  the  purpose  of  preparing 
himself  for  the  t<=acher's  profession.  He  taught, 
successfully,  several  terms  of  school,  and  on 
the  19th  day  of  April,  1885,  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Martha  E.  Koontz,  who  was  born  near 
Mount  Shasta,  Cal.,  September  23,  1861, 

daughter  of  L.  D.  and  Matilda  Koontz.  After 
his  marriage,  Mr.  Crawford  engaged  in  the  drug 
business  at  Yorktown,  to  which  place  he  had 
previously  moved,  and,  after  continuing  in  that 
line  of  trade  for  seven  years,  established  a meat 
market,  which  he  sold  out  in  February,  1893. 
Mr.  Crawford  has  always  taken  considerable 
interest  in  the  affairs  of  Yorktown  and  Mount 
Pleasant  township,  and  served  as  trustee  of  the 
latter  from  1886  to  1888.  He  was  appointed 
postmaster  of  Yorktown  in  1889,  and  is  the 
present  incumbent  of  that  office,  the  duties  of 
which  he  has  discharged  in  a very  acceptable 
manner.  He  is  a stockholder  and  secretary  of 
the  Yorktown  Natural  Gas  company,  belongs 
to  the  I.  O.  O.  F. , and  is  in  every  respect  a 
praiseworthy  and  energetic  citizen,  in  whom 
his  fellow  townsmen  have  implicit  confidence. 
He  is  a republican  in  politics,  and  as  such  has 
done  good  service  for  his  party  in  a number  of 
local  campaigns. 


RS.  RHODA  CATHARINE  CUR- 
TIS was  born  April  10,  1828,  the 
daughter  of  Hieronymous  Curtis,  a 
Virginian,  whose  birth  occurred  in 
the  year  1800.  Mrs.  Curtis’s  maternal  ances- 
tors came  from  Maryland,  in  which  state  the 
family  settled  a great  many  years  ago,  moving 
thence  to  Virginia.  Shortly  after  their  mar- 
riage the  parents  of  the  subject  emigrated  to 
Ohio,  where  the  family  resided  until  the 


father’s  death,  which  occurred  in  1839;  the 
mother  subsequently  moved  to  Minnesota, 
where  she  died  a few  years  ago  at  an  advanced 
age.  She  left  to  her  descendants  the  wealth 
of  a good  name  and  was  remembered  as  a 
woman  of  many  excellent  virtues  and  a sincere 
Christian,  having  been  a devout  member  of  the 
Christian  church.  Mrs.  Rhoda  C.  Curtis  was 
born  in  Virginia,  in  which  state  she  passed  the 
greater  part  of  her  early  life,  marrying  there,  in 
1847,  Benj.  Curtis,  who  was  a native  of  Ohio. 
For  six  years  following  their  marriage  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Curtis  resided  in  Clinton  county,  Ohio, 
and  then  came  to  Indiana,  locating  in  the 
county  of  Delaware,  where  they  remained  one 
year,  removing,  at  the  end  of  that  time,  to 
Madison  county,  where  they  made  their  home 
for  a period  of  three  years.  Disposing  of 
their  farm  in  the  latter  county,  they  again  re- 
turned to  Delaware  and  located  in  Mount 
Pleasant  township,  purchasing  their  present 
place,  which  has  been  the  family  residence 
ever  since.  Mr.  Curtis  followed  agricultural 
pursuits  all  his  life,  was  a practical  farmer  and 
succeeded  in  accumulating  a valuable  tract  of 
real  estate,  his  farm  consisting  of  140  acres  of 
very  valuable  land.  He  was  a most  exemplary 
citizen,  and  his  death,  which  occurred  on  the 
1 8th  day  of  February,  1890,  was  felt  as  a 
great  personal  loss  to  every  person  in  the  com- 
munity where  he  resided.  Politically  he  was 
a democrat,  and  in  religion  subscribed  to  the 
creed  of  the  Christian  church,  of  which  relig- 
ious order  his  wile  was  also  a member.  To 
the  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Curtis  were  born 
the  following  children,  namely:  Richard; 

Mary  E.,  wife  of  John  C.  Brown;  Benjamin 
Franklin,  John  P.,  William  Alvin,  General 
Grant  and  Charles  Marion. 

Since  her  husband’s  death  Mrs.  Curtis  has 
resided  on  a part  of  the  home  farm  and  has 
won  for  herself  an  affectionate  place  in  the 
hearts  of  her  friends  and  neighbors  by  her 


MOUNT  PLEASANT  TOWNSHIP. 


647 


many  kindly  acts  and  deeds.  Her  life  has 
been  fraught  with  good  works  and  she  is  now 
passing  her  declining  years  cheered  by  the 
consciousness  of  having  discharged  faithfully 
her  duties  as  a neighbor  and  Christian. 


IRAM  H.  DARTER,  retired  farmer 
and  business  man  and  representative 
citizen  of  Mount  Pleasant  township, 
is  a native  of  Indiana,  born  in  Fay- 
ette county,  on  the  5th  day  of  May,  1828. 
His  father  was  Samuel  Darter,  a native  of 
Virginia,  and  his  mother,  whose  maiden  name 
was  Letitia  Parker,  was  born  in  the  state  of 
North  Carolina.  These  parents  moved  to  In- 
diana in  an  early  day,  and  settled  in  the  county 
of  Fayette,  where  they  lived  for  a number  of 
years,  and  where  Samuel  Darter  became  the 
possessor  of  valuable  real  estate,  owning  at 
one  time  a farm  of  160  acres.  This  he  dis- 
posed of,  and,  moving  to  Delaware  county, 
purchased  fifty-two  acres  in  Mount  Pleasant 
township,  and  a tract  of  one  hundred  acres  in 
the  adjoining  township  of  Harrison,  on  the 
latter  of  which  he  made  his  home  until  his 
death.  Mrs.  Darter  died  in  1856,  and  subse- 
quently Mr.  Darter  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Sarah  Black,  a native  of  Indiana,  who 
departed  this  life  in  the  year  1887.  Mr.  Darter 
was  a man  of  local  prominence  in  the  com- 
munity where  he  resided,  took  an  active  part 
in  the  promotion  of  the  cause  of  religion  as  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  church,  and  was  in- 
tensely radical  in  his  political  views,  having 
been  one  of  the  original  abolitionists  of  Indiana. 

Hiram  H.  Darter  remained  with  his  parents 
until  the  age  of  fifteen,  at  which  time  he  com- 
menced life  for  himself  by  learning  the  carpen- 
ter’s trade,  in  which  he  soon  became  quite 
proficient,  and  at  which  he  worked  for  the  first 
three  years  for  the  insignificant  sum  of  $199. 


In  connection  with  carpentering  he  also  gave 
considerable  attention  to  painting,  both  of 
which  trades  he  followed  from  time  to  time 
until  the  breaking  out  of  the  rebellion.  Ani- 
mated by  a patriotic  desire  to  serve  his  country 
he  enlisted,  and  for  some  time  thereafter 
served  as  a recruiting  officer,  being  instru- 
mental, in  1862-3,  in  raising  a company, 
which  he  entered  as  a private  in  1864.  Shortly 
after  being  mustered  into  the  service,  he  was 
appointed  first  lieutenant,  in  which  capacity 
he  continued  for  five  months,  when,  on  ac- 
count of  gallant  and  meritorious  conduct,  he 
was  promoted  captain,  and  served  as  such 
until  the  close  of  the  war.  This  company 
took  an  active  part  in  a number  of  engage- 
ments, and  Capt.  Darter,  with  his  command, 
participated  in  several  raids. 

During  his  period  of  service  Capt.  Darter 
husbanded  his  pay  with  true  economy  and 
succeeded  in  sending  sufficient  mone]^  to  his 
wife  to  enable  her,  at  his  suggestion,  to  pur- 
chase their  present  home  at  Reed  station. 
While  in  the  service  Mr.  Darter  contracted  a 
chronic  ailment  from  which  he  suffered  greatly 
for  the  period  of  two  years  after  leaving  the 
army,  the  effect  of  which  was  to  impair  seri- 
ously his  subsequent  health.  In  1867  he 
engaged  in  merchandising  in  the  town  of 
Bethel,  Harrison  township,  and  after  conduct- 
ing a fairly  remunerative  business  there  for 
five  years,  disposed  of  his  interest,  and,  re- 
moving to  Reed  station,  erected  the  first  store 
building  in  the  latter  town  in  1872.  He 
carried  on  a successful  business  with  a mis- 
cellaneous assortment  of  merchandise  until 
1882,  at  which  time  he  engaged  in  the  manu- 
facture and  sale  of  lumber,  operating  a mill 
very  successfully  until  its  destruction  by  fire 
in  1884,  entailing  upon  him  a loss  of  over 
$2,000.  From  the  latter  year  until  1887  he 
was  engaged  in  farming,  and  subsequently 
entered  the  mercantile  business  in  Mount 


648 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


Summit,  Henry  county,  where  he  carried  on 
the  trade  for  a limited  period,  removing  thence 
to  the  town  of  Gilmair,  Madison  county,  where 
he  sold  goods  for  about  two  years.  Disposing 
of  his  interest  he  retired  from  active  life  and 
is  now  living  on  his  farm  in  Mount  Pleasant 
township,  which  he  oversees  and  manages  with 
the  same  success  that  has  attended  him  in  his 
various  business  enterprises.  In  addition  to 
his  land  in  Mount  Pleasant,  he  owns  a valu- 
able tract  of  about  lOO  acres  near  the  city  of 
Anderson,  and  in  connection  with  farming 
pays  considerable  attention  to  the  breeding  of 
fast  horses,  in  which  he  has  earned  consider- 
able of  a reputation.  Mr.  Darter  was  married 
October  4,  1844,  to  Sarah  McKinley,  daugh- 
ter of  Joseph  and  Elizabeth  (Waltz)  McKin- 
ley, the  father  a soldier  in  the  war  of  1812 
and  for  many  years  a well  known  resident  of 
Fayette  county,  Ind.  Mrs.  Darter  was  born 
August,  1 842,  and  is  the  mother  of  the  following 
children:  John,  deceased;  Riley  and  Frank 
K.  Darter.  Capt.  Darter  is  an  earnest  sup- 
porter of  the  republican  party  and  enjoys  the 
respect  and  confidence  of  a large  circle  of 
friends  both  at  his  home  and  throughout  the 
county. 


ONATHAN  R.  DOWNING,  M.  D., 
is  one  of  the  leading  physicians  of 
Yorktown,  Delaware  county,  Ind.  He 
was  born  in  Logan  county,  Ohio,  Octo- 
tober  18,  1844,  son  of  Israel  and  Elizabeth 
(Rector)  Downing,  the  former  a native  of  Vir- 
ginia and  the  latter  of  Ohio.  They  located  in 
Logan  county,  where  they  engaged  in  farming, 
which  occupation  Israel  Downing  followed  all 
of  his  life,  although  he  combined  with  it  the 
trade  of  a skillful  carpenter.  In  1851,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Downing  came  to  Delaware  county, 
and  located  on  a farm,  where  he  resided  until 
his  death,  March  13,  1854.  His  remains  were 


interred  in  Mount  Pleasant  cemetery,  where  a 
modest  stone  marks  his  last  resting  place.  In 
1870,  Mrs.  Downing  removed  to  Vermillion 
county.  Ilk,  where  her  life  ended  in  1872,  in 
the  month  of  April;  her  place  of  interment  is 
at  Newtown  cemetery,  in  that  county.  Three 
children  were  born  to  this  worthy  couple, 
Daniel  G.,  a farmer  of  Eugene,  Ind.,  Jonathan 
R.  and  Samnel  G.,  a physician  of  considerable 
note,  now  a pajtner  of  Dr.  J.  R.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Downing  were  people  most  highly  re- 
garded wherever  known,  and  were  consistent 
and  earnest  members  of  the  United  Brethren 
church.  Mr.  Downing  was  identified  with  the 
whig  party  in  early  life,  and  was  a successful 
man  in  his  financial  affairs.  He  was  a man  of 
great  firmness  and  possessed  a wonderful 
amount  of  vitality  and  great  bodily  strength. 

Dr.  Downing  was  reared  on  the  home  farm 
and  was  early  taught  the  dignity  of  labor.  The 
various  duties  of  an  agricultural  life  were 
learned  by  a practical  experience,  and  he  made 
a good  farmer,  as  he  has  since  become  an  ex- 
cellent physician.  At  the  age  of  nineteen  years 
he  was  but  poorly  educated,  as  his  school  ad- 
vantage had  been  limited.  He  then  began  to 
learn  the  trade  of  blacksmith  in  1862,  and  in 
December,  1863,  enlisted  in  company  G,  Ninth 
Indiana  cavalry,  for  three  years  or  during  the 
war,  and  served  until  July  8,  1865.  On  Sep- 
tember 25,  1864,  he  was  captured  and  kept  a 
prisoner  until  March  6,  1865,  at  which  time  he 
rejoined  his  command  and  was  twelve  days  on 
the  way  to  join  his  regiment  at  Vicksburg.  He 
participated  in  several  hard  fought  battles  and 
many  lesser  engagements,  but  returned  to  Dela- 
ware county  without  any  serious  injury.  On 
severing  his  connection  with  the  army  he  en- 
gaged for  one  year  in  farming  and  then  went  to 
Vermillion  county.  Ilk,  and  followed  his  trade 
of  blacksmith  for  five  years.  Finding  that  his 
army  service  had  impaired  his  health  and  ren- 
dered it  imperative  that  he  should  seek  some 


MOUNT  PLEASANT  TOWNSHIP. 


649 


less  laborious  way  to  gain  a livelihood  than  at 
the  forge,  he  decided  to  prepare  himself  for  the 
medical  profession.  His  inclination  had  al- 
ways been  toward  medicine,  and  about  1872 
he  began  the  study  of  the  same  under  the  in- 
struction of  Dr.  Van  Camp,  a well  known  prac- 
titioner of  Danville,  111.  He  continued  with 
this  excellent  tutor  for  three  years,  taking  two 
courses  of  lectures  in  Indianapolis  in  the 
meantime,  and  then  located  at  Ogden,  Cham- 
paign county,  111.,  where,  for  four  years,  he  was 
a very  successful  practitioner.  Returning  to 
Delaware  county,  he  located  at  Reed's  Station, 
and  in  1886  came  to  Yorktown,  where  he  has 
built  up  a fine  practice,  and  is  universally  re- 
cognized as  one  of  the  most  skillful  of  the  phy- 
sicians and  surgeons  of  the  county.  Dr.  Down- 
ing was  married  January  6,  1882,  to  Miss 
Lizzie  C.  West,  a daughter  of  William  West, 
of  Delaware  county.  Dr.  Downing  affiliates 
with  the  republican  party  and  is  socially  con- 
nected with  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  Both  he  and 
wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist  church  and 
are  among  the  most  prominent  people  of  York- 
town. 


S.  DRAGOO. — When  the  subject  of 
the  present  sketch  came  to  Delaware 
county,  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years, 
farming  was  still  almost  a life  of 
drudgery,  but  now  the  farmer  has  so  many 
aids  to  assist  him  in  his  work,  in  the  shape  of 
improved  machinery,  that  the  life  of  the  agri- 
culturist is  one  of  enjoyment  and  independ- 
ence. This  is  a fortunate  state  of  affairs  for 
Mr.  Dragoo,  for,  with  his  great  farms  it  would 
be  drudgery  indeed  to  carry  on  his  great  agri- 
cultural labors  in  the  old  way.  Mr.  Dragoo 
was  born  in  Clinton  county,  Ohio,  and  is  a son 
of  Ephraim,  who  was  a native  of  Kentucky. 
The  father  removed  to  Brown  county,  Ohio, 
where  he  lived  for  some  years,  and  then  came 


to  Delaware  count}^  Ind. , and  bought  a farm 
of  400  acres  in  Mount  Pleasant  township, 
where  he  lived  until  the  time  of  his  death.  His 
wife’sfatherwasasoldier  inthewarof  1812,  and 
came  with  his  son  to  this  county,  dying  in 
Yorktown.  The  mother  passed  her  last  days 
in  Ohio. 

B.  S.  Dragoo  remained  with  his  parents 
until  he  had  reached  maturity  and  was  sixteen 
years  of  age  when  his  parents  came  to  this 
county,  where  he  is  now  one  of  its  most  re- 
spected residents.  He  was  married  March  i, 
1854,  to  Miss  Minerva  Cox,  a native  of  Clin- 
ton county,  Ohio,  her  parents  being  old 
pioneers.  She  died  June  7,  1857,  leaving  two 
children,  both  of  whom  are  deceased.  He 
married  again,  March  13,  i860.  Miss  Sophia 
McKinley,  a daughter  of  Samuel  and  Sarah 
McKinley,  the  father  a native  of  Virginia  and 
the  mother  of  New  Jersey.  Mr.  McKinley 
came  to  this  county  in  1834  and  located  near 
Muncie,  where  he  engaged  in  farming,  and 
remained  there  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
in  1842,  his  wife  surviving  him  until  1856. 
By  this  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dragoo  be- 
came the  parents  of  two  children,  Samuel, 
who  married  Miss  Rebecca  Williams,  and  now 
engages  in  farming  and  school  teaching,  and 
Catherine,  deceased.  The  farm  of  Mr.  Dragoo 
consists  of  359  acres  of  land,  which  is  well  im- 
proved. 


AVID  WHITMER  FLOWERS,  late 
a prominent  merchant  of  Mount  Pleas- 
ant township,  was  born  in  Darke 
county,  Ohio,  June  9,  1846,  son  of 
Amos  and  Phebe  (Longstreet)  Flowers.  Mr. 
Flowers’  paternal  ancestors  were  of  English 
descent,  and  in  early  day  settled  in  eastern 
Pennsylvania,  in  Bucks  county,  of  which  part 
of  the  state  his  grandparents,  William  and 
Mary  Flowers,  were  pioneers,  locating  there 


650 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


before  the  dawn  of  the  present  century.  Amos 
Flowers  was  born  in  Bucks  county,  December 
5,  1811,  and  there  married  his  wife,  who  was 
born  in  the  same  county  and  state  in  the  year 
1821.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Miller  Long- 
street,  who  was  also  one  of  the  early  settlers 
of  eastern  Pennsylvania,  where  he  located  in 
the  time  of  the  colonies.  Amos  and  Phebe 
Flowers  had  a family  of  eleven  children,  of 
whom  the  following  grew  to  maturity:  Virena, 
wife  of  L.  W.  Colvin;  Ella,  wife  of  L.  S. 
Allen;  David  W. , the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
and  George  M. , a resident  of  Delaware  county, 
Ind.  The  parents  moved  to  Darke  county, 
Ohio,  in  1 840,  where  they  resided  on  a farm 
until  1852.  Amos  Flowers  died  in  1861.  He 
was  for  many  years  a local  minister  of  the 
Methodist  church,  in  which  he  was  highly  es- 
teemed; belonged  to  the  Masonic  fraternity, 
and  was  a firm  supporter  of  the  principles  of 
the  republican  party.  He  passed  away  in  the 
hope  of  a life  beyond,  and  left  as  a legacy  to 
his  children  an  unblemished  reputation  and  a 
record  of  a life  well  spent  in  the  service  of  his 
Master  and  in  behalf  of  his  fellow  men.  His 
wife,  a woman  of  most  excellent  character, 
and  a consistent  member  of  the  Methodist 
church,  in  the  communion  of  which  the  greater 
part  of  her  life  was  passed,  was  summoned  to 
her  final  rest  in  1874. 

David  Whitmer  Flowers  enjoyed  the  ad- 
vantages of  a liberal  education,  attending, 
first,  the  common  schools  and  later  the  Nation- 
al normal  at  Lebanon,  Ohio,  where  he  pur- 
sued his  studies  for  a period  of  one  year.  In 
1 866  he  went  to  Mason  county.  111. , where  he 
was  engaged  in  teaching  for  some  time,  and 
afterwards  accepted  a clerkship  in  a general 
store,  in  which  capacity  he  continued  two 
years.  In  1869,  April  25,  he  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Cassie  Kelley,  of  Miami 
county,  Ohio,  who  bore  him  two  children: 
Harry  W.  and  Ellis  C.  Mrs.  Flowers  died 


July  3,  1873,  in  Mason  county.  111.,  and  in 
September,  1875,  Mr.  Flowers  married  Mattie 
Curtis,  in  Butler  county,  Ohio,  where  she  was 
born  in  1853.  To  this  marriage  four  children 
were  born,  namely:  Edna  M.,  Laura  B., 

Charles  and  Oscar.  While  in  Illinois  Mr. 
Flowers,  for  some  time,  held  the  office  of 
town  clerk.  He  removed  to  Vermillion  coun- 
ty, that  state,  in  1882,  and  engaged  in  farm- 
ing for  two  years,  and,  later,  began 
merchandising,  which  he  carried  on  for  one 
year,  removing  at  the  end  of  that  time  to 
Yorktown,  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  where, 
after  1885,  he  successfully  conducted  a gener- 
al goods  establishment.  Mr.  Flowers,  by 
diligently  pursuing  a straightforward  and 
honorable  course,  succeeded  in  building  up  a 
very  profitable  business,  and  at  the  same 
time  was  an  honor  to  the  occupation  in  which 
he  was  engaged.  He  carried  a large  stock  of 
miscellaneous  merchandise,  and  by  consulting 
the  wishes  of  his  many  customers,  kept  fully 
abreast  of  the  times,  and  occupied  a front  rank 
among  the  successful  commercial  men  of  Del- 
aware county.  He  was  a member  of  the  Odd 
Fellows  fraternity,  and  prominently  identified 
with  the  order  of  Red  Men.  August  25,  1893, 
David  Whitmer  Flowers  passed  from  earth,  a 
sincere  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  of  Yorktown. 


ISS  JULIA  GILBERT.— Perhaps 
no  profession  or  occupation  has 
conduced  more  largely  to  the  gen- 
eral well  being  of  mankind  than 
that  of  teaching,  in  the  ranks  of  which  noble 
profession  are  to  be  found  many  of  the  real 
benefactors  of  the  race,  both  man  and  woman, 
whose  earnest  work  and  self  denying  efforts 
may  not  be  fully  appreciated  until  the  time 
when  all  things  are  estimated  at  their  true 


D.  W FLOWERS. 


MRS.  MATTIE  FLOWERS. 


MOUNT  PLEASANT  TOWNSHIP. 


651 


value.  To  this  self  denying  class  belongs 
Miss  Julia  Gilbert,  the  greater  part  of  whose 
life  has  been  spent  in  the  discharge  of  the 
active  and  onerous  duties  of  the  school  room. 
Miss  Julia  Gilbert  is  a native  of  New  York, 
having  been  born  near  the  city  of  Rochester, 
on  the  13th  day  of  February,  1833.  While  a 
mere  child  she  formed  a determination  to  de- 
vote her  life  to  teaching,  and  with  this  object 
in  view,  bent  all  her  energies  to  its  accom- 
plishment. She  engaged  in  this  profession  in 
her  native  state  when  quite  young,  and  was 
there  employed  continuous!}'  until  her  removal 
to  Indiana  in  i860,  making  a record,  in  the 
meantime,  as  an  instructor,  which  enabled  her 
to  secure  a position  in  the  schools  of  Muncie 
shortly  after  moving  to  this  state.  After  resid- 
ing in  Muncie  for  a limited  period,  she  accom- 
panied her  parents  to  Mount  Pleasant,  and 
for  sometime  thereafter  taught  in  the  common 
schools,  and  later  accepted  a position  at  York- 
town,  where  she  taught  for  several  years.  Sub- 
sequently she  was  again  employed  in  the  Mun- 
cie schools;  later  for  a period  of  five  years  was 
first  assistant  in  the  high  school  at  Amboy,  Lee 
county.  111.,  and  afterward  held  a position  of 
principal  of  the  grammar  department  at  that 
place  for  four  years.  Severing  her  connection 
with  the  schools  of  Amboy,  she  returned  to 
Muncie,  and  for  two  years  thereafter  was  em- 
ployed in  the  intermediate  grades  of  the  city 
schools,  and  later  held  a similar  position  in  the 
school  at  Yorktown  for  the  same  length  of 
time.  For  several  years  she  has  not  been 
actively  engaged  in  her  profession,  and  now 
gives  her  entire  attention  to  the  management 
of  her  farm  in  Mount  Pleasant  township,  own- 
ing a beautiful  place  of  eighty  acres  near  York- 
town. Miss  Gilbert  has  performed  well  her 
part  in  life,  and  is  held  in  grateful  remem- 
brance by  many  hundreds  who  have  at  differ- 
ent times  listened  to.  and  profited  by,  her 
valuable  instruction. 


HOMAS  H.  GILBERT,  one  of  the 
enterprising  farmers  of  Mount  Pleas- 
ant township,  and  one  of  the  brave 
soldiers  in  the  late  war,  was  born  in 
Erie  county,  N.  Y. , August  19,  1834,  a son  of 
John  and  Mahala  (Potter)  Gilbert,  both  par- 
ents natives  of  Washington  county,  N.  Y. 
The  father  was,  by  occupation,  a cooper.  He 
located  in  Muncie  at  an  early  day,  and  for 
forty  years  worked  at  his  trade  and  also  man- 
aged a farm,  at  the  time  of  his  death  owning 
340  acres  of  land.  He  was  a prominent  man 
in  the  county  in  those  days,  being  judge  of  the 
county  court  for  several  years,  and  serving  as 
justice  of  the  peace  for  six  years.  His  first 
wife  died  in  1857,  and  later  he  married  Phebe 
Potter,  the  widow  of  Horace  Potter.  In  early 
life  he  was  a whig,  but  upon  the  formation  of 
the  republican  party,  became  a member  of  it, 
and  so  continued  until  his  death. 

Thomas  Gilbert  remained  at  his  child- 
hood’s home  until  the  time  of  his  father’s 
death,  and  then  enlisted,  July,  1861,  for  a 
period  of  three  years  or  during  the  war.  He 
served  three  years  in  the  Nineteenth  Indiana 
regiment  and  one  year  in  the  Thirteenth  Indi- 
ana infantry,  and  saw  much  hard  service, 
taking  part  in  the  battles  at  Bull  Run,  South 
Mountain,  Ghancellorsville,  Gettysburg,  Wil- 
derness, Laurel  Hill,  Petersburg,  Gold  Harbor, 
North  Anna,  Five  Forks  and  Appomattox. 
He  passed  through  the  war  uninjured,  and  on 
leaving  the  army  was  engaged,  for  some  time, 
building  bridges  in  Bartholomew  county,  Ind. , 
and  later  bought  his  present  farm  in  Mount 
Pleasant  township,  Delaware  county. 

Mr.  Gilbert  was  married  March  ii,  1868, 
to  Miss  Hannah  E.  Reynolds,  daughter  of 
Berry  and  Lucinda  Reynolds,  natives  of  Ken- 
tucky. Mr.  Reynolds  was  a farmer  by  occu- 
pation and  a democrat  in  politics,  and  both  he 
and  wife  were  members  of  the  Christian 
church.  The  following  children  have  been 


652 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


born  to  Mr.  Gilbert  and  wife:  Catherine,  wife 
of  Thomas  Collier;  Mary,  wife  of  George 
Hensley;  Bessie,  Harry,  Archie,  Webber 
William,  Loesse,  Emma  and  Gharlotte.  Mrs. 
Gilbert  is  a member  of  the  Methodist  church, 
in  which  she  is  highly  esteemed.  The  farm 
which  Mr.  Gilbert  owns  is  a fine  place  of 
sixty-five  acres,  is  well  cultivated  and  makes  a 
pleasant  home.  The  army  record  of  Mr.  Gil- 
bert entitles  him  to  the  repect  of  all  good 
citizens  who  remember  the  troubled  times  of 
the  late  war.  True  Americans  can  never 
forget  the  heroes  of  the  sixties  nor  should  they 
ever  fail  to  do  them  honor. 


OHN  GRIESHEIMER,  an  aged  and  well 
known  citizen  of  Mount  Pleasant  town- 
ship, is  a native  of  Germany,  born  in 
the  province  of  Hesse  Darmstadt  Janu- 
ary I,  1807.  His  father,  Peter  Griesheimer, 
and  his  mother,  whose  maiden  name  was  Mary 
Neutzenhultzer,  were  both  natives  of  the  same 
province,  and  there  reared  their  family,  dying 
in  their  native  land.  Peter  and  Mary  Griesh- 
eimer were  the  parents  of  three  children,  all 
deceased  except  John  Griesheimer,  who  grew 
to  manhood  in  his  native  country  and  lived 
there  until  1848,  at  which  time  he  came  to  the 
United  States,  landing  at  New  York  after  a 
long  and  tiresome  voyage  of  forty-two  days’ 
duration  on  the  sailing  ship  St.  Anna.  On  ar- 
riving in  this  country  he  immediately  proceeded 
to  Chillicothe,  Ohio,  and  after  remaining  there 
a few  months  went  further  west,  eventually 
reaching  the  town  of  Connersville,  Ind. , near 
which  place  he  resided  until  his  removal  to 
Delaware  county  in  1850.  In  the  latter  year 
he  purchased  the  land  from  which  his  present 
farm  has  been  developed  in  Mount  Pleasant 
township,  and  has  since  been  one  of  the  most 
industrious  and  respected  citizens  of  the  com- 


munity, in  the  substantial  growth  of  which  he 
has  taken  such  an  active  part.  On  coming  to 
this  county,  Mr.  Griesheimer  found  his  pur- 
chase in  a very  primitive  condition,  the  coun- 
try being  covered  with  a dense  forest  growth 
and  game  of  all  kind  being  very  plentiful.  He 
has  labored  hard  to  accumulate  a competency, 
which  he  is  now  enjoying  in  his  declining  years, 
having  retired  from  active  life.  Mr.  Griesh- 
eimer was  married  in  his  native  country  to 
Elizabeth  Knecht,  also  born  in  the  province  of 
Hesse  Darmstadt,  June  12,  1807,  and  to  their 
union  have  been  born  the  following  children, 
namely:  Catherine,  wife  of  John  Wiggerly; 

John,  deceased;  Elizabeth,  deceased;  Mary, 
wife  of  Jacob  Hofherr;  Wilhelmena,  widow  of 
John  Raible;  Christina,  deceased;  Margaret, 
wife  of  John  Bishop;  Eva,  wife  of  Marion  E. 
Jones;  Sarah,  wife  of  John  Zeigler. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Griesheimer  are  members  of 
the  Reformed  Lutheran  church,  and  are  known 
far  and  wide  as  devout  Christian  people. 
Their  greatest  pleasure  now  is  taken  in  the 
Scriptures,  and  they  can  daily  he  seen  read- 
ing the  old  Bible  which  has  been  in  their 
family  for  five  generations.  This  worthy  old 
couple  celebrated  the  anniversary  of  their 
golden  wedding  in  1880,  which  occasion  was 
one  of  great  joy  to  them,  there  being  present 
over  100  invited  guests.  Mrs.  Griesheimer 
is  a remarkably  well  preserved  woman  for 
her  years,  and  is  still  able  to  attend  to  a large 
share  of  the  household  duties,  reads  without 
the  aid  of  glasses  and  is  noted  for  her  wonder- 
ful memory. 

The  long  years  which  these  worthy  people 
have  passed  in  each  other’s  society  have  only 
served  to  cement  closer  the  bonds  with  which 
they  are  united,  and  as  hand  in  hand  they  go 
onward  toward  the  twilight  and  the  journey’s 
end  they  present  a pleasing  picture,  which  all 
their  friends  unite  in  wishing  may  never  fade. 

Thirty-seven  years  ago,  Mrs.  Raible  was 


r 


•i* 


\ 


JOHN  W.  HARMAN 


MRS.  LAVINA  HARMAN. 


!fi»V 


MOUNT  PLEASANT  TOWNSHIP. 


653 


united  in  marriage  to  John  Raible,  who  died 
in  1871.  He  was  a tailor  by  occupation. 
Mrs.  Raible  lived  in  Indianapolis  from  1861 
to  1889,  since  which  time  she  has  been  living 
at  the  old  homestead,  taking  care  of  her  aged 
parents.  Mrs.  Raible  has  two  children: 
Frank  and  Lizzie  Goodall. 


Hubert  GWINN,  a prominent  busi- 
nessman of  Mount  Pleasant  township, 
Delaware  county,  Ind. , is  one  who 
has  made  his  own  way  in  the  world 
in  the  face  of  adverse  circumstances.  Albert 
Gwinn  was  born  in  Hancock  county,  Ind., 
September  27,  1855,  ^ son  of  Samuel  and  Jane 
E.  (Conger)  Gwinn,  of  Scotch  and  German 
extraction.  They  were  married  in  Ohio  and 
reared  a family  of  four  children,  as  follows: 
Royal,  Albert,  Eannie  and  Charles.  The  father 
died  a bout  i860,  but  he  mother  is  still  living 
and  finds  a pleasant  home  with  her  daughter 
in  Hancock  county.  Mr.  Gwinn  was  a whig 
in  his  political  views;  and  followed  the  trade 
of  saddler  as  an  occupation. 

The  subject  of  this  biography  was  but 
eight  years  of  age  when  he  was  left  to  care  for 
himself.  He  had  no  education  worthy  of 
mention,  and  until  he  was  twenty-five  years  of 
age  could  scarcely  read  or  write.  However, 
he  took  advantage  of  later  opportunities  for 
improving  himself,  and  is  now  a well  informed 
man,  apparently  as  well  able  to  successfully 
conduct  his  business  affairs  as  if  he  had  had 
much  better  opportunities  than  fell  to  his  lot. 
He  early  became  a general  laborer,  and  in 
searching  for  honest  work  traveled  through 
almost  every  state  in  the  Union,  finally  locating 
at  Acton,  Ind. , where  he  learned  the  barber  trade 
under  Thomas  Gardener,  and  there  he  worked 
for  one  year,  but  in  1877  came  to  Yorktown, 
where  he  has  since  remained  and  has  carried 


on  a very  successful  trade.  He  now  has  a 
very  comfortable  home  and  a fine  business  in 
this  growing  village.  He  married,  in  Hancock 
county,  Ind.,  October  27,  1878,  Miss  Frances 
Hiday,  who  was  born  in  Hancock  county, 
Ind  , in  1861,  to  which  union  one  son  has 
been  born,  Charley,  July  27,  1880.  Mr. 

Gwinn  is  an  example  of  what  honest  effort 
combined  with  perseverance  and  economy  will 
produce.  He  is  now  respected  and  looked 
upon  as  one  of  the  good  citizens  of  the  place, 
even  if  his  beginning  was  humble  and  dis- 
couraging. All  the  more  credit  is  due  him  for 
his  own  brave  efforts,  and  his  example  may 
well  be  imitated  by  those  whose  youthful 
environments  are  not  of  an  encouraging  nature. 


OHN  W.  HARMAN. — Prominent  among 
the  widely  known  and  popular  citizens 
of  Mount  Pleasant  township,  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  is  the  gentleman  whose 
name  introduces  this  biographical  sketch. 
Mr.  Harman  is  a native  of  Maryland,  where 
his  birth  occurred  September  i,  1829,  being 
the  son  of  John  and  Elizabeth  Harman, 
natives  of  the  same  state,  the  father  of  Ger- 
man descent,  born  in  1805,  and  the  mother  of 
French-English  descent,  born  January  i,  1797. 
To  the  marriage  of  John  and  Elizabeth  Har- 
man two  children  were  born:  Elizabeth  Ann, 
whose  birth  occurred  on  the  20th  day  of  June, 
1827,  and  John  W.  The  father  of  John  W. 
dying,  the  mother,  after  seven  years  of  widow- 
hood, married  David  Orsborn,  a native  of 
Madison  county,  Ohio. 

After  the  death  of  her  first  husband  the 
subject’s  mother  was  left  with  but  limited 
means,  in  consequence  of  which,  although  she 
did  all  that  lay  within  her  power  for  her  chil- 
dren, John  received  but  meager  advantages  of 
obtaining  an  education.  In  the  year  1833,  in 


654 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


company  with  his  mother  and  her  father,  he 
went  to  Madison  county,  Ohio,  where  he 
lived  live  years,  thence  movinj^  near  Indianap- 
olis, Ind.,  which  was  his  stopping  place  for  a 
limited  period;  when  they  moved  to  the  coun- 
ty of  Tipton,  where  he  resided  for  about  one 
year.  The  family  next  moved  to  a point 
known  as  “Broad  Riffle,”  about  three  miles 
from  the  city  of  Indianapolis,  where  they 
lived  until  1S42,  when  they  again  returned  to 
their  former  home  in  Tipton  county,  Ind. 
After  two  years  they  again  changed  their 
home,  locating  in  the  township  of  Salem,  Del- 
aware county,  Ind.,  thence  in  March,  1847, 
moved  to  the  county  of  Madison,  but  finally 
returned  to  Salem  township  in  March  of  the 
ensuing  year. 

John  W.  Harman  began  work  for  himself  by 
hiring  out  to  one  Francis  P.  James,  for  nine  dol- 
lars a month,  being  employed  during  the  summer 
on  a farm,  and  in  the  following  fall  he  labored 
in  a brick  yard.  Daring  the  winter  that  suc- 
ceeded, he  did  “chores”  for  his  step-father 
and  went  to  school,  worked  a month  in  the 
spring  for  Jason  Hudson  for  ten  dollars,  and 
during  a part  of  the  same  season  was  employed 
by  Francis  Pugsley,  who  paid  him  for  his  serv- 
ices, thirteen  dollars  a month,  the  latter 
price  being  considered  very  high  for  common 
labor  in  those  days.  Later,  he  worked  for 
various  other  parties,  doing  any  labor  that 
would  bring  him  an  honest  dollar,  and  in  the 
winter  of  1 849,  attended  school,  paying  for  his 
board,  by  doing  “chores”  and  other  odd  jobs. 

His  accumulations,  up  to  the  time  noted, 
amounted  to  fifty  dollars,  and  in  the  spring,  he 
engaged  to  work  on  a farm  for  Peter  Smeltser 
for  eight  months  for  the  stipulated  sum  of 
ninety-two  dollars.  He  cut  wood  at  Conners- 
ville  during  apart  of  1850,  and  in  1851  got 
out  on  a contract,  in  sixteen  days,  500  railroad 
ties,  for  which  he  received  forty  dollars,  and 
during  the  following  winter,  his  time  was  occu- 


pied in  cutting  cord  wood.  Mr.  Harman  pur- 
chased his  first  piece  of  land  in  the  year  1850, 
in  Bartholomew  county,  paying  therefor  the 
sum  of  $350,  but  did  not  move  to  it.  During 
the  harvest  seasons  of  1851  and  1852,  he  was 
engaged  in  cutting  grain,  his  eight  days’  labor 
in  the  latter  year  amounting  to  thirty-two 
acres.  When  this  work  was  finished,  he  re- 
turned to  his  home  in  Delaware  county,  carry- 
ing his  grain  cradle  and  clothing,  a distance  of 
fifty  miles. 

Mr.  Harman  was  married  September  2, 
1852,  to  Lavina  Van  Matre,  daughter  of 
James  M.  and  Mary  Van  Matre,  after  which 
he  rented  the  place  where  he  now  lives,  con- 
tinuing on  the  same,  as  a tenant,  for  a period 
of  about  four  years.  He  exchanged  his  land 
in  Bartholmew  county  for  120  acres  in  Mount 
Pleasant  township,  paying  a difference  of 
$400,  making  the  latter  cost  him  $750  in  all. 
He  stayed  upon  the  new  farm  until  July,  1861, 
clearing,  in  the  meantime,  forty-five  acres, 
and  then  moved  back  to  where  he  now  lives, 
owning  a share  of  the  present  home  place  at 
that  time.  He  then  began  buying  portions  of- 
the  farm  until,  finally,  he  became  possessor  of 
the  entire  fine  property.  In  June,  1865,  he 
purchased  eighty  acres,  paying  for  the  same 
$2,000,  and  in  June,  1869,  sold  100  acres  of 
his  land  to  Pollard  S.  Hancock  for  $3,600. 
His  present  handsome  residence  was  begun  in 
1869  and  completed  the  same  year.  When 
a mere  boy,  Mr.  Harman  resolved  that,  before 
he  was  forty,  he  would  own  forty  or  eighty 
acres  of  land  and  a residence,  and  he  carried 
out  his  purpose,  for  before  arriving  at  that  age 
he  had  a comfortable  home  and  much  more 
than  the  number  of  acres  noted.  He  bought 
eighty-nine  acres  in  1869,  and  his  next  pur- 
chase consisted  of  twenty-two  acres,  for  which 
he  paid  the  sum  of  $770.  In  1879  he  bought 
eighty  acres  for  $3,500,  and  later  made  pur- 
chases for  his  children  to  the  amount  of 


MOUNT  PLEASANT  TOWNSHIP. 


655 


$10,000.  In  1885  he  purchased  forty  acres, 
paying  for  the  same  $400;  in  1889,  bought 
another  forty  acre  lot  for  $2,600,  and  the 
same  year,  exchanged  forty  acres  of  his  Mount 
Pleasant  land  for  200  acres  valued  at  $13,900. 
At  this  time  Mr.  Harman  is  the  owner  of  590 
acres  of  valuable  land,  being  one  of  the 
largest  holders  of  real  estate  in  the  county  of 
Delaware. 

Mr.  Harman  is  a republican  in  politics, 
and  with  his  wife  belongs  to  the  Methodist 
Protestant  church.  Mrs.  Harman  is  a daugh- 
ter of  James  M.  and  Mary  (Jones)  VanMatre 
and  was  born  in  Henry  county,  Ind. , March 
31,  1832.  Her  father  was  born  in  Clarke 
county,  Ohio,  May  10,  1810,  and  the  mother’s 
birth  occurred  in  Fayette  county,  Ind.,  August 
17,  1813.  James  M.  VanMatre  came  to 

Delaware  county,  Ind. , when  sixteen  years  of 
age,  became  the  possessor  of  a good  farm  and 
died  in  1844,  leaving  a widow  and  a large 
family.  Mrs.  VanMatre  died,  regretted  by  all 
who  knew  her,  in  the  year  1863. 


OHN  Hx\RMAN,  JR.,  is  one  of  the 
representative  farmers  of  Mount  Pleas- 
ant township,  in  which  he  was  born  on 
the  2 1st  day  of  January,  1862,  the  son 
of  John  and  Lavina  Harman,  a sketch  of 
whom  appears  above.  Mr.  Harman  has  spent 
the  greater  part  of  his  life  in  the  county  of  his 
nativity,  received  a practical  English  education 
in  the  common  schools,  which  he  attended 
during  his  minority,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
one  was  employed  by  his  father  on  the  home 
farm,  where  he  remained  until  1883.  On 
March  8,  of  that  year,  he  was  united  in  mar-  | 
riage  with  Miss  Emma  E.  Stewart,  daughter 
of  John  and  Mary  Stewart,  both  parents  na-  | 
tives  of  Indiana.  The  father  was  born  April  I 
15,  1840,  and  the  mother  on  the  8th  day  of  | 


February,  184E  John  Stewart  was  one  of  the 
pioneers  of  Delaware  county,  became  a very 
successful  man  financially,  followed  farming 
for  his  occupation,  and  is  now  living  a retired 
life.  Shortly  after  his  marriage,  Mr.  Harman 
moved  to  his  present  home  in  Mount  Pleasant 
township,  where  he  has  since  resided  and 
where  he  operates  very  successfully  a very 
beautiful  and  productive  farm.  He  is  indus- 
trious, energetic  and  progressive  in  all  those 
terms  imply,  and  has  brought  to  his  life  work 
the  intelligence  acquired  by  years  of  close  ob- 
servation and  careful  study  of  the  science  of 
agriculture.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harman  are  the 
parents  of  two  children,  namely;  Charles  Har- 
rison and  Marion  Martin;  the  latter  was  born 
October  5,  1892,  and  departed  this  life  Decem- 
ber 4,  of  the  same  year. 


HNTON  C.  HEFEL,  civil  engineer  of 
Muncie,  is  a native  of  Austria,  born 
on  the  8th  day  of  April,  1844,  in  the 
town  of  Feldkirk,  province  of  Vorarl- 
berg.  He  attended  the  common  schools  of  his 
native  town  during  his  youthful  years,  later 
pursued  his  studies  for  four  years  in  a normal 
school,  and  afterward  became  a student  of  the 
university  of  Munchen,  Bavaria,  in  which  well- 
known  institution  he  completed  the  prescribed 
course,  having  graduated  in  1864.  Mr.  Hefei 
early  turned  his  attention  to  mechanics,  and 
for  some  time  after  leaving  the  university  was 
employed  as  a builder  of  water  works  in  vari- 
ous parts  of  Bavaria,  notably  at  Augsberg, 
where  for  two  years  he  acted  as  superintundent 
of  construction.  In  1866,  when  twenty-three 
of  age,  he  came  to  the  United  States,  locating 
at  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  where  he  engaged  as 
dratightsman  for  the  water  works  of  that  city, 
in  which  capacity  he  continued  for  a period  of 
six  years,  and  afterward  served  as  engineer  and 


650 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


assistant  superintendent  for  the  same  company 
until  his  removal  to  Vandalia,  111.,  in  1877.  In  the 
latter  city  he  was  made  engineer  in  chief  of  the 
Kaskaskia  Bottom  Drainage  district,  his  official 
duties  consisting  of  making  surveys  and  esti- 
mates for  dredging,  draining,  and  reclaiming  a 
large  tract  of  land,  twenty-five  by  forty-five 
miles  in  area.  He  was  thus  engaged  from  1877 
to  1886,  during  which  period  he  whs  twice 
elected  surveyor  of  Fayette  county.  111.,  enter- 
ing the  contest  both  times  as  a candidate  on 
the  people’s  ticket. 

In  1886  Mr.  Hefei  accepted  a position  with 
the  American  Water  Works  and  Guarantee 
company,  of  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  as  superintendent 
of  construction,  and  engineer  in  building 
water  works  and  plants  at  New  Philadelphia, 
Ohio;  Huntington,  W.  Va.  ; Cheboygan,  Wis.  ; 
Meridian,  Miss.;  and  Wichita,  Kan.,  continu- 
ing in  that  capacity  for  two  years,  during 
which  time  his  headquarters  were  at  Muncie, 
Ind. 

In  1888  he  made  surveys  and  drawings  for 
two  maps  of  the  city  of  Muncie,  the  first  of 
which,  known  as  Hefei’s  natural  gas  map, 
showing  gas  wells,  gas  lines,  additions,  etc. , 
was  copyrighted  and  printed  in  colored  litho- 
graph. P>oth  maps  were  extensively  sold  and 
are  still  commended  for  their  accuracy,  as 
well  as  for  the  neatness  and  skill  displayed  in 
the  workmanship. 

In  Juh',  1891,  Mr.  Hefei  entered  the 
employ  of  the  Western  Improvement  com- 
pany, of  Rochester,  N.  Y. , to  lay  out  and 
prepare  drawings  for  the  town  of  West  Mun- 
cie, which,  in  due  time,  were  made  and  placed 
on  record.  The  plat  of  West  Muncie  dis- 
plays superior  ability  on  the  part  of  the  engi- 
neer, the  beautiful  artificial  lake  and  other 
improvements  which  have  given  the  place 
much  more  than  a local  celebrity,  being  the 
original  design  of  Mr.  Hefei.  Mr.  Hefei  is  a 
skillful  engineer,  thoroughly  familiar  with  every 


detail  of  the  profession  to  which  he  has  de- 
voted his  life,  and  the  responsible  positions 
which  he  has  been  called  to  fill,  from  time  to 
time,  testify  of  confidence  in  which  his  abili- 
ties are  held  by  the  large  companies  and  cor- 
porations with  which  he  has  been  identified. 
In  1868,  in  the  city  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  Mr. 
Hefei  and  Miss  Magdalena  Good,  a native  of 
Germany,  were  united  in  marriage — a union 
severed  by  the  death  of  Mrs.  Hefei  in  1881, 
after  bearing  two  children,  Carrie  and  Ermine. 
Mr.  Hefei  married  his  present  wife,  whose 
maiden  name  was  Kate  Boeckley,  in  1881,  a 
union  blessed  with  the  birth  of  one  child,  a 
daughter,  Hattie. 


RS.  NANCY  HANCOCK.— Recent 
biographers  are  not  unmindful  of 
the  fact  that  as  much  credit  is  due 
the  wives  and  mothers  of  the  pres- 
ent generation  for  the  moral  and  material  ad- 
vancement of  our  great  western  country  as  to 
the  fathers  and  sons.  In  the  following  sketch 
is  a brief  mention  of  the  leading  events  in  the 
career  of  one  of  the  pioneer  mothers  of  Dela- 
ware county,  whose  whole  life  has  been  the 
grand  simple  poem  of  rugged,  toilsome  duty, 
faithfully  and  uncomplainingly  done.  Mrs. 
Nancy  Hancock,  whose  maiden  name  was  An- 
trim, is  a native  of  Clinton  county,  Ohio, 
where  her  birth  occurred  on  the  1 8th  day  of 
August,  1820.  Her  father,  Robert  Antrim, 
was  born  in  Virginia,  March  12,  1787,  and  came 
to  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  as  early  as  1833,  lo- 
cating in  what  is  now  Mount  Pleasant  town- 
ship, where  he  purchased  and  improved  eighty 
acres  of  land.  He  mari'ied  Justina  Leeka, 
who  was  born  in  the  same  year  as  her  husband, 
of  German  parentage.  Mr.  Antrim  was  a 
successful  man,  and  during  his  residence  in 
Delaware  county  succeeded  in  accumulating  a 


I 


MRS.  NANCY  HANCOCK. 


I'-  ■ ■ 


a 


J.  W.  HENSLEY 


MOUNT  PLEASANT  TOWNSHIP. 


657 


handsome  competence,  including  a farm  of  120 
acres,  upon  which  his  death  occurred  in  the 
year  1869. 

Mrs.  Hancock  resided  with  her  parents 
until  the  time  of  her  first  marriage,  which  was 
solemnized  in  April,  1838,  with  Solomon  Mc- 
Laughlin, a native  of  Kentucky,  where  he  was 
born  September  10,  1810.  To  this  union  were 
born  the  following  children:  John  W. , de- 

ceased; Lewis  Clark,  married  to  Nancy  Stout, 
and  residing  in  Muncie;  Sarah  Ellen,  wife  of 
Martin  Shoemaker,  and  Justina,  wife  of  Law- 
rence Doyle  Mr.  McLaughlin  died  in  1854, 
and  four  years  later  his  widow  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Edward  Curtis,  also  a native  of 
Kentucky,  who  came  to  Delaware  county 
when  a young  man.  Mr.  Curtis  was  by  occu- 
pation a farmer,  and  followed  his  chosen  calling 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1863.  To 
the  second  marriage  one  child  was  born, 
namely:  Levi  Marion  Curtis.  In  1880,  Mrs. 
Curtis  was  again  married,  choosing  for  a hus- 
band, John  Hancock,  a native  of  Ohio,  and  a 
respectable  farmer  of  Mount  Pleasant  town- 
ship, On  the  14th  of  March,  1885,  she  was 
left  a widow  the  third  time,  her  husband  dying 
at  that  date.  Mrs.  Hancock  has  been  a resi- 
dent of  Delaware  county  for  a period  of  over 
sixty  years,  during  which  time  she  has  wit- 
nessed a great  many  remarkable  changes  both 
in  the  country  and  the  people.  Eor  over  a 
half  century  she  has  been  a consistent  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  church,  and  finds 
great  comfort  and  consolation  in  her  religious 
experience.  Mrs.  Hancock’s  maternal  grand- 
father was  an  Englishman  and  served  in  the 
British  army  in  the  war  of  the  Revolution. 
He  was  taken  prisoner  soon  after  landing  on 
American  soil,  and  held  captive  during  the 
war,  at  the  close  of  which  he  was  released  and 
given  the  privilege  of  returning  to  his  native 
country  or  of  remaining  in  the  United  States. 
He  chose  the  latter,  became  a naturalized  cit- 


izen, and  for  many  years  was  a resident  of 
Virginia  and  later  of  Ohio,  in  which  state  his 
1 death  occurred. 


! '^^AMES  W.  HENSLEY,  one  of  the  lead- 
j m ing  farmers  and  stock  raisers  of  Mount 
j p J Pleasant  township,  is  a native  of  Indi- 
’ ana,  born  in  Rush  county,  on  the  7th 

j day  of  December,  1829,  the  son  of  William 
and  Sarah  (Peterson)  Hensley.  William  W. 
j Hensley  was  a native  of  Kentucky,  but  early 
emigrated  to  Indiana,  settling  in  Rushville, 

I near  which  place  he  was,  for  a few  years,  en- 
I gaged  in  farming,  and  later  moved  to  the  county 
of  Delaware,  and  engaged  in  the  milling  busi- 
ness near  Muncie,  but  disposed  of  his  interest 
within  a short  time,  and,  moving  a few  miles 
I east  of  the  county  seat,  bought  land  and  en- 
gaged in  the  pursuit  of  agriculture.  After  till- 
ing the  soil  for  a period  of  three  years,  he  re- 
moved to  Muncie,  and  for  some  time  thereafter 
was  employed  in  a grist  mill,  which  occupation 
he  followed  until  purchasing  a tract  of  land 
northwest  of  Yorktown,  where  he  again  en- 
gaged in  farming,  and  where  he  passed  the 
residue  of  his  days. 

James  W.  Hensley  remained  with  his  pa- 
rents until  attaining  his  majority,  and  since  his 
seventh  year  has  been  a resident  of  Delaware 
county,  being  at  this  time  one  of  the  oldest 
and  best  known  citizens  of  the  same.  He  was 
reared  to  agricultural  work  and  has  followed  it 
exclusively.  His  first  purchase  of  real  estate 
consisted  of  forty  acres  in  the  township  of  Sa- 
lem, then  two  years  later  bought  forty  acres 
more  in  Mount  Pleasant  township,  and  subse- 
quently he  bought  a tract  of  eighty  acres  on  Eel 
river,  which  he  retained  a few  years,  disposing 
of  it  and  purchasing  the  w’est  part  of  his  pres- 
ent farm  in  Mount  Pleasant  township.  To  the 
latter  he  has  made  additions  from  time  to  time 


058 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


until  he  is  now  one  of  the  largest  land  holders 
of  Mount  Pleasant,  owning  at  one  time  380 
acres,  forty  acres  of  which  he  recently  gave  to 
his  daughter,  leaving  his  present  farm  of  340 
acres,  upon  which  are  some  of  the  most  valua- 
ble improvements  in  the  community  in  which 
he  resides.  In  addition  to  his  lands  he  owns 
good  property  in  Yorktown. 

Mr.  Hensley  was  married  on  the  4th  day  of 
November,  1857,  to  Miss  Susan  Humbert, 
daughter  of  Elias  and  Rosa  Humbert,  both  of 
which  parents  were  natives  of  Indiana,  the 
father  being  one  of  the  earliest  pioneers  of 
Delaware  county.  To  this  marriage  twelve 
children  were  born,  six  of  whom  are  living, 
namely:  Samuel,  who  resides  on  the  home 

place;  William,  married  to  Amanda  Fullhart; 
Abel  Sanford,  married  to  Jennie  Priest;  Jacob, 
married  to  Maggie  Snodgrass;  Sarah,  wife  of 
Maynard  Childs;  and  Lewis,  who  still  remains 
with  his  father  on  the  home  place. 

Mrs.  Hensley  was  a kind  and  dutiful  mother, 
a faithful  wife,  and  departed  this  life  on  the 
15th  day  of  November,  1890.  She  was  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  church,  and  her 
remains  were  laid  to  rest  in  the  Hawk  cemetery. 
Mr.  Hensley  married  his  present  wife,  Nancy 
McNairy,  a native  of  Delaware  county,  on  the 
9th  day  of  July,  1891.  Polically,  Mr.  Hensley 
is  a democrat,  and  his  wife  belongs  to  the 
Separate  Baptist  church,  in  which  they  are 
both  active  workers. 


^^y^ILLIAM  W.  HENSLEY,  JR.,  is  one 
■ ■ I progressive  farmers  of  the 

township  of  Mount  Pleasant,  and  a 
son  of  William  W.  and  Sarah  (Peter- 
son) Hensley,  a notice  of  whom  appears  in 
connection  with  the  biography  of  James 
Hensley.  William  W.  Hensley,  ]r.,  was  born 
in  Rush  county,  Ind.,  February  ii,  1835, 


from  early  boyhood  has  been  a resident  of  the 
county  of  Delaware,  which  he  has  seen  devel- 
oped from  a comparatively  wild  state  to  its 
present  advanced  position  among  its  sister 
counties  of  the  state.  He  passed  the  years  of 
his  youth  and  early  manhood  upon  the  farm, 
v/here  he  learned  those  lessons  of  industry  and 
economy  which  have  brought  their  reward  to 
him  in  after  life,  and  has  made  agriculture  and 
stock  raising  his  principle  business.  He  re- 
ceived his  educational  training  in  such  schools 
as  the  country  afforded,  and  by  close  observa- 
tion and  a life  of  great  business  activity,  has 
become,  in  many  respects,  an  intelligent  and 
well  informed  man.  Until  his  twenty-first 
year,  he  remained  with  his  parents  on  the 
home  place,  after  which  he  found  employment 
as  a farm  hand  and  followed  this  for  a period 
of  ten  years,  or  until  his  marriage,  in  1865. 
Carefully  husbanding  his  means,  he  was  en- 
abled to  make  a judicious  investment  in  real 
estate  about  1862,  at  which  time  he  became 
the  possessor  of  100  acres  of  land  in  Mount 
Pleasant  township,  a part  of  his  present  home 
farm.  To  his  original  purchase  he  has  since 
added,  and  at  the  present  time  owns  160  acres, 
the  greater  part  of  which  is  well  improved  and 
under  a high  state  of  cultivation.  Mr.  Hen- 
sley has  exercised  the  best  of  judgment  as  a 
farmer,  and  his  life  has  been  characterized  by 
great  industry  and  economy,  the  reward  of 
which  has  been  success  in  all  that  term  im- 
plies. Beginning  life’s  battle  with  but  a lim- 
ited supply  of  this  world’s  goods,  he  has,  with 
the  aid  of  his  industrious  companion,  been 
enabled  to  acquire  a comfortable  com- 
petence and  is  now  classed  with  substantial 
and  well-to-do  farmers  and  stock  raisers  of 
the  community  which  has  been  his  home  for 
so  many  years. 

Mr.  Hensley’s  marriage  was  solemnized  in 
1865  Elizabeth  Dragoo,  daughter  of  Abner 
and  Martha  (Perkins)  Ratcliff,  natives, 


MOUNT  PLEASANT  TOWNSHIP. 


659 


respectively,  of  North  Carolina  and  Ohio — 
the  father  of  German  and  the  mother  of  Eng- 
lish descent.  Abner  Ratcliff  became  a resi- 
dent of  Indiana  as  early  as  1835,  pre- 
empted 1 20  acres  of  land  in  Delaware  county, 
upon  which  were  made  some  of  the  first  im- 
provements in  Mount  Pleasant  township.  He 
became  a very  prominent  citizen  and  success- 
ful farmer,  and  died  in  August,  1864.  His 
wife  preceded  him  to  the  grave,  departing  this 
life  in  1861.  They  were  both  highly  respected 
members  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  and  are 
held  in  grateful  remembrance  by  their  descend- 
ants, who  are  classed  among  the  best  citizens 
of  the  county.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hensley  are  the 
parents  of  the  following  children:  George, 

married  to  Mary  Gilbert;  Jonas,  married  to 
Clara  Paul;  David,  William,  and  Charles,  the 
last  three  of  whom  are  still  at  home  with  their 
parents.  Mr.  Hensley  is  a member  of  the 
Christian  church,  and  in  politics  he  supports 
the  principles  of  the  democratic  party. 


ARIEL  P.  HOWELL.— Prominent 
farmer  and  stock  raiser  of  Mount 
Pleasant  township,  is  a native  of 
Miami  county,  Ohio,  and  dates  his 
birth  from  June  5,  1820.  His  father,  John 
Howell,  was  born  in  Virginia,  December  10, 
1783,  and  remained  there  until  1829,  at  which 
time  he  removed  to  Ohio,  locating  in  Darke 
county,  where  he  became  widely  and  favorably 
known;  having  served  as  sheriff  of  that  county 
for  a period  of  six  years.  Subsequently  he 
moved  to  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  settling  near 
Muncie,  and  purchasing  an  eighty  acre  tract  of 
land,  upon  which  but  few,  if  any,  improve- 
ments had  been  made,  the  country  at  that 
time  being  an  almost  unbroken  wilderness. 
After  a residence  here  of  ten  years  he  dispos- 
ed of  his  land,  and  moved  to  the  county  of 


Wabash,  where  he  met  with  serious  financial 
reverses  by  going  security  for  a friend,  whose 
failure  caused  the  loss  of  nearly  all  of  his 
early  possessions.  Following  this  reverse  in 
his  fortune,  Mr.  Howell  went  to  Cincinnati, 
where  he  resided  for  two  years  with  a son,  and 
later  returned  to  Wabash  county,  where  he 
lived  until  the  death  of  his  wife.  After  this 
sad  bereavement,  he  traveled  for  a couple  of 
years  through  Illinois  and  Missouri,  and,  re- 
turning to  Indiana,  again  settled  down  in  the 
county  of  Wabash,  where  he  resided  with  a 
son  until  his  death,  which  occurred  January 
10,  1858. 

Daniel  P.  Howell  remained  with  his  par- 
ents until  his  fifteenth  year,  attending  such 
schools  as  the  country  afforded  in  the  mean- 
time, and  then  learned  the  trade  of  brick 
masonry  with  his  brother-in-law,  J.  Flinn,  at 
Muncie,  with  whom  he  remained  four  years. 
He  also  became  proficient  as  a plasterer,  and 
carried  on  both  trades  in  Clinton  county,  Ohio, 
to  which  he  had  removed  and  where  he  found 
constant  employment  until  the  year  1852. 
Having  purchased  property  in  Ohio,  he  ex- 
changed the  same  for  the  piece  of  wood  land 
in  Mount  Pleasant  township,  Ind. , to  which  he 
at  once  removed,  from  which  he  has,  by  great 
industry  and  energy  born  of  a determination 
to  succeed,  developed  his  present  valuable 
farm,  which  is  now  justly  ranked  among  the 
most  beautiful  places  in  Delaware  county. 
Among  the  valuable  improvements  of  this  farm 
is  an  elegant  and  substantial  brick  residence, 
erected,  in  1873,  representing  a capital  of  sev- 
eral thousand  dollars,  being  one  of  the  best 
country  residences  in  Mount  Pleasant  town- 
ship. Mr.  Howell  is  an  intelligent  farmer, 
gives  wise  attentipn  to  the  proper  rotation  of 
crops,  and  is  one  of  the  well  informed  class 
who  has  succeeded  in  elevating  agriculture  to 
its  true  dignity  as  a science.  When  twenty- 
one  years  of  age,  Mr.  Howell  was  married  to 


660 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


Miss  Mary  McKinley,  of  Ohio,  daughter  of 
William  and  Sarah  McKinley,  to  whom  the 
following  children  were  born:  William,  de- 

ceased; James,  deceased;  Mary  Ellen,  wife  of 
John  Shaffer;  John,  Louisa,  wife  of  William 
Hrewer;  George,  Joseph,  Emma,  wife  of  Will- 
iam Ogle,  and  Samuel.  Mrs.  Howell  died  in 
April,  1872,  and,  subsequently,  Mr.  Howell 
married  his  second  wife,  Mrs.  Judith  Camp- 
bell, widow  of  Adam  Campbell.  Hr.  Howell 
has  long  been  a supporter  of  the  democratic 
party,  the  principles  of  which  he  believes  to  be 
for  the  best  interest  of  the  country.  Religi- 
ously, the  Baptist  church  represents  his  creed, 
to  which  denomination  his  wife  also  belongs. 
Mrs.  Howell  was  stricken  with  paralysis  Au- 
gust 3,  1890,  and  had  a second  sti'oke  in 
November,  1892,  and  is  greatly  afflicted. 


EWIS  JOHNSON.— The  state  of  In- 
diana gave  freely  of  her  wealth  and 
of  her  men  to  the  defense  of  the 
Union  when  the  call  came  from  Pres. 
Lincoln  for  troops  to  suppress  the  war  of  the 
rebellion,  and  all  over  her  confines  you  may 
find  men  living  in  quiet  retirement  who,  in 
those  stormy  days,  did  battle  and  endured 
hardships  which  have  often  left  lasting  marks 
upon  them.  One  of  these  we  find  in  the  sub- 
ject of  this  mention,  Lewis  Johnson.  Mr. 
Johnson’s  birth  occurred  November  27,  1845, 
a son  of  John  and  Charlotta  (Stevenson)  John- 
son, the  father  a native  of  the  state  of  Virginia 
and  the  mother  of  Muskingum  county,  Ohio. 
John  Johnson  was  born  in  1812  and  died  in 
1888.  IMr.  and  Mrs.  Johnson  were  married  in 
Ohio,  but  later  immigrated  to  Indiana  and  en- 
gaged in  farming,  buying  120  acres  of  land, 
where  they  lived  until  his  death.  He  was  a 
stanch  republican  all  of  his  life  and  a consis- 
tent member  of  the  Baptist  church.  Mrs. 


Johnson  still  lives  on  the  old  farm  in  Henry 
county,  is  a member  of  the  Methodist  church, 
and  is  much  respected  for  many  kind  and 
womanly  qualities. 

Lewis  Johnson  was  reared  on  the  old  farm 
and  grew  up  as  farmer  lads  usually  do,  en- 
gaging early  in  labor  and  attending  such 
schools  as  the  county  afforded,  in  the  mean- 
time. He  was  one  of  a family  of  eight  child- 
ren, his  brothers  and  sisters  being  as  follows: 
Rebecca,  wife  of  M.  D Driscoll,  a farmer  of 
Delaware  county;  Ada,  wife  of  William  Eliot, 
a farmer  of  this  county;  Erank,  a resident  of 
Muncie;  and  Lotta;  Grace;  and  Lilly;  Fan- 
nie, wife  of  J.  Humphrey. 

At  the  outbreak  of  the  civil  war  Mr.  John- 
son left  his  school  books,  being  then  only  a lad 
of  eighteen  years,  and  enlisted  in  company  G, 
Ninth  Indiana  cavalry,  for  three  years  or  dur- 
ing the  war.  He  participated  in  the  battle  of 
Sulphur  Branch,  where  he  was  captured  and 
kept  a prisoner  for  six  months,  during  which 
period  he  was  fed  with  corn  meal  made  out  of 
corn  and  ground  cobs,  from  which  coarse  diet 
he  contracted  camp  diarrhoea.  After  his  re- 
lease he  rejoined  his  regiment  at  Vicksburg  and 
was  sent,  with  some  2, 100  other  soldiers,  on  a 
boat  to  go  up  the  river.  The  boilers  of  this 
boat  exploded  and  some  1,600  poor  men  were 
killed,  but  Mr.  Johnson  escaped  with  a wound 
in  the  side,  from  which  he  has  never  fully  re- 
covered, and  which  entitles  him  to  a pension 
of  four  dollars  a month.  He  was  sent  to  In- 
dianapolis, where  he  was  honorably  discharged, 
and  came  home,  and  soon  after  resumed  his 
work  on  the  farm. 

In  1868  he  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Mary  Hoover,  daughter  of  D.  M.  and 
Fannie  Hoover,  natives  of  Pennsylvania,  who 
emigrated  to  Henry  county,  this  state,  in  1848, 
and  engaged  in  farming.  At  this  time  Mr. 
Hoover  owns  i 57  acres  of  land,  upon  which  he 
and  his  wife  now  reside.  Mr.  Johnson  is  a 


MOUNT  PLEASANT  TOWNSHIP. 


661 


large  land  owner,  possessing  a fine  farm  of  129 
acres,  all  of  which  he  has  under  a high  state 
of  cultivation.  His  improvements  are  among 
the  best  in  Mount  Pleasant  township,  and  he 
has  won  the  reputation  of  being  one  of  the  best 
farmers  in  the  county.  He  is  social  by  nature, 
and  has  testified  to  it  by  becoming  a member 
of  the  Red  Men,  in  the  deliberations  of  which 
order  he  takes  an  active  interest. 


HLFRED  JONES  is  descended  pater- 
nally from  Virginia  ancestry,  his 
father,  John  Jones,  having  been  born 
in  the  Old  Dominion,  on  the  9th  day 
of  April,  1808.  Tracing  the  family  history 
back,  it  is  learned  that  the  remote  ancestors 
came  originally  from  Ireland,  in  which  country 
the  subject’s  grandfather  is  supposed  to  have 
been  born.  John  Jones  removed  with  his 
parents  to  Clinton  county,  Ohio,  when  he  was 
three  years  of  age,  remaining  in  the  latter  state 
until  his  nineteenth  year,  at  which  time  he 
came  to  Indiana,  locating  in  Wayne  county, 
thence  five  years  later  he  removed  to  the  county 
of  Delaware,  and  purchased  eighty  acres  of 
government  land  not  far  from  the  present  site 
of  Yorktown.  In  1843  he  married  Lucinda 
Reed,  who  was  born  in  Clinton  county,  Ohio, 
on  the  7th  day  of  April,  1820,  daughter  of 
James  and  Elizabeth  Reed,  both  parents  na- 
tives of  Ireland.  John  Jones  was  by  occupa- 
tion a farmer  and  weaver,  and  he  and  wife 
were  for  many  years  earnest  members  of  the 
Christian  church. 

Alfred  Jones  was  born  March  17,  1843,  and 
spent  the  days  of  his  boyhood  on  the  farm, 
working  during  the  summer  season  and  attend- 
ing school  in  winters.  His  life  has  been  that 
of  a farmer,  and  he  now  owns  a well  improved 
place  of  seventy  acres  in  the  township  of 
Mount  Pleasant,  where  he  is  widely  and  favor- 


ably known  for  his  many  sterling  qualities  of 
manhood.  In  addition  to  farming  he  gives 
considerable  attention  to  the  raising  of  stock, 
in  both  of  which  callings  his  success  has  been 
gratifying.  Mr.  Jones  was  first  married,  at 
the  age  of  twenty-one,  to  Miss  Ann  Snod- 
grass, who  was  born  in  Randolph  county, 
Ind. , May  3,  1844,  and  whose  death  occurred 
in  Delaware  county,  January  20,  1874.  Mrs. 
Jones  was  the  daughter  of  Dr.  Snodgrass,  and 
is  remembered  as  a devoted  wife  and  kind 
mother.  She  was  the  mother  of  the  following 
children:  Clarissa,  wife  of  John  Ward;  Laura, 
and  Lucinda,  deceased.  Mr.  Jones’  second 
marriage  took  place  July  27,  I874,  to  Sarah 
Antrim,  who  was  born  July  24,  1855,  the 

daughter  of  Beardsley  and  Susan  Antrim.  On 
the  24th  of  February,  1875,  Mr.  Jones  was 
again  bereaved,  his  wife  dying  on  that  date; 
her  body  now  rests  by  the  side  of  his  former 
companion  in  the  Jones  cemetery.  In  the 
year  1876,  December  26,  Mr.  Jones  and  Sarah 
J.  Hensley  were  united  in  marriage — a union 
blessed  with  the  birth  of  one  child,  Sarah 
Jones.  Mrs.  Jones  was  the  daughter  of  Will- 
iam and  Elizabeth  Hensley,  and  departed  this 
life  on  the  i6th  day  of  March,  1882.  Decem- 
ber 13,  1884,  Mr.  Jones  married  his  present 
wife,  Mrs.  Cela  (Childs)  Reed,  daughter  of 
George  and  Sarah  Childs,  and  widow  of  the 
late  David  C.  Reed.  The  parents  of  Mrs. 
Jones  were  natives  respectively  of  Virginia 
and  North  Carolina.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jones  are 
prominently  identified  with  the  Christian 
church,  and  fraternally  he  belongs  to  the  Im- 
proved Order  of  Red  Men.- 


RS.  MATILDA  KOONTZ  is  a well 
known  and  highly  respected  lady  of 
Mount  Pleasant  township,  widow  of 
the  late  L.  D.  Koontz,  who  is  re- 
membered as  one  of  the  leading  citizens  of 


662 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


Yorktown.  Mrs.  Koontz  was  born  November 
24,  1835,  in  the  state  of  Maryland,  and  is  a 
(laughter  of  William  and  Elizabeth  Green, 
natives  of  the  same  state,  who  came  to  Dela- 
ware county,  Ind.,  as  early  as  1837,  locating 
at  Yorktown.  Mhlliam  Green  was  by  occupa- 
tion a mechanic,  and  for  a number  of  years 
carried  on  the  blacksmithing  business  at  York- 
town, where  he  became  quite  successful  in  the 
accumulation  of  property.  He  w’as  a man 
highly  respected  by  all  w'ho  knew  him,  exceed- 
ingly popular,  and  departed  this  life  in  the 
year  1846;  his  wife  died  the  previous  year,  and 
they  lie  side  by  side  in  the  Yorktown  cemetery, 
where  a beautiful  monument  marks  their  last 
resting  place.  Mrs.  Koontz  has  spent  the 
greater  part  of  her  life  in  the  county  of  her 
adoption,  and  is  a woman  noted  for  her  many 
virtues  and  excellent  traits  of  character.  Her 
marriage  with  L.  D.  Koontz  took  place  on  the 
4th  day  of  May,  1851,  and  the  fruit  of  their 
union  was  the  following  childi'en:  Jacob  M.  ; 

William  J. ; Mary  Jane,  wife  of  Daniel  Ying- 
ling;  Deborah  Ann,  wife  of  Orvin  Moore;  Mar- 
tha Ellen,  wife  of  William  Crawford;  Albert 
D.  ; Urilla  Belle;  Amanda  V.,  wife  of  Louis  R. 
Steward;  Josephine:  Montana;  and  Clara  Maud, 
the  last  two  of  whom  are  not  living. 

Mr.  Koontz  was  a prominent  resident  of 
Mount  Pleasant  township  and  at  one  time 
owned  a large  and  highly  improved  farm  ad- 
joining the  village  of  Yorktown.  He  was  one 
of  Delaware  county’s  most  progressive  citizens, 
and  his  death,  which  occurred  November  i, 
1892,  was  felt  to  be  not  only  an  irreparable 
loss  to  his  family,  but  a calamity  to  the  com- 
munity as  well.  A short  time  prior  to  his  death 
he  disposed  of  his  farm  to  the  Western  Im- 
provement company  of  West  Muncie,  and  the 
city  is  now  being  invaded  by  the  improvements 
of  that  thriving  town.  He  was  a farmer  by 
occupation,  was  a member  of  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternity and  a republican  in  his  political  faith. 


OHN  LOSH  is  a native  of  Licking 
county,  Ohio,  and  dates  his  birth  from 
the  year  1832.  His  parents,  Adam 
and  Elizabeth  (Minick)  Losh,  were 
born  in  Northumberland  county.  Pa.,  and  in 
an  early  day  emigrated  to  Ohio,  settling  in 
Licking  county  about  1830,  where  the 
father  followed  the  trade  of  carpentering  for  a 
period  of  twelve  years,  moving,  at  the  end  of 
that  time,  to  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  where, 
in  addition  to  his  chosen  calling,  he  was  for 
sometime  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits. 
After  a residence  of  twenty-five  years  in  this 
part  of  the  state,  he  removed  to  the  county  of 
Wayne,  Ills.,  where  he  engaged  in  farming 
and  where  his  and  his  wife’s  deaths  subse- 
quently occurred. 

John  Losh  passed  his  youth  on  his  father’s 
farm,  with  the  rugged  usuages  of  which  he 
early  became  familiar,  and  left  the  parental 
roof  at  the  age  of  eighteen  and  found  employ- 
ment on  a farm  in  Licking  county,  Ohio,  and 
lived  in  that  part  of  the  state  until  his  removal 
to  Clermont  county,  Ohio,  where  he  remained 
for  a period  of  three  years.  Going  thence  to 
Lima,  Ohio,  he  found  employment  at  various 
occupations,  and  subsequently  removed  to 
Delaware  county,  Ind.,  locating  in  Washing- 
ton township  where  he  engaged  in  farming. 
In  Lebruary,  1865,  he  entered  the  army,  en- 
listing for  one  year,  or  during  the  war,  in 
company  D,  F'orty-seventh  Indiana  volunteer 
infantry,  with  which  he  served  until  honorably 
discharged  August  4th  of  the  same  year.  Al- 
though to  the  front  but  a short  time,  he  ex- 
perienced, in  all  of  its  reality,  many  of  the 
vicissitudes  of  war,  having  undergone  some 
very  hard  service,  at  one  time  being  compelled 
to  go  seven  days  without  food,  the  effect  of 
which  was  to  render  him  greatly  disabled. 
Lrom  ailments  contracted  while  in  the  army, 
he  has  never  entirely  recovered,  and  like 
many  other  brave  men  who  went  forth  to  do 


MOUNT  PLEASANT  TOWNSHIP. 


663 


battle  for  the  national  Union,  he  is  now  re- 
membered by  a grateful  country  with  a liberal 
pension  of  $30  per  month. 

On  leaving  the  army,  Mr.  Losh  returned 
to  Indiana  and  engaged  in  blacksmithing  at 
New  Corner,  the  present  sight  of  Gaston, 
Washington  township,  where  he  carried  on  the 
trade  successfully  until  about  1880.  During 
the  succeeding  four  years  he  was  employed  in 
carrying  the  mail  between  different  points,  but 
for  some  time  has  been  living  a retired  life  in 
Camack  Station,  Mount  Pleasant  township, 
where  he  owns  a pleasant  home,  in  which  his 
declining  years  are  being  spent  in  quiet  and 
content.  Mrs.  Losh  was  born  in  Trumbull 
county,  Ohio,  in  the  year  1829,  and  is  the 
mother  of  the  following  children;  Andrew, 
Joseph  and  Noah  Losh.  Religiously,  Mr. 
Losh  is  a member  of  the  church  known  as  the 
Christian  Connection,  while  the  United  Breth- 
ren denomination  represents  the  creed  in 
which  Mrs.  Losh  is  a firm  believer.  In  poli- 
tics, Mr.  Losh  supports  the  principles  of  the 
republican  party,  but  has  never  been  a partisan 
in  the  sense  of  seeking  official  position.  He 
belongs  to  that  large  and  eminently  respecta- 
ble class  of  people  who  by  their  actions,  rather 
than  by  loud  professions,  have  been  such  im- 
portant factors  in  building  up  and  maintaining 
the  well  being  of  the  community  . 


OBERT  McKinley.— Mount  Pleas- 
ant township,  Delaware  county,  Ind. , 
deserves  its  beautiful  name,  not  only 
on  account  of  the  finely  cultivated 
farms  within  its  border,  but  also  on  account  of 
the  kind  and  excellent  people  who  reside  here. 
Among  these  we  find  Mr.  Robert  McKinley,  a 
retired  farmer  and  stock  raiser.  He  was  born 
in  Pickaway  county,  Ohio,  October  5,  1834,  a 
son  of  Samuel  and  Sarah  (Williamson)  Mc- 
Kinley, both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Virginia. 


The  grandfather  of  Robert  McKinley  died 
when  his  son,  Samuel,  the  father  of  Robert, 
was  a small  boy,  and  the  latter  was  bound  out 
to  a man  by  the  name  of  Conigan  until  he 
became  of  age.  He  then  came  to  Pickaway 
county,  Ohio,  to  engage  in  stock  buying,  but 
as  this  did  not  prove  profitable,  he  came  to 
Delaware  county,  Ind.,  where  he  entered  320 
acres  of  land  in  Mount  Pleasant  township,  this 
farm  now  being  in  the  possession  of  Robert 
McKinley.  Here  Mr.  McKinley  worked  on  the 
place  during  the  summers,  and  employed  the 
winters  in  teaming  and  hauling  to  and  from 
Cincinnati.  He  succeeded  well  in  his  business 
ventures,  and  was  a man  of  upright  character, 
loved  and  respected  by  all.  He  was  a stanch 
democrat  in  his  political  faith.  His  death 
occurred  in  this  county,  his  wife  living  some 
ten  years  longer,  and  their  remains  were  laid 
to  rest  on  the  old  farm. 

Robert  McKinley  lived  with  his  parents 
until  the  time  of  their  death,  and  then  engaged 
in  any  kind  of  work  that  would  pay  him  an 
honest  dollar.  In  1857  he  married  Miss  Lora 
Landry,  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Louisa  Lan- 
dry, the  former  a native  of  Troy,  Ohio.  The 
father  of  Mrs.  McKinley  was  a cooper  by  trade 
and  worked  at  his  chosen  calling  until  he  was 
sixty  years  of  age.  He  came  to  Delaware 
county  when  he  was  twenty  years  old  and  en- 
tered twenty  acres  of  land.  Keeping  on  adding 
to  this,  he  soon  accumulated  240  acres  and  had 
over  $8,000  at  interest.  This  he  earned  by  his 
own  labor.  Politically  he  was  a republican, 
and  was  considered  a good  citizen.  Although 
he  was  connected  with  no  branch  of  the  church, 
he  was  a moral  man  and  cheerfully  gave  of  his 
means  to  all  churches  and  to  all  charitable  in- 
stitutions. His  death  occurred  in  1889,  at  the 
age  of  eighty-seven  years,  his  wife  having  died 
in  1869;  the  former  was  buried  in  Mount  Pleas- 
ant cemetery,  but  the  latter  was  interred  on 
the  old  home  farm.  After  his  marriage,  Mr. 


66-1 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


McKinley  worked  a farm  for  a share  of  the 
crops  for  a few  years,  and  then  bought  eighty 
acres  of  the  old  farm,  and  has  kept  on  adding 
until  he  now  owns  336  acres  of  fine  land.  He 
has  been  engaged  in  farming  and  stock  raising 
all  of  his  life,  and  has  been  very  successful  in 
a financial  way. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  McKinley  have  a family  of 
four  children:  Josiah,  who  married  Miss  Letta 
Lewis,  deceased,  who  is  a farmer  of  Madison 
county;  Franklin,  married  Miss  Flora  Buskirk 
and  lives  on  the  home  farm;  Sarah  Louisa, 
married  William  Stevenson  and  lives  on  the 
home  farm,  and  Theodore,  who  died  in  infancy. 
In  his  politics  Mr.  McKinley  is  a republican, 
and  believes  firmly  in  the  principles  of  the 
grand  old  party.  Although  not  connected 
with  any  religious  body,  he  is  known  as  a man 
who  gives  to  every  worthy  object  and  is  chari- 
table to  the  greatest  limit.  He  is  one  of  the 
most  respected  of  all  the  farmer  residents  of 
his  locality  and  a citizen  who  enjoys  the  re- 
spect and  confidence  of  all  with  whom  he  has 
come  in  contact. 


UCINDA  MAHONEY. — The  estima- 
ble lady  who  is  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  born  January  17,  1833, 
in  Clinton  county,  Ohio.  Her 
mother  dying  when  she  was  three  months  old, 
she  was  reared  by  her  aunt,  Mrs.  Ellen 
Antrim,  and  lived  with  her  up  to  the  time  of 
her  marriage,  which  occurred  when  she  was 
twenty-seven  years  of  age.  She  came  to  this 
state  when  she  was  but  nine  months  old,  and 
settled  with  her  relatives  near  Yorktown,  and 
remained  in  Indiana  ever  since.  Her  mother 
was  a native  of  Clinton  county,  Ohio,  and  she 
knows  but  little  of  her  parents.  Her  father 
came  to  this  county  a number  of  years  after 
her  arrival,  and  from  here  he  went  to  North 
Carolina,  where  he  died. 


Our  subject  married  J.  W.  Mahoney,  a 
native  of  Virginia.  He  came  to  this  state 
when  a young  man,  and  owned  sixty  acres  of 
land  at  the  time  of  the  marriage,  this  being  a 
farm  now  occupied  by  Mrs.  Mahoney.  Her 
husband  died  March  18,  1889,  and  his  remains 
rest  in  the  Jones  cemetery.  He  was  a life- 
long democrat,  and  devotedly  attached  to 
that  party.  Three  children  were  the  fruits  of 
this  marriage,  namely:  Clara,  wife  of  John 
Jester,  of  Madison  township,  he  being  a farmer; 
Elijah,  and  Elmira,  wife  of  William  Lexing- 
ton, a farmer  living  in  this  township. 


AMES  MARTIN. — Eew  farmers  in 
Mount  Pleasant  township  are  more 
widely  and  favorably  known  than  the 
gentleman  whose  biographical  sketch 
is  herewith  presented.  James  Martin  is  a na- 
tive of  Indiana,  born  in  the  county  of  Dela- 
ware on  the  29th  day  of  December,  1864,  and 
is  a son  of  Andrew  W.  and  Mary  Emily 
(Knott)  Martin.  Andrew  W.  Martin  is  a na- 
tive of  Ohio,  which  state  he  left  a number  of 
years  ago,  immigrating  to  Indiana,  and  at 
this  time  is  a well  known  resident  of  Delaware 
county.  James  Martin  early  learned  those 
lessons  of  industry  and  frugality  by  which  his 
life  has  been  characterized,  and  amid  the  rug- 
ged duties  of  his  father’s  farm  passed  the  years 
of  his  youth  and  early  manhood,  attending,  in 
the  meantime,  the  public  schools,  in  which  he 
obtained  a practical  English  education.  Strictly 
speaking,  he  is  not  an  educated  man  in  the 
sense  of  an  extensive  acquaintance  with  litera- 
ture, but  a practical  knowledge  of  men  and 
things,  acquired  by  years  of  close  observation, 
has  enabled  him  to  discharge  very  successfully 
the  duties  of  an  aetive  life.  He  worked  on  the 
home  farm  until  his  marriage,  at  twenty-three 
years  of  age,  which  occurred  on  the  l 5th  day 


MOUNT  PLEASANT  TOWNSHIP. 


665 


of  August,  1888,  Miss  Sarah  Florence  Har- 
man, daughter  of  John  W.  and  Lavina  Har- 
man (see  sketch),  becoming  his  wife.  For  a 
short  time  after  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Martin 
resided  with  the  latter’s  parents,  but  in  the 
spring  of  1889  they  became  residents  of  Mount 
Pleasant  township,  moving  to  their  present 
farm  where  they  now  have  one  of  the  pleasant 
homes  of  the  community.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Martin  was  born  one  child,  Roxie  H.,  whose 
birth  occurred  on  the  21st  da}'  of  May,  1891, 
and  whose  little  form  was  laid  to  rest  in  the 
Mount  Pleasant  cemetery  September  10,  1892. 
Mr.  Martin  is  a public  spirited  citizen,  and  all 
movements  having  for  their  object  the  welfare 
of  the  community  find  in  him  a patron  and 
well  wisher.  A republican  in  politics,  he 
does  not  aspire  to  official  honors,  preferring  to 
give  his  entire  attention  to  his  farming  inter- 
est. 


HLEXANDER  miller,  a farmer  and 
stock  raiser  of  Mount  Pleasant  town- 
ship, was  born  October  12,  1838,  in 
Delaware  county,  Ind.,  and  is  a son 
of  Peter  and  Mary  Miller,  both  parents  natives 
of  Virginia.  Peter  Miller  was  born  in  the 
year  1805,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-two  mar- 
ried Mary  Hayes,  and  immediately  thereafter 
emigrated  to  Indiana,  settling  in  Henry  coun- 
ty, of  which  he  was  one  of  the  pioneers,  and 
engaged  in  farming.  After  residing  in  that 
county  for  a period  of  about  twenty  years,  he 
removed  to  the  county  of  Delaware,  and  pur- 
chased a farm  of  forty  acres  on  which  he 
resided  five  or  six  years,  and  then  exchanged 
the  place  for  an  eighty-acre  tract  in  the  town- 
ship of  Mount  Pleasant.  He  died  in  the  year 
1868,  and  was  the  father  of  the  following 
children;  Eliza,  Harriet,  Henry,  Harrison  J., 
Mary,  deceased,  Alexander,  Simon,  deceased. 
Perry  and  Noah. 


Alexander  Miller  remained  under  the 
parental  roof  until  his  eighteenth  year,  at 
which  time  he  began  working  for  himself  at 
different  kinds  of  employment,  making  an 
honest  dollar  whenever  an  opportunity  pre- 
sented itself.  October  23,  1861,  he  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Miss  Malinda  Reed,  and 
immediately  thereafter  engaged  in  farming, 
subsequently  purchasing  real  estate,  which  he 
afterward  sold  and  bought  his  present  farm  in 
Mount  Pleasant,  consisting  of  eighty  acres. 
This  place  is  under  a successful  state  of  culti- 
vation, and  its  owner  is  justly  considered  one 
of  the  intelligent  and  progressive  farmers  of 
the  township.  Mr.  Miller  was,  for  some  time, 
engaged  in  merchandising  in  Yorktown,  where 
he  carried  on  a successful  business  from  about 
1864  till  1869,  and  for  a period  of  sixteen 
months  was  proprietor  of  a hotel  at  the 
same  place,  which  he  conducted  with  a 
fair  degree  of  success.  In  addition  to  his  career 
as  a farmer  and  business  man,  Mr.  Miller  has, 
also,  a military  record,  having  entered  the 
army  at  the  beginning  of  the  war  for  the  three 
months’  service,  being  the  first  man  to  enlist 
in  Mount  Pleasant  township.  Owing  to  dis- 
abilities contracted  while  in  the  service,  Mr. 
Miller  has  been  a sufferer  and  is  now  drawing 
a pension  from  the  government  amounting  to 
$12  per  month.  Politically,  Mr.  Miller  is  a 
republican,  fraternally,  belongs  to  the  Grand 
Army  post.  No.  529.  at  Daleville,  and  in  relig- 
ion is  a member  of  the  Society  of  Eriends, 
with  which  his  wife  is  also  identified.  The 
following  are  the  names  of  the  children  born 
to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Miller:  John  H.,  married 

Mary  Richmond;  Allie,  married  to  A.  D. 
Kootz!  Melvina  E.,  deceased;  Daisy  and 
Maggie  Bell,  the  last  tw'o  of  whom  are 
still  living  with  their  parents.  Mrs.  Miller 
is  a daughter  of  John  and  Nancy  (Dragoo) 
Reed,  the  former  born  in  1809  and  the  latter 
in  1814.  John  Reed  was  by  occupation  a 


66(3 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


farmer,  and  a prominent  resident  of  Mount 
Pleasant  townsliip,  where  he  owned  eighty 
acres  of  land,  on  which  he  resided  until  his 
death,  in  1876.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Reed  reared  a 
family  consisting  of  the  following  named  chil- 
dren; George  W. , Elizabeth,  Polly  Almeta, 
deceased;  Malinda  J.,  MarthaEllen,  deceased; 
John,  deceased;  Plannah  M.,  Sarah,  Josiah 
and  James,  deceased.  The  mother  of  Mrs. 
Miller  died  April  1,  1893,  at  the  residence  of 
her  daughter. 


ICHARD  N.  MIEEER  is  one  of  the 
well  known  residents  of  Mount  Pleas- 
ant township,  Delaware  county,  Ind. , 
and  was  born  September  9,  1845. 
He  lived  with  his  parents  until  he  was  nine 
years  of  age,  and  was  then  taken  by  his  sister, 
Harriet  Thompson,  and  later  by  his  brother, 
Henry  Miller.  At  the  age  of  nineteen  years 
he  entered  the  army  February  13,  1865,  for 
one  year,  enlisting  in  company  E,  One  Hun- 
dred and  Forty-seventh  regiment,  Indiana 
volunteers,  of  which  he  was  made  a corporal. 
He  was  discharged  at  Harper’s  Ferry,  W.  Va. , 
on  the  4th  day  of  August,  1865,  and  now  re- 
ceives a pension. 

Returning  from  the  army,  Mr.  Miller 
worked  for  some  time  by  the  month,  and  at 
the  end  of  one  summer  he  married.  He  then 
rented  land  from  a Mr.  Hancock,  on  which 
farm  he  remained  for  two  years;  the  next  two 
years  he  acted  as  an  engineer,  but  finally 
settled  down  again  to  agricultural  pursuits. 
He  has  been  very  industrious  and  persevering, 
and  is  now  the  owner  of  twenty  acres  of  fine 
Indiana  land  located  in  Mount  Pleasant  town- 
ship, and  Mr.  Miller  has  shown  himself  a very 
successful  farmer. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Miller  took  place  in 
Mount  Pleasant  township,  Delaware  county, 
to  Miss  Mary  Emma  Summers,  who  was  born 


in  1850  in  Pennsylvania,  and  who  came  to 
this  county  June  9,  1861,  a daughter  of  Jacob 
and  Catherine  Summers,  and  the  following 
children  have  been  born  of  this  union:  Rilla  T. 
Miller,  born  December  24,  1867;  Etta  C. 

Miller,  born  October  14,  1869;  William  S. 
Miller,  born  August  27,  1873;  Mary  E.  Ger- 
trude Miller,  born  April  i,  1887;  and  Bertha 
E.  Glen  Miller,  born  August  3,  1890.  Mr. 
Miller  is  a republican  and  the  family  are  con- 
nected with  the  Christian  church.  They  are 
among  the  most  respected  citizens  of  Mount 
Pleasant  township  and  enjoy  in  a marked  de- 
gree the  esteem  of  a large  circle  of  friends  in 
Delaware  and  other  counties. 


OHN  JACOB  OERTHER.— Few  men 
in  Delaware  county  are  more  widely 
and  favorable  known  than  the  gentle- 
man for  whom  this  biographical  sketch 
is  prepared.  Essentially  a self  made  man,  he 
stands  as  a representative  citizen  of  Mount 
Pleasant  township,  and,  in  a financial  sense, 
few  people  in  the  county  of  Delaware  have 
been  as  successful  in  overcoming  embarrassing 
obstacles,  and  in  rising  to  a position  of  afflu- 
ence, as  he.  John  Jacob  Oerther  was  born  in 
the  province  of  Rhinepfaltz,  Germany,  April 
17,  1834,  the  son  of  John  and  Margaret  (Dahl) 
Oerther.  These  parents  were  both  natives  of 
the  Fatherland,  married  there,  and  there  rear- 
ed their  family.  John  Oerther  died  in  Ger- 
many on  the  9th  of  January,  1852,  and  sub- 
sequently, in  1865,  his  widow  came  to  the 
United  States  and  made  her  home  with  her 
son,  John  Jacob  Oerther,  until  her  death, 
which  occurred  in  1876.  John  Oerther,  by 
occupation,  was  a linen  weaver  and  a farmer, 
and  was  a most  exemplary  man.  He  reared  a 
family  of  six  children,  four  of  whom  are  living 
at  this  time,  namely;  Dorotha,  Margaret, 


MOUNT  PLEASANT  TOWNSHIP. 


667 


Elizabeth  and  John  J.  John  J.  Oerther  was 
educated  in  the  schools  of  his  native  country, 
and  remained  in  the  Fatherland  until  Novem- 
ber, 1852,  at  which  time  he  came  to  the  United 
States,  landing  at  New  Orleans,  after  a long 
and  tiresome  sea  voyage  in  a sailing  vessel.  His 
passage  cost  him  $40,  and  he  found  him- 
self all  alone,  without  employment,  among 
strangers  in  a strange  land.  Making  his  way 
to  Ohio,  where  a sister  lived,  who  had  pre- 
ceded him  to  the  new  country,  he  found  em- 
ployment as  a farmer,  and  subsequently  enter- 
ed upon  an  apprenticeship  of  two  years  at  the 
town  of  New  Boston,  Ohio,  to  learn  the  black- 
smith trade.  He  soon  acquired  great  skill  and 
proficiency  as  a mechanic,  and,  after  finishing 
his  apprenticeship,  removed  in  August,  1859, 
to  Yorktown,  Delaware  county,  Ind. , where  he 
began  working  at  his  trade,  and  where,  with 
the  exception  of  about  two  years  spent  in  the 
immediate  vicinity,  he  has  since  resided.  He 
has  followed  his  chosen  calling  very  success- 
fully, and  ranks  among  the  most  efficient  and 
best  known  mechanics  in  Delaware  county. 
He  was,  for  two  years,  engaged  in  the  tannery 
business,  and  for  the  same  length  of  time, 
carrying  on  farming,  but  finally  abandoned 
both  those  occupations  and  returned  to  his 
trade  of  wagon  making  and  blacksmithing. 

Mr.  Oerther  has  met  with  success,  financi- 
ally, such  as  few  attain,  and  from  an  insig- 
nificant and  discouraging  start  in  life,  has  suc- 
ceeded in  overcoming  the  many  obstacles,  by 
which,  for  so  many  years,  he  was  surrounded, 
and  is  now  in  the  enjoyment  of  a comfortable 
fortune,  the  result  of  wise  management,  econ- 
omy and  well  directed  industry.  He  is  a large 
land  holder  in  Mount  Pleasant  township,  his 
real  estate  in  the  county  at  this  time  repre- 
senting 364  acres,  and  he  recently  disposed  of 
139  acres  of  very  valuable  land  to  the  Muncie 
Land  company  at  a very  handsome  figure. 
Mr.  Oerther  is  interested  in  the  Yorktown  Gas 


company,  and  in  the  growth  and  development 
of  West  Muncie  he  has  been  a prominent  and 
substantial  factor.  Mr.  Oerther  was  married 
November  27,  i860,  to  Isabelle  Daugherty,  a 
native  of  Mount  Pleasant  township,  where  she 
was  born  June  6,  1842,  the  daughter  of  Will- 
iam Daugherty,  Esq.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Oerther 
have  a family  of  nine  children,  whose  names 
are  as  follows:  John  William,  a merchant  of 

Farmland,  Randolph  county;  Charles  F.,  Amy 
Alene,  wife  of  Louis  D.  Overmier;  Rosa  M., 
deceased;  Mellie,  Myrtle  D.,  Doanie  Elizabeth, 
Clen  and  Frederick.  Mr.  Oerther  feels  a 
father’s  pardonable  pride  in  his  family,  and  he 
has  every  reason  for  so  feeling,  as  his  children 
are  a credit  to  themselves  and  an  honor  to 
their  parents. 


ENRY  OVERMIRE  is  a well-to-do 
and  contented  citizen  of  Mount  Pleas- 
ant township.  He  was  born  in  Ham- 
ilton county,  Ohio,  July  16,  1837, 
being  the  son  of  Henry  and  Elizabeth  (Espells) 
Overmire,  both  natives  of  Germany.  They 
were  married  and  came  to  America  in  1836, 
landing  in  New  York,  and  going  thence  to  Cin- 
cinnati, where  Mr.  Overmire  engaged  in  a 
foundry  for  three  years.  After  this  he  went  to 
Franklin  county,  Ind.,  where  he  employed  his 
time  in  farming  and  shoemaking  until  his 
death,  1877.  His  widow  lives  with  her  daugh- 
ter. The  father  and  mother  reared  a family  of 
six  children,  of  whom  three  are  living,  namely: 
Henry,  Elizabeth,  living  in  Cincinnati,  and  Mary, 
wife  of  Joseph  Groothouse,  of  Franklin  county, 
Ind.  The  parents  and  other  members  of  the 
family  were  members  of  the  Catholic  church, 
with  the  exception  of  Henry,  who  left  that 
body,  and  now  belongs  to  the  Methodist  de- 
nomination. 

Henry  Overmire,  when  but  fourteen  years 
of  age,  was  apprenticed  to  Henry  Haffer,  of 


668 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


Brookville,  Ind.,  to  learn  the  trade  of  tanner. 
He  lived  with  this  man  two  and  one-half 
years,  and  then,  receiving  a higher  offer,  went 
to  another  tannery  in  the  same  place,  receiv- 
ing eight  dollars  per  mouth,  and  remaining 
four  months.  He  was  then  employed  on  a 
canal  boat  from  Cincinnati  to  Larwell  for  a 
month,  and  after  a short  time  spent  in  travel- 
ing, he  engaged  in  the  trade  of  tanning  for 
over  two  years  for  a number  of  different  em- 
ployers. Later,  he  went  to  Middleton,  Ind., 
and  engaged  as  a tanner  for  a year,  after  which 
he  followed  the  same  trade  with  different  men 
for  three  years  longer.  Then,  having  made 
some  money,  he  bought  a small  tannery  in 
Jerome,  Howard  county,  Ind.,  which  he  oper- 
ated one  year;  his  venture  being  unsuccessful, 
he  was  compelled  to  make  an  assignment,  and 
found  himself  in  debt  aftrr  his  property  had 
been  taken.  Subsequently,  he  came  to  Dela- 
ware county,  Ind.,  and  worked  for  thirty  dol- 
lars a month,  one-half  of  which  he  applied  on 
his  debts,  keeping  the  rest  for  himself,  and 
living  very  cheaply.  He  came  to  Yorktown 
about  that  time,  where  he  engaged  with 
Thomas  Allen  & Co.  as  a journeyman  for 
three  years,  when  he  and  Jacob  Oerther  bought 
the  tannery,  and  the  partnership  continued  for 
three  years,  purchasing  his  partner’s  interest 
at  the  end  of  that  time,  and  operating  it  alone 
for  ten  years.  He  owns  the  site  upon  which 
the  tan  yards  stood,  but  no  vistige  of  it  now 
remains.  While  thus  engaged  Mr.  Overmire 
also  conducted  a large  boot  and  shoe  and  har- 
ness establishment,  making  up  most  of  the 
leather  he  produced.  In  1882  he  enlarged  his 
business,  adding  groceries,  and  his  son,  L.  D. 
Overmier,  before  mentioned,  was  his  partner. 
This  partnership  existed  until  1892,  when  his 
son  became  sole  proprietor,  and  the  father, 
the  subject,  engaged  in  the  harness  business. 
He  also  carries  gas  supplies  and  fixtures. 

Mr.  Overmire  was  president  of  the  first 


gas  company  in  Yorktown,  and  superintendent 
of  the  two  first  gas  wells.  He  served  as  presi- 
dent four  years,  and  is  now  director,  treasurer 
and  collector  of  the  company.  He  was  mar- 
ried in  Howard  county,  Ind.,  in  1858,  to  Eliza- 
beth Sharp,  born  in  Delaware  county,  July  22, 
1840,  and  daughter  of  H.  B.  and  Tabitha 
Sharp.  Two  children,  Lewis  D.,  mentioned 
elsewhere,  and  William  M.,  a member  of  the 
Yorktown  Novelty  works,  were  born  of  this 
marriage.  Mr.  Overmire  located  in  this 
county  in  1862,  and  has  since  exerted  himself 
to  the  advancements  and  interests  of  the 
county.  He  is  a member  of  lodge  No.  345, 
I.  O.  O.  O. , and  in  politics  is  an  agressive 
democrat,  working  with  might  and  main  for 
the  success  of  that  party.  He  is  one  of  the 
most  enterprising  and  active  citizens  of  York- 
town. He  is  also  a member  of  the  Muncie 
encampment.  No.  74. 


EWIS  D.  OVERMIRE.— One  of  the 
prominent  business  men  of  Yorktown 
is  Lewis  D.  Overmire,  whose  name 
appears  at  the  head  of  this  sketch. 
He  was  born  in  Madison  county,  Ind.,  Novem- 
ber 21,  1861,  a son  of  Henry  and  Elizabeth 
Overmire,  of  whom  a sketch  appears  above. 
Lewis  D.  Overmire  was  only  four  years  of 
age  when  his  parents  came  to  the  village  of 
Yorktown,  and  here  he  has  spent  the  greater 
part  of  his  life.  He  was  educated  in  the  com- 
mon schools  and  took  a three  months’  course 
in  the  business  college  at  Indianapolis,  after 
which  he  engaged  with  a wholesale  dry  goods 
establishment  for  a time  in  that  city,  and  later 
entered  into  partnership  with  his  father  in  a 
general  mercantile  trade  in  this  place.  The 
firm  thus  constituted  continued  until  June, 
1892,  when  he  became  the  sole  owner  of  the 
establishment,  the  business  of  which  is  yearly 


MOUNT  PLEASANT  TOWNSHIP. 


669 


growing  more  profitable,  being  at  this  time 
one  of  the  leading  mercantile  houses  of  York- 
town. 

Mr.  Overmire  married,  August  26,  1875, 
this  place.  Miss  Emma  E.  Oerther,  born  here 
March  10,  1866,  a daughter  of  Jacob  Oerther, 
whose  sketch  appears  in  another  part  of  this 
volume.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Overmire  are  the  par- 
ents of  two  bright  children,  Gladys  M.  and 
Mildred  Lucille.  Mrs.  Overmire  is  a member 
of  the  Methodist  church.  He  is  a prominent 
politician  of  this  place,  was  postmaster  under 
the  last  administration  of  President  Cleveland, 
and  votes  and  works  with  the  democratic 
party.  Fraternally,  he  is  a member  of 
I.  O.  O.  F. , No.  345,  takes  an  active  interest 
in  the  growth  and  development  of  his  town 
and  county,  and  in  business  circles  enjoys  a 
reputation  much  more  than  local. 


^^^EORGE  W.  PARKLSON.— Promi- 
■ nent  among  the  representative  self 

^ ^ made  men  of  Mount  Pleasant  town- 
ship is  George  W.  Parkison,  who 
was  born  in  Perry  county,  Ohio,  February  25, 
1826,  the  son  of  Samuel  and  Ellen  Parkison, 
natives  respectively  of  Pennsylvania  and 
Maryland.  Samuel  Parkison  was  by  occupa- 
tion a carpenter  and  mill-wright,  married  in 
Perry  county,  Ohio,  Ellen  Mohler,  and  in 
1 839  immigrated  to  Indiana,  locating  in  Dela- 
ware county,  of  which  he  was  one  of  the 
pioneers.  Previous  to  his  settlement  in  Dela- 
ware county,  he  had  entered,  in  1837,  forty 
acres  of  land,  to  which  he  added,  from  time  to 
time,  until,  at  the  date  of  his  death,  he  was 
the  possessor  of  a tract  of  220  acres,  the 
greater  part  of  which  was  under  cultivation. 
He  was  a hard  working  man,  a very  careful 
farmer,  and  for  a number  of  years  was  a lead- 
ing member  of  the  German  Lutheran  church; 


I after  coming  to  Indiana,  was  a Presbyterian. 

I His  wife  was  also  a member  of  both  of  these 
I churches,  and  is  remembered  as  a woman  of 
! many  excellent  parts.  Samuel  and  Ellen 
i Parkison  reared  a family  of  eleven  children, 

: and  departed  this  life  in  the  years  1856  and 
I 1874,  respectively.  The  following  are  the 
I names  of  their  children:  Eli;  Catherine,  wife 
j of  Emanuel  Warfel,  of  Yorktown;  George 
W. , the  subject  of  this  mention;  Elizabeth, 

I died  at  the  age  of  thirteen,  William}.,  de- 
j ceased;  Samuel;  Ellinor,  deceased;  Anna 
t Maria,  deceased;  Sarah  }.,  wife  of  James  D. 

I Reynolds,  of  Yorktown;  Harriet,  deceased, 
and  Henry  C.  George  W.  Parkison  was 
reared  amid  the  active  duties  of  the  farm,  and 
received  but  limited  educational  advantages, 
attending  the  indifferent  schools  of  the  coun- 
try at  intervals  during  the  winter  season.  He 
remained  with  his  parents  until  his  twenty- 
first  year,  at  which  time  he  left  home  and 
began  working  for  himself  for  the  insignificant 
sum  of  seven  dollars  per  month,  his  principal 
occupation  being  that  of  chopping  cord  wood. 
In  1847,  he  enlisted  in  company  A,  Fourth 
Indiana  infantry,  for  the  Mexican  war,  with 
which  he  served  until  July  of  the  following 
year,  in  the  meantime  accompanying  his  com- 
mand to  that  far  off  country,  and  participating 
in  a number  of  battles.  Severing  his  connec- 
tion with  the  army,  he  returned  to  Delaware 
county  and  engaged  in  farming,  which  useful 
calling  he  has  since  continued,  and  in  which 
he  has  met  with  well  deserved  success,  owning 
at  this  time  nearly  200  acres  of  valuable  land, 
which  is  well  cultivated,  and  upon  which  are 
to  be  seen  some  of  the  best  live  stock  in  Mount 
Pleasant  township.  From  1856  to  i860  he 
held  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace  in  Mount 
Pleasant,  and  in  1861,  responded  to  the 
country’s  call  for  volunteers,  enlisting  in  com- 
pany A,  Eighth  Indiana  infrantry,  of  which  he 
was  elected  first  lieutenant  shortly  after  the 


670 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


company’s  organization.  He  served  with  his 
command  for  a period  of  only  eight  months, 
when  he  was  compelled  to  resign  on  account 
of  a severe  attack  of  rheumatism,  which 
rendered  him  unfit  for  military  duty. 

Mr.  Parkison  was  married  January  29, 
1849,  to  Eliza  J.  Beath,  who  was  born  in 
Greene  county,  Ohio,  November  29,  1829,  a 
daughter  of  John  and  Martha  (Kelly)  Beath, 
natives  respectively  of  Ohio  and  Kentucky. 
Ten  children  were  born  to  this  union,  seven  of 
whom  are  living:  John  B.,  Samuel  E..  Martha 
E.,  William  W. , Thomas  B.,  Harriet  E.,  wife 
of  L.  S.  Jones;  and  Orville  E.,  the  deceased 
members  of  the  family  are  as  follows:  Charles 
I.,  George  I.,  and  Oliver  P.  Mrs.  Parkison 
died  May  24,  1868,  and  on  the  lOth  of  Sep- 
tember, 1870,  Mr.  Parkison  was  united  in 
marriage  to  his  present  wife,  Mary  Perdeiu, 
who  was  born  in  Delaware  county,  April  30, 
1839.  The  latter  marriage  has  resulted  in  the 
birth  of  five  children,  namely:  Clara  j., 

Mabel,  George  W. , Emma  K.,  and  Erank  L. 
In  politics  Mr.  Parkison  is  a democrat,  and 
fraternally  belongs  to  the  I.  O.  O.  E. , being  a 
member  of  Yorktown  lodge,  No.  345. 


AMUEL  PARKISON,  brother  of 
George  W.  Parkison,  whose  sketch 
appears  above,  and  sixth  child  of 
Samuel  and  Ellen  Parkison,  was  born 
in  Perry  county,  Ohio,  August  29,  1831,  and 
since  1839  has  been  a citizen  of  Delaware 
county,  being  among  its  oldest  living  settlers. 
Like  the  majority  of  country  boys,  his  youth 
was  passed  amid  the  hard  labors  of  the  farm, 
and  he  distinctly  recalls  the  rude  log  school 
house,  with  its  slab  benches,  puncheon  floor 
and  greased  paper  windows,  in  which  he  re- 
ceived the  rudiments  of  an  English  education. 
He  assisted  his  father  on  the  farm  until  at- 


taining his  majority,  and  then  began  life  for 
himself  as  a farmer  in  the  township  of  Mount 
Pleasant,  which  had  been  his  home  ever  since 
coming  to  the  county.  His  first  purchase  of 
real  estate  was  made  in  1857,  and  later  he 
bought  what  is  known  as  the  Dragoo  farm, 
which  is  considered  by  good  judges  to  be 
among  the  very  best  land  in  the  county.  He 
made  additional  purchases  from  time  to  time 
until  he  became  the  possessor  of  a large 
amount  of  real  estate,  all  of  which  he  has  dis- 
posed of  with  the  exception  of  thirty  acres 
where  now  resides.  He  disposed  of  the  most 
of  his  land  to  the  Western  Improvement  com- 
pany for  a valuable  consideration,  and  is  now 
interested  in  several  gas  wells,  which  return 
him  a handsome  revenue.  December,  1892, 
Mr.  Parkison  purchased  what  was  known  as 
the  Gilbert  farm  of  208  acres,  on  which  are 
extensive  stone  quarries.  This  tract  joins  Mr. 
Parkison’s  residence  farm  on  the  east,  and  was 
formerly  known  as  the  Gilbert,  and,  later,  as 
the  Wilson  place.  In  every  respect  Mr. 
Parkison  has,  during  his  long  residence  in 
Delaware  county,  proved  himself  to  be  a 
straightforward  man,  a good  citizen,  and  he 
numbers  his  friends  by  the  score  through- 
out Mount  Pleasant  and  other  townships. 
He  is  a republican  in  politics,  but  has 
never  aspired  to  official  position,  and  be- 
longs to  the  I.  O.  O.  E.  fraternity,  his  mem- 
bership being  with  lodge  No.  345,  Yorktown, 
and  Muncie  encampment.  No.  30.  In  religion 
he  is  a zealous  member  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church. 

Mr.  Parkison  was  married  February  24, 
1885,  in  Mount  Pleasant  township,  to  Miss 
Eliza  J.  Neely,  who  was  born  in  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  November  23,  1837,  the  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Sarah  (Diltz)  Neely.  To  this 
union  were  born  five  children,  whose  names 
are  as  follows:  Emma  C. , deceased;  Isaac  N. ; 
John  A. ; Oliver  P.  deceased,  and  Joseph  A. 


I- 


\ 


WM.  PITTSER. 


MRS.  ELMA  PITTSER 


MOUNT  PLEASANT  TOWNSHIP. 


671 


Parkison.  The  mother,  a most  estimable 
woman,  departed  this  life  on  the  2d  day  of 
March,  1880,  and  in  October  of  the  same  year 
Mr.  Parkison’s  second  marriage  was  consum- 
mated with  Mrs.  Margaret  Reed,  daughter  of 
Peter  Keiger,  of  Madison  county,  Ind.  One 
child,  Lua,  whose  birth  occurred  July  20,  1883, 
is  the  fruit  of  this  union. 


m. 


William  pittser.—To  the  sturdy 

pioneers  of  the  county  too  much 
praise  cannot  be  given  in  a general 
sense,  and  in  a special  sense  is  this 
true  concerning  the  late  William  Pittser  and 
his  most  estimable  widow,  Elma  Pittser.  The 
Pittser  family  came  to  Delaware  county  in 
1831  and  settled  in  Salem  township.  They 
assisted  in  clearing  the  forest  and  causing  to 
issue  therefrom  beautiful  farms.  William 
Pittser  was  a native  of  Ohio,  born  February 
18,  1823,  and  died  in  Mount  Pleasant  town- 
ship, Delaware  county,  Ind.,  August  15,  1889, 
on  the  farm  which  he  cut  from  the  unbroken 
wood  and  upon  which  he  had  lived  since  April, 
1849.  His  entire  life  was  devoted  to  agricul- 
tural pursuits,  and  he  was  always  considered 
one  of  the  leading  farmers  of  Mount  Pleasant 
township.  He  was  a student  of  the  early 
schools  of  the  community,  which  he  attended 
during  the  mid-winter  season.  He  grew  up 
on  his  father’s  farm,  where  he  remained  until 
1 849,  or  two  years  after  his  marriage,  which 
occurred  January  17,  1847,  to  Miss  Elma  Van 
Matre.  At  the  time  of  his  death  he  owned 
160  acres  of  fine  land  in  the  western  part  of 
Mount  Pleasant  township.  The  eighty  acres 
upon  which  the  substantial  residence  stands 
was  entered  by  the  father  of  Mrs.  Pittser, 
David  Van  Matre.  In  politics  Mr.  Pittser 
cast  his  right  of  suffrage  with  the  interests  of 
the  republican  party.  He  was  a member  of 


the  Methodist  Protestant  church.  Through 
his  death  Delaware  county  lost  one  of  her 
best  citizens.  His  father,  Matthias  Pittser, 
was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  February  15,  1781, 
and  died  in  Mount  Pleasant  township,  this 
county,  November  18,  1869,  and  his  wife, 
Sarah  Jane  Pittser,  was  born  in  Ohio  May  4, 
1789,  and  died  in  this  county  in  1867.  They 
were  industrious,  hard  working  people,  and 
respected  wherever  known. 

Mrs.  Elma  Pittser  was  born  in  Salem 
township,  this  county,  October  i,  1827,  and 
all  her  life  has  resided  in  this  county,  and 
since  1849  on  the  farm  where  she  now  lives. 
She  is  one  of  the  old  settlers  of  this  county, 
and  is  a woman  known  far  and  wide  for  her 
many  good  qualities.  David  Van  Matre,  from 
Ohio,  father  of  Mrs.  Pittser,  was  one  of  the 
early  settlers  of  this  county,  and  died  in  Salem 
township  December  21,  1882.  The  mother 
of  Mrs.  Pittser  was  Maria  Van  Matre,  who 
was  born  in  Ohio  and  died  in  Salem  township 
in  December,  1882  To  omit  from  the  bio- 
graphical record  of  Delaware  county  a notice 
of  these  two  old  and  highly  respected  families 
would  be  a wrong  to  the  pioneers  and  an  in- 
justice to  the  community. 


'OSEPH  H.  RICE,  one  of  the  intelli- 
gent young  business  men  of  the  thriving 
town  of  Yorktown,  Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  was  born  in  Higginsport,  Brown 
county,  Ohio,  February  12,  1858,  a son  of 
Joseph  and  Martha  (Goetz)  Rice,  natives  of 
Baden,  Germany.  The  father,  on  coming  to 
the  United  States,  located  in  Brown  county, 
Ohio,  where  he  remained  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  September,  1876.  He  was 
by  trade  a professional  cook  and  baker,  which 
calling  he  followed  during  the  greater  part  of 
his  life.  Ten  children  were  born  to  Joseph 


672 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


and  Martha  Rice,  only  five  of  whom  reached 
the  age  of  maturity.  The  mother  found  a 
home  with  her  daughter  in  Higginsport  after 
the  death  of  the  father  of  the  family,  who  had 
been  a man  of  honest  life  and  industrious 
habits.  In  religion  they  were  Catholics,  and 
in  politics  he  was  a republican. 

Joseph  H.  Rice  was  reared  in  the  usual 
manner  of  farmer  lads,  and  early  in  life  was 
taught  the  principles  of  economy,  which  he 
has  applied  in  his  later  life,  and  has  grown  to 
be  one  of  the  most  respected  and  esteemed 
business  men  of  this  locality.  He  received 
some  educational  advantages,  and  at  the  age 
of  twenty-one  enlisted  in  the  regular  army, 
entering  company  I,  Seventeenth  infantry,  for 
a period  of  five  years,  and  was  sent  out  to  the 
plains  to  do  garrison  duty.  After  his  discharge, 
he  farmed  for  one  year,  and  then  removed  to 
Higginsport,  where  he  engaged  in  the  dry 
goods  and  grocery  trade,  which  business  he 
continued  until  January  4,  1892,  when  he 

closed  out  and  moved  to  Yorktown  and  opened 
up  his  business  here.  At  his  present  location 
Mr.  Rice  has  a very  nice  store,  well  stocked 
with  salable  merchandise,  including  dry  goods, 
groceries,  gentlemen’s  and  ladies’  furnishing 
goods.  He  was  married  at  Muncie,  in  this 
county,  June  24,  1882,  to  Miss  Linnie  E. 
Williamson,  born  in  Yorktown,  March  25, 
1861,  daughter  of  William  and  Martha 
(Dragoo)  Williamson,  of  Brown  county,  Ohio. 
Two  bright  boys  have  been  born  of  this  mar- 
riage, Edgar  and  Eugene.  They  are  of  the 
spiritualistic  faith,  and  politically,  Mr.  Rice  is 
a democrat. 


R.  DAVID  M.  SHIVELY,  a success- 
ful physician  of  Yorktown,  son  of 
Michael  and  Keziah  (Laboyteaux) 
Shively,  was  born  on  the  25th  day  of 
September,  1840,  in  Henry  county,  Ind.  His 


father  was  a native  of  Kentucky,  and  his  mother 
of  Ohio,  in  Hamilton  county  of  which  state 
they  were  married  in  the  year  1830.  In  1831 
Michael  and  Keziah  Shively  removed  to  New 
Castle,  Ind.,  where  they  resided  until  Mrs. 
Shively’s  death,  which  occurred  November  12, 
i860.  Mr.  Shively,  in  1885,  removed  to  Wells 
county,  Ind. , where  he  is  now  living  a life  of 
retirement.  He  has  been  a very  successful 
man,  and  bore  his  full  share  in  developing  the 
county  of  Henry,  which,  upon  the  time  of  his 
arrival,  over  sixty  years  ago,  was  in  a very 
primitive  state.  He  walked  from  Hamilton 
county,  Ohio,  to  Indianapolis  for  the  purpose 
of  entering  his  land,  and  his  accumulation  of 
property,  in  after  years,  was  entirely  the  result 
of  his  own  efforts.  In  an  early  day  he  achieved 
considerable  note  as  a hunter,  and  it  is  state.d, 
upon  good  authority,  that  he  shot  the  only 
bear  ever  killed  in  Henry  county.  In  early 
life  he  worked  at  the  wheelwright  trade,  but 
after  coming  to  Indiana  devoted  his  entire  at- 
tention to  the  pursuit  of  agriculture.  He  has 
always  been  a democrat  in  his  political  affilia- 
tions, and  religiously  subscribes  to  the  creed  of 
Universalism.  Of  the  ten  children  born  to 
Michael  and  Keziah  Shively,  five  are  living  at 
this  time,  namely:  Catherine,  wife  of  Frank 

Roof;  Peter,  David  M.,  Naomi  and  Mary  Ann, 
wife  of  William  May. 

David  M.  Shively  was  reared  to  agriculural 
pursuits,  and  his  early  educational  advan- 
tages were  limited  to  the  common  schools, 
which  he  attended  only  during  the  winter  sea- 
son. He  made  up  for  the  early  deficiency  in 
his  early  education  by  attending  the  schools  of 
New  Castle  for  the  greater  part  of  five  years, 
and  while  pursuing  his  studies,  formed  a de- 
termination of  entering  the  medical  profession. 
He  began  the  study  of  the  same  under  the 
instruction  of  Dr.  Ray,  of  New  Castle,  in 
whose  office  he  remained  for  one  year,  at  the 
end  of  which  time,  owing  to  circumstances 


MOUNT  PLEASANT  TOWNSHIP, 


673 


over  which  he  had  no  control,  was  compelled 
to  discontinue  his  reading  and  engage  in  other 
pursuits.  Naturally  skillful,  he  turned  his  at- 
tention to  blacksmithing,  and  for  nearly  three 
years  worked  at  that  trade  in  Blountsville,  in 
Henry  county,  pursuing  his  professional  read- 
ing in  the  mean  time.  Subsequently,  he 
established  a shop  of  his  own,  which  he  oper- 
ated for  eight  months  and  then  went  to  New 
Castle  and  accepted  a position  with  Michael 
Swigert,  a well  known  mechanic  of  that  place, 
with  whom  he  worked  for  a limited  period. 
His  next  move  was  to  Middletown,  where  he 
effected  a copartnership  in  the  blacksmith 
business  with  Jacob  A.  Good,  which  continued 
for  three  years,  when  he  disposed  of  his  inter- 
est and  removed  to  Mechanicsburg,  where  he 
followed  the  trade  for  two  months,  locating  at 
the  end  of  that  time  in  Middletown.  Later, 
he  moved  to  the  town  of  Epworth,  Iowa, 
where  he  carried  on  his  trade  for  a short  time, 
and  then,  returning  to  Indiana,  became  a 
member  of  the  firm  of  Shively  & Fisher,  at 
New  Castle,  where  he  remained  for  two  years. 
During  all  the  time  that  he  worked  at  his 
trade,  he  never,  for  a moment,  abandoned  the 
idea  of  entering  the  medical  profession,  but 
continued  his  study  of  the  same  as  circum- 
stances would  admit.  After  disposing  of  his 
mechanical  business  at  New  Castle,  he  entered 
the  Physio-Medical  institute,  at  Cincinnati,  in 
which  he  took  a full  course  and  then  located, 
in  1874,  at  Yorktown,  where  he  began  the 
active  practice  of  his  profession,  and,  after  a 
short  residence  here,  moved  to  Carthage,  Rush 
county,  where  he  resided  for  a limited  period, 
and  then  returned  to  Yorktown,  where  his  skill 
as  a physician  has  been  attested  by  a large  and 
lucrative  practice  in  Mount  Pleasant  and  ad- 
joining townships  of  Delaware  and  Madison 
counties. 

Dr.  Shively  was  married  in  Middletown, 
Henry  county,  January  10,  1864,  to  Jennie, 


daughter  of  Joseph  and  Effie  (McCune)  Moore. 
Mrs.  Shively  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  and 
has  borne  her  husband  the  following  children: 
Minnie,  deceased;  Augustus,  a student  of  the 
Medical  college  of  Indiana;  Bernie,  deceased, 
and  Emma,  deceased.  Dr.  Shively  began  his 
practice  under  circumstances  not  at  all  au- 
spicious, and  met  with  much  opposition  on 
the  part  of  certain  ill  disposed  persons  who 
used  all  their  influence  for  the  purpose  of 
embarrassing  him.  By  attending  strictly  to 
his  business,  however,  and  devoting  all  his 
energies  to  his  profession,  he  succfeded  in 
overcoming  the  many  obstacles  by  which  his 
way  was  beset,  and  his  practice  is  now  large 
and  lucrative,  and  he  occupies  a prominent 
place  among  his  professional  brethren  in  Dela- 
ware county.  A democrat  in  politics,  he  has 
never  sought  official  position;  and,  a firm  be- 
liever in  the  truths  of  the  Bible,  belongs  to  the 
Universalist  church. 


OBERT  M.  SNODGRASS  is  one  of 
the  leading  farmers  and  stock  raisers 
of  Mount  Pleasant  township,  and  is 
descended  from  Kentucky  ancestry, 
in  which  state  his  parents,  Samuel  and  Mary 
(Polly)  Snodgrass,  were  born,  the  father  on  the 
4th  of  October,  1802,  and  the  mother  on  May 
9th  of  the  same  year.  Samuel  Snodgrass  left 
his  native  state  in  1816,  accompanying  his 
parents  to  Preble  county,  Ohio,  where  he  re- 
mained until  1835,  at  which  date  he  removed 
to  Indiana,  Kosciusko  county,  which  was  his 
home  for  a short  time,  returning  thence  to 
Ohio,  and  settling  in  Darke  county.  After  a 
residence  there  of  a few  years,  he  returned  to 
Indiana,  and  from  1837  to  1843,  resided  in  the 
county  of  Randolph.  In  the  year  1847,  he  be- 
came a resident  of  Delaware  county,  locating 
near  the  present  farm  of  Robert  M.  Snodgrass, 


674 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


where  he  purchased  ninety-one  acres  of  land, 
upon  which  he  resided  until  his  death,  Septem- 
ber 25,  1879.  Samuel  Snodgrass  was  a man 
of  excellent  parts,  a most  highly  esteemed 
citizen,  and  for  many  years  an  able  minister  of 
the  Christian  church.  He  was  a farmer  by 
occupation,  and  during  a long  and  useful  life 
did  much,  in  a quiet  way,  for  the  moral  and 
spiritual  advancement  of  his  fellow  man.  His 
wife,  a most  consistent  Christian  lady,  also  a 
member  of  the  said  church,  departed  this  life 
the  23d  day  of  May,  1880. 

Robert  M.  Snodgrass  was  born  August  28, 
1838,  in  Randolph  county,  Ind.,  was  reared  to 
agricultural  pursuits,  and  remained  under  the 
parental  roof  until  attaining  his  majority,  hav- 
ing in  the  meantime  received  a fair  English 
education  in  the  common  schools.  By  dili- 
gent application  to  his  studies  he  was  enabled, 
at  the  early  age  of  nineteen,  to  engage  in 
teaching,  which  profession  he  followed  suc- 
cessfully for  a period  of  nine  or  ten  years.  In 
1862,  when  the  war  cloud  spread  its  dark 
folds  over  the  country,  he  responded  to  the 
call  of  volunteers,  and  enlisted  August  1 3,  of 
that  year,  in  company  D,  Eighty-fourth  Indi- 
ana infantry,  for  the  three  years’  service  or 
during  the  war.  He  remained  with  his  com- 
mand until  honorably  discharged,  April  24, 
1865,  and  during  his  period  of  service  partici- 
pated in  a number  of  battles,  including  Chick- 
amauga  and  Kenesaw  Mountain,  where  he 
was  wounded,  and  was  with  Sherman  in  his 
celebrated  march  from  Atlanta  to  the  sea. 
Erom  the  effects  of  disability  incurred  while  in 
the  service,  he  is  now  remembered  by  his 
country  with  a pension  amounting  to  $6  per 
month.  At  the  close  of  the  war  Mr.  Snod- 
grass returned  home  and  engaged  in  farming, 
purchasing  his  present  place  in  Mount  Pleasant 
in  1867.  For  a limited  period  he  was  engaged 
in  the  mercantile  business  in  the  town  of 
Bethel,  this  county,  but  since  taking  charge  of 


his  farm,  has  given  his  entire  attention  to  ag- 
ricultural pursuits,  in  which  his  success  has 
been  most  encouraging,  owning  at  this 
time  a finely  cultivated  farm  and  a beautiful 
and  commodious  brick  residence — one  of  the 
best  appointed  farm  dwellings  of  the  township. 
Having  been  very  fortunate  in  all  his  transac- 
tions, Mr.  Snodgrass  is  now  able  to  live  a life 
of  retirement,  and  knows  how  to  enjoy  that 
quietude  which  only  one,  who  has  successfully 
battled  with  the  world  for  so  many  years,  can 
fully  appreciate.  He  has  always  taken  an 
active  interest  in  public  affairs,  and  for  four 
years  served  the  county  in  the  responsible  po- 
sition of  county  commissioner.  Mr.  Snod- 
grass was  married  September  24th,  1861,  to 
Miss  Malinda  Isley,  daughter  of  David  and 
Isabella  Isley,  natives,  respectively,  of  North 
Carolina  and  Indiana,  and  of  German  origin. 
Mrs.  Snodgrass  died  March  20,  1870,  the 

mother  of  the  following  children:  Mary  I., 
deceased;  Thursy  Ann;  Robert  E.,  deceased; 
Orphia  and  Minnie  M.,  deceased.  On  the  9th 
day  of  April,  1874,  Mr.  Snodgrass  was  again 
married,  choosing  for  his  wife  Mary  E.  Jetmore, 
daughter  of  Jacob  and  Martha  (Branson)  Jet- 
more,  to  which  union  the  following  children 
have  been  born;  Emma  M.,  deceased;  Marion 
M.,  Vena  Pearl,  Ina  Florence,  and  Eda  Ethel. 
The  parents  of  Mrs.  Snodgrass  were  born 
July  7,  1833,  and  May  22,  1833,  respectively. 
Jacob  Jetmore  was  a farmer  and  stock  dealer, 
a member  of  the  Baptist  church,  and  died  in 
the  year  1875;  Mrs.  Jetmore  died  in  1870. 


IMOTHY  C.  STEWART,  one  of  the 
popular  farmers  of  Mount  Pleasant 
township,  is  a native  of  Delaware 
county,  Ind. , and  dates  his  birth  from 
the  1 8th  day  of  January,  1830.  His  parents 
were  Timothy  and  Catherine  (Criswell)  Stew- 


MOUNT  PLEASANT  TOWNSHIP. 


675 


art,  the  former  born  in  Kentucky  August  15, 
1793,  and  the  latter  October  19,  I/99-  Tim- 
othy Stewart,  Sr.,  was  a pioneer  of  Delaware 
county,  moving  to  the  same  as  early  as  1827, 
and  for  some  years  thereafter  was  engaged  in 
making  pumps  for  the  settlers,  which  trade  he 
followed,  at  different  places,  for  a number  of 
years.  Previously  to  locating  in  Delaware 
county  he  had  lived  four  or  five  years  in  the 
county  of  Tippecanoe,  and  in  1837  he  engaged 
in  farming  in  Delaware,  which  he  followed  the 
remainder  of  his  days,  departing  this  life 
December  23,  1866.  His  wife  followed  him 
to  the  grave  August  27,  1877.  Mr.  Stewart 
was  a man  prominent  in  local  affairs,  an 
earnest  supporter  of  the  democratic  party,  and 
for  several  years  had  been  a consistent  mem- 
ber of  the  church  of  the  Christian  Connection, 
to  which  denomination  his  wife  also  belonged. 

Timothy  C.  Stewart  assisted  his  father  on 
the  farm  during  the  years  of  his  minority,  and 
at  the  age  of  twenty-one,  began  life  for  him- 
self as  a tiller  of  the  soil,  farming  in  Tippeca- 
noe county,  Ind.,  for  a share  of  the  proceeds 
until  his  twenty-sixth  year.  At  that  time, 
thinking  that  the  west  afforded  better  advan- 
tages than  Indiana,  he  went  to  Gentry  county. 
Mo.,  and  bought  land  and  farmed  for  three 
years,  and  then  to  Colorado,  where,  for  three 
years,  he  was  engaged  in  mining,  which,  not 
proving  remunerative,  he  abandoned,  and  went 
to  Illinois,  locating  in  Champaign  county, 
where  he  purchased  a farm  of  eighty  acres, 
upon  which  he  resided  for  a period  of  three  or 
four  years.  Disposing  of  his  interest  in  the 
latter  state,  Mr.  Stewart  returned  to  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  and  purchased  eighty-two  acres 
of  land  in  Mount  Pleasant  township,  which  he 
subsequently  sold,  and  invested  the  proceeds 
in  a 180  acre  tract,  also  in  Mount  Pleasant. 
He  afterward  exchanged  this  land  for  160  acres, 
which  he  still  owns,  and  has  also  purchased 
twenty-five  acres  additional,  where  he  now 


resides,  his  land  being  well  improved  and  un- 
der a successful  state  of  cultivation.  Mr.  Stew- 
art is  one  of  the  progressive  farmers  of  Dela- 
ware county,  and  takes  front  rank  among  the 
representative  citizens  of  the  township  in  which 
he  resides.  He  is  a pleasant  and  affable  gen- 
tleman, well  informed  on  the  current  events  of 
the  day,  and  is  highly  respected  by  all  with 
whom  he  has  business  or  other  relations.  In 
1868  Mr.  Stewart  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Malinda  Jones,  daughter  of  Henry  and 
Nancy  Jones.  The  father  of  Mrs.  Stewart  was 
born  in  Virginia  and  came  to  Delaware  county 
as  early  as  1827,  and  was  one  of  the  pioneer 
school  teachers  for  a number  of  years.  He  be- 
came a successful  farmer  and  was  a prominent 
man  of  Mount  Pleasant  township.  Mrs.  Stew- 
art was  born  in  Delaware  county,  February  5, 
1841,  and  is  the  mother  of  the  following  chil- 
dren: Lewis  R.,  Lettie,  Dora  Augusta,  Pres- 

ton DeSoto,  Marcus  Glinton,  Emma  Pearl, 
George  Harvey,  Lenora  and  Walter  Scott,  the 
last  three  deceased. 


ESSE  SWIFT,  of  Mount  Pleasant  town- 
ship, has  for  many  years  been  identified 
with  the  agricultural  interests  of  Dela- 
ware county,  and  is  regarded  as  one  of 
her  most  respected  and  reliable  citizens.  He 
was  born  in  Butler  county,  Ohio,  March  25, 
1816,  a son  of  John  and  Louisa  Swift,  who 
were  natives  of  the  state  of  Delaware.  They 
moved  to  Butler  county,  Ohio,  and  located 
upon  a farm,  where  they  continued  to  reside 
for  forty-five  years,  and  then  removed  to 
Franklin  county,  in  the  same  state,  which  was 
their  home  for  a short  time  before  coming  to 
this  township,  where  they  lived  until  their 
respective  deaths  occurred  Mr.  Swift  was 
born  in  1792,  and  died  in  1872,  and  Mrs.  Swift 
was  born  in  1793,  and  also  lived  to  a good  old 


676 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


age,  departing  this  life  at  the  advanced  age  of 
eighty  years.  At  one  time  Mr  Swift  had  ac- 
cumulated considerable  wealth,  but  he  was  the 
victim  of  misplaced  confidence,  and  lost  it  all, 
at  the  time  of  his  demise  owning  very  little  of 
this  world’s  goods.  Through  all  of  his  troubles 
he  was  a good  man,  and  both  he  and  wife  were 
among  the  valued  members  of  the  Methodist 
church.  He  was  an  ardent  democrat,  and 
voted  with  that  party  from  principle.  The 
remains  of  this  excellent  old  couple  repose  in 
the  Hawk  cemetery. 

Jesse  Swift,  now  one  of  the  prominent 
men  of  Mount  Pleasant  township,  started  out 
for  himself  at  the  age  of  twenty-one,  with  but 
a very  limited  supply  of  this  world’s  goods. 
He  had  a brave  heart  and  strong  hands  and 
soon  engaged  in  work  of  various  kinds,  chop- 
ping and  making  rails,  and,  in  fact,  doing  any- 
thing honorable  that  came  to  his  attention. 
When  he  was  thirty  years  of  age  he  married 
Miss  Martha  Gray,  a most  excellent  lady,  who 
departed  this  life  June  5,  1890.  Her  remains 
lie  in  the  cemetery  at  Hawk,  beneath  a beau- 
tiful and  costly  monument  which  her  sorrow- 
ing husband  erected  to  her  memory.  Her 
father  was  a native  of  Ireland  and  her  mother 
a Kentuckian.  Mr.  Swift  now  owns  1 1 7 acres 
of  fine  land  in  Mount  Pleasant  township,  all 
of  which  is  well  improved.  He  is  a republi- 
can in  his  political  belief,  and  both  himself 
and  wife  were  members  of  the  New  Light 
church,  in  which  they  had  long  been  esteemed. 


✓TX  RS.  ETHALINDA  TUTTLE,  a well 
■ I g known  and  highly  respected  lady, 
^ ^ was  born  in  Delaware  county,  Ind., 
March  27,  1831.  Her  parents, 

William  and  Tamer  (Thornburg)  Daugherty, 
were  both  natives  of  Clinton  county,  Ohio, 
but  came  to  Indiana  at  an  early  day,  locating 
in  Delaware  county,  where  Mr.  Daugherty 


entered  160  acres  of  government  land,  from 
which  he  developed  a home,  and  upon  which 
he  resided  until  his  death  at  the  advanced  age 
of  eighty-seven  years,  having  been  born  in 
1783.  Both  himself  and  wife  were  members 
of  the  Christian  church,  and  were  among  the 
well  known  pioneers  of  this  county.  The 
marriage  of  Ethalinda  Daugherty  with  Daniel 
Tuttle  was  solemnized  June  24,  1851,  from 
which  date  until  the  present  she  has  been  a 
resident  of  Mount  Pleasant  township.  Daniel 
Tuttle  was  born  in  Butler  county,  Ohio,  but 
came  to  Delaware  county  in  early  manhood, 
where  for  a number  of  years  he  was  alternately 
engaged  in  farming  and  working  at  his  trade 
of  carpentering.  Late  in  life  he  abandoned 
agricultural  pursuits,  and  purchased  a number 
of  lots  in  the  village  of  Reed  Station,  to  which 
place  he  removed  and  in  which  the  residue  of 
his  years  were  passed.  Mr.  Tuttle’s  birth  oc- 
curred December  14,  1831,  and  he  was  called 
away  by  death  October  13,  1892,  his  remains 
being  laid  to  rest  in  what  is  known  as  the 
Hawk  cemetery.  He  was  a faithful  member 
of  the  Methodist  Protestant  church,  with 
which  he  had  been  identified  for  a number  of 
years,  and  was  not  only  a Christian  in  name, 
but  his  daily  walk  was  a practical  exemplifica- 
I tion  of  the  genuineness  of  his  religious  profes- 
sion. He  earned  the  reputation  of  a devoted 
husband  and  kind  father,  and  those  who  knew 
him  best  bear  testimony  to  his  true  worth  as  a 
j citizen  and  neighbor.  The  following  are  the 
I children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tuttle:  Re- 

j becca,  wife  of  A.  Hayden;  Mary  E.,  deceased; 
Thomas,  married  Clara  Conard;  Lydia  C., 
deceased;  Marion,  deceased;  Silas  Franklin; 
Monroe  (deceased);  Viola  Florence,  wife  of 
Charles  Mahoney;  John  William;  and  Sarah, 
wife  of  C.  Ensley.  Mrs.  Tuttle,  like  her 
husband,  is  a member  of  the  Protestant  Metho- 
dist church,  in  which  she  is  highly  respected 
for  her  Christian  character. 


MOUNT  PLEASANT  TOWNSHIP. 


677 


OHN  WALKER. — Prominent  among 
the  agriculturists  of  Mount  Pleasant 
township  is  John  Walker,  a native  of 
Delaware  county,  Ind. , where  his  birth 
occurred  on  the  23d  of  November,  1848,  son 
of  Hugh  and  Mary  Walker.  He  lived  with  his 
parents  until  attaining  his  majority,  at  which 
time  he  began  life  for  himself  as  a farmer, 
renting  part  of  the  home  place,  which  he  tilled 
very  successfully  for  some  years.  He  inherited 
sixty  acres  in  1878;  later,  in  partnership  with 
his  brother,  bought  120  acres  additional.  He 
then  exchanged  his  interest  in  the  former  tract 
with  his  brother  for  sixty  acres  adjoining  the 
first  purchase,  thus  giving  him  120  acres  in  a 
body,  upon  which  he  has  made  many  valuable 
improvements,  and  which  is  considered  one  of 
the  most  fertile  and  productive  farms  in  the 
township  of  Mount  Pleasant.  Mr.  Walker  is 
an  intelligent  and  energetic  farmer,  fully 
abreast  with  the  times,  and  is  classed  among 
the  representative  citizens  of  the  township  of 
which  he  has  for  so  many  years  been  a promi- 
nent resident.  On  the  lothof  February,  1881, 
was  solemnized  his  marriage  to  Miss  Huldah 
Fosnaught,  daughter  of  Peter  and  Emily  Fos- 
naught,  both  parents  natives  of  this  country 
but  of  German  descent.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Walker 
are  the  parents  of  three  children,  namely; 
Marshall,  deceased;  Mary  E.  and  Bessie. 
They  are  active  members  of  the  Christian 
church,  and  highly  respected  by  all  who  know 
them. 

Hugh  Walker,  father  of  John  Walker,  was 
the  son  of  an  Irish  immigrant  who  came  from 
the  old  country  many  years  ago  and  settled  in 
Ohio.  Hugh  Walker  was  married  March  28, 
1838,  to  Mary  Richards,  and  afterward  lived 
for  a short  time  at  Clinton,  Ohio,  moving 
thence  to  Indiana  and  locating  in  Mount 
Pleasant  township,  Delaware  county,  where 
he  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  from  the 
government  at  $1.30  an  acre.  The  county 


was  at  that  time  an  almost  unbroken  wilder- 
ness, and  Mr.  Walker  at  once  went  to  work 
clearing  and  improving  his  land,  and  within  a 
reasonable  period  had  a goodly  number  of 
acres  under  cultivation.  He  afterward  pur- 
chased an  adjoining  eighty  acre  tract,  and 
being  a man  of  great  industry  and  determina- 
tion, worked  diligently  until  he  had  made  a 
number  of  substantial  improvements.  On 
locating  in  the  wilderness  the  family  encoun- 
tered many  hardships  difficult  to  surmount, 
and  for  the  first  few  years  were  forced  to  rely 
largely  upon  wild  game  for  their  principal  food 
supply,  while  their  nearest  neighbors,  except 
the  red  men,  lived  a number  of  miles  distant. 
Mr.  Walker  paid  for  his  first  land  with  money 
earned  by  working  by  the  day  for  Judge  Kil- 
gore, and  on  going  home  at  night  would  fre- 
quently toil  in  his  own  clearing  until  within  a 
few  hours  of  morning.  He  lived  to  see  the 
greater  part  of  his  farm  brought  under  a high 
state  of  cultivation,  and  witnessed  the  devel- 
opment of  Mount  Pleasant  township  from  a 
wilderness  condition  to  its  present  state  of 
civilization.  Hugh  and  Mary  Walker  were 
the  parents  of  ten  children,  four  of  whom 
reached  their  majority  and  are  still  living,  as 
follows:  Matthew  S.,  married  Mary  Pittser; 
Eliza,  wife  of  Levi  Watson;  John  R. , whose 
name  introduces  this  sketch,  and  Nancy,  wife 
of  John  Burk,  all  of  whom  reside  in  Delaware 
county.  Mr.  Walker,  Sr.,  was  a man  of  good 
mind,  excellent  judgment,  and  at  one  time 
held  the  office  of  trustee  of  Mount  Pleasant 
township.  Politically,  he  acted  with  the  dem- 
ocratic party  until  after  the  election  of 
Buchanan  to  the  presidency,  after  which  he 
identified  himself  with  the  republican  party 
and  so  remained  until  his  death.  He  was  a 
Presbyterian  in  his  religious  belief,  and  in  all 
the  relations  of  life  earned  the  reputation  of  an 
honest  and  law  abiding  citizen. 

Mrs.  Walker,  who  is  still  living  with  her 


678 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


son  Matthew,  was  born  August  13,  1812,  in 
county  Antrim,  Ireland,  of  which  county  her 
parents  were  also  natives  and  in  which  they 
lived  and  died.  She  came  to  the  United 
States  in  1834  in  company  with  her  brother, 
and  landed  at  Philadelphia  after  a long  and 
tiresome  ocean  voyage  of  six  weeks’  duration. 
She  has  been  a faithful  mother,  and  has  the 
satisfaction  in  her  old  age  of  seeing  her  chil- 
dren grown  up  to  be  honorable  men  and 
women. 


ATTHEW  WALKER.— Prominent 
among  the  representative  farmers  of 
Mount  Pleasant  township  is  Mat- 
thew Walker,  who  was  born  on  the 
lOth  day  of  November,  .1844,  Delaware 
county,  Ind.  His  parents,  Hugh  and  Mary 
(Richards)  Walker,  are  appropriately  mention- 
ed in  connection  with  the  biographical  sketch 
of  John  Walker,  which  appears  above.  Like 
the  majority  of  men  reared  on  the  farm,  the 
life  of  Matthew  Walker  has  been  uneventful, 
he  having  grown  up  amid  quiet  rural  scenes, 
and  having  early  become  acquainted  with  the 
rugged  duties  of  country  life.  He  was  reared 
on  the  farm  which  he  now  owns,  attended  the 
country  schools  at  intervals  until  his  majority, 
and  then  began  farming  upon  his  own  respon- 
sibility, which  he  has  since  successfully  con- 
tinued. His  farm  consists  of  120  acres  of 
finely  improved  land,  which  his  father  pur- 
chased from  the  government,  and  in  addition 
to  tilling  the  soil,  he  pays  considerable  atten- 
tion to  the  raising  of  stock,  in  which  he  has 
also  met  with  most  gratifying  encouragement. 
Mr.  Walker  is  one  of  the  substantial  citizens 
of  Mount  Pleasant  township,  is  highly  respect- 
ed in  the  community  where  he  resides,  and 
has  always  manifested  an  active  interest  in  the 
growth  and  material  prosperity  of  the  town- 
ship. He  is  married  and  has  a family  of  three 


interesting  children,  whose  names  are  as  fol- 
lows; Mary,  Chester  and  Ward.  The  maiden 
name  of  Mrs.  Walker  was  Maggie  Pittser, 
daughter  of  a well  known  citizen  of  Delaware 
county. 


ONAS  WAREEL  was  born  in  Lancas- 
ter county,  Pa.,  June  19,  1819,  and  is 
a son  of  Daniel  and  Eannie  (Warfel) 
Warfel,  both  parents  natives  of  the 
same  state.  Daniel  and  Eanny  Warfel  left 
Pennsylvania  in  1840,  emigrated  to  Indiana, 
and,  settling  in  Delaware  county,  in  Centre 
township,  Mr.  Warfel  purchased  a large  tract 
of  land  and  engaged  in  farming.  These 
parents  both  resided  in  the  county  of  their 
adoption  until  their  respective  deaths,  which 
occurred  in  the  years  i860  and  1870.  Mr. 
Warfel  was  a master  mechanic  in  iron  work- 
ing, which  he  followed  in  his  native  state  a 
number  of  years,  and  both  he  and  wife  were 
members  of  the  religious  order  of  Menonites. 
They  reared  a family  of  nine  children,  namely: 
Amelia,  Jonas,  Emanuel  (deceased),  Tobias 
(deceased),  Adam  (deceased),  Andrew,  Daniel 
(deceased),  Elizabeth  (deceased)  and  Jacob 
Jonas  Warfel  was  reared  to  agricultural  pur- 
suits, received  a limited  education  in  such 
schools  as  the  country  afforded,  and  at  the 
age  of  twenty -one  began  teaching,  having  in 
the  meantime  succeeded,  by  diligent  applica- 
tion to  his  studies,  in  acquiring  a fair  knowl- 
edge of  the  various  branches  of  learning.  He 
was  engaged  in  teaching  for  several  years, 
principally  during  the  winter  seasons,  and 
taught,  in  all,  about  eleven  terms.  Mr.  War- 
fel has  been  a farmer  all  his  life,  in  which  use- 
ful calling  he  has  been  very  successful,  owning 
at  different  times  valuable  lands  in  Delaware 
county,  beside  good  town  property,  all  of 
which  represented  his  own  unaided  labors  and 
skillful  financiering.  He  is,  at  this  time,  the 


MOUNT  PLEASANT  TOWNSHIP. 


679 


possessor  of  a good  home  in  Mount  Pleasant 
township,  and  though  practically  retired  from 
active  life,  still  pays  considerable  attention  to 
business  affairs  as  well  as  to  current  events. 
He  is  essentially  a self-made  man,  and  from  a 
very  unfavorable  beginning  has  made  his  way, 
in  spite  of  the  many  obstacles  by  which  his 
path  was  beset,  and  in  his  declining  years  is  in 
the  possession  of  a competency  which  places 
him  beyond  any  fears  so  far  as  this  world’s 
goods  are  concerned. 

Mr.  Warfel  was  married  in  I3elaware  county, 
July  14,  1842,  to  Miss  Samantha  Baxla,  a 
native  of  Greene  county,  Ohio,  where  her 
birth  occurred  April  28,  1822,  the  daughter  of 
Julian  and  Catherine  (Turner)  Baxla.  Julian 
Baxla  was  a native  of  Tennessee,  and  his 
wife,  whom  he  married  in  Greene  county, 
Ohio,  was  born  in  the  city  of  Cincinnati.  They 
reared  the  following  family  of  children:  Sa- 

mantha, Susanna,  Mary,  Elizabeth,  Jane  and 
Hiram.  The  family  removed  to  Delaware 
county  in  1 840,  where  the  parents  died,  the 
father  on  the  31st  of  May,  1862,  and  the 
mother  October  21,  1887.  To  the  marriage 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Warfel  were  born  thirteen 
children,  whose  names  are  as  follows:  Alfred, 

a soldier  of  company  E,  Nineteenth  Indiana 
regiment,  now  deceased;  Catherine,  wife  of 
James  A.  Jester;  Eannie,  deceased;  Isabella, 
wife  of  Perry  M.  Miller;  David,  deceased; 
Adam,  Dottie,  deceased;  Jonas,  Lizzie,  de- 
ceased; William  and  Samantha,  twins;  Mark 
and  Daniel.  Mr.  Warfel  held  the  office  of 
justice  of  the  peace  of  his  township  for  some 
time,  and  since  1837  has  been  a member  of 
the  Methodist  church,  in  which  he  is  now  a 
class  leader.  He  is  interested  in  the  York- 
town  Corporate  company,  and  in  politics  votes 
with  the  republican  party. 

The  standing  of  Mr.  Warfel  and  his  family 
with  the  residents  of  Mount  Pleasant  town- 
ship is  all  that  could  be  desired. 


AMES  WATSON  is  a well  known  citizen 
of  Mount  Pleasant  township,  and  a son 
of  Strawder  and  Emeline  (Driscoll) 
Watson,  both  parents  natives  of  Indi- 
ana. Strawder  Watson  is  one  of  the  most 
successful  farmers  of  Delaware  county,  and  is, 
at  this  time,  superintendent  of  the  poor  farm,  in 
the  management  of  which  he  displays  great 
wisdom  and  forethought,  and  under  his  super- 
vision a number  of  very  important  reforms 
have  been  effected.  He  is  in  ever)  respect  a 
representative  man  of  his  class,  stands  high  in 
the  community  where  he  resides,  and  but  few 
people  of  the  county  are  as  widely  and  favora- 
bly known,  Mrs.  Watson,  whom  he  married 
in  1857,  is  of  Irish  descent  and  a woman  of 
most  excellent  judgment  and  intelligence. 

James  Watson  has  lived  all  of  his  life  in 
Delaware  county,  Ind. , where  he  was  born  on 
the  2d  day  of  November,  i860.  He  was  reared 
on  the  farm,  received  his  educational  training 
in  the  country  schools,  and  on  attaining  his 
majority  rented  the  home  place,  which  he  has 
since  operated  and  where  he  resides  at  the 
present  time.  In  many  respects  he  is  a model 
farmer,  and  in  addition  to  the  cultivation  of  the 
soil,  gives  considerable  attention  to  stock  rais- 
ing, making  a specialty  of  fine  hogs,  in  the 
raising  of  which  he  has  achieved  well  merited 
success. 

Mr.  Watson  was  married  on  the  i8th  day 
of  November,  1880,  to  Martha  McCriff,  daugh- 
ter of  James  and  Delila  McCriff,  who  moved  in 
an  early  day  from  Ohio  to  Madison  county, 
Ind.  James  McCriff  is  living  at  this  time  in 
the  state  of  Minnesota,  but  his  wife,  the  mother 
of  Mrs.  Watson,  died  when  the  latter  was  but 
six  years  of  age.  Mr.  Watson,  while  an  ear- 
nest supporter  of  the  principles  of  the  republi- 
can party,  has  never  aspired  to  official  honors. 
His  live  stock  and  his  farm  claim  his  chief 
and  most  serious  attention,  and  the  result  is 
his  present  highly  prosperous  condition  in  life. 


680 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


EV.  JOHN  R.  WELLINGTON,  a 
farmer  and  stock  raiser,  was  born  in 
the  state  of  Ohio,  August  7,  1840, 
and  is  a son  of  William  Wellington,  a 
native  of  Pennsylvania.  William  Wellington 
moved  to  Ohio  in  an  early  day,  and  after  a 
few  years’  residence  in  that  state,  immigrated 
to  Indiana,  settling  in  Grant  county,  in  which, 
it  is  stated,  he  built  the  first  frame  house  in 
Eairmount.  He  was,  by  occupation,  a car- 
penter and  followed  that  calling  a few  years 
after  coming  to  Indiana,  later  engaging  in  the 
manufacture  of  lumber  at  the  town  of  Summit- 
ville,  where  he  operated  a saw  mill  until  the 
time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1858,  at 
the  age  of  fifty-one.  Eor  some  years  he  held 
the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace,  took  an 
active  interest  in  public  affairs  as  a republican, 
and  in  religion  was  a member  of  the  Wesleyan 
Methodist  church.  John  R.  Wellington  was 
eighteen  years  old  when  his  father  died,  after 
which  event  he  resided  with  his  mother  for  a 
period  of  two  years,  looking  after  her  interests. 
He  early  selected  carpentering  as  the  occupa- 
tion to  which  he  would  devote  his  life,  and 
has  followed  that  useful  calling  for  twenty- 
five  years.  He  purchased  his  present  farm  in 
1868,  since  which  time  he  has  had  consider- 
able farming  done. 

Mr.  Wellington  was  married,  in  the  year 
1859,  to  Miss  Malinda  Holt,  of  Rush  county, 
Ind. , daughter  of  Drury  Holt,  one  of  the  pio- 
neers of  that  part  of  the  state.  Mr.  Holt  was 
a successful  farmer,  owning  a large  tract  of 
land  in  the  county  of  Rush,  and  for  nearly 
half  a century  was  an  earnest  minister  of  the 
gospel.  He  was  born  in  the  year  1807,  and 
died  on  the  i ith  day  of  March,  1883.  At  the 
time  of  his  marriage  his  sole  earthly  posses- 
sion was  represented  by  a two  year  old  colt, 
beside  which  his  indebtedness  amounted  to 
over  $40.  With  an  energy  which  has  since 
characterized  the  man,  he  at  once  went  to 


work,  and,  actuated  by  a determination  to 
succeed,  has  overcome  the  many  difficulties  by 
which  his  early  life  was  surrounded,  and  is 
now  the  possessor  of  a beautiful  and  well  cul- 
tivated farm,  consisting  of  165  acres,  the  greater 
part  of  which  is  under  an  advanced  state  of 
cultivation.  Mr.  Wellington  is  a prominent 
member  of  the  German  Baptist  church,  of 
which  he  has  been  a faithful  minister  for  over 
twenty  years.  His  wife  is  also  a member  of 
the  same  denomination,  and  the  family  is  one 
of  the  most  highly  respected  in  the  township 
of  Mount  Pleasant.  Eor  years  Mr.  Wellington 
has  been  an  earnest  advocate  of  temperance 
reform,  and,  believing  that  the  liquor  traffic 
can  be  successfully  suppressed  only  by  law, 
votes  with  the  prohibition  party.  The  follow- 
ing are  the  names  of  the  children  born  to  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Wellington:  Lewis,  Calvin,  Seigle, 

Leathy,  Lucinda,  wife  of  J.  S.  Aldridge; 
Drury,  Ottoway  and  Edgar  Wellington. 


OHN  WIGGERLY,  one  of  the  model 
farmers  of  Mount  Pleasant  township, 
and  a gentleman  of  wide  business  and 
social  standing,  is  a native  of  Indiana, 
born  in  Delaware  county  on  the  27th  day  of 
September,  1848,  son  of  David  and  Catherine 
(Knightenhelser)  Wiggerly.  As  the  names  of 
the  family  indicate,  Mr.  Wiggerly’s  ancestors 
are  of  German  descent,  and  his  father  came  to 
Delaware  county,  in  an  early  day,  from  the 
town  of  Connersville,  where,  for  some  years 
he  worked  at  his  trade,  that  of  a baker.  On 
moving  to  this  county  he  engaged  in  the  pur- 
suit of  agriculture,  in  which  vocation  he  was 
quite  successful,  having  become  the  possessor 
of  a farm  of  120  acres  of  valuable  land.  He 
was  born  in  the  year  1813  and  died  in  1879. 
He  and  wife  adhered  to  the  religious  faith  of 
the  Presbyterian  church,  and  in  politics  he  was 
a supporter  of  the  democratic  party. 


MOUNT  PLEASANT  TOWNSHIP. 


681 


John  Wiggerly  grew  to  manhood  on  a 
farm,  early  became  accustomed  to  its  rugged 
duties,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  began 
the  life  of  an  agriculturist,  which  he  has  since 
continued  with  success  and  financial  profit. 
In  partnership  with  his  brother,  he  now  owns 
the  old  homestead,  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
and  fertile  farms  in  Mount  Pleasant  township, 
and  since  coming  into  his  possession  it  has 
lost  nothing  by  his  careful  and  painstaking 
management.  Mr.  Wiggerly  exercises  good 
judgment  in  his  chosen  vocation,  is  an  intelli-  j 
gent  observer  and  keeps  fully  abreast  of  the 
times  in  all  matters  pertaining  to  agriculture, 
which  he  considers  in  the  light  of  a science. 
Politically  he  wields  an  influence  for  the  dem- 
ocratic party,  and  while  not  aspiring  to  official 
honor  at  the  hands  of  his  fellow  citizens,  has 
always  taken  an  active  interest  in  political 
affairs. 


SAAC  WRIGHT  is  a large  land  owner 
and  an  honored  ex-soldier  of  Mount 
Pleasant  township,  Delaware  county, 
Ind.  He  was  born  in  the  state  of  In- 
diana, July  4,  1841,  a son  of  Jesse  and  Eliza- 
beth (Wrightsman)  Wright.  The  father  was 
a native  of  Ohio,  born  March  6,  1816,  and 
died  February  16,  1890;  and  the  mother,  a 
native  of  Wayne  county,  Ind.,  was  born  in 
December,  1824.  The  boyhood  of  Jesse 
Wright  was  spent  on  the  Ohio  farm  until  he 
was  eight  years  of  age,  when  he  accompanied 
his  parents  to  Indiana  and  located  in  the  north-  i 
west  part  of  the  state,  where  for  a few  years 
he  worked  at  the  carpenter’s  trade.  He  then 
came  to  Delaware  county  for  a short  time, 
going  thence  to  Henry  county,  but  in  1862  he  | 
removed  to  Dallas  county,  Iowa,  where  he  1 
lived  until  his  death,  and  where  his  widow  ! 
still  makes  her  home. 

Isaac  Wright  remained  at  home  until  the 


age  of  seventeen  years,  and  then  engaged  in 
teaching  school  for  a time,  but,  August  22, 
1862,  entered  the  army,  he  enlisting  in  com- 
pany K,  Eighty-fourth  Indiana  volunteer  in- 
fantry, and  marched  off  under  his  country’s 
banners.  He  participated  in  the  battle  of 
Chickamagua,  where  he  was  wounded  by  a 
musket  ball  and  was  obliged  to  spend  six 
weary  months  in  the  hospitals  at  New  Albany 
and  Louisville.  He  also  was  engaged  in  a 
number  of  sharp  skirmishes,  and  was  finally 
honorably  discharged  and  receives  a pension 
of  $6  per  month  for  his  injuries. 

Mr.  Wright  was  married  April  3,  1866,  to 
Miss  Charity  Jones,  a daughter  of  John  D. 
and  Laodicia  Jones — he  of  Ohio  and  she  of 
Tennessee;  the  father  born  May  16,  1809, 
and  the  mother  October  27,  1807.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Jones  married  in  Clinton  county,  Ohio, 
and  came  to  this  state  in  1833,  locating  in 
Mount  Pleasant  township,  on  a part  of  Isaac 
Wright’s  present  farm.  Here  he  became  a 
very  successful  farmer,  owning,  at  his  decease, 
January  13,  1870,  400  acres  of  land,  the  most 
of  which  is  improved.  Mrs.  Jones  is  still  liv- 
ing, making  her  home,  at  this  time,  with  the 
family  of  her  son,  Isaac. 

After  marriage  Mr.  Wright  engaged  in 
farming  on  rented  land,  for  a period  of  four 
years,  at  the  end  of  which  period  he  bought  a 
farm  in  Harrison  township  and  engaged  in 
farming  and  stock  raising,  which  he  has  con- 
tinued very  successfully  ever  since.  He  now 
owns  180  acres  of  land  in  Mount  Pleasant  and 
Harrison  townships,  and  is  considered  one  of 
the  strong  financial  men  of  the  county.  In 
political  affairs  he  takes  a lively  interest,  and 
is  a prominent  member  of  the  democratic 
party;  in  religion  both  he  and  his  excellent 
wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.  They  find  time  to  take  part  in  the 
furtherance  of  all  good  projects.  Two  children 
have  blessed  their  marriage,  John  A.,  now 


682 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


married  to  Miss  Ocie  Kirkpatrick  and  living  in 
Harrison  township;  and  Mary  A.,  the  wife  of 
Jonas  Jester. 


(D 


RS.  REBECCA  YINGLING  (de- 
ceased), the  estimable  lady  for 
whom  this  biographical  notice  is 
prepared,  was  born  in  Lawrence 
county,  Ohio,  January  25,  1820,  the  daughter 
of  Hamilton  and  Gatherine  Harpers,  both 
parents  natives  of  the  state  of  Maryland. 
Shortly  after  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Har- 
pers moved  to  Virginia,  and  after  a few  years’ 
residence  in  that  state  emigrated  to  Ohio, 
where  Mr.  Harpers’  death  occurred,  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  eighty-nine  years.  Hamilton 
Harpers  was  by  occupation  a farmer,  in  which 
useful  calling  he  was  very  successful,  and  all 
who  came  in  contact  with  him  were  ready  to 
bear  witness  to  his  true  worth  as  man  and 
citizen. 

The  marriage  of  Rebecca  Harpers  and  Will- 
iam Yingling  was  consummated  in  the  year 
1837,  iri  Lawrence  county,  Ohio,  where  Mr. 
Yingling  was  born,  October  23,  1811.  For  the 
fifteen  years  following  their  marriage,  this 
couple  remained  in  Ohio,  Mr.  Yingling  being 
engaged  in  farming  and  the  manufacture  of 
charcoal.  About  1852  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Yingling 
moved  to  Indiana  and  purchased  a tract  of 
eighty  acres  of  land  in  Mount  Pleasant  town- 
ship, Delaware  county,  which  is  still  the  home 
of  the  family,  and  upon  which  Mrs.  Yingling 
resided  until  her  death.  On  moving  to  this 
county,  the  greater  part  of  the  township  of 
Mount  Pleasant  was  a comparative  wilderness, 
and  the  land  upon  which  Mr.  Yingling  located 
was  an  unbroken  forest,  made  doubly  forbid- 
ding on  account  of  its  being  nearly  covered 
with  water.  To  redeem  this  woodland  and 
make  of  it  a home  was  a task  of  no  small  mag- 
nitude, but  Mr.  Yingling,  aided  and  encouraged 


by  the  wise  counsel  of  his  excellent  wife,  la- 
bored diligently  for  a number  of  years  and 
eventually  saw  his  efforts  crowned  with  suc- 
cess and  a home  prepared  for  his  family. 

Mr.  Yingling  was  a most  exemplary  citi- 
zen, took  an  active  interest  in  the  public 
affairs  of  his  time,  and  was  an  earnest  believer 
in  the  Christian  religion,  the  precepts  of  which 
he  exemplified  in  his  daily  walk  and  conversa- 
tion. During  the  last  few  years  of  his  life  he 
was  a great  sufferer,  becoming  almost  a help- 
less invalid,  during  which  time  the  manage- 
ment of  the  farm  devolved  altogether  upon  his 
faithful  wife,  who  right  nobly  performed  the 
task.  Mr.  Yingling  died  in  1889,  deeply 
lamented  by  all  who  knew  him.  Mrs.  Ying- 
ling still  resided  on  the  home  farm  which, 
under  her  management,  was  brought  to  a high 
state  of  cultivation,  and  she  was  considered 
one  of  the  kind  neighbors  and  excellent  Christ- 
ian women  of  the  community  in  which  she 
she  lived.  She  was  a devoted  member  of  the 
Christian  church,  to  which  denomination  her 
husband  also  belonged.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ying- 
ling had  a large  family,  consisting  of  fourteen 
children,  whose  names  are  as  follows;  Ham- 
linton,  who  died  in  the  army;  Catherine,  de- 
ceased; Elizabeth,  deceased;  John,  married 
Sarah  Preston,  and  is  now  a blacksmith;  Na- 
thaniel, a farmer  and  carpenter,  married  Lu- 
cinda Wilber;  Mary,  wife  of  Nicholas  Finegan; 
Margaret,  deceased;  Lewis,  deceased;  Rebecca, 
deceased;  Elias,  deceased;  Matthias,  married 
Malinda  Pugh;  Thomas,  married  Mary  Ep- 
hart,  and  George,  who  married  Rose  Bonner. 
Mrs.  Rebecca  Yingling  passed  from  earth, 
February  15,  1893,  most  deeply  mourned,  not 
only  by  her  own  large  family,  but  by  an  ex- 
tensive circle  of  friends  who  appreciated  her 
many  good  qualities,  and  who  now  sadly  miss 
her  venerable  presence  from  their  midst,  and 
more  especially  will  she  be  missed  by  the  suf- 
fering poor,  whom  she  was  wont  to  succor. 


NILES  TOWNSHIP 


HARLES  W.  ANDREW  is  a native 
of  Niles  township,  and  is  a young 
man  of  more  than  average  ability  as 
a farmer.  He  has  taken  hold  of 
things  and  is  making  money  by  strict  attention 
to  his  business.  He  was  born  September  8, 
1866,  being  the  son  of  James  and  Nancy 
(Allen)  Andrew,  of  Irish  and  English  descent, 
respectively.  They  went  to  Greene  county, 
Ohio,  at  an  early  day,  and  settled  near  Tre- 
bine  station,  where  the  father  owned  a large 
farm.  The  father  remained  with  his  parents 
until  he  grew  up,  married  early  in  life,  and 
started  out  for  himself.  After  his  marriage  to 
Nancy  Allen  he  removed  to  Delaware  county 
and  settled  on  a farm  of  fifty  acres  that  now 
forms  the  home  of  his  son,  Charles  W.  Some 
jmars  later  he  went  into  the  grocery  business 
in  tne  village  of  Parker,  but  tnis  life  did  not 
suit  him  and  he  traded  for  the  farm  he  had 
parted  with.  Here  he  settled  down  contented, 
and  lived  a farmer  until  his  death.  May  4, 
1881.  His  remains  rest  in  the  Bethel  ceme- 
tery. By  two  marriages  he  became  the  fatner 
of  ten  children,  seven  by  the  first,  namely: 
Martha  A.,  wife  of  Calvin  McCoy;  William  L. , 
died  soon  after  the  war;  Rankin,  a grocer; 
Molly  G. , wife  of  James  Jellison;  Sally  J.,  wife 
of  Samuel  Dill;  Talitha  and  Nancy,  deceased; 
by  tne  second  marriage  he  had  three  children, 
namely:  Lillie  E. , Effie  E.,  deceased;  and 

Charles  W. , whose  name  opens  this  sketch. 
He  was  a farmer  and  an  active  worker  in  the 
republican  party.  He  owned  a good  farm  of 
fty-three  acres,  which  is  well  improved. 


Charles  W.  Andrew  was  married  Decem- 
ber 31,  1888,  to  Barbara  E.,  daughter  of 

Lewis  end  Martha  (Williams)  Collins,  natives 
of  Ohio.  Her  parents  settled  in  Perry  town- 
ship, Delaware  county,  Ind.,  at  an  early  day 
on  a farm  of  160  acres  near  New  Burlington, 
where  he  spent  many  of  his  days.  His  wife  is 
buried  in  the  Burlington  cemetery,  and  he 
lives  in  Albany.  Lewis  Collins  had  one 
brother,  namely:  William,  and  Mrs.  Collins 
had  four  brothers,  namely:  Morrison,  Samp- 
son and  Laban,  farmers;  and  Elias,  a retired 
farmer.  The  mother  of  Mr.  Andrew  was  a 
member  of  the  Christian  church. 

The  union  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Andrew  re- 
sulted in  two  children,  namely:  William  L. 
and  Nellie  F.  Mrs.  Andrew  has  two  sisters, 
Minnie  F. , the  adopted  daughter  of  a farmer 
named  Lunn,  living  in  Iowa,  and  Laura,  de- 
ceased, buried  in  the  Granville  cemetery. 
The  mother  of  Mrs.  Andrew  was  buried  in  the 
same  place.  Charles  W.  Andrew  received  a 
start  in  life  from  his  mother,  who  now  makes 
her  home  with  him.  He  and  and  his  wife 
have  a good  common  school  education,  and 
are  very  much  esteemed  by  all  their  neigh- 
bors. 


OHN  S.  ANDREW.— One  of  the  most 
industrious,  energetic,  and  hard  work- 
ing men  of  this  farming  community  is 
James  S.  Andrew,  whose  comfortable 
and  well  appointed  farm  is  located  in  Niles 
township,  Delaware  county,  Ind.  He  was 


684 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


born  in  this  township,  November  24,  1853,  son 
of  James  and  Nancy  (Law)  Andrew,  natives 
of  England,  who  had  settled  in  Greene  county, 
Ohio,  coming  from  thence  to  Delaware  county 
in  1845.  After  living  here  some  time  they 
moved  to  Randolph  county,  to  a small  hamlet 
named  Parker,  where  he  engaged  in  the  dry 
goods  business,  five  years  later  removing  to 
another  farm  located  in  Perry  township,  where 
he  remained  two  years,  and  then  bought  back 
the  first  farm  that  he  had  settled  on.  He  was 
a good  man,  and  both  he  and  wife  were  mem- 
bers of  the  United  Presbyterian  denomination. 
She  died  in  i860,  and  he  May  4,  1881,  both 
being  laid  away  in  Bethel  cemetery,  where  a 
fine  monument  marks  their  last  resting  place. 
John  S.  Andrew  was  one  of  the  following 
family  of  children:  George  F. , a farmer;  Will- 
iam, who  died  in  the  army;  John  S.,  Rankin 
H.,  a grocer;  Garl  W.,  a farmer;  Martha,  the 
wife  of  Calvin  McCoy;  Mary  G. , wife  of  James 
Jellison;  Sarah  S.,  wife  of  Samuel  Dill;  Eliza- 
beth, deceased;  and  Nancy. 

John  S.  Andrew  was  married  February 
17,  1876,  to  Miss  Ida  F.  Bryan,  daughter  of 
Milo  and  Elizabeth  (Cannon)  Bryan,  natives 
of  Ireland  and  England.  They  came  from 
Ohio  in  1869  and  settled  on  the  farm  where 
they  now  reside,  a beautiful  tract  of  120 
acres.  The  families  on  both  sides  are  long 
lived.  Mr.  Bryan’s  brothers  and  sister  are 
Almira  B.,  wife  of  John  Smith;  Mary  J.,  de- 
ceased; Wesley,  in  the  dry  goods  business; 
Joseph,  a farmer;  Levi,  deceased,  and  William 
F. , retired.  The  family  of  Mrs.  Bryan  was  as 
follows:  Randolph,  a farmer;  Wellington, 

Quincy,  Montera,  Curtis  and  William,  de- 
ceased; Caroline,  wife  of  Lewis  Zyle;  Eureka 
V.,  wife  of  Harrison  Lovett,  and  Narcisse,  de- 
ceased. 

After  marriage  John  S.  Andrew  first  lo- 
cated on  a farm  in  Liberty  township  and  then 
went  to  Dunkirk,  Jay  county,  Ind  , where  he 


engaged  in  the  livery  business  for  a period  of 
five  years  and  then  returned  to  the  farm, 
buying  his  present  home  of  forty  acres.  He 
engages  in  stock  buying  and  finds  this  very 
profitable,  as  he  understands  how  to  manage 
it,  in  connection  with  his  farming.  He  has 
made  many  improvements  on  his  place  and 
built  his  fine  new  house  in  1883.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Andrew  belong  to  the  Methodist  church, 
in  which  he  holds  the  positions  of  steward  and 
class  leader. 


AMES  BALES  is  an  influential  citizen 
of  Niles  township,  Delaware  county, 
and  was  born  in  Greene  county,  Ohio, 
August  I,  1821.  He  is  the  son  of  Jacob 
and  Dorothy  (Hickman)  Bales,  of  Irish  and 
German  descent  respectively.  These  parents 
went  from  Virginia  to  Ohio  a number  of  years 
ago,  settling  near  Jamestown,  on  Caesar  creek, 
where  they  spent  their  days  and  died,  the 
father  in  April,  1865,  and  the  mother  in  1872. 
They  were  highly  respectable  people,  members 
of  the  Methodist  church,  and  their  remains 
were  laid  to  rest  in  what  is  known  as  the  Shirk 
cemetery,  Greene  county,  Ohio. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  broth- 
ers and  sisters  of  James  Bales:  Cyrus,  a 

farmer;  James,  a farmer;  Sarah,  wife  of  John 
Jones;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Adam  Shirk;  Rebec- 
ca, wife  of  John  Beale;  Louis,  a farmer;  La- 
ban; Amanda,  wife  of  C.  H.  Spahr;  John,  a 
farmer;  Dorothy,  Mrs.  C.H.  Harness;  Jacob  and 
Leon,  the  last  two  and  Mrs.  Shirk  deceased. 
James  Bales  was  married  November  20,  1842, 
to  Melinda,  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Catherine 
(Kimmell)  Shirk,  natives  of  Virginia.  Jacob 
and  Catherine  Shirk  were  the  parents  of 
eleven  children,  namely:  Jemima,  wife  of 

James  Dougherty;  Sarah,  wife  of  Jesse 
Bowlen;  Alfred,  a farmer;  Melinda;  Susan, 
wife  of  John  King;  Polly,  wife  of  El 


NILES  TOWNSHIP. 


685 


Bales;  Adam,  a farmer;  Jacob,  deceased; 
Henry,  a farmer,  and  William,  a farmer.  By 
his  marriage  with  Miss  Shirk,  Mr.  Bales  is  the 
father  of  eleven  children,  namely:  David  M., 

Alfred  R.,  and  Henry,  farmers;  Hannah,  wife 
of  Isaac  Wingate;  Leah,  wife  of  William  Frank; 
Laban,  a farmer;  Melinda  J.,  wife  of  Morrison 
Klugh;  James  H.,  a farmer;  Jacob  L. , a farm- 
er; John,  a furniture  dealer  at  Dunkirk,  and 
Cyrus.  The  mother  of  this  interesting  family 
of  children  died  September  5,  1892,  and  was 
buried  in  the  Strong  cemetery.  She  was  a 
worthy  member  of  the  Methodist  church,  and  a 
woman  of  many  noble  qualities  of  mind  and 
heart.  Mr.  Bales  came  to  Delaware  county, 
September  19,  1853,  settled  in  the  woods, 
built  a log  cabin,  and  endured  the  usual  hard- 
ships incident  to  pioneer  life.  He  now  owns 
240  acres  of  land,  which  is  well  improved,  and 
has  one  of  the  most  comfortable  and  pleasant 
homes  in  Niles  township,  where  he  is  spending 
the  declining  years  of  life  in  the  enjoyment  of 
the  fruits  of  his  early  labors. 


HNDREW  J.  barley  is  a native  of 
Niles  township,  Delaware  county, 
and  is  an  industrious  and  honest 
farmer,  respected  by  all  who  know 
him.  He  is  the  son  of  John  and  Lavena 
(Haines)  Barley,  of  German  descent.  The 
parents  went  from  Virginia  to  Greene  county, 
Ohio,  May  4,  1812,  and  lived  there  until  1838, 
when  they  came  to  Delaware  county.  Here 
the  father  entered  land  and  proceeded  at  once 
to  clear  the  forest.  After  a while  he  disposed 
of  his  farm  and  went  to  Illinois,  but  did  not 
remain  long,  and  on  his  return  bought  the  farm 
of  eighty  acres  in  this  township,  where  the 
widow  now  lives. 

Andrew  J.  Barley  was  married  November 
3,  1872,  in  Delaware  county,  to  Rachel, 


daughter  of  Cyrus  and  Cynthia  (Beal)  Bales; 
her  parents  being  of  Irish  descent,  and  natives 
of  Ohio,  who  came  to  Indiana  in  1851  and 
settled  upon  a farm,  then  in  the  woods,  where 
he  now  resides.  The  brothers  and  sisters  of 
her  father  are:  James,  Lewis  and  Laban, 

farmers;  Rebecca,  wife  of  John  Beal;  Eliza- 
beth, wife  of  Adam  Shirk;  Sarah,  wife  of  John 
Jones;  Amanda,  wife  of  Creighton  Spore,  and 
Dorothy,  wife  of  Creighton  Harness.  The 
brothers  and  sisters  of  Mrs.  Rachel  Bailey  are: 
John,  Evan,  Stephen,  William,  Aaron,  and 
Samuel,  farmers;  Rachel,  wife  of  Henry  An- 
drew; Louisa,  wife  of  John  Finley;  Mary  A., 
wife  of  Henry  Beech,  and  Rebecca,  wife  of 
Louis  Beason.  The  union  of  Mr.  Barley  with 
Miss  Bales  resulted  in  five  children,  namely: 
George  A.,  Wilda  M. , Eva  L. , Mary  F.  and 
an  infant  deceased.  Mr.  Barley  first  located 
on  a farm  in  Niles  township,  where  he  lived 
six  years,  and  finally  settled  on  his  pleasant 
farm  in  the  same  township,  consisting  of  forty 
acres  of  well  improved  land.  John  Barley 
died  March  12,  1884,  and  was  laid  to  rest  in 
the  Eaton  cemetery.  Mrs.  Lavena  Barley 
was  a pious  member  of  the  Methodist  church, 
and  her  people  were  hard  shell  Baptists. 


r^ILLIAM  D.  BARLEY  is  one  of 
the  large  land  holders  and  prominent 
business  men  of  Niles  township, 
Delaware  county,  Ind. , who  has  a 
war  record  of  which  he  is  justly  proud.  He 
was  born  in  Greene  county,  Ohio,  near  the  city 
of  Xenia,  March  23,  1838,  a son  of  John  and 
Lavena  (Haines)  Barley  of  German  and  Irish 
ancestry.  They  came  from  the  state  of  Vir- 
ginia in  1828,  and  settled  on  a farm  in  Greene 
county,  Ohio,  where  they  remained  until  1 840, 
when  they  came  to  Niles  township,  and  settled 
on  eighty  acres  of  land  in  the  forest.  Many 


686 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


of  the  early  settlers  selected  the  woodland  on 
account  of  the  proximity  of  water,  which  in  a 
new  country  is  a necessary  object  to  keep  in 
view.  In  the  wilderness  they  built  a log  cabin 
in  a little  clearing,  and  dismal  it  was  at  first, 
no  doubt,  but  the  hearts  of  our  pioneers  were 
strong,  and  from  that  lonely  beginning,  and 
life  of  hardship,  grew  up  a fine  home,  and  a 
sturdy  family  gathered  at  the  hearthstone. 
The  first  place  was  sold  after  improving,  and 
the  present  home  farm  of  eighty  acres  was 
bought,  and  here  the  father  lived  until  his 
death;  his  remains  now  lie  in  the  Eaton  ceme- 
tery. His  brothers  and  sisters  were:  Samuel, 
a farmer  by  occupation;  Mary,  the  wife  of 
Isaac  Carkuff;  the  family  of  Mrs.  Lavena 
Barley  is  as  follows:  William  F.,  a farmer; 

Philip,  a trader;  Elizabeth  C.,  the  wife  of 
Edmund  Boots;  Cyrus  H.,  deceased;  Mary  C., 
the  wife  of  Aaron  Boots;  Angeline,  wife  of 
Samuel  Barley;  Evaline  R. , wife  of  Archie 
Peterson,  Daniel,  deceased;  and  Samantha, 
deceased.  Her  people  are  all  buried  in  the 
cemetery  at  the  old  home  in  Clinton  county, 
Ohio.  Mrs.  Barley  and  son,  William  D.,  reside 
together.  She  and  her  husband  reared  a family 
of  twelve  children,  of  which  William  D.,  is 
the  eldest,  as  follows:  Samuel  K.,  deceased; 

John  A.,  a farmer;  Peter  A.,  and  Andrew  J., 
also  farmers;  Mary  E.,  the  wife  of  George  W. 
Koile;  Evaline  V.,  the  wife  of  Samuel  Hoff- 
man; Martha  E.,  the  wife  of  Morgan  Wilson; 
LuveniaA.,  the  wife  of  Marion  Shirk;  Emaline 
J.,  the  wife  of  John  B.  Shiller,  and  Angeline 
S.,  the  wife  of  Newton  G.  Weaver. 

William  D.  Barley  has  always  made  his 
home  with  his  mother,  until  lately,  when  he 
purchased  the  home  and  the  adjoining  land, 
and  now  has  a farm  of  210  acres.  He  is  a 
carpenter  by  trade,  and  worked  at  this  for  a 
period  of  seventeen  years.  Early  in  life,  hav- 
ing had  good  school  advantages,  he  taught 
for  eight  terms.  On  Februar)'  13,  1865,  he 


enlisted  in  company  B,  One  Hundred  and 
Forty-seventy  regiment,  Indiana  volunteers, 
at  Richmond,  Ind.  From  there  the  regiment 
was  sent  to  Charlestown  and  then  shortly  to 
Berryville,  Va. , and  on  to  Harper’s  Ferry, 
where  he  was  discharged  August  4,  1865.  He 
had  performed  all  the  duties  of  a soldier  and 
came  home  unscathed,  going  to  work  at  his 
trade.  He  is  a member  of  the  G.  A R.  post, 
of  the  I.  O.  O.  F. , and  of  the  Red  Men.  He 
has  now  retired  from  farm  labor,  finding  more 
congenial  and  easier  employment  in  the  buy- 
ing and  selling  of  cattle.  He  is  an  industrious 
and  enterprising  man,  highly  respected  by  all 
who  know  him,  and  in  politics  is  a republican. 


OHN  BEAL,  retired  farmer  and  promi- 
nent citizen  of  the  town  of  Albany, 
was  born  and  reared  in  Greene  county, 
Ohio,  about  seven  miles  southeast  of 
the  city  of  Xenia,  near  Paintersville,  on  the 
1 8th  day  of  March,  1821.  His  father,  George 
Beal,  was  one  of  the  old  Quaker  settlers  of 
that  region,  moving  there  in  early  life  from  his 
native  state,  Pennsylvania,  where  his  ances- 
tors for  many  generations  had  resided.  By 
occupation  he  was  a tiller  of  the  soil,  and  he 
is  remembered  as  a steady,  honest  citizen, 
honorable  in  all  his  transactions  and  eminently 
respected  in  the  community  where  so  many 
years  of  his  life  were  passed.  His  death  oc- 
curred in  Greene  county,  Ohio,  in  the  year 
1877 

John  Beal  spent  his  youthful  days  in  the 
above  county  and  state,  and  became  a resident 
of  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  about  forty  years 
ago,  settling  in  Niles  township,  of  which  he  is 
now  one  of  the  oldest  citizens  in  point  of  con- 
tinuous residence.  He  followed  farming  very 
successfully  until  1893,  at  which  time,  owing 
to  advancing  age  and  a competence  acquire 


NILES  TOWNSHIP. 


687 


by  years  of  patient  toil,  he  retired  from  active 
life  to  the  town  of  Albany,  where  he  owns  a 
beautiful  home,  in  which  the  declining  years  of 
his  life  are  being  passed.  Mr.  Beal’s  first 
marriage  was  solemnized  in  Greene  county, 
Ohio,  about  the  year  1844,  with  Rebecca 
Bales,  who  bore  him  thirteen  children,  but  four 
of  whom  are  living  at  the  time  of  this  writing. 

Like  the  rest  of  mankind  Mr.  Beal  has 
frequently  been  called  to  pass  through  the 
deep  waters  of  affliction,  his  children  having 
been  taken  from  him,  one  by  one,  and  about 
eleven  years  ago  his  faithful  wife,  who  had 
been  his  companion  for  so  many  years  during 
the  earlier  and  later  struggle  of  life,  was  sum- 
moned to  her  final  home  by  the  unsparing 
hand  of  the  grim  destroyer.  Death.  Subse- 
quently Mr.  Beal  chose  for  a wife  Mrs.  Eliza- 
(Stafford)  Warfel,  widow  of  Daniel  L.  War- 
fel,  late  resident  of  Centre  township,  this 
county.  By  her  previous  marriage,  Mrs.  Beal 
had  seven  children,  four  of  whom  are  living  at 
this  time.  Mr.  Beal  has  always  been  a very 
industrious  man,  and  as  a reward  of  his  thrift 
and  economy,  he  is  now  enabled  to  live  in  a 
manner  befitting  one  who  has  battled  so  long 
and  so  successful!}^  with  the  world.  A demo- 
crat in  politics,  he  has  never  been  an  office 
seeker;  and  a member  of  the  Old  School  Bap- 
tist church,  his  daily  walk  and  conversation 
have  ever  been  in  harmony  with  his  religious 
profession.  His  life  has  been  fraught  with 
good  works,  and  the  future  awaits  him  with 
bounteous  and  abundant  rewards. 


AVID  M.  BELL  is  a worthy  and 
good  man  who  lives  in  Niles  town- 
ship, and  is  greatly  respected  by  all 
his  neighbors.  He  was  born  in  Jay 
county,  Ind.,  September  8,  1842,  the  son  of 
David  and  Lydia  (Kyles)  Bell,  the  parents 


being  of  Scotch-Irish  descent.  They  went 
from  Greene  county,  Ohio,  in  1835,  and 
settled  in  Richland  township.  Jay  county,  on 
a farm  of  eighty  acres,  which  he  entered  up; 
there  he  lived  until  his  death,  February  i, 
1850.  The  mother  died  on  the  old  homestead 
August  15,  1887.  Their  remains  are  buried 
in  the  Bethel  cemetery,  where  a fine  monu- 
ment marks  their  last  resting  place.  The 
brothers  and  sisters  of  David  M.  are:  Samuel 
K.,  a plasterer;  William  C.,  deceased;  John 
D. , a farmer;  Nancy  A.,  wife  of  Joseph  Leval- 
ly;  Sarah  E. , wife  of  Louis  Levally;  and 
Lydia  M.,  Freeborn  and  Viney  R. , the  last 
three  deceased;  George  and  Nathaniel,  farmers. 

Grandfather  Bell  was  a land  surveyor  in 
the  early  days  of  this  country,  and  his  father 
was  a sea  captain.  Grandfather  Kyles  came 
to  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  in  1836,  and 
entered  eighty  acres  of  land,  upon  which  he 
lived  and  died,  and  his  remains  are  buried  in 
the  Bethel  cemetery.  The  brothers  and  sis- 
ter of  Mrs.  Lydia  Bell  were:  Delilah,  wife  of 
Philip  Harness;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Gideon 
Sparr;  Sarah,  wife  of  Daniel  Colet;  Savilla, 
wife  of  George  Maxwell,  Ezekiel  D.,  a farmer; 
John  S. , a brick  maker;  Julia  A.,  wife  of 
David  Pollock,  and  Seth  A. , a merchant  and 
farmer. 

David  M.  Bell  has  had  his  war  experience 
and  has  proved  himself  to  be  a valiant  soldier. 
September  22,  1861,  he  was  mustered  in  as  a 
private  in  company  D,  Second  Indiana  cavalry. 
Forty-first  regiment  Indiana  volunteers,  and 
served  in  the  army  of  the  Tennessee,  through 
the  campaign  from  Shiloh,  or  Pittsburg  Land- 
ing, to  the  front  of  Atlanta,  and  was  mustered 
out  October  4,  1 864. 

David  M.  Bell  was  married,  at  the  age  of 
twenty-four,  to  Lucinda,  daughter  of  Abraham 
and  Magdalen  (Flummer)  Cemer.  She  was 
born  February  6,  1846,  is  of  German  descent, 
and  her  parents  came  from  Pennsylvania  to 


688 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


this  state  in  an  early  clay  and  settled  on  a 
farm  in  Niles  township,  where  the  mother 
died,  and  her  remains  lie  buried  in  the  Bethel 
cemetery.  The  father  died  in  Howard  county. 
Mrs.  Lucinda  Bell  had  the  following  brothers 
and  sisters;  Jacob,  born  December  6,  1830; 
Louisa,  born  July  23,  1832;  Nancy,  born 

March  18,  1836;  Hester,  born  September  8, 
1838;  Mary  and  Jane,  twins,  born  October 
18,  1840;  Abraham,  born  July  2,  1843;  an 
infant  brother,  who  died;  William,  born  June 
7,  1848;  and  Samuel,  born  March  8,  1851. 
After  his  marriage,  David  M.  Bell  moved  upon 
the  farm  of  seventy-seven  and  one-third  acres, 
where  he  now  lives.  By  his  marriage  he  is 
the  father  of  five  children,  namely:  Laura 

E.,  died  June  15,  1884;  Cora  A.,  John  E. , 
Oran  E.  and  Wilbur  V.  The  parents  of  these 
children  are  active  workers  in  the  Methodist 
church.  Mr.  Bell  is  a member  of  the  Odd 
Eellows  encampment,  as  well  as  the  subordi- 
nate lodge,  and  also  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bell  are  most  worthy 
people,  and  are  held  in  the  highest  esteem  by 
every  one  that  knows  them. 


eDWARD  BLACK  is  a very  prominent 
and  popular  citizen  of  Niles  town- 
ship, who  was  born  in  Clarke  county, 
Ohio,  December  i,  1818.  He  is  a 
son  of  Andrew  and  Susanna  (Ross)  Black,  both 
of  Irish  descent.  The  parents  left  Virginia 
and  went  to  Ohio  in  1805,  settling  in  Clarke 
county,  where  they  spent  the  remainder  of 
their  days.  The  mother  died  September  25, 
1845,  the  father  followed  October  18,  1854. 
The  latter  entered  160  acres  of  land,  and 
added  160  acres  more,  which  he  cleared,  and 
had  in  a fine  state  of  cultivation  before  he 
died.  Their  remains  are  buried  in  the  Black 
cemetery,  in  Clarke  county,  where  a suitable 


stone  marks  the  place  of  their  sepulture.  An- 
drew Black  was  born  in  1773,  and  Susan  in 
1771,  and  they  were  the  parents  of  the  follow- 
ing children:  John,  a farmer;  Samuel  E.,  a 

farmer;  Mary,  wife  of  Charles  Mitchell;  James, 
and  William,  farmers;  Thomas,  deceased; 
jane,  wife  of  Ralph  Stafford;  Andrew,  a farm- 
er; Edward,  and  Susan,  wife  of  James  Stafford. 
The  father  had  the  following  brothers  and 
sisters:  Samuel,  John,  James,  William,  Jane 

and  Crockett.  The  mother  had  ten  or  eleven 
brothers  and  sisters,  most  of  whom  reached 
maturity,  and  all  of  them  proved  worthy  and 
good  people. 

Edward  Black  remained  on  the  farm  with 
his  father  until  the  year  before  his  marriage. 
The  name  of  his  wife  was  Mary  Brammer, 
daughter  of  Edmund  and  Nancy  (Hatfield) 
Brammer,  both  of  French  descent.  They 
went  from  Virginia  to  Lawrence  county, 
Ohio,  with  their  parents,  grew  up  there  and 
married,  and  then  moved  to  Fayette  county, 
Ohio,  staid  there  a short  time,  and  then,  in 
1837,  came  to  Delaware  county,  Ind.  Here 
they  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land.  Success 
favored  Mr.  Brammer,  and  in  all  he  owned  313 
acres  of  good  land.  Here  he  spent  the  rest  of 
his  days,  passing  away  in  1887,  his  wife  hav- 
ing died  in  1873.  Their  remains  rest  in  Black 
cemetery,  in  Delaware  county.  The  children 
born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brammer  are  as  follows; 
Roland,  a farmer;  Mary,  wife  of  Mr.  Black; 
Melinda,  wife  of  Alfred  Richey;  Rachel,  wife 
of  John  Cochran;  Rebecca,  wife  of  Augustus 
Hance;  Aaron,  a farmer;  Elizabeth,  wife  of 
James  Black;  Henly,  a farmer;  Malina,  wife  of 
William  Cochran,  and  Sarah,  wife  of  David 
Brammer.  The  brothers  and  sisters  of  Mrs. 
Black's  mother  were;  Nancy,  wife  of  Mr. 
Brammer;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Thomas  Lee; 
Eliza,  wife  of  Washington  Sanders;  Sarah,  wife 
of  Henry  Brammer ; Isaac,  John,  William,  Henly 
and  Calvin,  farmers.  The  brothers  and  sisters 


NILES  TOWNSHIP, 


689 


of  the  father  of  Mrs.  Black  are;  Anna,  wife  of 
jas.  Fudge;  Artie,  James,  John,  Roland, Henry, 
Jesse,  Edmund  and  William,  farmers.  When  Mr. 
Black  first  started  in  Delaware  county  for  him- 
self he  bought  320  acres  of  land,  all  in  timber,  lo- 
cated in  Niles  township,  paying  $900  for  the 
same.  He  had  to  endure  the  hardships  of  life 
in  a new  country,  but  he  has  the  pleasure  of 
knowing  that  he  is  surrounded  in  his  old  days 
with  peace  and  plenty.  At  one  time  he  owned 
570  acres,  but  had  generousl}^  divided  it  among 
his  children,  giving  his  boys  120  acres  each, 
and  the  girls  eighty  acres  each. 

The  names  of  the  children  of  Edward 
Black  are:  John  W. , married  to  Mary  Fudge; 

James,  married  to  Elizabeth  Harshman;  Ed- 
mund A , married  to  Mary  J.  Stewart;  Melin- 
da J.,  wife  of  Samuel  McDonald;  and  Susaan- 
nah  E.,  wife  of  John  M.  Fudge.  When  Mr. 
Black  first  settled  on  this  farm  he  built  a little 
frame  house,  fourteen  by  sixteen,  and  got 
eight  acres  cleared  the  first  year.  Game  was 
abundant,-  and  he  almost  supplied  his  family 
in  meat  from  this  source.  He  has  eighteen 
grandchildren,  and  one  great  grandchild. 
No  family  in  the  township  is  held  in  higher  i 
esteem  than  that  of  Mr.  Black,  every  member 
of  it  being  a worthy  and  good  person.  He  is 
a republican. 


AMES  B.  BOSMAN,  farmer  of  Niles 
township,  Delaware  county,  Ind. , was 
born  in  Ross  county,  Ohio,  October 
15,  1858,  son  of  Daniel  and  Elizabeth 
(Lister)  Bosnian,  of  Irish  and  English  ances- 
try, They  emigrated  from  Maryland  to  Ohio 
in  1832  where  they  remained  two  years,  and 
then  came  to  this  county  and  township.  Here 
they  entered  160  acres  of  land  and  immedi- 
ately began  the  clearing  of  it,  remaining  upon 
it  unti  1876,  when  they  removed  into  the  vil- 
lage of  Dunkirk.  Their  residence  there  did 


not  exceed  one  year,  and  then  they  went  back 
to  the  farm,  where  Mr.  Bosman  is  still  living 
in  very  comfortable  circumstances.  He  reared 
a family  of  four  children:  James  B.,  John  W. , 
who  is  engaged  in  the  breeding  of  fast  horses; 
A.  N.,  a farmer,  and  Nancy  J.,  the  wife  of 
Joseph  Thomas. 

James  B.  Bosman  remained  at  home  dur- 
ing boyhood  and  attended  the  common  schools. 
When  he  had  reached  his  majority  he  engaged 
in  farming  and  married  Miss  Mahala  Thomas, 
daughter  of  Samuel  and  Martha  (Smith) 
Thomias,  natives  of  Indiana.  Mrs.  Thomas 
died  in  1857  and  is  buried  in  the  Union  cem- 
I etery.  Mr.  Thomas  now  resides  in  Dunkirk, 
j He  is  a member  of  the  Masonic  order  and 
both  he  and  wife  were  connected  with  the 
I Methodist  church.  The  family  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Thomas  were  as  follows;  Josiah,  a farm- 
er; James,  a carpenter;  Amanda  R.,  wife  of 
John  Ray;  Martha,  wife  of  A.  J.  Wilson; 
John,  a blacksmith;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  John 
Williamson;  Emma,  wife  of  George  Shatto, 
Henry,  a painter,  Jacob  and  the  wife  of  Mr. 
Bosman.  Mr.  Thomas  is  a stone  mason  by 
trade. 

Mr.  Bosman  received  eighty  acres  of  good 
land  from  his  father,  which  he  has  improved 
and  lives  upon  with  comfort.  He  is  a repub- 
lican in  his  political  convictions,  and  Mrs. 
Bosman  is  a valued  member  of  the  Methodist 
church.  They  have  one  child,  Willie  Eorest. 

I They  are  people  much  esteemed  in  the  neigh- 
borhood where  they  are  best  known. 


O^ORNELIUS  BOYD  is  a prominent 
farmer  of  Niles  township,  Delaware 
county,  and  a native  of  Monongalia 
county,  Va. , born  April  16,  1830. 

He  is  the  son  of  William  and  Rebecca  (Austin) 
Boyd,  the  father  a native  of  New  Jersey,  and 


690 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


the  mother  of  Maryland.  William  Boyd  went 
from  New  Jersey  to  what  is  now  West  Virginia 
in  i8i  I,  and  there  lived  with  his  father  on  a 
farm,  after  which  he  married  and  died  there. 
He  became  the  father  of  the  following  chil- 
dren: Jane,  wife  of  Bnjamin  Felton;  John, 

William  and  James,  farmers;  Sarah,  wife  of 
Thomas  Hatfield;  Mary;  Elizabeth,  wife  of 
Andrew  Frume;  Cornelius,  Laverna,  wife  of 
Alta  Stelle,  and  Margaret.  The  father  of 
these  childi'en  had  two  sisters  and  two  broth- 
ers, namely;  Archibald,  Andrew,  Catherine 
ond  Margaret.  Mrs.  Rebecca  Boyd  had  six 
brothers  and  two  sisters,  namely:  James, 

Hannah,  Cornelius,  Daniel,  Hugh,  William, 
jesse  and  Emily. 

Cornelius  Boyd  was  married  at  the  age  of 
twenty-four  to  Martha,  daughter  of  Benjamin 
and  Ann  (Doolittle)  Jacobs;  her  parents  were 
of  German  and  French  descent,  and  born  in 
West  Vijginia,  where  they  grew  up,  married, 
reared  a family,  and  died.  Their  children  are 
named  as  follows;  Joseph,  Raleigh,  John 
Jacob,  Benjamin  and  Thomas,  farmers;  Susan, 
wife  of  Michael  Smell;  Jemima,  wife  of  Thomas 
Tarlton;  Martha,  wife  of  Cornelius  Boyd;  Re- 
becca, wife  of  Edgar  Stephen,  and  Nancy. 

When  Cornelius  Boyd  came  to  Delaware 
county  he  chopped  wood  for  two  years;  then 
engaged  in  farming  seven  years,  at  the  end  of 
which  time  he  went  to  Kansas;  a short  stay 
satisfied  him  and  he  was  willing  to  come  back 
to  Indiana.  He  rented  a farm  in  this  county 
and  lived  on  it  for  one  year,  after  which  he 
purchased,  in  1883,  a farm  of  120  acres  in  and 
near  Granville.  Mr.  Boyd  came  to  Indiana 
in  March,  1864,  being  compelled  to  leave 
Virginia  on  account  of  the  war,  he  having  been 
treated  as  a bushwhacker.  The  first  year  Mr. 
Boyd  lived  in  Indiana  he  cleared  $800  by 
chopping  wood.  Early  in  life  he  followed 
teaming,  working  at  it  for  fotrteen  years,  and 
driving  a six  horse  team  the  entire  time.  Mr. 


Boyd  was  the  second  man  that  drove  a team 
in  what  is  known  as  the  Big  tunnel  on  the 
Baltimore  & Ohio  railroad,  and  his  entire  load 
consisted  of  shovels,  picks  and  wheelbarrows. 
Mr.  Boyd  has  always  been  a hard  working 
man,  and  very  kind  to  his  neighbors  and  to 
the  poor.  Eight  children  have  been  born  to 
him  and  his  wife,  namely:  Olive  M.,  died 

September,  1863;  Nancy,  wife  of  Riley  Staf- 
ford; Rebecca  F.,  wife  of  Roily  Wright;  Susan; 
William,  a farmer;  Nora;  and  Malinda,  who 
died  in  September,  1863.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Boyd 
are  active  and  pious  members  of  the  Methodist 
church.  He  is  a member  of  the  order  of  Red 
Men,  in  which  body  he  is  much  esteemed.  In 
politics  he  is  a republican,  and  votes  the 
straight  ticket  of  that  party  every  time. 


AMES  C.  BULLOCK  is  an  enterpris- 
ing and  greatly  respected  farmer  of 
Niles  township,  who  was  .born  in 
Greene  county,  Ohio,  March  31,  i860. 
He  is  the  son  of  E.  J.  and  Narcissa  (Strack) 
Bullock,  natives  of  Ohio  and  New  York  re- 
spectively. The  father  came  to  Ohio  with 
his  parents,  where  he  grew  to  manhood,  mar- 
ried, and  where  he  lived  for  several  years 
afterward.  Then  he  came  to  Delaware  coun- 
ty, where  he  bought  a farm  of  100  acres;  lived 
upon  it  for  some  time;  then  sold  it  and  bought 
the  farm  of  120  acres  upon  which  John  C. 
now  lives.  The  father  has  retired  from  farrri- 
ing,  and  lives  at  Dunkirk,  Jay  county,  Ind. 
The  father  had  the  following  brothers  and 
sisters;  William  H.,  a farmer;  Hamilton  J., 
a farmer;  Anna,  wife  of  J.  H.  Hoover;  Morgan, 
deceased;  Susan,  wife  of  James  Goddard.  The 
brothers  and  sisters  of  Narcissa  Bullock,  are; 
Mary  A.,  wife  of  Jesse  Hobblet;  Abbie,  wife 
of  William  Johnson;  James,  a grocer;  John,  a 
farmer;  Amanda,  wife  of  William  Turner; 


NILES  TOWNSHIP. 


691 


Margaret,  wife  of  Hiram  Turner;  Samuel,  a 
farmer;  Minerva,  wife  of  Henry  Turner. 
E.  J.  and  Narcissa  Bullock  had  the  following 
children:  William  H.,  a farmer;  Samuel  S. , a 
painter;  James;  Charles  M..  a farmer;  Eugene, 
worker  in  a glass  factory;  Louis,  a farmer; 
John,  a factory  hand;  Emma,  single;  Frankie, 
Maggie,  Alfred,  and  Melda,  the  four  last  de- 
ceased. 

James  C.  Bullock  remained  at  home  until 
he  was  twenty-one  years  old,  and  then  mar- 
ried Arabelle,  daughter  of  William  and  Mary 
(Haines)  Reed.  Her  parents  are  natives  of 
Ohio  and  Virginia  respectively,  and  after  their 
marriage  came  to  Randolph  county,  Ind. , in 
1865.  Her  father  bought  a farm  of  160  acres, 
upon  which  they  still  live.  Her  parents  had 
the  following  children:  Sarah  R. , wife  of 

William  Bullock;  Arabelle;  Levi,  a farmer; 
Mahlon;  William  S.,  a farmer;  Cornelius,  a 
school  teacher;  and  the  following  who  are 
single:  Phebe  E.,  Gilbert,  Charles,  Oscar, 

Verna,  Rollie,  Gertie  and  Blaine.  The  family 
are  members  of  the  Methodist  church.  Three 
children  have  blessed  the  union  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  James  C.  Bullock,  namely:  Mazie,  Zorah 
N.,  and  India.  The  father  of  James  C.  came 
to  this  county  at  an  early  day,  and  endured 
the  hardships  of  a pioneer  life.  With  his  own 
hands  he  built  a farm  house,  he  being  a car- 
penter, and  then  went  to  work  manfully,  and 
cleared  sixty  acres  of  his  farm,  upon  which  he 
lived  for  twelve  years.  This  he  sold,  and 
bought  160  acres  two  miles  west  of  his  first 
purchase,  where  he  lived  eleven  years,  and 
then  bought  his  present  farm  at  Dunkirk.  He 
works  at  his  trade,  but  takes  it  easily  because 
he  has  a right  to  do  so  after  so  many  years  of 
toil.  James  C.  is  running  the  farm  to  the  | 
entire  satisfaction  of  his  father.  James  C.  is 
a zealous  republican,  and  does  all  he  can  to 
help  along  the  party,  believing  it  to  be  the 
party  of  the  people. 


YLON  COLBY  is  a prosperous  citi- 
zen of  Niles  township,  and  a native 
of  New  York,  having  been  born  Feb- 
ruary 18,  1824,  near  Buffalo.  He  is 
the  son  of  Alvin  and  Sarah  (Morton)  Colby, 
of  English  and  German  descent.  His  parents 
came  from  New  York  to  Illinois  in  1834:  lived 
there  five  years,  and  returned  to  their  old 
home,  where  his  father  died  March  21,  1841, 
the  mother  living  until  September  15,  1883. 

After  the  death  of  his  father,  Hylon  Colby 
and  his  mother  kept  the  family  together,  he 
working  at  the  carpenter  trade,  and  his  mother 
at  the  spinning  wheel.  Since  his  marriage, 
and  the  death  of  his  mother,  he  has  devoted 
his  entire  time  to  the  farm.  Alvin  Colby  had 
the  following  brothers  and  sisters:  John,  Arad, 
Jesse,  farmers;  Alvin,  a carpenter;  Asa,  a 
turner,  and  Mary,  wife  of  John  Drake.  Sarah 
Morton  had  two  brothers  and  two  sisters, 
namely:  Hylon,  a mason  and  farmer;  Free- 
man, a farmer;  Belinda,  wife  of  Shadrach  Har- 
ris, and  Abigail,  wife  of  John  Bigford.  Hylon 
Colby  had  two  sisters,  namely:  Belinda,  wife 
of  Enos  Hunt,  and  Ellinor,  wife  of  Charles 
Gilger. 

Hylon  Colby  was  married  November  16, 
1849,  to  Amelia,  daughter  of  Zachariah  and 
Amelia  (Chellis)  Hunt,  of  German  and  Eng- 
lish descent.  Her  parents  were  born  in  New 
York,  where  they  spent  all  their  days  in  Erie 
county;  her  father  dying  in  1850  and  her 
mother  in  1848.  By  his  marriage  with  Amelia 
Hunt,  Hylon  Colby  is  the  father  of  four  chil- 
dren, namely:  Augustus,  a teamster;  Estella, 
wife  of  Hillus  Irey;  Lillian,  wife  of  John 
Price;  and  Emma,  deceased.  Mr.  Colby  and 
his  wife  were  first  settled  in  New  York,  lived 
I there  one  year,  moved  to  Illinois,  and  then  to 
Lake  county,  Ind.  Here  they  lived  for  six 
years  on  a farm  of  eighty  acres.  The  brothers 
and  sisters  of  Mrs.  Colby’s  father  were: 
James,  a farmer;  Daniel,  deceased;  Hugh 


692 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


and  Thomas,  merchants;  Margaret,  wife  of 
Jerry  Woods;  Ellen,  wife  of  John  Wethering- 
ton;  Jennie,  wife  of  Peter  Newlon;  Elizabeth, 
wife  of  C.  R.  Bell.  Her  mother  had  one 
brother,  John,  a farmer,  and  a sister,  Sarah, 
wife  of  Elijah  Corban. 

After  separation  he  was  married  to  Mrs. 
Sarah  Bundrant,  his  present  wife.  She  has 
been  a resident  of  Indiana  for  seventy-four 
years.  When  her  husband,  Mr.  Bundrant, 
first  came  here  in  1840,  he  entered  eighty  acres 
and  bought  forty  more.  It  was  then  a wilder- 
ness, and  located  one-half  mile  east  of  Mill 
Grove.  Here  he  lived  for  three  years,  and 
then  moved  to  Fayette  county  and  lived  four 
years,  then  returned  to  the  Mill  Grove  farm, 
where  he  lived  six  years,  then  to  the  present 
farm,  where  Mrs.  Golby  now  lives.  This  was 
in  1854,  and  he  died  November  6,  1864,  and 
was  buried  in  the  Bethel  cemetery. 

The  brothers  and  sisters  of  Mrs.  Golby  are: 
John,  aged  seventy-five,  a farmer;  Robert, 
aged  seventy-eight,  a farmer;  Amos,  aged 
eighty-one,  a farmer;  Thomas,  aged  sixty-five, 
a farmer;  Hannah,  wife  of  William  Evans, 
aged  eighty-six;  Mary,  wife  of  Richard  Nuz- 
man,  aged  eighty-four;  Lucinda,  wife  of  Orville 
Mcllwain,  aged  seventy;  Sarah,  wife  of  Mr. 
Colby,  aged  seventy-three;  Lizzie,  wife  of 
William  Vanmeter,  aged  fifty-three.  Her 
grandfather,  Woster,was  102  years  old  when  he 
died.  Her  grandfather  Miliner  was  ninety-four, 
her  father  was  sixty-six  and  her  mother  eighty- 
seven  when  they  died.  Mr.  Colby  has  lived 
with  his  present  wife  for  eighteen  years,  and  by 
hard  labor  they  have  succeeded  in  making  a 
fine  home,  with  the  well  improved  farm  of 
eighty  acres.  They  are  very  much  respected 
by  all  who  know  them. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Colby  hold  their  lives  in 
peace  and  are  now  enjoying  in  comfort  the 
fruits  of  their  early  industry,  surrounded  with 
every  convenience  that  makes  life  enjoyable. 


0^ ALVIN  CROOKS  is  a worthy  and 
honest  citizen  of  Niles  township,  who 
^ was  born  in  Delaware  county,  Ohio, 
August  17,  1829.  He  is  the  son  of 
George  and  Susanna  (Cowles)  Crooks;  the 
father  being  a native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  the 
mother  of  Connecticut.  They  lived  and  died 
near  Ashley,  Ohio,  the  father  passing  away  in 
1835,  and  the  mother  in  1875,  ^^nd  they  are 
buried  in  the  cemetery  near  that  place. 

Calvin  Crooks  was  married  January  14, 
1855,  to  Harriet,  daughter  of  Peter  and  Eliza- 
beth Becker;  her  people  being  natives  of  New 
York,  who  settled  in  Huntington  county,  Ind., 
where  the  father  bought  320  acres  of  land,  and 
here  spent  the  remainder  of  his  days;  passing 
away  in  September,  1853.  When  Calvin 
came  to  Indiana  he  settled  first  at  Warren- 
town,  Huntington  county,  and  lived  there  four 
years;  then  came  to  Granville,  Delaware 
county,  and  went  into  the  general  merchan- 
dise business,  which  he  followed  twenty-six 
years.  Since  that  time  he  has  lived  a retired 
life,  caring  for  his  property  interests.  He 
owns  a farm  of  160  acres,  and  a half  interest 
in  ninety-six  acres  of  well  improved  land.  Calvin 
Crooks  and  his  wife  are  members,  he  of  the 
Missionary  Baptist,  and  she  of  the  Christian 
church.  Mr.  Crooks  is  a member  of  the  Masonic 
order,  and  is  much  interested  in  that  body. 

Mr.  Crooks  has  had  born  to  him  six  chil- 
dren, namely:  George,  living  in  Muncie; 

Harriet,  wife  of  George  Sheller:  Clara,  wife  of 
Carl  Blakely;  Orland,  a butcher;  Bessie  and 
Walter.  The  mother  of  the  two  eldest  chil- 
dren died  January  16,  1863,  and  was  buried 
in  the  Granville  cemetery.  Mr.  Crooks  re- 
mained single  one  year,  and  then  married 
Priscilla  Batreall,  but  she  was  privileged  to 
life  but  a short  time,  and  she  passed  away 
March  15,  1878,  and  was  buried  in  Granville 
cemetery.  He  was  next  married  December 
14,  1881,  to  Priscilla,  daughter  of  Vincent 


NILES  TOWNSHIP. 


698 


and  Elizabeth  (Yates)  Martin.  Her  parents 
were  born  and  reared  in  Ohio,  and  came  to 
Indiana,  Delaware  township,  this  county,  in 
1833;  lived  there  some  time,  and  then  moved 
to  Union  township,  where  they  died — the 
father  February  14,  1880,  and  the  mother 

December  24,  1880,  and  were  buried  in  Dunk- 
ard  cemetery. 

The  brothers  and  sisters  of  the  present 
Mrs.  Crooks  were:  Jonathan,  a teacher;  Mary, 
wife  of  J.  W.  Lewis;  Isaac,  deceased,  and 
Phebe,  wife  of  Isaac  Flynn.  Vincent  Martin 
had  the  following  brothers  and  sisters:  Susan, 
wife  of  John  Lewis;  Jirard,  a farmer;  William, 
a carpenter,  Catherine,  wife  of  James  Black; 
Martha,  wife  of  Liberty  Ginn;  Mary,  wife  of 
William  Custer;  Lydia,  deceased,  and  Eliza- 
beth, wife  of  Sampson  Williams.  The  broth- 
ers and  sisters  of  Elizabeth  (Yates)  Martin 
were:  Thomas,  a farmer;  Susanna,  wife  of 

Carmine  Carvault;  Elizabeth;  Phebe,  wife  of 
Joshua  Lockworth;  Priscilla,  wife  of  Shubal 
Starbrook;  Rebecca,  wife  of  John  Bowen; 
Saphron,  wife  of  Alfred  Miller,  and  Mary,  de- 
ceased. The  people  of  the  present  Mrs. 
Crooks  are  all  members  of  the  Baptist  church, 
and  are  very  worthy  and  good  people.  Mr. 
Crook’s  first  wife  had  one  brother  and  three 
sisters,  namely:  James,  who  died  in  the  army 
during  the  war;  Helen,  wife  of  J.  Boyd;  Almira, 
wife  of  Posy  Martin,  and  Lavina,  wife  of  John 
Pribble. 


EWIS  W.  DAVIS  is  a leading  farmer 
and  stock  raiser  of  Niles  township, 
and  one  of  the  representative  citizens 
of  the  county  of  Delaware.  His 
family  history  is  an  interesting  one  and  he 
traces  his  ancestry  back  through  several  gen- 
erations to  \Vales,  from  which  country  one 
Charles  Davis,  the  progenitor  of  the  American 
branch  of  the  family,  emigrated  to  America  as 
early  as  the  year  1724.  Charles  Davis  mar- 


ried a Miss  Metcalf  and  reared  sons  and 
daughters,  among  whom  was  John,  who  mar- 
ried Molly  Chamness.  William  Davis,  son  of 
John,  married  Anna  Marshall  and  became  the 
father  of  Joseph,  who,  by  his  marriage  with 
Catherine  Farmer,  had  several  children,  one 
of  whom,  Nathan,  was  the  father  of  the  imme- 
diate subject  of  this  mention.  From  the  most 
reliable  information  obtainable,  the  family  ap- 
pears to  have  settled,  originally,  in  North 
Carolina,  from  Surry  county,  of  which  state, 
Joseph  and  Catherine  Davis  emigrated,  in  the 
year  1808,  to  Ohio,  settling  in  Montgomery 
county,  thence,  about  1823,  moving  to  Wayne 
county,  Ind.  Joseph  Davis  purchased  a farm 
of  160  acres  in  the  county  of  WMyne,  upon 
which  the  remaining  years  of  his  life  were 
passed.  He  reared  the  following  children: 
Nathan,  father  of  the  subject  of  this  mention; 
Mary,  wife  of  David  Baldwin;  William:  Annie, 
wife  of  Newton  Baldwin;  Hannah,  wife  of 
Dan  Thornburg;  John  and  Edom. 

In  AVayne  county  Nathan  grew  to  man- 
hood, and  then  married  Hannah  Moore.  The 
brothers  and  sisters  of  the  latter  were:  Ander- 
son, Marshall,  William,  Zimri,  Mrs.  Rhoda 
Pickering,  Mrs.  Charity  Marshall,  Dempsey 
and  Rufus  Moore.  The  Moores  were  moral 
and  religious  people,  having  been  reared  in 
the  pure,  simple  doctrines  of  the  Quaker 
faith.  At  that  time  it  was  the  custom  to 
serve  out  whisky  upon  nearly  every  occasion, 
and  the  subject’s  grandfather  was  the  first 
man  in  his  section  of  the  county  who  had  the 
moral  courage  to  break  away  from  the  time 
honored  custom  and  refuse  absolutely  to  have 
anything  to  do  with  any  kind  of  intoxicants. 

Lewis  W.  Davis  was  born  May  22,  1841, 
being  one  of  a family  of  seven  children,  whose 
names  are  as  follows:  Newton  B.,  Martha  A., 
wife  of  Jesse  Reed;  Rufus  H.,  Mary  E.,  de- 
ceased; Catharine,  deceased,  and  Sarah  A., 
wife  of  Eh  W.  Frazer. 


604 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


Mr.  Davis  grew  to  manhood  on  a farm, 
and  began  the  pursuit  of  agriculture  on  his 
own  responsibility  in  Henry  county,  where  he 
lived  two  years,  moving  thence  to  the  county 
of  Randolph.  In  the  latter,  he  was  united  in 
marriage,  on  the  lOth  day  of  August,  1867, 
to  Miss  Lucinda  Jones,  daughter  of  Jacob  and 
Matilda  (Chappell)  Jones,  natives  of  Surry 
county,  N.  C.  For  ten  years  after  marriage 
Mr.  Davis  resided  in  Randolph  county, 
dividing  his  time  between  farming  and 
school  teaching,  in  both  of  which  his 
success  was  most  encouraging.  Later  he 
returned  to  Henry  county,  where  he  lived  for 
a period  of  two  years,  at  the  end  of  which 
time  he  became  a resident  of  the  county  of 
Delaware,  locating  upon  the  present  beautiful 
place  of  Niles  township,  where  he  has  since 
resided.  At  this  time  Mr.  Davis  owns  a fine 
farm  of  170  acres,  the  greater  part  well  im- 
proved. In  addition  to  general  farming,  he 
gives  considerable  attention  to  stock  raising, 
being  considered  one  of  the  leading  men  in 
this  line  of  business  in  Niles.  Politically,  Mr. 
Davis  is  a stanch  supporter  of  the  republican 
party,  and  as  such  takes  an  active  interest  in 
all  the  leading  public  questions  of  the  day. 
He  served  four  months  in  the  late  war  as 
member  of  company  B,  One  Hundred  and 
Thirty-fourth  regiment,  Indiana  volunteer  in- 
fantry, but  did  not  participate  in  any  battle. 
Fraternally  he  is  identified  with  the  Masonic, 
Odd  Fellows,  Red  Men  and  Grange  orders, 
and  in  religion  belongs  to  the  Christian  church,  | 
of  which  the  different  members  of  his  family 
are  also  communicants.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Davis 
are  the  parents  of  five  children,  namely: 
Elmer  J.,  a well  known  teacher  of  Delaware 
county;  Lenora,  wife  of  Samuel  Wilson:  Orpha 
M. , wife  of  Aaron  C.  Wilson;  Charley  N.,  and 
Bertha  A. 

Following  is  a brief  record  of  the  family  of 
Mrs.  Davis.  As  already  stated,  Mrs.  Lucinda 


Davis  is  the  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Matilda 
(Chappell)  Jones.  The  parents  of  Jacob  were 
James  and  Lydia  (Bramblet)  Jones,  and  their 
other  children  were  Lemuel,  Solomon,  Jesse, 
Ambrose,  Jonathan,  James,  Free,  Mary,  Jane 
and  Lydia.  Mrs.  Matilda  (Chappell)  Jones  was 
the  daughter  of  Amos  and  Mary  (Johnson) 
Chappell.  The  following  are  the  names  of  her 
brothers  and  sisters:  David,  Joshua,  Reuben, 

Cynthia,  Elizabeth  and  Malinda  Chappell. 
The  brothers  and  sisters  of  Mrs.  Lucinda  Da- 
vis are  as  follows:  James  E.,  married  Clara 

Atkins;  Joshua  C. , married  Mary  Ann  Collins- 
worth;  Jonathan  P. , married  Susan  Covalt; 
Lydia,  wife  of  James  P.  Dykes;  Sarah  Jane, 
wife  of  David  N.  Kimball;  Nancy,  wife  of 
Lewis  W.  Main. 

Jacob  Jones  and  wife  moved  from  their 
North  Carolina  home  to  Ohio  many  years  ago, 
and  from  the  latter  state  to  Henry  county, 
Ind. , where  he  purchased  land  and  resided  un- 
til reaching  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-nine 
years.  He  died  January  18,  1889,  and  was 
laid  to  rest  in  Hillsborough  cemetery  beside  his 
wife,  whose  death  occurred  on  the  24th  of 
June,  1824.  He  served  in  the  war  of  1812, 
and  was  a member  of  the  Protestant  Methodist 
church  for  many  years.  Mrs.  Jones  belonged 
to  the  Christian  church,  of  which  she  was  a 
] very  valuable  member. 


aHARLES  DUDELSTON  (deceased) 
was  a highly  respected  citizen  of  Niles 
township,  Delaware  county,  Ind., 
was  born  in  Ohio,  March  9,  1836, 
being  the  son  of  Ralph  and  Nancy  Dudelston. 
He  came  to  this  county  with  his  parents  when 
nine  years  old  and  settled  with  them  in  Ham- 
ilton township,  on  a farm,  where  he  grew  up 
to  manhood.  Charles  Dudelston  was  married 
March  6,  1858,  to  Susanna,  daughter  of  Abra- 


NILES  TOWNSHIP. 


695 


ham  Gray,  and  the  newly  married  pair  settled 
upon  a farm  just  across  the  road  from  the 
land  upon  which  his  widow,  Mary  A.,  now 
lives.  Susanna  Dudelston  died  March  23, 
1877,  3.nd  was  buried  in  the  Granville  ceme- 
tery, after  having  borne  her  husband  five  chil- 
dren, namely:  Amanda,  wife  of  Hamilton 
Bell;  Savannah,  wife  of  William  Addingtcn; 
George,  a farmer;  Anna,  wife  of  Albert  Needle, 
and  Dorcas,  deceased.  Mr.  Dudelston  re- 
mained single  for  about  six  months,  and  then 
was  married  to  Mary  A.,  daughter  of  James 
and  Sarah  (Taylor)  Goodrick,  her  parents 
being  of  Gorman  and  English  descent,  res- 
pectively. They  came  from  Ohio  to  Dela- 
ware county,  Ind.,  in  1850,  and  settled  on  a 
farm,  in  Harrison  township,  consisting  of  forty 
acres,  where  they  yet  live.  The  brothers  and 
sisters  of  Charles  Dudelston  were:  Belle,  de- 
ceased; Frances,  wife  of  Frank  Lee;  Lucinda, 
wife  of  William  Stanley;  Florence,  wife  of 
Charles  Winnop;  Alice,  wife  of  John  George; 
Harriet,  wife  of  Samuel  Rogers;  George, 
Alonzo  and  Goldston,  deceased. 

Charles  Dudelston  was  married  to  his  pres- 
ent wife  September  i,  1877,  and  they  moved 
to  the  present  farm  of  100  acres;  here  he  died 
November  3,  1889,  and  was  buried  in  the 
Granville  cemetery.  The  children  of  this 
union  are:  Ralph,  Josephine,  Ella,  Mary  and 

Charles  Dudelston.  Since  his  death  the  worthy 
wife  has  kept  the  little  flock  together  by  man- 
aging the  little  farm,  and  has  done  it  very 
well,  indeed.  He  left  her  the  little  home  of 
fifty-two  acres,  well  improved,  and  she  has 
kept  it  up  in  excellent  shape.  The  deceased 
was  a consistent  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  and  a kind  father,  a devoted 
husband,  and  a good  neighbor,  respected  by 
all  who  knew  him. 

The  deceased  went  out  in  the  one  hundred 
days’  service  during  the  war,  and  remained  out 
six  months;  the  widow  receives  a pension  of 


$54  per  quarter,  and  this,  with  what  she  gets 
from  the  farm,  enables  her  to  keep  the  wolf 
away  from  her  door.  She  is  a brave  and  good 
woman,  who  bears  her  burden  cheerfully  as 
she  ma)q  and  is  greatly  respected  by  her  neigh- 
bors, who  admire  her  for  her  courage  in  taking 
upon  herself  the  grave  duties  of  mother  and 
farmer,  and  discharging  them  with  such  good, 
practical  sense. 


OH.  DEVOE,  deceased,  was  one  of 
the  most  worthy  and  enterprising 
farmers  of  Niles  township,  Delaware 
county,  Ind. , of  which  he  was  a na- 
tive, and  was  born  February  7,  1867,  son  of 
Asa  and  Mary  (Smith)  Devoe,  both  being  na- 
tives of  England.  The  father  came  from 
Greene  county,  Ohio,  in  1862,  and  settled  on 
Green  Street,  Niles  township,  on  a farm  con- 
sisting of  eighty  acres.  After  living  here  for 
five  years  he  sold  out,  and  purchased  160  acres 
of  well  improved  land,  on  which  his  son,  O. 
H.,  lived,  having  had  eighty  acres  in  his  own 
right.  O.  H.  Devoe  remained  at  his  comfortable 
and  parental  home  until  November  19,  1891, 
when  he  was  married  to  Miss  Malissa,  daugh- 
ter of  L.  B.  and  Margaret  (Leaird)  Wilson, 
natives  of  Indiana.  Mr,  Wilson  followed  the 
occupation  of  a farmer,  and,  with  his  wife, 
settled,  in  1850,  on  a farm  consisting  of  120 
acres,  which  was  near  Granville.  In  this 
pleasant  location  he  lived  until  November  15, 
1878,  when  he  was  called  to  the  other  world, 
and  was  laid  to  rest  in  the  Bethel  cemetery. 
After  her  husband’s  death,  Mrs.  Wilson  moved 
to  Dunkirk,  where  she  now  resides. 

O.  H.  Devoe  was  socially  a member  of  the 
I.  O.  O.  F. , being  in  the  encampment.  His 
wife  is  a Rebecca  in  the  I.  O.  O.  F. , of  which 
she  is  secretary.  She  was  highly  educated 
and  taught  two  terms  in  a public  school.  Mrs. 


696 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


Devoe  also  possesses  a fine  talent  for  music, 
and  displays  her  accomplishment  for  the  enter- 
tainment of  her  friends.  Mr.  Devoe  and  his 
wife  were  blessed  with  one  child,  who  is  now 
deceased,  having  left  the  beautiful  home  of  its 
parents  for  a more  beautiful  one  above.  Mr. 
Devoe  was  politically  a republican,  and  took 
great  interest  in  the  helping  along  of  his  party. 
He  was  well  known  and  highly  respected 
throughout  all  of  the  country,  and  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  the  spring  of  1893,  was  not 
only  mourned  by  the  surrounding  members  of 
his  immediate  family,  but  deplored  by  his 
many  friends,  who  felt  that  in  him  the  county 
had  lost  one  of  its  most  useful  citizens. 


AMES  FLANNERY  is  a well  known 
and  popular  citizen  of  Niles  township, 
where  he  has  lived  and  prospered  for 
many  years.  He  was  born  in  Mont- 
gomery county,  Ohio,  at  Dayton,  December 
26,  1850;  being  a son  of  John  and  Mary 
(O’Brien)  Flannery,  natives  of  Ireland.  His 
parents  went  to  Ohio  at  an  early  day,  and 
settled  in  Dayton,  where  the  father  worked  as 
a laborer  some  years,  and  then  became  a farm- 
er. The  parents  were  members  of  the  Catho- 
lic church. 

James  Flannery  was  thrown  upon  the 
tender  mercies  of  the  world  at  the  early  age 
of  twelve,  when  he  went  to  Darke  county, 
Ohio,  and  worked  for  several  years  on  a farm. 
Then  he  got  a position  on  the  Panhandle  rail- 
road, becoming  presently  a section  hand;  then 
went  with  the  fencing  gang;  then  was  on  the 
road,  and  finally  became  a brakeman  on  a 
local  freight.  He  then  went  to  Union  City, 
Randolph  county,  and  staid  there  some  time, 
working  on  a farm.  From  this  place  he  went 
to  Dunkirk,  Jay  county,  Ind.,  and  was  a 
ditcher  for  four  years.  At  this  time  he  mar- 
ried Rosetta  Vincent,  daughter  of  William 


H.  and  Cynthia  (Hole)  Vincent;  her  father 
being  a native  of  Ohio,  and  her  mother  of 
Maryland.  Her  grandparents  came  to  Dela- 
ware county,  Ind.,  and  settled  on  the  farm 
where  Mr.  Flannery  now  resides;  her  grand- 
father having  entered  the  land,  eighty  acres, 
which  he  cleared  and  improved.  This  worthy 
man  lived  to  be  eighty-three  years  old,  and  was 
buried  in  Bethel  cemetery,  where  his  wife  also 
lies,  she  dying  when  seventy-three  years  old. 
Upon  the  death  of  her  grandfather  her  father 
came  into  possession  of  the  property,  where 
he  reared  his  family,  and  then  died  Januai'y  6, 
1878,  her  mother  living  nntil  April  30,  1890. 
Her  parents  are  buried  in  the  same  cemetery 
as  her  grandparents,  a fine  monument  indicat- 
ing the  spot.  The  brothers  and  sisters  of 
Mrs.  Flannery  are — Margaret,  wife  of  Frank 
Srack;  Manaen,  a farmer;  David  O.,  a farmer; 
Louisa  J.,  deceased;  and  Elizabeth.  The 
father  of  these  children  left,  at  his  death,  360 
acres  of  land,  eighty  of  which  includes  the 
farm  of  Mr.  Flannery,  the  remainder  having 
been  divided  among  the  brothers  and  sisters  of 
his  wife.  William  Hole  made  his  life  a de- 
cided success,  financially.  He  was  socially 
inclined,  and  was  a member  of  the  Masonic 
order.  In  religion  he  was  a Methodist,  and 
an  active  member  of  that  body. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Flannery  resulted  in 
the  following  children;  Katie;  John,  died 
November  3,  1889,  and  buried  in  Bethel  cem- 
etery. The  farm  of  Mr.  Flannery  consists  of 
the  eighty  acres  referred  to,  it  being  land  well 
improved.  In  politics  he  is  a democrat,  and 
a strong  supporter  of  that  party. 


AMUEL  LEAIRD  is  a man  of  seventy, 
full  of  vigor,  and  one  who  has  acquir- 
ed a good  property  by  the  labor  of  his 
own  hands.  He  was  born  in  Greene 
county,  Pa.,  July  13,  1823,  being  the  son  of 


NILES  TOWNSHIP. 


697 


Ephraim  and  Rebecca  (Oregon)  Leaird.  His 
parents  were  natives  of  Pennsylvania  and 
of  German  and  Irish  descent.  His  father 
came  from  Pennsylvania  to  Delaware  county, 
Ind  , in  1833,  and  settled  in  Union  town- 
ship, remaining  here  for  some  years.  When 
the  gold  fever  was  at  its  height,  he  went 
to  California,  remained  there  one  year, 
and  came  back  and  married.  Then  he  went 
to  Missouri,  but  that  country  did  not  suit  him, 
so  he  came  back  to  Delaware  county,  and 
ended  his  days  here,  his  last  years  being  spent 
with  his  son,  Samuel.  The  father  died  in 
February,  1865,  and  the  mother  in  February, 
1851,  and  were  buried  in  the  Leaird  cemetery, 
on  the  old  farm  he  once  owned.  They  were 
members  of  the  Methodist  church,  and  con- 
sistent members  of  that  body. 

The  brothers  and  sisters  of  Ephraim 
Leaird  were:  Robert,  a stonemason;  Samuel, 
a carpenter;  George,  a farmer;  Mary,  wife  of 
Samuel  Price,  and  Anna,  wife  of  Russell  Wil- 
liams. The  brothers  and  sisters  of  Mrs. 
Rebecca  Leaird,  were:  Samuel,  a farmer; 

Noble,  a minister  of  the  Methodist  church; 
William,  a farmer;  James,  a farmer;  Mary, 
wife  of  Benjamin  Clark;  Elizabeth,  wife  of 
Andrew  Gregg;  Margaret,  wife  of  Robert  Carl, 
and  Wesley,  a farmer.  The  brothers  and  sis- 
ter of  Samuel  Leaird  are:  John  Wesley  and 
William,  farmers,  Elizabeth,  wife  of  John 
Corner;  Nancy,  wife  of  Samuel  Bryant;  Mar- 
tha; Margaret,  and  Anna,  wife  of  J.  W. 
Keeman.  Samuel  Leaird  was  forty-five  years 
old  when  he  married,  his  wife  being  Mary  J., 
daughter  of  Henley  and  Barbara  (Stover)  Hat- 
field, her  parents  being  of  German  descent. 
They  came  from  Ohio  to  Delaware  county, 
where  they  spent  the  remainder  of  their  days; 
the  father  dying  in  1848,  and  the  mother  in 
1880,  and  both  are  buried  in  the  Granville 
cemetery.  The  father  of  Mrs  Leaird  had 
three  brothers  and  three  sisters,  namely: 


John,  James  and  Washington,  farmers; 
Nancy,  wife  of  Edward  Brammer;  Sarah,  wife 
of  Washington  Sanders,  and  Elizabeth,  de- 
ceased. Mrs.  Leaird's  mother  had  two  broth- 
ers, Joel  and  John,  and  two  sisters,  whose 
names  are  not  remembered  by  her.  Mrs.  Leaird 
had  the  following  brothers  and  sisters:  Louis, 
George,  Henley  and  Joel,  all  of  whom  fought 
for  their  country  during  the  war;  Reuben,  died 
in  infancy;  Evaline,  wife  of  Moses  Clark;  Re- 
becca, wife  of  Jacob  Walters,  and  two  half  sis- 
ters, Lydia  and  Nancy  Baissinger. 

Samuel  Leaird  first  settled  upon  a farm  in 
Union  township,  just  across  the  road  from 
where  his  house  now  stands.  It  consisted  of 
I 52  acres,  and  by  hard  work  he  has  made  him- 
self a fine  farm  and  comfortable  home.  Mr. 
Leaird  is  a member  of  the  Christian  church, 
and  his  wife  of  the  Methodist  church.  They 
are  highly  respected  and  much  esteemed  by  all 
who  know  them.  They  are  the  parents  of  four 
children,  namely;  Margaret  A.,  George,  Es- 
tella,  and  Burt  H.  George  died  in  August, 
1872. 


rAFAYETTE  LUCAS,  late  well  known 
r farmer  and  prominent  citizen  of  Niles 
^ township,  was  a native  of  Virginia, 
born  on  the  28th  of  February,  1825, 
in  the  historic  old  county  of  Greenbrier.  He 
left  the  Old  Dominion  in  1839,  going  to 
Greene  county,  Ohio,  where,  on  the  6th  day 
of  October,  1848,  he  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Sarah  Smith,  daughter  of  John  and 
Margaret  (Burl)  Smith,  both  parents  natives 
of  Virginia.  The  following  are  the  namies  of 
the  brothers  and  sisters  of  the  wife  of  the  sub- 
ject: Burl  Eleanor,  wife  of  J.  Ford;  Mary  J., 
wife  of  Asa  Deboe;  Margaret,  wife  of  J.  Clark; 
Nancy,  wife  of  William  Mendenhall;  Alfred; 
Emily,  wife  of  J.  Bosman,  and  Elizabeth,  wife 
of  William  St.  John.  The  father  of  Mrs. 


698 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


Lucas  was  a man  of  local  prominence  and  for 
many  years  filled  the  office  of  justice  of  the 
peace;  he  and  wife  were  active  member  of  the 
Baptist  church  and  are  remembered  as  a most 
estimable  Christian  couple. 

Shortly  after  his  marriage,  Mr.  Lucas, 
thinking  to  better  his  financial  condition,  came 
to  Indiana  and  settled  in  Niles  township,  Del- 
aware county,  purchasing  a part  of  the  home  ; 
farm,  which  is  still  in  possession  of  his  family.  I 
He  improved  this  place  well  and  in  time  it  j 
became  one  of  the  most  valuable  and  desira- 
ble farms  in  the  township,  and  his  home  was 
known  far  and  wide  as  the  abode  of  generous 
and  large-hearted  hospitality.  His  marriage, 
in  the  year  above  noted,  resulted  in  the  birth 
of  eight  children,  namely:  Franklin,  who  was 
killed  by  lightning  on  the  16th  of  July,  1869; 
Martha  J.,  born  October,  1850;  George  W., 
born  February  13,  1857;  Louis,  born  July  17, 
1858;  Lafayette,  born  November  4,  1859; 
Margaret,  wife  of  William  Wilson;  James  A., 
born  September  8,  1864,  and  John,  born  June 
22,  1867. 

Mr.  Lucas  belonged  to  that  large  and  high- 
ly respectable  class  of  citizens  who  pursue 
‘ the  even  tenor  of  their  way”  and  do  much  in 
a quiet  and  unostentatious  manner  toward 
promoting  the  moral  and  material  well  being 
of  the  community.  He  lived  a long  and  use- 
ful life  and  died  deeply  lamented  by  all  who 
knew  him,  on  the  i6th  day  of  April,  1877. 


AMES  E.  McDANIEL  is  a well  known 
farmer  and  stock  dealer  of  Niles  town- 
ship, Delaware  county,  where  he  re- 
sides upon  a fine  farm  of  ninety  acres. 
It  is  a good  and  well  improved  farm,  which 
once  was  the  property  of  his  father  in  law. 
Mr.  McDaniel  was  born  in  London,  Madison 
county,  Ohio,  August  10,  1855,  son  of  A.  L. 


and  Mary  E.  (Moxey)  McDaniel,  of  Scotch  and 
Irish  ancestry.  They  lived  in  Greene  county, 
Ohio,  for  fifteen  years,  and  then  removed  to 
Indiana,  where  they  spent  their  declining 
years.  Mr.  McDaniel,  Sr. , was  a stock  dealer, 
buying  and  shipping.  His  family  were:  Will- 
iam, a farmer  ; James,  a minister  of  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  church;  Logan,  a farmer; 
j Amanda,  the  wife  of  W.  L.  Lloyd;  and  Judith, 

I the  wife  of  James  Donalson.  The  maternal 
j uncles  and  aunts  of  our  subject  were:  Malinda, 
the  wife  of  Addison  Smith;  Anna  and  Charles. 
Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McDaniel  were  members 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  they 
reared  the  following  children:  Harry,  afarmer; 
Chauncy,  a carpenter;  Elma  E.,  the  wife  of 
Russell  Davis;  and  W.  L. , a painter. 

James  E.  McDaniel  left  home  at  the  age  of 
sixteen,  and  engaged  in  driving  a team  for  a 
liveryman,  but  soon  became  tired  of  this,  and 
after  one  year  returned  to  the  farm.  He  re- 
mained at  work  cn  the  farm  for  a year,  and 
then  hired  out  to  a stock  buyer,  and  followed 
i that  occupation  for  a period  of  eight  years, 
subsequently  going  into  the  business  for  him- 
self, and  keeping  at  it  until  his  marriage, 
which  took  place  April  27,  1882,  to  Miss 
Linnie  L.  Smith,  daughter  of  Benjamin 
and  Emily  (Peterson)  Smith,  natives  of 
Germany  and  of  West  Virginia.  They  came 
to  Ohio,  where  they  lived  for  thirty  years,  and 
then  removed  to  Niles  township,  Delaware 
county,  Ind. , where  they  spent  their  last 
years.  Here  Mr.  Smith  purchased  a farm  of 
240  acres,  upon  ninety  of  which  Mr,  McDaniel 
and  family  reside.  The  mother  of  Mrs.  Mc- 
Daniel died  Eebruary  5,  1881,  and  the  father 
May  5,  1888,  and  they  were  laid  to  rest  in 
Eaton  cemetery.  They  reared  the  following 
family:  Mary  A.,  wife  of  John  Barley;  Charles, 
a stock  dealer;  Sophia  L. , wife  of  G.  R.  Lowe; 
Louis  L. , a farmer;  M.  R. , Linnie  and  Emma 
A. , the  wife  of  Charles  Miller.  Mr.  McDan- 


NILES  TOWNSHIP. 


699 


iel  deals  chiefly  in  trotters  and  draft  horses, 
and  is  known  as  the  owner  of  the  great  Ham- 
bletonian  trotter,  “Speedy.”  The  family 
have  a long  time  back  been  members  of  the 
Methodist  church,  the  grandfather  of  our  sub- 
ject having  been  a minister  in  that  denomina- 
tion in  1775. 


OHN  S.  MANOR. — Among  the  well 
kept  farms  which  show  the  attention  of 
a wise  and  intelligent  manager,  is  that 
owned  by  John  S.  Manor,  of  Niles 
township,  Delaware  county,  Ind.  It  was  a 
present  to  him  by  his  father,  and  he  has  made 
of  it  the  pleasant  home  where  he  lives  in  peace 
and  plenty.  He  was  born  in  Richland  town- 
ship, Jay  county,  Ind.,  January  16,  1851,  a 
son  of  David  and  Jane  (Shirriard)  Manor,  na- 
tives of  Ireland  and  Germany.  Mr.  Manor 
came  to  Jay  county  in  1834,  where  he  entered 
160  acres  of  land,  built  a log  cabin  and  began 
the  clearing  of  the  forest.  Almost  all  of  the 
farm  was  cleared  by  his  own  hands,  and  he 
was  ver}^  industrious  and  hard  working,  and 
before  his  death  accumulated  a great  deal  of 
property.  At  that  early  day  game  was  still 
abundant,  and  the  family  was  well  supplied 
with  venison  and  turkey  for  the  killing.  Mr. 
Manor  died  August  5,  1890,  and  was  buried  in 
the  Fairview  cemetery  in  Randolph  county. 
He  was  class  leader  and  steward  in  the  Metho- 
dist church,  of  which  the  family  had  long  been 
valued  members.  Mrs.  Manor  still  lives  on  the 
home  farm  of  200  acres  which  was  left  to  the 
widow  and  children.  Of  the  latter  there  was 
a family  of  sixteen,  eleven  of  them  still  living. 
Their  names  are  as  follows:  Mary  C.,  the  wife 
of  William  Rees;  Samuel,  a farmer;  William 
and  John  S.,  likewise  engaged;  Rosa  A.,  the 
wife  of  James  Lord;  Martha,  the  wife  of 
Charles  Havling,  Hannah,  the  wife  of  Sam 
Dowden;  Harriet,  Charles,  a farmer;  Emma, 


the  wife  of  Lem  Boots,  and  Deborah,  the 
wife  of  Eli  Bales. 

John  S.  Manor  remained  under  the  par- 
ents’ roof  until  he  was  thirty-three  years  of 
age,  when  he  married,  his  wife  being  Miss 
Sarah  Strong,  the  daughter  of  Napoleon  and 
Catherine  (Wolverton)  Strong,  who  had  two 
other  children,  Elmer  and  Emma.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Manor  have  two  children,  Herbert  S., 
and  David  E.  He  is  a republican  in  his  poli- 
tics and  socially  he  is  connected  with  the  Red 
Men.  Mrs.  Manor  is  a valued  member  of  the 
Christian  church.  They  are  people  greatly 
esteemed  in  their  neighborhood,  and  Mr.  Man- 
or is  one  of  the  best  citizens. 


ANIEL  B.  MOORE  is  one  of  the 
prominent  agriculturists  and  enter- 
prising citizens  of  Niles  township, 
Delaware  county,  Ind.  His  grand- 
parents were  residents  of  Canada,  but  his  birth 
took  place  in  the  city  of  Wilkesbarre,  Luzerne 
county.  Pa.,  October  29,  1839,  a son  of  John 
R.  and  Sarah  (Bodle)  Moore,  natives  of  Ireland 
and  of  Germany.  His  parents  removed  from 
Pennsylvania  to  Illinois  in  the  spring  of  1855, 
where  they  remained  until  the  time  of  their  de- 
mise, the  father  dying  April  17,  1863,  and  the 
mother  November  12,  1869,  and  they  were  laid 
to  rest  in  Henry  county.  111.  They  were  good 
and  worthy  people,  the  father  being  a deacon 
in  the  Baptist  church,  in  which  both  were  es- 
teemed members.  Mr.  Moore,  Sr.,  was  a jus- 
tice of  the  peace  for  many  years  and  also 
taught  school. 

Daniel  B.  Moore  made  his  home  with  his 
parents  until  the  time  of  his  marriage,  when  he 
was  twenty-eight  years  of  age.  He  had  re- 
ceived educational  training  in  the  public  schools 
and  was  an  intelligent  and  apt  pupil,  and  when 
he  started  out  for  himself  was  a capable  man 


700 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


of  business.  He  chose  for  his  wife  Miss  Kate 
Weinman,  daughter  of  Christian  and  Kate 
(Wolf)  Weinman,  natives  of  Germany,  born  in 
Wurtemberg,  who  came  thence  to  Philadelphia 
and  from  there  to  Illinois.  They  settled  in 
Henry  county,  that  state,  on  a farm  of  i6o 
acres.  By  trade  Mr.  Weinman  was  a butcher, 
and  both  he  and  wife  were  members  of  the  Lu- 
theran church.  He  died  December  27,  1869, 
and  the  mother  died  February  22,  1886,  and 
they  were  laid  to  rest  in  the  Weathersfield 
cemetery  in  Illinois.  The  family  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Weinman  were:  George  F.,  a butcher  by 
trade;  Margaret,  wife  of  William  Wolf;  Ed- 
ward, a farmer;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Thomas 
Lincoln;  Mary;  Joseph,  a farmer,  and  Kate, 
who  became  the  wife  of  Daniel  B.  Moore  De- 
cember 4,  1 867.  The  family  of  children  born 
to  the  parents  of  Mr.  Moore  consists  of  six: 
Sarintha,  the  wife  of  PI.  C.  Merritt;  Robert,  a 
farmer;  Susan,  the  wife  of  Tracy  Sykes;  Daniel 
B. ; John,  a meixhant,  and  Sarah,  the  wife  of 
Daniel  A.  Bigelow. 

Daniel  B.  Moore  first  located  on  the  old 
homestead,  where  he  carried  on  farming  for 
several  years,  but  in  1874  he  moved  to  Indi- 
ana and  went  into  the  lumber  business,  but 
later  purchased  the  farm  of  160  acres  where 
he  now  resides.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Moore  have 
two  children,  Kate  C.,  the  wife  Daniel  Storer, 
and  Annie  Mabel,  yet  single.  Mr.  Moore  is  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  order  and  has  taken  a 
prominent  part  in  the  affairs  of  the  township. 
He  was  one  of  the  first  advocates  of  the  pike 
roads,  and,  although  there  was  much  opposi- 
tion in  some  quarters,  he  finally  carried  his 
point  and  the  people  are  grateful.  He  is  the 
president  of  the  Ndes  Natural  Gas  company 
and  is  very  highly  regarded,  in  every  way,  as 
an  enterprising  and  excellent  citizen.  The 
family  are  members  of  the  Missionary  Baptist 
church,  in  which  body  he  is  a trustee,  and  all 
his  acts  conform  to  its  teachings. 


ANIEL  N.  PETERSON.— This  name 
is  one  well  known  in  Niles  township, 
Delaware  county,  Ind. , by  those  who 
gladly  turn  from  the  rough  country 
by-ways  and  enjoy  the  pike  road  known  as  the 
Peterson  & Black  Pike  road,  the  best  in  the 
township.  He  was  considerably  instrumental 
in  having  the  road  built  and  the  gratitude  of 
the  traveling  public  is  his. 

Daniel  N.  Peterson  was  born  in  Greene 
county,  Ohio,  November  ii,  1839,  son  of 
Jacob  and  Deborah  (Mock)  Peterson,  natives 
of  Virginia  and  of  German  extraction,  the 
father  born  November  i,  1806,  and  the  mother 
December  28,  1807.  They  removed  to  Greene 
county,  Ohio,  entered  land,  and  there  the 
father  died  September  7,  1863,  and  the 

mother,  November  13,  1886,  their  burial 

being  in  Greene  county.  They  were  members 
of  the  German  Reformed  church.  The 
brothers  and  sisters  of  Mr.  Peterson,  Sr., 
were  Gatherine,  the  wife  of  Joseph  JBoots; 
Samuel,  a retired  farmer;  Christina,  the  wife 
of  Solomon  Bergdoll;  Hannah,  the  wife  of 
George  I man;  Mary,  the  wife  of  Jonathan 
Ketterman;  Joel,  Jacob  and  Eelix,  farmers, 
and  Moses,  deceased.  The  brothers  and  sis- 
ters of  Mrs.  Deborah  Peterson  are  as  follows: 
Hannah,  wife  of  John  Calhoun;  Lydia,  wife 
of  Thomas  Lucas;  Mary,  wife  of  William 
James;  Cynthia,  wife  of  Perry  Kilgore;  Cath- 
erine, wife  of  Ezra  Compton,  and  Daniel,  John 
and  Hezekiah,  farmers.  These  are  well  known 
names  through  the  county. 

Daniel  N.  Peterson  remained  at  home  until 
he  was  married,  November  27,  i860,  to  Miss 
Martha  A.  Eord,  daughter  of  William  and 
Harriet  (McDonald)  Ford,  natives  of  Vir- 
ginia, who  went  to  Clinton  county,  Ohio,  in 
1838,  and  settled  on  a farm,  where  his  death 
took  place  in  June,  1845,  his  wife  surviving 
him  three  years.  The  brothers  and  sisters  of 
the  mother  of  Mrs.  Peterson,  are  Louis,  Bailus, 


MISS  EMILY  E.  PETERSON. 


NILES  TOWNSHIP. 


701 


Mary,  Martha  and  Harriet,  and  the  brothers 
and  sisters  of  her  father  are  Chancellor,  James, 
Mary  and  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Grayson  Hump- 
ston.  The  brothers  and  sisters  of  Mrs.  Peter- 
son are  Mildred,  deceased;  Sarah, wife  of  Jacob 
Peterson;  James,  John,  deceased;  William, 
deceased;  Emily,  deceased;  Bailus,  deceased; 
Mary  E.,  wife  of  Silas  Adsit;  Martha  (Mrs. 
Peterson) ; Charles,  deceased,  and  Elizabeth  wife 
of  James  Ashley.  The  brothers  and  sisters  of 
Daniel  L.  Peterson  are  Lydia  C. , the  wife  of  Allen 
Long;  Hiram,  deceased;  Mary  E. , deceased; 
Jacob  L. , a mechanic,  deceased;  Virginia, 
wife  of  James  R.  Babb;  Amy,  wife  of  Martin 
Snyder,  and  John  M.,  a farmer. 

Daniel  N.  Peterson  first  settled  on  a farm 
in  Greene  county,  Ohio,  where  he  remained 
until  1865,  and  then  came  to  Delaware  county, 
Ind  , and  located  in  Niles  township  on  a farm 
of  eighty  acres,  nearly  all  of  it  cleared  and 
well  improved  at  this  time.  In  the  township 
he  has  been  a most  faithful  man  of  affairs, 
serving  as  trustee  for  a period  of  ten  years, 
which  was  a longer  term  of  office  than  any 
other  ever  held  in  the  township.  It  was 
during  his  administration  that  the  splendid 
pike  road  was  built  of  which  he  is  superin- 
tendent, and  he  also  was  the  means  of  having 
six  brick  school  houses  erected  in  the  town- 
ship. He  is  well  educated  himself,  and  desires 
that  the  present  generation  shall  have  every 
advantage.  Mr.  Peterson  is  a stanch  repub- 
lican and  a prominent  member  of  the  party  in 
local  circles,  his  first  vote  having  been  for 
Lincoln.  He  is  socially  connected  with  the 
F.  M.  B.  A.,  and  is  one  of  the  best  citizens,  of 
whom  too  much  can  not  be  said.  He  has  an 
adopted  daughter  who  bears  the  name  of  Car- 
rie Peterson.  Mr.  Peterson  has  been  very 
unfortunate  in  some  ways,  having  been  injured 
very  seriously  by  a mowing  machine  some 
time  ago,  and  one  year  since  was  caught  in  a 
barn  door,  by  which  he  was  hurt  again,  having 


two  ribs  broken.  Notwithstanding  these  acci- 
dents, Mr.  Peterson  attends  to  his  business 
j and  is  a fine  man  in  every  way.  Since  1866, 

I Mr.  Peterson  has  been  a member  of  the 
j Methodist  Episcopal  church,  in  which  he  is  a 
j steward,  and  in  which  for  twelve  years  he  was 
i a class  leader.  Mrs.  Peterson  united  with  the 
church  at  the  same  time  as  did  her  husband, 
j and  they  have  since  remained  consistent  mem- 
j bers  of  the  same. 


ACOB  F.  PETERSON  has  shown  that 
economy  and  good  management  will 
result  in  the  accumulation  of  a good 
property.  He  was  born  in  Greene 
county,  Ohio,  being  the  son  of  Moses  and 
Melinda  (Juda)  Peterson,  both  of  German  de- 
scent. The  parents  of  his  father  and  mother 
went  from  Virginia  in  1813,  to  Greene  count}, 

! Ohio,  and  Moses  and  Melinda  Peterson  were 
married  in  1827.  They  owned  320  acres  of 
land  in  Greene  county,  where  they  died;  the 
father  in  1867,  and  the  mother  in  1865,  and 
are  buried  in  the  Xenia  cemetery.  They  were 
\ the  parents  of  nine  children,  namely:  Emily, 

j Amanda,  Jacob  F.,  Martha,  Eli,  a retired 
I farmer;  Christena,  and  Wilbur,  a famer;  Mary 
I E.  deceased;  and  Harriet,  deceased. 

Moses  Peterson  was  the  brother  of  the 
following:  Samuel,  Joel,  Felix,  Jacob,  farmers; 
Catherine,  wife  of  Joseph  Boots;  Mary,  wife 
of  Jonathan  Ketman;  Christina,  wife  of  Solo- 
mon Bargdel;  Hannah,  wife  of  George  Iman. 
The  mother  of  our  subject  had  one  brother  and 
two  sisters,  namely:  Absalom,  a farmer;  Su- 

sanna, wife  of  William  Shook;  and  Penina, 
wife  of  John  Sparr. 

Jacob  F.  Peterson  was  married  at  the  age 
of  twenty-two  to  Sarah,  the  daughter  of 
William  and  Harriet  (McDonald)  Ford,  of 
i Scotch-Irish  nativity.  The  parents  of  the 


702 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


wife  of  Mr.  Peterson  went  from  Virginia  to 
Ohio,  where  they  lived  and  died — her  father 
June  6,  1845,  her  mother,  January  8, 

1850,  and  both  sleep  their  last  sleep  in  Anti- 
och cemetery,  Clinton  county,  Ohio.  They 
were  the  parents  of  the  following  children: 
Mildred,  deceased;  Sarah,  wife  of  subject; 
Emily,  died  September  ii,  1836;  Mary,  wife 
of  Silas  Addsit;  Martha,  wife  of  D.  A.  Peter- 
son; Anna  E. , wife  of  James  Ashley,  of  Illi- 
nois; James,  a farmer;  Mary,  single;  John, 
died  September  11,  1839;  Balis,  died  in  1842, 
and  Charles,  died  in  1856.  Her  parents  were 
members  of  the  Baptist  church.  Jacob  F. 
Peterson  settled,  after  reaching  twenty-one, 
on  the  old  homestead,  and  lived  there  until 
August,  1 866,  when  he  moved  to  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  and  settled  on  his  pleasant  farm 
in  Niles  township,  consisting  of  325  acres  of 
land.  It  was  then  but  partly  cleared,  but  is 
now  a beautiful  home.  A fine  structure  occu- 
pies the  place  of  the  old  cabin,  and  it  is  sur- 
rounded by  very  substantial  barns  and 
outbuildings.  Mr.  Peterson  has  been  very 
successful  in  his  farming  operations,  and  owns 
325  acres  of  splendid  land.  He  and  his  wife 
are  very  worthy  members  of  the  Methodist 
church,  and  are  most  useful  in  that  body. 
They  are  the  parents  of  a large  and  interest- 
ing family,  namely:  William,  a carpenter; 
Newton,  a farmer,  married  to  Ella  McDaniel; 
Lawson,  a farmer,  married  to  Rosa  Devoe; 
Emily,  was  killed  by  a runaway  horse,  April 
14,  1891;  Florence,  wife  of  Judson  Bryan; 
Martha  C.,  wife  of  John  Murphy;  Frank, 
married  to  Martha  Brammer;  Clair,  wife  of 
Ed  Brammer.  The  entire  family  is  held  in 
highest  respect,  and  are  esteemed  by  the 
people  of  the  township,  and  by  all  who  know 
them.  The  Peterson  family  is  highly  moral 
and  altogether  upright  in  its  walk  through  life, 
each  member  adhering  in  good  faith  to  his 
religious  convictions. 


^^p^ILBUR  PETERSON  is  a well-to-do 
Mm  I citizen  of  Niles  township,  Delaware 
county,  and  was  born  in  Greene 
county,  Ohio,  November  23,  1840. 
He  is  the  son  of  Moses  and  Malinda  (Juda) 
Peterson.  (See  sketch  of  Jacob  Peterson  ) 
Wilbur  Peterson  was  married  November  20, 
1868,  to  Sarah  J.,  daughter  of  Samuel  and 
Angeline  (Haines)  Barley,  natives  of  Virginia, 
who  moved  to  Ohio  at  an  early  day;  lived  there 
for  a number  of  years,  and  then  moved  to  Niles 
township,  where  the  father  entered  eighty  acres 
of  land.  Here  they  lived  until  the  death  of  the 
I mother,  when  he  came  and  made  his  home 
with  his  son,  Wilbur,  until  his  death,  Octo- 
ber 24,  1886.  The  mother  died  February  23, 
1883.  The  father  of  Mrs.  Peterson  had  one 
brother  and  one  sister,  namely:  John,  a farmer, 
j and  Mary,  wife  of  Isaac  Carkuff.  The  parents 
of  Mrs.  Peterson  were  consistent  members  of 
the  Methodist  church.  Her  father,  at  one  time, 
owned  259  acres  of  good  land,  which  he  gave 
to  his  children,  they  being  named  as  follows: 
David,  a farmer;  Esterline,  wife  of  Amos  Fore- 
man; Kindrick  S.,  deceased,  and  Charles  E., 
a farmer. 

After  Wilbur  Peterson  married  he  settled 
in  Ohio,  near  Xenia,  where  he  remained  one 
year,  and  then  moved  to  his  present  home  in 
Niles  townsaip,  where  he  owns  a fine  farm  of 
662  acres.  His  father  gave  him,  when  he 
started  out  for  himself,  $3,  500,  and  his  wife 
was  given  fifty-eight  acres  of  land  by  her 
j father.  By  this  marriage  there  are  four  chil- 
I dren,  namely:  Samuel  M.,  Emma  J.,  Effie  F. , 
j and  Mary  A.  Mr.  Peterson  makes  stock  rais- 
ing his  chief  business,  and  is  very  successful  at 
it.  He  and  his  wife  are  members  of  , the 
Methodist  church,  in  which  body  they  are 
recognized  as  sincere  Christians.  Mr.  Peter- 
son is  a member  of  the  G.  A.  R.  and  of  the 
the  order  of  Red  Men. 

William  Peterson  enlisted  August  22,  1862, 


NILES  TOWNSHIP. 


703 


in  company  D,  One  Hundred  and  Tenth  regi- 
ment, Ohio  volunteer  infantry,  at  Xenia,  and 
went  to  camp  at  Pickaway;  then  to  Parkers- 
burg and  remained  there  three  weeks;  thence 
to  Clarksburg,  Va.  ; and  then  to  New  Creek 
station.  From  the  latter  place  he  went  to  Cum- 
berland, Md.,  where  he  was  taken  sick  and  re- 
mained in  the  Kelly  hospital  for  a short  time,  was 
then  taken  to  the  Olive  hospital,  where  he  re- 
mained a month,  and  was  then  discharged.  He 
soon,  however,  joined  his  company  just  in  time 
for  the  battle  of  Gettysburg.  From  this  place  his 
company  went  to  Philadelphia,  then  to  Balti- 
more, and  afterward  joined  the  army  of  the 
Potomac.  They  remained  at  Culpeper  C.  H. 
for  three  or  four  weeks;  then  marched  to 
Bristol  Heights,  where  they  had  a severe  en- 
gagement and  drove  the  enemy  to  the  Rappa- 
hannock. From  this  point  his  regiment  moved 
to  Belton  Station,  where  it  had  another  en- 
gagement; then  at  Kellys’  Ford  the  enemy  was 
driven  to  Brandy  Station,  where  another  bat- 
tle was  fought.  November  26,  1863,  his  reg- 
iment crossed  the  Rapidan  river  and  had  an 
engagement  with  the  enemy  at  Locust  Grove. 
Here  Mr.  Peterson  was  wounded  and  laid  up 
for  several  weeks.  When  he  recovered  he  was 
sent  with  his  regiment  to  re-enforce  Gen. 
Ward,  and  marched  twenty-four  miles  from 
10  A.  M.  until  3 o’clock  of  the  following  morn- 
ing. He  has  always  been  a republican,  and 
he  and  wife  are  Methodists.  He  is  also  a 
member  of  the  G.  A.  R.  and  the  Red  Men. 


AVID  G.  RACER. — To  possess  the 
comforts  of  a home  that  is  all  one’s 
own,  and  to  live  apart  from  the  jost- 
ling crowd  of  the  city  in  an  air  which 
is  pure  and  sweet,  this  is  real  living;  while  the 
sojourner  of  the  noisy  and  ill-smelling  place 
filled  with  houses,  and  people  does  but  stay 


here  upon  earth.  When  to  the  health  of  the 
country  are  added,  as  in  this  case,  the  esteem 
of  friends,  and  the  respect  of  neighbors,  this 
indeed  is  the  sum  of  all  living.  David  C. 
Racer  was  born  in  Washington  county,  Ohio, 
December  18,  1816;  being  the  son  of  Dennis 
and  Mary  (Haldron)  Racer,  they  being  of 
French  and  Scotch  descent,  respectively.  The 
parents  of  Mr.  Racer  went  from  Pennsylvania 
to  Washington  county,  Ohio,  in  the  year  1800, 
and  lived  there  until  1847,  when  they  removed 
to  Indiana.  While  they  were  living  in  Wash- 
ington countj^,  D.  C.  Racer  was  born  near 
Marietta.  When  his  parents  settled  in  Indiana 
they  occupied  the  farm  upon  which  he  now 
lives  and  which  he  owns.  His  brother  entered 
the  land,  and  he  subsequently  purchased  it  of 
him.  Here  it  was  that  his  father  and  mother 
lived  and  finally  died,  the  mother  February  23, 
1871,  and  the  father  September  13,  1871. 
They  now  lie  side  by  side  in  the  John  Black 
cemetery,  after  a married  life  of  seventy  years. 
The  mother  of  our  subject  was  a member  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  The  children 
by  the  marriage  of  this  estimable  pair  were: 
Joseph,  lost  off  a steamer,  in  Arkansas,  in  the 
Red  river;  Mary,  deceased;  Susan,  Elizabeth, 
and  Melissa,  also  deceased;  Dennis,  died  on 
on  the  way  to  California,  and  was  buried  at 
sea;  David,  a farmer;  died  in  Iowa;  Anna,  wife 
of  James  Poser;  and  James,  a farmer,  died  in 
Ohio.  The  father  of  David  C.  Racer  has  a 
brother  and  sister,  Benjamin,  a farmer;  and 
Mary,  wife  of  Henry  Straight.  The  brothers 
and  sisters  of  his  mother  are:  John,  who  died 
at  the  age  of  one  hundred;  Joseph,  died  at  the 
age  of  seventy;  Colman,  died  at  the  age  of 
seventy;  Rebecca,  wife  of  J.  McVery;  Ruthy, 
wife  of  Daniel  Dowlton;  and  Nancy,  wife  of 
William  Guilky. 

David  C.  Racer  was  married  at  the  age  of 
twenty-four,  to  Malinda  Earabee,  daughter  of 
William  and  Sarah  (Hoadland)  Farabee,  the 


704 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


date  of  the  wedding  day  being  Jannai'}'  17, 

I 840.  The  parents  of  Mrs.  Racer  came  from 
Pennsylvania  to  Athens  county,  Ohio,  in  1838, 
where  they  settled  upon  a farm  of  120  acres. 
There  the  parents  finally  died,  the  father  in 
1877  and  the  mother  in  1856;  being  laid  away 
in  the  cemetery  at  Athens,  after  forty  years  of 
happy  married  life.  They  reared  a family  of 
nine  children,  as  follows:  Mary,  wife  of  James 
McWhorter;  Thomas,  a physician;  Melinda; 
Catherine,  wife  of  George  Canny;  Anna,  wife 
of  Samuel  McKibben;  Elias,  a farmer;  and 
Silas  and  Samuel,  deceased.  Beside  these, 
Mrs.  Racer  has  the  following  half  brothers  and 
sisters:  Nancy,  wife  of  John'  West,  John  and 
Benjamin  'V.,  farmers. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Racer  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  and  of 
the  Presbyterian  churches,  respectively, 
her  father  being  a class  leader  in  his  church. 
The  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Racer  owned  800 
acres  of  land  in  Washington  county.  Pa. 

When  David  C.  Racer  first  came  to  this 
country  he  was  very  much  annoyed  by  the 
wolves  and  the  panthers.  He  has  killed  four- 
teen of  the  former  out  of  fifteen  shots  and  has 
also  brought  down  many  a deer.  His  market 
was  Muncie'  and  thither  he  had  to  drive  his 
hogs.  He  and  his  wife  kept  house  for  twenty 
years  before  they  had  a cook  stove,  and  still 
hnve  the  kettle  they  first  used,  a ten  gallon 
one,  which  the  grandson  retains  as  a momento. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Racer  have  in  their  possession  a 
pocketbook,  which  has  been  in  the  family 
since  before  the  Revolutionary  war. 

Dennis  Racer  was  a soldier  in  the  war  of 
1812,  and  his  grandfather  was  stolen  when 
seven  years  of  age  and  kept  by  the  Indians 
until  he  was  fourteen,  when  he  was  found  and 
taken  back  to  his  parents.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Racer  have  had  by  their  marriage  the  follow- 
ing children:  James  C. , a farmer;  Thomas 
H.,  a farmer;  Sarah,  wife  of  Samuel  Stafford; 


William  C.,  a farmer;  John  E.,  a farmer,  and 
Susan,  who  died  August  17,  1856,  and  was 
buried  at  Granville.  David  C.  Racer  was 
supervisor  of  the  township  for  a period  of 
three  years.  At  one  time  he  owned  320  acres 
of  land;  but  he  has  helped  his  children  and 
now  he  owns  but  120  acres.  He  makes  it  a 
rule  to  give  each  of  his  children  $1,200  when 
they  start  out  in  life  for  themselves.  Mr. 
Racer  is  a strictly  temperate  man  and  can 
truthfully  say  that  he  never  drank  a drop  of 
liquor  in  his  life.  In  politics  he  is  a strong 
republican  and  gives  to  that  party  a hearty 
support.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Racer  are  members  of 
the  Methodist  church,  and  they,  as  well  as  all 
the  members  of  the  family  are  highly  re- 
spected by  all  who  know  them. 


HDAM  shirk. — Among  the  prominent 
residents  of  Niles  township,  Adam 
Shirk  is  well  known  as  a successful, 
honest  and  prosperous  farmer  and 
stock  raiser.  He  was  born  April  20,  1824,  in 
Greene  countv,  Ohio,  son  of  Jacob  and  Cathe- 
rine (Kimmell)  Shirk,  natives  of  Virginia,  who 
came  to  Ohio  at  an  early  day  and  settled  on  a 
farm  situated  on  Caesar  creek,  near  James- 
town. There  the}^  lived  and  died,  the  father 
in  1872  and  the  mother  in  1875.  In  their  early 
days  they  were  connected  with  the  Methodist 
church,  and  the  elder  Mr.  Shirk  frequently 
walked  a distance  of  three  miles  through  the 
woods  to  attend  divine  service,  carrying  young 
Adam  in  his  arms.  Jacob  and  Catherine  Shirk 
reared  a family,  as  follows:  Alfred,  a farmer; 

Adam,  whose  name  introduces  this  sketch; 
John,  Jacob,  Henry,  William,  Jemima,  wife  of 
James  Dougherty;  Sarah,  wife  of  Jesse  Bow- 
len;  Malinda,  wife  of  James  Bales;  Susan,  wife 
of  John  King,  and  Mary,  the  wife  of  Eli  Bales. 
Adam  Shirk  has  been  a hard  working  man  and 


NILES  TOWNSHIP. 


705 


now  takes  pardonable  pride  in  his  fine  farm  of 
320  acres,  which  he  has  earned  by  his  own 
close  attention  to  business.  He  moved  upon 
this  place  in  September,  1853,  and  now  has  a 
fine  estate,  well  improved  and  well  stocked 
He  first  lived  in  a log  cabin  on  the  place  for 
sixteen  years,  and  then  built  the  present  beau- 
tiful residence,  in  which  may  be  found  every 
comfort. 

Adam  Shirk  was  drafted  into  the  Uniied 
States  service  March  22,  1865,  and  went 

to  Richmond,  Ind.,  where  he  hired  a substitute 
for  $800.  He  married,  February  16,  1846, 
Miss  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Dorothy 
(Hickman)  Bales,  natives  of  Ireland  and  Ger- 
many, and  to  this  union  seven  children  have 
been  born,  as  follows:  John,  who  died  Janu- 

ary 20,  1852;  Amanda  J.,  who  died  August 
10,  1871;  Marion,  a factory  hand;  Jacob,  a 
a farmer;  William,  a farmer;  Adam  B. , who 
died  August  7,  1871;  and  Mollie,  wife  of 

Charles  Bullock.  Mr.  Shirk  has  taken  an 
active  part  in  public  affairs  in  the  township. 
He  was  for  some  time  drainage  commissioner, 
and  socially  is  a member  of  the  Masonic  order 
and  the  Patrons  of  Husbandry.  He  was  mas- 
ter of  the  grange  for  four  years,  and  all  of  his 
offices  have  been  efficiently  filled.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  church  and  one  of 
the  leading  citizens  of  the  community  in  which 
he  resides. 


ENRY  SHIRK,  a well-to-do  and  pop- 
ular farmer  of  Niles  township,  Dela- 
ware county,  was  born  in  Greene 
county,  Ohio,  April  10,  1832,  and  is 
son  of  Jacob  and  Catherine  (Kimmell)  Shirk. 
The  father  was  of  German  descent,  and  set- 
tled on  a farm  of  120  acres  in  Greene  county, 
having  come  from  West  Virginia.  There  he 
lived  until  his  death  in  1872,  and  three  years 
later  his  devoted  wife  followed  him  to  the 
grave.  Jacob  and  Catherine  Shirk  were  the 


parents  of  the  following  children:  Jemima,  Sa- 
rah, Susan,  Alfred,  a farmer;  Melinda,  Adam,  a 
farmer;  Jacob,  died  in  the  army  during  the  war; 
Henry,  and  William,  a farmer.  - Henry  Shirk 
remained  at  home  until  he  was  twenty-one 
years  old,  at  which  time  he  was  married  to 
Dorothy  Bales,  daughter  of  Jonathan  and 
Sarah  (Hickman)  Bales,  both  natives  of  Penn- 
sylvania. Jonathan  and  Sarah  Bales  went  to 
Ohio  at  an  early  day,  where  the  father  bought 
land  which  cost  him  $10  per  acre.  The  father 
of  Mrs.  Shirk  was  a soldier  in  the  war  of  1812, 
in  which  he  served  three  years,  and  later  filled 
the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace  for  a number 
of  years.  The  parents  of  Mrs.  Shirk  were 
honest,  good  people,  and  members  of  the  Bap- 
tist church.  Their  children  were  four  in  num- 
ber, namely:  Elizabeth,  wife  of  George 

Brickies;  Jonathan,  a farmer;  Leah,  wife  of 
Calvin  Mullen,  and  Mrs.  Dorothy  Shirk;  the 
latter  died  March  8,  1890,  and  was  laid  to  rest 
in  the  Strong  cemetery,  where  an  appropriate 
monument  marks  the  spot. 

Mr.  Shirk  remained  single  for  one  year, 
and  was  then  married  to  Mrs.  Hannah  M. 
Jones,  widow  of  Matthew  Jones  and  daughter 
of  David  and  Magdalen  (Zimmerman)  Baker, 
of  German  descent,  and  natives  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. They  came  to  Muncie  in  the  fall  of 
1861,  and  then  moved  to  Dunkirk,  where  Mr. 
Baker  purchased  a farm  of  160  acres,  upon 
which  his  and  his  wife’s  deaths  subsequently 
occurred.  The  wife  of  Mr.  Shirk  is  a pious 
member  of  the  Baptist  church  and  is  highly 
regarded  in  the  community.  Mr.  Shirk  has  a 
farm  of  sixty  acres  of  good  and  well  improved 
land.  He  is  an  honest  and  hard  working 
man  and  much  respected  in  the  township  where 
he  has  resided  for  so  many  years.  His  educa- 
tion was  received  in  the  common  schools,  and 
he  is  a man  of  good  practical  common  sense. 
In  politics  he  is  a democrat,  and  strongly  at- 
tached to  his  party. 


706 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


The  first  husband  of  Mrs.  Shirk  was 
Matthew  Jones,  a native  of  Butler  county, 
Pa.,  and  the  son  of  Thomas  and  Elizabeth 
(Sanderson)  Jones,  natives  of  Pennsylvania. 
The  following  are  the  names  of  the  brothers 
and  sisters  of  Matthew  Jones:  Henry,  a farm- 
er; Isaac,  a farmer;  William,  a cooper;  Betsy, 
wife  of  John  Marks;  Rebecca,  wife  of  Levi 
Doty;  Polly,  wife  of  J.  Reed,  and  Anna  Will- 
iams, a half-sister.  Matthew  Jones  is  the 
second  son,  and  a cooper  and  carpenter  by 
trade.  By  his  first  marriage,  which  took 
place  September  24,  1851,  in  Pennsylvania, 
he  became  the  father  of  the  following  children, 
namely:  Allen  R..  Jefferson  Z.,  Magdalen, 
Catherine,  Anna,  deceased,  and  David  W.  H. 
Mr.  Jones  was  a member  of  the  Methodist 
church,  and  an  active  worker  in  that  body. 
He  was  a member  of  the  Masonic  order,  being 
of  a social  mind,  and  making  many  friends. 
This  good  man  was  a kind  father,  and  was 
highly  respected  by  all  knew  him. 


^ILLIAM  SHIRK  is  an  honest,  hard 
working  and  succes.«ful  farmer  of 


(U 

Niles  township,  who  was  born  in 

Greene  county,  Ohio,  in  the  year 
1833.  His  parents  lived  and  died  in  Ohio, 
the  father  passing  away  in  1859,  and  the 
mother  in  1866.  They  are  buried  in  the 
Shooks  cemetery,  in  Greene  county.  The 
father  was  a farmer,  and  he  and  his  wife  were 
highly  respected  people.  They  lived  and  died 
in  the  faith  of  the  Methodist  church.  William 
Shirk  remained  at  home  until  he  was  twenty- 
three  years  old,  and  then  married  Margaret 
Golder,  daughter  of  John  and  Emeline  (Bul- 
lock) Golder.  Her  parents  went  from  New 
York  to  Greene  county,  Ohio,  where  her 
father  purchased  a farm  of  loo  acres  near 
New  Jasper,  upon  which  they  lived  and  finally 


died;  the  father  in  1883,  and  the  mother 
August  10,  1890.  Mrs.  Shirk  has  two  brothers, 
John  W.  and  Hiram  A.,  both  farmers.  John 
and  Emeline  Golder  were  members  of  the 
Christian  church,  and  are  buried  in  the  James- 
town cemetery,  in  Greene  county,  Ohio. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Shirk  are  the  parents  of  seven 
children,  namely:  John  A.,  a farmer;  Hiram 
G. , a farmer;  Dorothy  E , wife  of  N.  H. 
Bailey;  Jacob  M.,  a carpenter;  William  S.,  a 
farmer;  Margaret  E.,  wife  of  J.  C.  Eudge, 
and  Laura  D.,  at  home.  Mr.  Shirk  came  to 
Niles  township,  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  Sep- 
tember 6,  1873,  and  settled  at  his  present 
home,  where  he  owns  a farm  of  160  acres  of 
land,  well  improved.  He  and  his  wife  are 
members  of  the  Methodist  church.  Mrs. 
Shirk  is  a faithful  and  good  wile,  coming  from 
honest  and  hard  working  parents,  who  set- 
tled in  Ohio  in  an  early  day,  endured  all  the 
hardships  of  pioneer  life,  a portion  of  which 
she  herself  experienced. 

Mr.  Shirk  was  a soldier  in  the  late  civil 
war,  enlisting  in  1 864  in  an  Ohio  regiment 
with  which  he  served  until  July  17,  1865, 
when  he  was  discharged  on  account  of  a 
wound  received  in  the  battle  of  Buzzard's 
Roost,  Ga.  He  remained  in  the  hospital  for 
many  months  and  now  draws  a pension  from 
the  government. 


^ J 'V  R.  SMITH  is  a representative  far- 
■ I ■ mer  of  Niles  township,  who  was  born 
V £ ^ in  Greene  county,  Ohio,  March  4, 
1857.  He  is  the  son  of  Benjamin 
E.  and  Emily  (Peterson)  Smith,  both  parents 
of  German  extraction.  The  father  went  from 
West  Virginia  to  Greene  county,  Ohio,  where 
he  met  the  lady  who  afterward  became  his 
wife.  He  lived  in  that  county  for  thirty-six 
years,  and  then  came  to  Niles  township,  Dela- 


NILES  TOWNSHIP 


707 


ware  county,  Ind. , where  he  purchased  the  farm 
of  240  acres,  upon  which  M.  R.  Smith  now 
lives.  This  land  was  partly  cleared  when  it 
came  into  his  hands,  and  he  devoted  himself 
to  developing  and  putting  in  order  the  fine 
place,  which,  at  this  time,  is  one  of  the  best 
farms  in  the  township.  At  one  period  of  his 
life  Benjamin  Smith  owned  718  acres  of  good 
land.  He  died  May  5,  1888,  and  his  wife  Feb- 
ruary 5,  1881,  and  both  were  buried  in  the 
Eaton  cemetery. 

Benjamin  Smith  had  the  following  brothers 
and  sisters:  John,  minister;  Martha  A.,  wife  of 
Joseph  Stowe;  Betsy,  wife  of  Levi  Gustin;  Har- 
riet, wife  of  William  McDaniel;  Sophia,  wife  of 
Eli  Anderson;  Louisa;  Catherine,  wife  of  Alfred 
McDaniel.  The  following  are  the  names  of 
the  brothers  and  sisters  of  Mrs.  Emily  Smith: 
Jacob  F. , a farmer;  Amanda,  wife  of  Smith 
Babb;  Tena,  wife  of  Andrew  Black;  Eli,  a 
farmer;  Wilbur,  a farmer;  Harriet,  wife  of 
James  Anderson;  and  Ellen,  wife  of  Edward 
Paget.  Benjamin  Smith  was  a very  success- 
ful stock  dealer,  as  well  as  a farmer,  who  made 
the  tilling  of  the  soil  a thing  of  profit.  His 
fellow  citizens  made  him  commissioner  for 
nine  years,  and  assessor  for  two  terms.  He 
was  an  honored  member  of  the  Masonic  order. 
He  and  wife  were  members  of  the  Methodist 
church,  and  highly  respected  in  that  body. 

M.  R.  Smith  received,  for  his  portion,  the 
old  homestead,  consisting  of  120  acres.  He 
remained  at  home  until  he  was  of  age,  and 
then  married  Sarah,  daughter  of  Henry  and 
Martha  (Laturner)  Shannon,  of  Erench  and 
German  descent.  Her  parents  came  from 
Maryland  and  Ohio  respectively,  and  both 
came  to  this  state  with  their  parents,  and  here 
they  were  married  in  i860;  settling  in  Union 
township,  Delaware  county,  where  the  father 
owned  a farm  of  forty  acres.  Upon  this  he 
lived  for  twenty-two  years,  and  then  moved  to 
Granville,  where  he  owns  a farm  of  120  acres, 


and  upon  which  he  now  resides.  Mrs.  Emily 
Smith  died  July  17,  1885. 

Mrs.  Sarah  Smith  had  one  sister,  Mary, 
wife  of  Walter  Berry.  The  brothers  and  sis- 
ters of  her  father  were:  Alexander  and  Will- 

iam, deceased;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  William 
Gregory;  Simon,  a farmer;  Nancy,  wife  of 
David  Simongton;  Mary,  wife  of  David  Si- 
mongton;  Maria,  wife  of  Miller  Sherry.  The 
brothers  and  sisters  of  the  mother  of  the  wife 
of  our  subject  were:  Mary,  wife  of  William 

Wright;  Maggie,  wife  of  William  Sherman; 
Lizzie;  and  Adolphus,  a minister. 

M.  R.  Smith  moved  on  the  farm  which  his 
his  father  gave  him,  soon  after  his  marriage, 
and  has  lived  there  every  since.  He  is  nicely 
located,  and  has  the  best  of  improvements 
upon  the  place.  He  is  an  enterprising,  hard 
working  man,'  and  highly  esteemed  by  all  who 
know  him.  His  life  companion  is  a pious 
member  of  the  Methodist  church.  Mr.  Smith, 
in  addition  to  farming,  devotes  much  of  his 
time  to  the  raising  of  stock,  in  which  he  is 
very  successful.  He  is  a member  of  the  order 
of  Red  Men,  and  takes  much  interest  in  that 
organization.  In  politics  he  is  a republican, 
and  never  fails  to  assist  that  party  when  ever 
his  services  are  needed.  He  has  the  following 
brothers  and  sisters:  Mary,  wife  of  John  Bar- 

ley; Charles  a farmer;  Sophia,  wife  of  George 
i R.  Lowe;  Louis  F.,  a farmer;  Linnie,  wife  of 
J.  E.  McDaniels;  Anna,  wife  of  Charles  Miller. 


OHN  R.  STAFFORD,  a prominent 
farmer  of  Niles  township,  of  which  he 
is  a native,  is  a son  of  Joseph  and 
Amrilla  Stafford,  and  dates  his  birth 
from  the  17th  day  of  March,  1861.  Paternally 
he  is  descended  from  Irish  ancestry,  and  on 
the  mother’s  side  is  of  German  lineage.  Joseph 
Stafford  and  wife  moved  from  Ohio  to  Dela- 


708 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


ware  county,  Ind. , a number  of  years  ago, 
settling  in  the  township  of  Niles,  where  they 
reared  a family,  and  where  they  resided  until 
their  respective  deaths,  the  former  departing 
this  life  April  3,  1877,  latter  August 

30,  1882.  The  following  are  the  names  of 
the  brothers  and  sisters  of  Joseph  Stafford: 
Finley,  George,  Relph,  Catherine  (wife  of 
Valentine  Pence),  Margaret  (wife  of  John 
Black),  Betsey,  and  Ruth  (the  latter  married 
to  William  Black). 

Amrilla  Stafford,  whose  maiden  name  was 
Dinsmore,  was  the  daughter  of  John  Dinsmore, 
whose  birth  occurred  near  Winchester,  Va. , 
on  the  28th  of  June,  1797.  Mr.  Dinsmore  in 
an  early  day  emigrated  to  Ohio,  where  he  re- 
sided until  1837,  in  October  of  which  year  he 
became  a citizen  of  the  Hoosier  state.  He 
was  married  on  the  25th  of  June,  1819,  to 
Elizabeth  Anderson,  whose  birth  occurred  May 
9,  1798,  in  the  state  of  Maryland.  The  follow- 
ing is  a brief  record  of  the  family  of  John  and 
Elizabeth  Dinsmore,  viz:  Robert  H.  Dinsmore, 
the  eldset  son,  was  born  December  i , 1855;  Will- 
iam, born  December  24,  1824 — died  December 
28,  1862;  Rachel  A.,  born  Eebruary  15,  1828; 
Amrilla  J.,  born  August  8,  1831 — died  August 
30,  1883;  Mary  N.,  born  August  18,  1833; 
Daniel  M.,  born  October  31,  1837 — died  Oc- 
tober 12,  1843;  Eli  W.,  born  Eebruary  25, 
1841 — died  October  12,  1843.  The  mother  of 
these  children  died  March  23,  1848,  and  the 
father  was  called  to  his  final  reward  on  the 
29th  of  October,  1865.  John  R.  Stafford 
grew  to  manhood  in  Delaware  county,  and 
has  I'esided  within  its  borders  ever  since  his 
birth,  making  his  home  in  Niles  township, 
upon  the  site  of  his  fathe’s  original  purchase. 
At  the  age  of  twenty,  he  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Nancy  A.  Boyd,  daughter  of  Cornelius 
and  Martha  (Jacobs)  Boyd,  to  which  union  the 
following  children  have  been  born ; William  M. , 
Bessie  M.,  Susan  Fair,  Nellie  E.  and  Charles 


R. , the  last  named  deceased.  Mr.  Stafford 
began  life  for  himself  as  a farmer,  and  still  de- 
votes his  attention  to  that  useful  calling,  being, 
at  this  time,  one  of  the  successful  agricultur- 
ists of  the  township  of  Niles.  His  first  real 
estate  consisted  of  forty  acres,  to  which  addi- 
tions have  been  made  from  time  to  time,  until 
the  area  of  his  farm  now  contains  ninety-five 
acres  of  fertile  land,  the  greater  part  in  a suc- 
cessful state  of  cultivation.  Mr.  Stafford  is 
enterprising  and  progressive,  a leading  citizen 
of  the  community  in  which  he  resides,  and  his 
name  is  well  worthy  of  mention  among  the 
representative  men  of  Niles  township.  Po- 
litically, he  is  an  ardent  republican,  and  in 
religion,  a Methodist.  Mrs.  Stafford  is  a 
member  of  the  Christian  or  New  Light  church. 


ENONA  THOMAS  is  a well-to-do  and 
excellent  citizen  of  Niles  township, 
who  was  born  in  Miami  county,  Ohio, 
June  2,  1836,  being  the  son  of  Price 
and  Anna  (Bobo)  Thomas.  The  parents  are 
of  German  and  Welsh-Irish  descent,  and  went 
from  Kentucky  to  Ohio  in  1816,  settling  upon 
a farm  of  160  acres.  They  lived  there  until 
i833i  when  they  came  to  Niles  township,  Del- 
aware county,  Ind. , settling  at  Granville.  The 
father  carried  a chain  to  lay  out  the  towns  of 
Granville  and  Albany.  He  had  the  following 
brothers  and  sisters:  Milton,  a doctor;  Susan- 
na, wife  of  Benona Robbins;  Price,  an  auction- 
eer; Dorinda,  wife  of  Andrew  Battrell;  Jerry, 
a farmer;  William,  a plasterer,  and  Michael,  a 
farmer.  Mrs.  Anna  Thomas  had  the  follow- 
ing brothers  and  sisters:  Martin,  a farmer; 

Jemima,  wife  of  T.  Clemings;  Jared,  a farmer; 
Alley,  wife  of  John  Thomas;  Margaret,  wife  of 
Absalom  Garner;  Dorcas,  wife  of  Thomas 
McKinney,  and  Garner,  a blacksmith.  Price 
and  Anna  Thomas  had  born  to  them,  beside 


NILES  TOWNSHIP. 


709 


Benona,  the  following  children:  Milton,  a liv- 
eryman at  Muncie;  Alice,  wife  of  Logan 
Jackson;  Ferinda,  deceased;  Millie,  wife  of 
James  Collins;  Jerry,  a saw  mill  owner;  Ellen, 
wife  of  Gordon  Collins;  Elizabeth,  wife  of 
John  Turner;  Martha,  wife  of  Joseph  Sloniker; 
Elmira,  wife  of  John  Spence;  Susan,  wife  of 
Joseph  Crouch,  and  Emazetta. 

Benona  Thomas  was  married  July  12,  1 859, 
to  Phebe,  daughter  of  Isaac  Bost,  by  whom  he 
had  two  children,  Ida  M.,  died  Eebruary  12, 
1880,  and  Harriet  C.,  died  October  12,  1865. 
Ths  wife  died  August  4,  1882,  and  was  buried 
in  Muncie  cemetery.  Mr.  Thomas  again  mar- 
ried, his  choice  being  Martha  J.,  daughter  of 
Jefferson  Walvern.  She  died  five  years  after 
marriage  and  was  buried  in  the  Granville  ceme- 
tery. Mr.  Thomas  next  married  Mary  E., 
daughter  of  Big  George  and  Clarissa  Eleming, 
her  parents  being  natives  of  Virginia. 

Benona  Thomas  enlisted  in  the  Union 
army  in  August,  1862,  in  the  three  years’  serv- 
ice, in  company  K,  Eighty-fourth  regiment, 
Indiana  volunteers,  at  Muncie.  He  went  to 
Richmond,  Ind. , and  to  Indianapolis,  and  was 
then  sent  to  Guyandotte,  W.  Va. , then  to  Nash- 
ville, where  he  was  taken  sick.  He  remained  in 
Hospital  No.  6 for  a time,  and  then  was  taken 
to  Louisville  and  placed  in  Hospital  No.  7, 
ward  No.  7;  from  which  place  he  was  finally 
sent  home,  having  lost  his  right  eye.  He  draws 
a pension  of  $16  a month  as  the  result  of  this 
affliction.  Mr.  Thomas  was  postmaster  for  a 
period  of  four  years  and  is  a democrat  in  poli- 
tics. He  is  a member  of  the  G.  A.  R.  post, 
and  is  much  attached  to  his  old  army  comrades. 
He  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Christian 
church  and  are  very  much  respected.  They 
pursue  the  even  tenor  of  a Christian  life, 
showing  in  all  their  acts  the  sincerity  of  the 
faith  that  is  within  them,  and  Mr.  Thomas 
has  not  failed  to  inculcate  his  children  with  the 
principles  of  morality. 


OAB  THORNBURG.  — Among  the 
many  worthy  people  who  have  fine 
homes  in  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  we 
note  Joab  Thornburg  and  his  worthy 
wife,  who  came  here  when  there  were  no  neigh- 
bors, no  improvements,  nothing  but  great 
woods  and  wild  game,  and  possibly  a lurking 
savage  for  company.  Joab  Thornburg  is  a 
representative  of  a state  which  has  sent  to 
sister  states  many  of  the  settlers  who  have 
done  the  most  toward  upbuilding  and  civilizing 
— the  state  of  Ohio.  His  birth  occurred  in 
Montgomery  county,  January  23,  1816,  a son 
of  Morgan  and  Hannah  (Harl)  Thornburg, 
natives  of  Tennessee,  who  had  located  for  a 
few  years  in  Ohio,  and  had  then  pushed  farther 
west  into  Indiana,  locating  in  Randolph  county 
in  1806,  where  they  lived  for  ten  years,  and 
then  moved  back  to  Tennessee.  There  they 
lived  some  years,  and  then  went  into  Perry 
township  and  made  a home. 

In  Niles  township  Mr.  Thornburg  entered 
eighty  acres  of  land  and  then  moved  to  Ring- 
gold  county,  Iowa,  near  Mt.  Ayr,  where  he  spent 
the  rest  of  his  days,  dying  in  the  fall  of  1865, 
his  wife  having  preceded  him  two  years. 
They  were  buried  in  Iowa.  They  had  reared 
the  following  family:  Elisha,  a wheelwright; 

Rebecca,  the  wife  of  Thomas  Cox;  Jonathan, 
a farmer;  Charity,  deceased;  Joseph,  deceased; 
Joab;  Morgan;  Hannah,  the  wife  of  Sam 
Adamson;  and  Mary,  the  wife  of  Reuben 
Schockley. 

Joab  Thornburg  remained  at  home  until 
his  marriage,  but  neither  he  nor  his  wife 
had  any  educational  advantages  whatever. 
Hes  name  was  Elizabeth  Medsker,  daughter  of 
David  and  Catherine  (Hoover)  Medsker,  of 
German  parentage.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thornburg 
were  married  March  12,  1840,  and  she  became 
a helpmate,  indeed,  to  her  husband.  She 
entered  bravely  into  all  of  his  plans  for  the 
new  home  in  the  wilderness,  and  many  times 


710 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


worked  by  his  side,  clearing  up  brush  and  as- 
sisting in  every  way  that  her  strength  would 
permit. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Medsker  came  to  Indiana 
from  Pennsylvania,  locating  first  in  Henry 
county,  and  then  in  Randolph  county,  where 
they  died,  the  father,  February  i8,  1874,  and 
the  mother  August  10,  1883.  They  were  laid 
to  rest  in  Hagerstown  cemetery.  They  were 
good,  Christian  people,  beloved  by  all  who 
knew  them.  They  reared  the  following  family; 
John,  deceased;  Daniel,  Zachariah  and  Corne- 
lius, all  farmers;  David,  deceased;  Jacob,  died 
in  the  army;  Isaac,  a farmer;  Elizabeth,  wife 
of  Joab  Thornburg;  Christina,  the  wife  of 
Christopher  Davis;  Anna,  the  wife  of  Franklin 
Burroughs;  and  Susannah,  deceased. 

Joab  Thornburg  first  settled  in  Randolph 
county,  where  he  lived  four  years,  and  then 
removed  to  Niles  township,  Delaware  county, 
where  his  present  pleasant  home  is  located. 
It  required  much  perseverance  and  enterprise 
to  get  the  new  home  under  way,  as  rolling 
logs  by  the  week  was  not  an  infrequent  task, 
but  comfort  finally  reigned  and  now  the  farm 
of  280  acres  repays  them  for  all  their  trouble. 
They  saw  a large  family  grow  up  around  them, 
as  follows:  Catherine,  wife  of  David  Bales; 
Maria,  deceased;  Nettie,  wife  of  Elisha  Win- 
gate; Mary  A.,  wife  of  Jackson  Klugh;  Martha 
J.,  wife  of  Elisha  Harty;  Sarah  E.,  wife  of 
Henry  Bales;  Elizabeth  W.,  wife  of  Jerry 
Williams;  William  M.,  who  died  May  9,  1878; 
Rettie  S.,  wife  of  Lamar  Cunningham  and 
Amanda,  wife  of  Aaron  Rook. 

Mr.  Thornburg  has  been  blessed  with 
many  of  the  blessings  of  life,  and  perhaps 
among  them  not  the  least  are  his  sons-in-law. 
One  of  these,  Elisha  Harty,  has  descended 
from  a good  old  Randolph  county  family.  He 
was  born  in  that  county  in  1 844.  He  has  had 
some  misfortunes,  having  lost  both  of  his 
little  children,  and  fire  having  destroyed  all 


his  buildings  in  1885.  He  owns  a farm  of 
twenty-six  acres.  Another.  Lamar  Cunning- 
ham, was  born  in  Brown  county,  Ohio,  in 
1857.  He  has  three  children  by  his  marriage 
with  Mr.  Thornburg’s  daughter,  Hattie  and 
Charles;  infant  not  named.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Thornburg  are  members  of  the  German  Bap- 
tist church,  and  politically  he  is  a democrat 
and  a good  citizen. 


G.  WEAVER,  one  of  the  thrifty 
farmers  and  stockmen  of  Niles  town- 
ship, is  a son  of  A.  C.  Weaver,  who 
located  in  this  part  of  the  county 
nearly  half  a century  ago,  moving  to  his  home 
in  a comparatively  unbroken  wilderness  over  a 
road  cut  through  the  woods  from  the  town  of 
Muncie.  A.  C.  Weaver  is  one  of  the  oldest 
living  pioneers  of  Delaware  county,  moving 
here  from  Virginia  at  a time  when  but  little 
attempt  had  been  made  to  reclaim  the  country 
from  its  original  forest  growth.  He  became  a 
large  owner  of  real  estate  in  what  is  now  the 
richest  gas  territory  of  Indiana,  and  since  the 
discovery  of  this  marvelous  fuel,  he  has  been 
very  actively  interested  in  the  growth  and  de- 
velopement  of  the  country. 

N.  G.  Weaver  was  born  where  he  now  re- 
sides, on  the  1st  day  of  December,  1863,  being 
the  youngest  of  a family  of  eight  children.  He 
commenced  life  as  a farmer,  to  which  useful 
calling  he  has  always  given  much  attention, 
though  a good  portion  of  his  time  has  been 
devoted  to  mercantile  pursuits,  in  which,  as  in 
agriculture,  his  success  has  been  of  the  most 
encouraging  nature.  In  addition  to  his  farming 
and  mercantile  interests,  Mr.  Weaver  for  some 
years  has  been  engaged  in  buying  and  shipping 
live  stock,  and  other  speculations,  and  to  him  is 
the  township  of  Niles  indebted  for  a large 
share  of  the  recent  development  which  has 


NILES  TOWNSHIP. 


711 


placed  this  section  among  the  most  advanced 
and  enlightened  portions  of  the  highly  favored 
county  of  Delaware.  He  has  labored  assidu- 
ously for  the  benefit  of  the  community,  and  in 
the  spirit  of  enterprise  has  done  as  much,  if 
not  more,  than  any  other  citizen  of  Niles  to- 
ward the  development  of  the  natural  gas  and 
oil  interests,  which  are  destined,  in  time,  to 
make  this  region  one  of  the  most  prosperous 
and  progressive  sections  of  the  great  gas  belt. 
Mr.  Weaver’s  home  is  a model  of  comfort,  and 
his  beautiful  farm,  consisting  of  240  acres  of 
choice  land,  ranks  among  the  best  cultivated 
and  highly  improved  places  in  Niles  township. 
Mr.  Weaver  was  married  September,  1879,  to 
Miss  Angie  Bailey,  of  this  township,  her  ances- 
try being  of  the  same  Virginia  origin  as  his  own 
family.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Weaver  are  highly  re- 
spected citizens  of  the  community,  and  possess 
in  full  measure  the  high  regard  of  all  with 
whom  they  come  in  contact. 


EORGE  V.  WILSON. —The  name  of 
Wilson  is  well  known  in  Delaware 
county  where,  before  the  manhood  of 
our  subject,  it  had  been  made  dis- 
tinguished by  his  father.  George  Wilson  was 
horn  in  Delaware  county,  Ind. , in  Niles  town- 
ship, July  5,  1851,  and  son  of  Josiah  and 

Elizabeth  (Vincent)  Wilson,  natives  of  Ohio 
who  came  to  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  in  the 
fall  of  1837,  settling  in  Niles  township  on  a 
farm  of  eighty  acres,  upon  which  Mr.  Wilson 
built  a log  cabin,  and  the  family  lived  as  pio- 
neers. He  was  a man  who  exerted  a great 
deal  of  influence,  was  prominent  in  many 
ways  in  the  township,  is  a member  of  the 
Methodist  church,  and  for  the  past  four  years 
has  resided  in  Albany.  His  family  is  as  fol- 
lows: Morgan  A.,  oonnected  with  the  furni- 
ture factory;  John  W. , also  in  the  factory; 


George  V.,  Nafry  F. , a farmer;  Pruda  L. , 
the  wife  of  George  Barnes. 

In  1873,  George  V.  Wilson  was  married  to 
Miss  Mary  E.  Smith,  daughter  of  Matthew 
and  Elizabeth  (Hagler)  Smith,  natives  of  Ohio 
who  came  to  Jay  county,  Ind.,  in  1840,  set- 
tling on  a farm  of  160  acres  of  land.  Mr. 
Smith  was  a man  of  prominence  in  the 
county;  for  fourteen  years  was  justice  of  the 
peace,  a member  of  the  Masonic  order,  was 
county  commissioner  for  one  term,  and  for  one 
term  represented  the  district  in  the  legislature. 
He  was  highly  respected,  and  when  his  life 
ended,  March  15,  1882,  he  was  lamented  by 
all.  His  remains  lie  in  the  Bethel  cemetery. 
The  mother  still  resides  upon  the  fine  farm  of 
160  acres.  The  children  of  Mrs.  Smith  are, 
Samuel  B.,  a farmer;  Laura  S.,  the  wife  of 
Joel  Green;  Louis  M.,  a farmer,  and  Mary 
E. , the  wife  of  our  subject.  One  child  has 
been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wilson,  Alma  G. 
Mr.  Wilson  has  a fine  farm  of  eighty  acres  of 
well  improved  land,  and  in  1889  he  built  a 
very  fine  house,  which  makes  a pleasant  home. 
He  is  a good  and  worthy  citizen,  one  of  the  re- 
liable kind,  whom  any  county  may  be  proud 
to  class  as  a citizen. 


AMUEL  H.  WILSON  is  a thrifty  far- 
mer of  Niles  township,  where  he  was 
born  November  13,  1864,  being  the 
son  of  Alfred  and  Martha  E.  (Wright) 
Wilson.  He  was  reared  upon  the  farm  upon 
which  he  now  resides,  which  contains  ninety- 
two  acres  of  well  cultivated  and  finely  im- 
proved land.  He  remained  at  home  with  his 
parents  until  he  was  twenty-one,  and  was  then 
married  to  Lenora  H.,  daughter  of  Lewis  and 
Lucinda  (Jones)  Davis,  natives  of  Indiana. 
Her  parents  came  from  Henry  county  to  Dela- 
ware county,  Niles  township,  in  March,  1883, 


712 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


and  settled  on  a farm,  where  he  now  lives  on 
172,^  acres  of  very  good  land.  The  brothers 
and  sisters  of  Mrs.  S.  H.  Wilson  are:  Elmer 

J.,  a school  teacher;  Orphia,  at  home;  Charles 
N.,  a farmer;  and  Bertha  A.,  the  baby. 

Lewis  Davis  is  a farmer  of  superior  skill, 
and  a stock  raiser.  He  is  widely  known, 
giving  his  attention  to  the  breeding  of  thorough- 
bred Poland-China  hogs.  He  has  a public 
sale  of  the  increase  in  October  of  each  year. 
This  enterprising  man  is  a member  of  the  Ma- 
sonic order,  and  of  the  order  of  Red  Men.  He 
and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Christian 
church,  and  very  prominent  and  popular  peo- 
ple. Alfred  Wilson  cleared  up  the  farm  upon 
which  Samuel  H.  now  lives,  while  he  is  living 
a retired  life  at  Muncie. 

Samuel  H.  Wilson  has  two  brothers  and 
two  sisters,  namely:  Samantha  J.,  wife  of  D. 
W.  Wingate;  Lillie  A.,  wife  of  J.  A.  Dwyer; 
Aaron  C.,  a school  teacher,  and  Oscar  T. , a 
farmer.  He  also  has  a half-sister,  Sarah  E. 
Wilson.  The  father  of  our  subject  had  a sis- 
ter, Dissie  L.  Wilson,  who  died  in  August, 
1878.  The  marriage  of  Samuel  H.  Wilson 
resulted  in  two  children,  namely:  Lalah  L. 

and  Charles  E.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wilson  are 
both  members  of  the  Christian  church.  Both 
of  them  received  a good  common  school  edu- 
cation and  are  well  informed  people.  Mr. 
Wilson  is  a republican,  and  a very  enterprising 
and  industrious  young  man,  highly  respected 
by  everybody. 


AMES  W.  WINGATE.— Niles  town- 
ship has  a number  of  worthy  and  good 
citizens,  and  prominent  among  these  is 
James  W.  Wingate.  He  was  born  at 
Georgetown,  Sussex  county,  Del.,  July  16, 
1815,  being  the  son  of  Philip  and  Sarah 
(Wright)  Wingate,  natives  of  Delaware  and 


Maryland  respectively.  The  parents  of  Philip 
Wingate  were  born  in  Caroline  county,  Md., 
and  lived  in  Georgetown.  Philip  was  a car- 
penter by  trade,  first  serving  as  an  apprentice 
for  five  years,  and  then  following  the  occupa- 
tion for  the  rest  of  his  life.  Mrs.  Sarah  Win- 
gate died  in  1821,  and  was  buried  close  by 
where  she  was  born  and  reared.  After  this, 
Philip  moved  to  Highland  county,  Ohio,  and 
settled  near  Leesburg,  where  he  warked  at  his 
trade.  Then,  in  1847,  he  came  to  Albany, 
Delaware  county,  Ind.,  and  worked  at  wagon 
making.  He  finally  died  at  the  home  of  his 
son,  James  W.,  October  9,  1871,  and  was 
laid  to  rest  in  Bethel  cemetery.  He  was 
married  a second  time  in  Maryland,  and  this 
wife  died  in  1851 ; being  buried  also  in  Bethel 
cemetery.  Philip  Wingate  had  the  following 
brothers:  Cannon,  a farmer,  and  John,  a 

painter.  The  brothers  and  sisters  of  Philip’s 
wife  are:  Celia,  wife  of  William  Maloney; 
Tilman,  a trader;  Rodgers,  a farmer;  Elisha, 
a farmer;  Aaron,  a farmer;  James,  a school 
teacher,  and  Hatfield,  a farmer. 

James  W.  Wingate  was  married  in  Layette 
county,  Ohio,  March  30,  1837,  to  Melinda, 
daughter  of  James  and  Sophia  (Chew)  Stew- 
art, of  Irish  and  American  descent.  Her  par- 
ents came  to  Indiana,  Delaware  county,  and 
settled  on  a farm  of  160  acres.  She  had  the 
following  brothers  and  sisters:  Lucinda,  wife 

of  Thomas  Dowden;  Matilda,  wife  of  Morris 
Bennett;  William  Eishback;  Margaret,  wife  of 
Colby  Pepple;  Rebecca,  wife  of  Thomas 
Klugh;  Mary,  wife  of  Charles  Ray;  Rees,  a 
blacksmith;  William  W. , a carpenter;  Harriet, 
wife  of  John  Rees,  and  James  J.,  a lawyer. 
The  brothers  and  sisters  of  James  W.  Wingate 
are:  Elisha,  a carpenter;  Francis,  a laborer; 

William  H.,  Robert,  Thomas  M.,  and  Philip 
A.,  farmers;  Louisa,  deceased;  Sarah  A.,  wife 
of  David  McDaniel,  and  John  N.,  a farmer. 

James  W.  Wingate  first  settled  in  Ohio,  in 


NILES  TOWNSHIP. 


713 


the  town  of  Munroe,  and  worked  at  his  trade, 
a carpenter,  until  1852,  when  he  moved  to 
Niles  township,  this  county,  and  settled  upon 
the  farm  where  he  still  resides.  When  he 
came,  the  woods  covered  the  surface  of  the 
country,  and  the  eighty  acres  that  he  bought 
were  all  in  timber.  With  a brave  heart  he  went 
to  chopping  down  the  trees  and  making  his 
land  ready  for  cultivation.  He  went  into 
debt  to  pay  for  the  land,  but  by  hard 
work  and  close  economy  he  has  become 
independent.  Then  he  began  living  in  a 
hewed  log  cabin  that  had  no  doors  nor  window 
sash,  and  the  flooring  of  which  was  composed 
of  loose  boards.  Mr.  Wingate  never  lost 
heart,  but  kept  his  eyes  straight  ahead,  and 
continued  to  make  money.  Mr.  Wingate  has 
held  the  office  of  township  trustee  for  four 
years;  he  is  a member  of  the  Masonic  lodge, 
and  also  of  the  Good  Templars.  He  and  his 
wife  are  upright  members  of  the  Methodist 
church,  and  joined  that  body  in  1837,  ^^nd  he 
and  his  wife  brought  their  letters  of  member- 
ship with  them  to  this  county.  Mr.  Wingate 
is  a trustee  and  a steward  in  the  church  to 
this  day.  He  and  his  wife  are  the  parents  of 
the  following  children,  namely;  Isaac  W. , a 
carpenter;  Elisha  R. , a farmer;  Colby  C. , a 
peddler;  James  S.,  Philip  R.  and  Bootle  W. , 
farmers;  Sarah,  wife  of  John  Krohn;  Thomas 
M.,  and  David  W.,  farmers;  Jackson  N.,  de- 
ceased. The  mother  of  these  children  died 
February  21,  1875,  and  was  buried  in  Bethel 
cemetery.  A fine  monument  is  erected  upon 
the  place  of  her  sepulture. 

Since  the  death  of  his  wife  Mr.  Wingate 
has  had  his  youngest  son  with  him  on  the  old 
homestead,  where  he  continues  to  live.  Mr. 
Wingate  owns  665  acres  of  good  and  well  im- 
proved land,  which  proves  the  industry  and  the 
good  management  of  the  man.  He  is  highly 
respected  by  all  his  neighbors,  and  is  a kind 
father  and  good  friend.  Few  men  are  looked 


up  to  for  advice  so  much  as  he,  and  his  words 
are  words  of  wisdom. 


FORGE  W.  YOUNTS  is  a well 
known  name  in  Niles  township,  he 
being  a very  successful  and  popular 
citizen.  He  was  born  in  Miami 
county,  Ohio,  January  8,  1850,  being  the  son 
of  Eli  and  Mary  (Michael)  Younts,  of  German 
and  Scotch  descent  respectively.  They  went 
from  North  Carolina  to  Miami  county,  Ohio, 
lived  there  until  1856,  and  then  came  to  Del- 
aware county,  Ind.,  settling  in  Union  town- 
ship, upon  a farm  of  eighty  acres.  There 
they  lived  nine  years,  then  moved  to  Niles 
township,  lived  there  seven  years,  and  then 
returned  to  Union  township,  where  the  father 
died  in  the  spring  of  1879.  The  mother  then 
left  her  farm  and  went  to  Eaton,  Union  town- 
ship, where  she  still  resides. 

Eli  Younts  had  the  following  brothers  and 
sisters:  John,  a farmer;  Abraham,  a preacher; 
Joseph,  George,  Andrew  and  Isaac,  farmers; 
Davis,  a preacher;  Mary,  wife  of  Henry  Hanel, 
and  Catherine,  wife  of  Jacob  Helmick.  Mrs. 
Eli  Younts  had  the  following  brothers  and  sis- 
ters: Samuel,  a farmer;  Lucinda,  wife  of 

John  Younts;  Solomon,  a farmer;  Jane,  wife 
of  Jonathan  Jones;  Mahala,  wife  of  George 
Younts,  and  Philip,  a farmer.  George  W. 
Younts  had  four  brothers,  all  deceased,  and 
four  sisters,  but  one  of  whom,  Martha,  the 
wife  of  William  Schweitzer,  is  now  living. 

George  W.  Younts  was  married,  at  the 
age  of  twenty-two,  to  Martha  A.,  daughter  of 
William  and  Ruth  (Stafford)  Black.  Mr. 
Younts  first  settled  in  Delaware  township, 
lived  there  for  three  years,  and  then  moved  to 
his  present  farm,  in  Niles  township,  consisting 
of  eighty  acres,  which  was  partly  cleared.  He 
moved  into  the  old  log  house  that  yet  stands 


714 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


in  the  lane,  and  there,  by  hard  toil  and  good 
management,  he  has  acquired  a property  of 
155  acres  of  good  and  well  improved  land, 
with  a fine  brick  residence.  Mr.  Younts  is  a 
man  of  more  than  average  ability,  and  has 
always  had  an  ambition  to  better  his  condition. 
The  confidence  of  his  neighbors  resulted  in  his 
election  as  justice  of  the  peace  and  his  re-elec- 
tion, he  serving  in  that  capacity  eight  years  in 
all.  In  1890  he  was  elected  township  trustee 
by  a large  majority,  which  office  he  still  holds. 
Mr.  Younts  is  very  much  admired  by  all  who 
know  him.  He  is  a member  of  the  Masonic 
order,  and  also  of  the  order  of  Red  Men.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Younts  are  the  parents  of  one  child, 
namely:  Laura  Forest.  The  parents  received 
good  educations,  and  are  people  of  superior 
intelligence.  They  are  members  and  active 
workers  in  the  Methodist  church.  Mr.  Younts 
is  a republican,  and  always  takes  a prominent 
part  in  politics  during  election  times. 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  Eli  Younts  were  members  of 
the  German  Baptist  church,  and  were  very 
good  people.  Eli  was  township  trustee  of 
Union  township  for  one  term.  This  worthy 
man  once  walked  from  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  to 
Bear  Valley,  Cal.,  driving  an  ox  team,  and 
consumed  six  months  and  seventeen  days  in 
the  journey.  His  return  was  by  way  of  the 
ocean,  from  San  Francisco  to  the  Isthmus  of 
Panama.  He  walked  across  the  Isthmus, 
sailed  to  New  York,  and  proceeded  the  rest  of 
the  way  home  by  rail.  He  had  to  pay  thirty 
dollars  per  hundred  for  flour  in  California,  the 
same  having  been  brought  around  by  Cape 
Horn.  The  trip  was  a great  benefit  to  him, 
as  previous  to  that  time  he  had  been  a man  in 
poor  health,  but  afterward  continued  well  and 
hearty  until  his  last  illness. 

The  Younts  family  are  upright  in  their 
conduct  in  every  respect,  and  enjoy  the  re- 
spect of  the  community  in  which  they  live. 


PERRY  TOWNSHIP. 


ILLIAM  BEALL  is  a well  known 
and  prosperous  citizen  of  New  Burl- 
ington, Perry  township,  Delaware 
county,  and  a native  of  Henry 
county,  Ind.,  where  he  was  born  November 
26,  1853.  He  is  the  son  of  Charles  and 
Vashti  (Rea)  Beall;  the  father  a native  of  Ohio, 
and  the  mother  of  Indiana,  and  both  of  Eng- 
lish descent.  The  father  was  a farmer  all  of 
his  life,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  owned 
173  acres  of  land.  He  and  his  wife  were  the 
parents  of  fourteen  children,  namely:  Martha; 

Andrew  J.,  Sarah  M.,  and  James  R. , deceased; 
William;  John,  deceased;  Eliza  E.,  Melinda; 
Lawson,  deceased;  Charles  B. ; Lawrence; 


Thomas;  Marcus;  and  Lewis,  deceased.  The 
father  was  a hard  working  man  and  gave  his 
children  every  advantage  that  he  could.  His 
wife  died  in  1872,  and  was  buried  in  the 
Eriends’  cemetery  in  Henry  county.  He 
died  January,  1892. 

William  Beall  lived  with  his  parents  until 
he  was  of  age,  when  he  took  his  father’s  farm 
and  managed  it  for  four  years.  He  was  mar- 
ried, in  1877,  to  Lucy  Wilkinson,  daughter  of 
Samuel  and  Angeline  (Hubbard)  Wilkinson, 
natives  of  Ohio,  and  of  English  descent. 
Mrs.  Beall’s  father  was  born  in  1833,  and  in 
i860  moved  to  Henry  county,  where  he  was 
engaged  in  farming.  Mrs.  Beall  was  born 


PERRY  TOWNSHIP. 


716 


March  2,  1862,  and  is  one  of  eleven  children, 
nine  of  whom  are  living.  Both  her  parents 
reside  in  Henry  county.  By  his  marriage, 
William  Beall  is  the  father  of  three  children, 
namely:  Clement,  born  October  9,  1878; 

Bertha,  born  April  15,  1884;  Lavaria,  born 
April  3,  1892.  After  his  marriage  Mr.  Beall 
located  on  a farm  of  forty  acres  in  Henry 
county;  lived  there  five  years,  then  bought  the 
farm  upon  which  he  now  lives,  consisting  of 
eighty-five  acres  of  well  improved  land.  Mr. 
Beall  has  built  a, fine  new  house  and  barn, 
and  although  a young  man  he  has  earned 
every  dollar  that  he  owns,  being  a hard  work- 
ing farmer,  and  a good  manager.  He  has 
never  speculated,  but  has  made  his  money  as 
a farmer.  He  was  a republican  until  1892, 
when  he  voted  the  prohibition  ticket. 


OHN  N.  BELL,  M.  D. — In  these  latter 
days,  the  aspirant  for  success  in  any 
line  must  have  not  only  have  zeal  in  his 
heart  but  also  wisdom  in  his  head. 
Lortunately  this  has  been  the  case  with  the 
distinguished  gentleman  whose  name  intro- 
duces the  present  sketch.  Dr.  John  N.  Bell 
was  born  in  West  Virginia,  April  21,  1858,  a 
son  of  Henry  and  Louisa  (Swisher)  Bell,  the 
former  of  Irish  descent,  and  the  latter  of  Ger- 
man. Henry  Bell  was  born  Lebruary  i,  1824, 
and  the  mother  of  the  doctor  December  24,  of 
the  same  year.  The  paternal  grandparents  of 
the  doctor  are  yet  living,  at  a good  old  age,  in 
West  Virginia.  His  parents  were  there  married 
and  became  the  progenitors  of  a family  of  ten 
children,  eight  of  whom  are  yet  living.  The 
family  record  is  as  follows;  Mar)^  V.  and  Sarah 
A.,  deceased;  Andrew^  J.,  Margaret  L. , George 
W. , Samuel  H.,  John  N.,  Charles  L. , Carrie 
L. , and  a deceased  infant. 

Dr.  Bell  was  reared  to  agricultural  pursuits 


in  the  county  of  his  birth.  He  attended  the 
common  schools,  and  being  unusually  intelli- 
gent, was  able,  at  the  early  age  of  sixteen 
years,  to  successfully  teach  school.  This  pro- 
fession he  followed  for  ten  years.  In  1885,  he 
began  the  study  of  medicine,  and  later  took  a 
two  years’  course  at  Columbus,  Ohio,  and  then 
entered  the  Ohio  Medical  college  at  Cincinnati, 
from  which  he  graduated  in  March,  1888.  Im- 
mediately coming  to  New  Burlington,  he  found 
a field  awaiting  him,  and  has  been  signally 
successful  in  his  practice. 

Dr.  Bell  was  married,  November  28,  1888, 
to  Miss  Carrie  L.  Will,  the  daughter  of  John 
and  Mary  (Keesling)  Will,  both  of  them  na- 
tives of  Indiana  and  of  German  descent.  Mrs. 
Bell  was  one  of  four  children,  and  her  family 
are  among  the  most  highly  respected  in  Perry 
township.  One  little  daughter  has  came  into 
the  happy  household  of  Dr.  Bell; — Letha  E., 
born  June  18,  1891.  Both  Doctor  and  Mrs. 
Bell  are  earnest  and  working  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  Politically  he  is 
a republican,  as  is  his  father,  w'ho  is  also  an 
ex-soldier.  Since  his  location  in  New  Bur- 
lington, Dr.  Bell  has  built  up  a large  and  lucra- 
tive practice  and  now  takes  rank  among  the 
foremost  physicians  and  surgeons  of  Delaware 
county.  He  is  not  only  distinguished  for  emi- 
nent attainments  as  a healer  of  disease,  but  he 
is  known  as  the  friend  of  the  rich  or  poor  who 
need  his  skill.  He  is  an  indefatigable  worker 
and  is  among  that  class  of  physicians  who  en- 
courage all  the  advancements  of  science,  and 
he  gladly  takes  advantage  of  them  for  the  ben- 
efit of  the  medical  profession. 


AMES  GARMIGHAEL  is  a resident  of 
Perry  township,  Delaware  county,  Ind. 
He  was  born  in  Union  county,  in  the 
same  state,  December  6,  1819,  and  is 
a son  of  Andrew  and  Margaret  (Mansfield) 


716 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


Carmichael,  the  former  of  whom  was  a native 
of  Kentucky  and  the  latter  of  Ohio,  both 
being  of  Irish  descent.  James  Carmichael 
was  one  of  nine  children,  only  three  of  whom 
still  survive.  He  remained  at  home  until  he 
lost  his  father,  whom  he  had  assisted  ably  in 
the  cultivation  of  the  home  farm,  which  farm 
also  received  his  personal  attention  in  the  in- 
terest of  the  family  until  his  marriage.  He 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Tacy  Watson,  in 
1841.  She  was  the  daughter  of  James  and 
Frances  (French)  Watson,  natives  of  Vir- 
ginia, the  former  being  of  English  descent  and 
the  latter  of  Irish.  By  this  union,  children 
were  born  as  follows;  Rebecca,  the  deceased 
wife  of  Samuel  Hindman;  Margaret  F.,  the 
wife  of  Wellington  Rees;  Elizabeth  L. , de- 
ceased; William  W. , Andrew,  George  L. , 
John  L. , Charles  M.,  deceased;  Mary,  the 
wife  of  Samuel  Richison;  Eliza,  the  wife  of 
William  Stanley,  and  Milton, 

The  republican  party  enunciates  the  prin- 
ciples with  which  Mr.  Carmichael  can  agree, 
and  it  has  his  vote  and  influence.  He  is  a 
man  of  prominence  in  the  community  where 
he  resides,  takes  an  active  interest  in  all  move- 
ments having  for  their  object  the  public  wel- 
fare, and  occupies  a conspicuous  place  among 
the  representative  citizens  of  Perry  township. 


ACHARIAH  W.  CECIL.— The  fine  es- 
tate of  Z.  W.  Cecil  is  located  in  Perry 
township,  Delaware  county,  Ind. , and 
is  known  to  be  one  of  the  finest  by 
nature  as  well  as  one  of  the  best  improved 
farms  in  the  county.  Its  owner  was  born  in 
Shelby  county,  Ohio,  October  25,  1820,  a son 
of  Aaron  and  Anna  (Springer)  Cecil,  the  for- 
mer a native  of  Virginia  and  Scotch  descent; 
the  mother  born  in  Kentucky  of  Swedish  par- 
ents. These  parents  were  married  in  Ken- 


tucky in  1812,  went  to  Ohio,  and  in  1831 
moved  to  Delaware  county,  Ind.  Aaron  Cecil 
reared  a family  of  eight  children,  all  of  whom 
lived  to  rear  families  of  their  own.  Their  names 
were:  John,  Sarah  A.,  Zachariah  W. , Elihu, 

Samuel,  Rebecca,  Mary  and  Gordon.  At  one 
time  Aaron  Cecil  owned  366  acres  of  land, 
which  he  had  made  by  his  own  efforts,  as  he 
was  a very  hard  working  and  prudent  man. 

Zachariah  W.  Cecil  was  reared  on  his 
father’s  farm  in  Ohio,  and  had  but  limited  edu- 
cational advantages,  not  exceeding  three  months 
in  the  year.  After  he  became  of  age  he  began 
farming  for  himself  in  Delaware  county,  where 
he  now  lives.  At  the  age  of  twenty-four,  in 
1844,  he  married  Miss  Mary  J.  Legg,  daughter 
of  Walter  and  Barbara  (Berges)  Legg,  and  five 
children  have  been  born  to  this  union,  namely: 
John  B.,born  June  16,  1851,  a farmer;  Sarah 
A.,  born  November  ii,  1845,  the  wife  of 
Thomas  J.  Jordan,  a farmer  of  Daviess  county, 
Ind.;  Barbara  A.,  born  December  16,  1848, 
the  wife  of  J.  W.  McDaniel,  a Methodist  min- 
ister, residing  in  Daviess  county,  Ind. ; Charles 
W. , born  May  20,  1857,  a farmer  on  the  old 
home  farm,  and  Ellen,  who  died  in  infancy. 

Walter  Legg,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Cecil,  was 
a native  of  Lapland,  of  Scotch  descent,  and 
her  mother  was  a native  of  north  Canada,  of 
English  descent,  and  they  were  parents  of  six 
children.  They  emigrated  to  Wayne  county, 
Ind.,  in  1818,  and  in  1862  Mr.  Legg  came  to 
Delaware  county  on  a visit,  and  died  while 
here;  eight  years  later  the  mother  died,  both 
of  them  being  buried  in  the  cemetery  at  Mount 
Tabor. 

After  marriage  Mr.  Cecil  located  on  the 
farm  where  he  now  lives  and  has  followed  ag- 
ricultural pursuits  all  of  his  life.  At  this  time 
his  fine  farm  of  236  acres  of  fertile  Indiana 
soil  is  his  own,  and  the  possession  of  such  a 
fine  property  must  be  some  recompense  for  the 
hard  labor  employed  in  obtaining  it.  He  and 


PERRY  TOWNSHIP. 


717 


wife,  and  also  the  children,  are  members  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  in  which  all 
take  a deep  interest.  Socially,  he  is  a member 
of  one  of  the  Masonic  lodges  located  at  Mun- 
cie.  His  political  opinions  are  those  advanced 
by  the  republican  party.  He  is  an  honest 
man,  a good  citizen,  and  stands  deservedly 
high  in  the  estimation  of  the  community,  in 
the  material  and  moral  advancement  of  which 
he  has  been  for  many  years  a potent  factor. 


ACOB  CLEVENGER,  owner  of  one  of 
the  fine  farms  of  Perry  township,  Dela- 
ware county,  Ind.,  was  born  in  Dela- 
ware county,  Ind.,  March  20,  1832, 
son  of  Thomas  and  Elizabeth  (Conner)  Clev- 
enger, the  former  a native  of  Ohio,  and  the 
latter  of  Indiana,  and  both  of  Irish  descent. 
Thomas  Clevenger  came  with  his  parents  to 
Randolph  county  at  an  early  day,  and  endured 
all  of  the  hardships  of  pioneer  life.  He  was 
married  to  Elizabeth  Conner,  and  reared  a 
family  of  ten  children,  with  the  exception  of 
two,  to  years  of  maturity,  but  Jacob  and  a 
brother  are  the  only  living  members.  Thomas 
Clevenger  died  February  23,  1867,  having  been 
a farmer  all  of  his  life. 

Jacob  Clevenger  lived  at  home  with  his 
parents  until  he  was  eighteen  years  of  age,  at- 
tending the  poor  schools  of  that  time  and 
neighborhood.  He  recalls  one  school  which 
he  attended,  where  the  master  regaled  his 
pupils  at  Christmas  with  whisky.  At  the  age 
of  eighteen  he  married  Mary  Smith,  a daughter 
of  John  Smith,  and  they  reared  four  children; 
Charles  C. , born  September  23,  1853,  who 
married  Louisa  Johnson,  and  resides  in  Yates 
county,  Kan.;  Sarah  J.,  was  born  July  18, 
1855,  3.nd  is  the  wife  of  John  VanFleet,  and 
resides  in  Henry  county,  Mo.;  Thomas  W. , 
born  June  ii,  1859,  married  Ella  Bell,  and 


they  reside  in  Tacoma,  Wash.  ; and  Jonathan 
L. , born  December  24,  1862. 

When  the  first  Mrs.  Clevenger  died,  his  eld- 
est daughter  took  charge  of  the  household  until 
his  second  marriage,  which  was  with  Miss 
Samantha  Ray,  daughter  of  William  and  Sa- 
rah (McClain)  Ray,  both  natives  of  Ohio,  the 
former  of  Scotch  and  the  latter  of  Irish  de- 
scent. Samantha  was  one  of  a family  of  ten 
children,  of  whom  but  only  four  are  now 
living.  By  this  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cleven- 
ger had  two  children;  Leonia  M.,  born  Sep- 
tember 23,  1866,  the  wife  of  Parker  Marshall, 
and  Ada  B.,  born  November  ii,  1875,  wife  of 
Luther  Daughty,  of  Perry  township.  Soci- 
ally, Mrs.  Clevenger  is  a member  of  the  Whit- 
ney Masonic  lodge.  No.  229,  located  at  New 
Burlington.  He  and  his  wife  are  members  of 
the  Christian  church.  Politically,  he  is  a re- 
publican, although  formerly  he  voted  the 
democratic  ticket,  but  his  first  republican  vote 
was  for  Abraham  Lincoln.  He  is  one  of  the 
old  and  well  known  residents,  and  is  highly 
esteemed. 


HOMAS  CLINE,  deceased.  — “ The 
evil  men  do  lives  after  them,  the  good  is 
often  interred  with  their  bones.” 
The  fact  that  this  quotation  is  fre- 
quently reversed  is  brought  forcibly  to  the 
mind  of  the  thoughtful  reader  as  he  cons  the 
pages  of  this  book,  and  learns  that  the  pros- 
perity of  this  fertile  region  is  due  not  only  to 
the  efforts  of  the  present  generation,  but 
largely  to  those  who  have  passed  away,  prom- 
inent among  which  enterprising  and  worthy 
men  occurs  the  name  of  Thomas  Cline.  Mr. 
Cline  was  born  in  the  state  of  Pennsylvania, 
March  18,  1810,  the  son  of  Peter  and  Nancy 
(Inghram)  Cline,  both  natives  of  the  same 
state,  of  German  descent.  The  parents  of 
Mr.  Cline  were  very  poor,  and  from  earliest 
youth  Thomas  was  taught  the  true  dignity  of 


718 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


labor.  While  still  a boy  he  started  toward 
the  setting  sun  to  seek  his  fortune,  selecting 
Ohio  as  a field  of  operation.  While  in  that 
state  he  met  and  married  Miss  Sarah  Wilcox, 
and  by  this  marriage  had  ten  children,  six 
girls  and  four  boys,  namely;  Joseph,  born 
December  4,  1840;  Mary,  born  January  19, 
1842;  David  L. , born  July  9,  1843;  Henry  C. , 
born  October  16,  1844;  Martha  J.,  July  6, 
1847;  Nancy  H.,  born  June  12,  1849;  Eliza- 
beth A.,  born  July  9,  1851;  Harriet  C. , born 
May  25,  1853;  Maria  A.,  born  December  23, 
1855;  and  Inghram  B.  ,born  September  25,1859. 
December  26,  1 860,  Mr.  Cline  lost  his  wife,  and 
the  same  year  removed  to  Indiana  with  his  chil- 
dren. Five  years  later  he  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Margaret  J.  Wilcox,  daughter  of 
Joseph  and  Maria  (Brant)  Wilcox,  a sister  of 
his  former  wife.  Joseph  Wilcox  was  a native 
of  New  Jersey,  while  his  wife  was  a native  of 
Ohio,  both  being  of  English  descent.  Mr. 
Wilcox  died  in  Miami  county,  Ohio,  while  his 
wife  ended  her  days  in  Butler  county,  same 
state.  By  his  second  marriage  Mr.  Cline  had 
two  children,  namely;  William  R. , born  Feb- 
ruary 24,  1871,  and  Burtice  E.,  born  Novem- 
ber 23,  1872. 

When  Mr.  Cline  commenced  working  for 
himself,  he  engaged  by  the  day  until  he  earned 
enough  money  to  buy  a farm,  and  so  success- 
ful was  he  that  at  the  time  of  his  death  he 
owned  370  acres  of  well  improved  land,  all  of 
which  was  purchased  with  money  earned  by 
his  own  efforts.  In  all  matters  which  affected 
the  public  welfare,  Mr.  Cline’s  political  views 
were  in  accordance  with  the  principles  enun- 
ciated by  the  republican  party.  He  was  a 
man  who  was  proud  of  his  township,  his 
county,  state  and  nation,  and  always  did  all  in 
his  power  to  advance  the  interest  of  the  com- 
monwealth. During  life  he  was  a devout 
member  of  the  Methodist  church,  with  which 
body  his  wife  and  children  are  still  connected. 


H Alexander  b.  Cunningham.— 

The  annals  of  Delaware  county  abound 
in  the  names  of  many  noble  men  of 
whom  the  present  generation  feel  de- 
servedly proud,  and  a true  record  of  their 
lives,  placed  upon  the  printed  page,  will  not 
only  be  perused  with  pleasure  by  those  who 
know  and  honor  them  for  their  many  sterling 
qualities  of  manhood,  but  will  also  be  a source 
of  much  gratification  to  those  who  come  after 
them.  Among  the  hardy  yeomen,  to  whose 
efforts  and  self  sacrifices  is  the  flourishing 
county  of  Delaware  largely  indebted  for  its 
present  proud  position  among  the  sister  coun- 
ties, is  Alexander  B.  Cunningham,  a brief 
epitome  of  whose  life  is  herewith  presented  to 
the  reader.  Mr.  Cunningham  was  born  in 
York  county.  Pa.,  November  17,  1825,  and  is 
a son  of  Samuel  and  Julia  Cunningham,  both 
natives  of  the  “Keystone  state,  ” the  former  of 
Scotch  and  the  latter  of  English  extraction. 
Samuel  Cunningham  was  born  April  7,  1778; 
married,  January  15,  1807,  Julia  Boyd,  whose 
birth  occurred  December  10,  1788.  He 

served  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  his  father,  one 
of  the  early  settlers  ol  Pennsylvania,  was  a 
soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  struggle.  Mrs. 
Cunningham  died  in  the  state  of  nativit}  in 
1834,  and  in  1845  Samuel  Cunningham  emi- 
grated to  Delaware  county,  Ind. , where  his 
death  occurred  September  17,  1849.  The 

children  born  to  these  parents  were  ten  in 
number,  Alexander  B.,  being  the  eighth  in 
order  of  birth. 

Alexander  B.  Cunningham  remained  with 
his  father  until  he  was  twenty-three  years  of 
age.  He  attended  school  in  Pennsylvania  in 
his  youth,  but  when  left  to  his  own  resources 
learned  the  trade  of  carpentering  under  an  ex- 
cellent workman  by  the  name  of  James  Truitt, 
and  soon  became  very  skillful  in  all  depart- 
ments of  his  chosen  calling.  He  continued 
carpentering  for  some  time,  but,  being  at- 


A.  B.  CUNNINGHAM 


PERRY  TOWNSHIP. 


719 


traded  by  the  finer  class  of  mechanical  work, 
finally  discontinued  building  and  began  work- 
ing at  cabinet  making  in  a shop  with  Mr. 
Lewellen,  at  the  town  of  Smithfield.  After 
working  at  this  place  for  a period  of  two  years 
he  went  east,  where  he  once  again  engaged  in 
carpentering,  but,  at  a later  date,  accepted  a 
position  as  agent  and  track  supervisor  with  the 
B.  & O.  railroad  company,  in  the  employ  of 
which  he  continued  four  years.  After  severing 
his  connection  with  the  road,  Mr.  Cunning- 
ham was  for  two  and  one-half  years  engaged 
in  the  mercantile  business  in  Virginia,  at  the 
end  of  which  time  he  returned  to  Indiana,  and 
in  partnership  with  his  brother  purchased  a 
large  tract  of  land  in  Delaware  and  other 
counties.  For  many  years  Mr.  Cunningham 
has  devoted  his  attention  almost  entirely  to 
agricultural  pursuits  and  stock  raising,  and  his 
success  in  both  these  lines  has  been  most  en- 
couraging, his  farm  at  this  time  being  one  of 
the  largest  and  best  improved  in  the  county  of 
Delaware.  His  home  is  known  far  and  wide 
as  the  abode  of  free-hearted  hospitality,  and 
his  elegant  residence,  erected  at  a cost  of 
$20,000,  is  perhaps  the  finest  farm  dwelling  in 
this  part  of  the  state.  Mr.  Cunningham  was 
married  December  12,  1865,  to  Mollie  C. 
Hoopman,  daughter  of  Rev.  John  and  Liza 
(Redman)  Hoopman,  the  result  of  which  union 
has  been  three  children:  Fiord  E.  was  born 
October  12,  1867,  and  died  February  12,  1888; 
Bertha  L.  was  born  July  6,  1870,  and  is  now 
the  wife  of  William  Gilmore,  to  whom  she 
was  united  in  marriage  August  5,  1889;  Frank 
H.,  whose  birth  was  September  i,  1873. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cunningham  and  their  two 
children  are  members  of  the  Methodist  church, 
in  which  they  are  highly  esteemed.  Frater- 
nally, he  is  a member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F. , be- 
longing to  lodge  No.  186,  at  Selma,  and  his 
political  opinions  are  those  enunciated  by  the 
republican  party.  Mr.  Cunningham’s  busi- 


ness and  social  standing  in  the  community  are 
of  the  very  best,  and  universal  is  the  esteem 
in  which  he  is  held.  For  nearly  a half  cen- 
tury he  has  been  an  honored  resident  of  Dela- 
ware county,  in  growth  and  developement  of 
which  he  has  borne  no  insignificant  part. 
Among  his  friends  and  neighbors,  and 
wherever  he  is  known,  his  word  is  considered 
as  good  as  his  bond,  and  it  is  a fact  worthy  of 
note,  that  he  has  never  been  sued  at  law  on 
his  individual  paper,  nor  had  much  business  of 
consequence  in  the  courts.  He  is  one  of  Del- 
aware county’s  representative  farmers,  and  in 
all  that  goes  to  make  up  true  citizenship,  few 
occupy  a more  prominent  position  in  the  com- 
munity. 


ARION  A.  CUNNINGHAM.— To 
be  an  efficient  and  honorable  agri- 
culturist in  this  highly  favored  sec- 
tion of  Indiana,  where  the  soil 
responds  so  generously  to  the  hand  which  cul- 
tivates it,  is  to  be  assured  of  a comfortable 
home  and  favorable  surroundings.  Among  the 
successful  men  of  Perry  township,  in  Marion 
A.  Cunnningham,  who  was  born  in  Delaware 
county,  Ind. , October  6,  1854,  a son  of  Ben- 
jamin G. , born  August  28,  1811,  and  Sarah 
(Rees)  Cunningham,  natives  respectively  of 
Pennsylvania  and  Indiana.  The  ancestors  of 
the  family  for  many  generations  were  indus- 
trious tillers  of  the  soil,  and,  following  their 
custom,  Benjamin  G.  Canningham  early  chose 
agriculture  for  his  life  work,  and  so  continued 
until  his  death.  He  came  to  Delaware  county 
in  1836,  a poor  boy,  but  any  one  who  then  noted 
his  energy  and  thrift  might  reasonably  have 
predicted  what  followed,  namely:  His  final 

standing  as  one  of  the  wealthiest  men,  and 
most  successful  farmers  of  the  section  in  which 
he  resided.  At  the  time  of  his  death,  which 
occurred  May  14,  1865,  he  was  the  owner  of 


720 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


786  acres  of  well  improved  land,  all  of  which 
was  acquired  by  his  own  energy  and  thrift. 
His  wife  survived  him  a number  of  years, 
dying  in  1887.  Six  children  were  born  to  Ben- 
jamin G.  and  Sarah  Cunningham,  as  follows; 
Greer  B.,  Louis  S.,  Marion  A.,  Stephen  B., 
Adeline  and  Joseph,  all  living  except  the  first 
named. 

Marion  A.  Cunningham  was  reared  on  the 
home  farm,  and  had  better  advantages  in  the 
way  of  acquiring  an  education  than  many  of 
the  youth  of  his  neighborhood,  attending  first 
the  common  schools,  and  later  the  Muncie  high 
school,  and  one  term  at  the  Normal  college  at 
Valparaiso,  completing  his  studies  before  at- 
taining his  majority.  In  1881,  he  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Anna  Jump,  daughter  of 
S.  V.  and  Rebecca  Jump,  natives  of  Ohio  and 
the  state  of  Delaware  respectively.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Cunningham  are  the  parents  of  five  in- 
teresting children,  whose  name  are  as  follows: 
Mary  Rebecca,  born  July  18,  1883;  Fannie  L., 
born  June  30,  1885;  Ethel  R. , born  June  4, 
1888;  Nelson  F. , and  Neva  T.  (twins),  whose 
birth  occurred  August  29,  1890. 

Immediately  after  his  marriage,  Mr.  Cun- 
ningham located  on  the  place  where  he  now 
resides,  and  he  enjoys  the  distinction  of  having 
one  of  the  finest  and  most  successfully  culi- 
vated  farms  of  his  neighborhood,  and  the  most 
complete  and  comfortable  dwelling  in  the 
township  of  Perry.  Fraternally,  he  is  a mem- 
ber of  the  Masonic  order,  belonging  to  Muncie 
lodge.  No.  18,  and  politically,  wields  an  influ- 
ence for  the  republican  party.  For  two  terms 
he  held  the  office  of  township  trustee,  and  at 
this  time  he  is  the  efficient  commissioner  from 
his  part  of  the  county,  to  which  responsible 
position  he  was  elected  .November,  1891.  As 
an  official,  Mr.  Cunningham  is  painstaking  and 
methodical,  and  he  loses  no  opportunity  to 
look  after  the  welfare  of  the  county.  His  du- 
ties are  discharged  in  a manner  highly  satis- 


factory to  all,  and  by  his  diligence  in  looking 
after  the  people’s  interests  he  has  won  for 
himself  a warm  place  in  the  hearts  of  his  fel- 
low citizens,  irrespective  of  party. 


AMES  DAVISON,  one  of  the  most 
enterprising  farmers  of  Perry  township, 
Delaware  county,  Ind.,  was  born  in 
Butler  county,  Ohio,  December  28, 
1822,  son  of  James  and  Polly  (Doty)  Davison, 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Virginia,  of 
English  descent.  James  learned  the  trade  of 
broom  maker  and  did  a good  business  in  that 
trade  for  many  years.  In  1847  he  married 
Miss  Martha  Kenyon,  daughter  of  Daniel  and 
Nancy  (Dortch)  Kenyon,  the  former  a native 
of  the  state  of  Maine  and  the  latter  of  Vir- 
ginia, and  both  of  English  descent.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Kenyon  were  the  parents  of  eight  chil- 
dren, but  Mrs.  Davison  is  the  only  survivor. 
Mr  and  Mrs.  Davison  reared  a family  as  fol- 
lows: William  T. , born  September  16,  1847, 
deceased;  Mary,  born  September  15,  1849, 
the  wife  of  Dr.  J.  L.  Hendricks;  Delisca  I , 
born  July  27,  1851,  the  wife  of  Volna  Sears; 
John  B.,  born  March  16,  1854;  Laura  A., 

born  October  16,  1857,  the  wife  of  John  C. 
Wiggins;  Orlef  R.,  born  September  26,  i860; 
Arthur  I.,  born  November  6,  1862;  Frances 
A.,  born  November  15,  1864,  the  wife  of 

David  L.  Rees,  and  Omar  L. , born  January 
14,  1868. 

One  year  after  marriage,  Mr.  Davison 
moved  to  the  place  where  he  now  lives  and 
brought  with  him  the  first  cook  stove  ever  used 
in  Perry  township.  He  owns  now  460  acres 
of  land,  which  he  has  made  by  application  to 
his  work,  being  a man  who  has  labored  stead- 
fastly and  has  accumulated  his  large  posses- 
sions honestly.  He  has  never  speculated  and 
has  never  received  any  assistance.  After  lo- 


PERRY  TOWNSHIP. 


721 


eating  on  his  farm  he  worked  at  his  trade  in 
connection  with  his  agricultural  pursuits.  He 
is  what  may  be  called  a self  made  man,  and  is 
one  who  enjoys  the  respect  of  the  citizens 
throughout  Perry  township.  Politically,  he 
affiliates  with  the  democratic  party. 


AVID  FLETCHER,  who  has  passed 
his  three  score  and  ten  years,  is  a 
very  worthy  citizen  of  Perry  town- 
ship, and  a native  of  Hamilton 
county,  Ohio,  born  May  29,  1823.  He  is  the 
son  of  John  and  Polly  (Templen)  Fletcher, 
the  father  being  a native  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
the  mother  of  Ohio;  he  being  of  German,  and 
she  of  English  descent.  In  1830  the  parents 
came  to  Delaware  county,  where  the  father 
bought  forty-nine  acres  of  land  in  the  woods, 
and  endured  many  hardships  while  clearing 
the  same.  Of  their  children,  only  two  have 
lived  to  be  the  heads  of  families,  namely: 
David,  and  Mary  A.,  wife  of  Hiram  Pendlum, 
and  they  are  the  only  living  children.  The 
deceased  were:  Rebecca,  Eunice,  William 

and  an  infant.  The  father  died  August  20, 
1852,  and  the  mother  June  28,  1861,  and  both 
are  buried  in  the  Union  cemetery. 

David  Fletcher  was  reared  on  the  farm, 
but  the  schools  of  his  day  were  far  apart; 
hence  he  had  but  very  little  opportunity  for 
gaining  an  education.  The  longest  time  he 
ever  attended,  at  one  time,  was  three  weeks. 
His  father  was  a tanner  by  trade,  and  when  a 
boy  David  devoted  his  time  between  the  farm 
and  the  tan  yard.  After  attaining  his  majority 
David  became  a partner  of  his  father,  and 
worked  at  the  tannery  business  about  fifteen 
years.  David  Fletcher  was  married  Decem- 
ber 10,  1846,  to  Asenath  Thornburg,  daughter 
of  Joab  and  Elizabeth  (Holloway)  Thornburg, 
and  five  children  have  been  born  to  him  and 


his  wife,  namely:  John  E.,  born  December 
23,  1848;  Rebecca,  born  in  1850,  wife  of  J. 
B.  Howell;  Joab,  born  December  19,  1855, 
died  July  25,  1861;  Samuel  V.,  born  Septem- 
ber 13,  1861;  and  Elizabeth  E.,  deceased. 
The  first  land  that  David  owned  was  twenty 
acres,  to  which  he  added,  from  time  to  time, 
until  he  got  together  220  acres.  This,  how- 
ever, he  divided  among  his  children,  so  he  now 
has  but  160  acres.  Beside  other  property, 
Mr.  Eletcher  owns  stock  in  a gas  well.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Fletcher  are  members  of  the  Method- 
ist church,  and  are  very  useful  in  that  body. 
Socially  he  is  a member  of  lodge  No.  331,  A. 
F.  & A.  M.  He  is  a prohibitionist,  and  very 
ardent  in  his  Support  of  that  party. 


ETER  A.  HELM  was  born  in  Dela- 
ware county,  Ind. , October  27,  1828, 
and  is  widely  known  and  much  re- 
spected in  Perry  township,  where  he 
resides.  He  is  the  son  of  Jacob  and  Elizabeth 
(Slick)  Helm,  natives  of  Pennsylvania  and  of 
Irish  and  English  descent.  Peter  A.  is  the 
sixth  of  twelve  children,  and  remained  at 
home  until  twenty-one  years  old.  He  received 
about  three  months’  schooling  in  each  year, 
working  upon  the  farm  dui'ing  the  remainder 
of  the  time. 

David  A.  Helm  enlisted,  in  1861,  in  com- 
pany K,  Thirty-sixth  Indiana  regiment,  and 
took  an  active  part  in  many  of  the  engage- 
ments in  which  his  regiment  participat- 
ed. Eor  eighteen  months  he  was  on  detail 
duty,  building  pontoon  bridges.  He  was 
discharged  September  22,  1864,  at  Indianap- 
olis, and  returned  home.  He  was  mar- 
ried the  same  year  to  Elizabeth  Clevenger, 
daughter  of  William  and  Jane  (Smithton) 
Clevenger;  her  father  being  a native  of  Ohio 
and  of  Irish  descent,  and  her  mother  a native 


722 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


of  Indiana,  and  of  Scotch  descent.  By  this 
union  there  were  born  the  following  children: 
George  T. , born  October  19,  1865;  Rebecca, 
May  27,  1868;  Margaret  E.,  born  October  19, 
1870,  deceased;  Clara  L. , born  March  16, 
1873,  wife  of  Schuyler  Farlow;  Mary  G. , born 
January  18,  1876;  William,  born  February  20, 

1881,  deceased;  and  Ota  J.,  born  October  22, 

1 882. 

After  his  marriage,  Mr.  Helm  bought  iio 
acres  of  land,  and  began  farming.  He  now 
owns  207  acres  of  well  improved  land,  all  of 
which  has  been  acquired  by  money  he  earned 
himself.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Helm  are  members  of 
the  Christian  church.  Socially,  he  is  a mem- 
ber of  the  G.  A.  R.,  at  Windsor.  In  politics, 
Mr.  Helm  is  a republican,  has  held  the  office 
of  township  trustee  for  two  years,  and  is  now 
assessor.  He  is  a self-made,  intelligent  man 
of  high  character,  having  the  confidence  of  all 
who  know  him. 


OSEPH  HEWITT  is  one  of  the  success- 
ful farmers  and  respected  citizens  of 
Perry  township,  Delaware  county,  Ind. , 
also  is  known  as  a brave  and  efficient 
soldier  during  the  late  war.  Mr.  Hewitt  was 
born  in  Randolph  county,  Ind.,  April  i,  1843, 
a son  of  Joseph  and  Sarah  (Putman)  Hewitt, 
both  natives  of  Ohio,  of  Irish  descent.  In  1841 
Joseph  Hewitt  removed  to  Randolph  county, 
Ind.,  where  he  bought  160  acres  of  land,  and 
there  he  and  wife  spent  their  last  days. 

Joseph  Hewitt  was  reared  on  the  farm  of 
his  father  and  received  a common  school  edu- 
cation. When  President  Lincoln  issued  his 
call  for  troops  in  1861,  he  was  one  of  the  brave 
men  who  responded  to  the  call.  He  enlisted 
in  the  Thirty-sixth  Indiana  volunteers  and 
went  into  camp  at  Richmond,  Ind.,  from  there 
being  sent  to  Louisville,  Ky. , thence  with  his 


regiment  to  Fort  Donelson,  in  the  great  battle 
of  which  he  bore  a gallant  part.  He  passed 
through  the  war  uninjured,  but  took  part  in  all 
of  the  engagements  of  the  regiment  until  he 
was  mustered  out,  September  2,  i86z,  at  In- 
dianapolis. Mr.  Hewitt  was  married  June  19, 
1864,  to  Miss  Louisa  Stump,  daughter  of 
Joseph  and  Anna  (Kesler)  Stump,  natives  of 
Virginia  and  Ohio,  of  German  and  English  de- 
scent. Mrs.  Hewitt  is  one  of  eleven  children. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hewitt  reared  the  following 
family:  Morton,  born  January  6,  1866; 

Anna  E.,  born  January  25,  1868;  Martha  E., 
born  February  9,  1870,  the  wife  of  William 
Lindsley;  Clinton  R.,  born  December  4,  1872; 
Bessie  J.,  born  October  i,  1875;  Mary  L.,  born 
October  8,  1877;  Lula  G. , born  October  27, 
1879;  Gola,  boim  January  2,  1882,  and  Blaine, 
born  March  26,  1885,  who  died  December  5, 
1886.  Since  his  marriage,  Mr.  Hewitt  has 
lived  in  Perry  township,  where  he  engages  in 
farming.  For  many  years  he  voted  the  repub- 
lican ticket,  but  in  1892,  desiring  a change,  he 
voted  with  the  people’s  party.  Mr.  Hewitt  is 
a kind  father  and  a good  husband,  and  one  of 
the  best  of  neighbors.  He  is  universally  re- 
spected in  his  neighborhood  and  belongs  to 
that  large  and  respectable  class  of  people  who, 
in  a quiet  and  unassuming  way,  do  so  much 
for  the  moral  and  social  advancement  of  the 
community.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hewitt  have  re- 
cently become  members  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church. 


OBERT  HINDMAN,  one  of  the  pio- 
neers of  Delaware  county  and  a man 
who  has  made  his  record  for  indus- 
try, hard  work,  perseverance  and  in- 
tegrity, was  born  in  Ohio,  May  10,  1808,  a 
son  of  Samuel  and  Isabella  (Hamilton)  Hind- 
man, both  natives  of  Pennsylvania,  the 


n 


! 

ft 

I 


Mrs.  Elizabeth  Jackson. 


u,':' 


PERRY  TOWNSHIP. 


723 


former  of  Irish  and  the  latter  of  Scotch  birth. 
Samuel  Hindman  moved  from  Pennsylvania  to 
Kentucky  and  learned  the  trade  of  weaver, 
which  he  followed  all  of  his  life,  also  engaging 
in  farming  in  connection  with  his  chosen  call- 
ing. He  reared  a family  of  eleven  children. 

Robert  Hindman  was  reared  a farmer  and 
assisted  his  father  in  his  work.  At  that  time 
there  were  few  schools,  and  young  Robert  had 
but  limited  educational  advantages.  After  he 
had  reached  maturity  and  had  gone  out  from 
under  the  parental  roof,  he  worked  for  a time 
at  various  kinds  of  labor,  earning  money  and 
living  uprightly.  When  he  began  to  desire  a 
home  of  his  own,  he  married  Miss  Rosanna 
Murry,  daughter  of  William  and  Mary  (Boles) 
Murry,  both  of  them  natives  of  Pennsylvania, 
of  English  descent.  After  two  years  of  mar- 
ried life  in  Wayne  county,  Mr.  Hindman  de- 
cided to  become  a farmer  for  the  remainder  of 
his  life,  and  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  land, 
he  immigrated  to  Indiana  and  located  in  the 
woods,  in  Delaware  county,  entering  eighty 
acres  and  purchasing  forty,  there  being  just 
enough  of  the  eighty  acre  farm  cleared  to  ena- 
ble a log  cabin  to  be  erected  upon  it. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hindman  have  reared  a fam- 
ily of  eight  children,  as  follows:  Samuel;  Cyn- 
thia, the  wife  of  Samuel  Hackman;  Fremont, 
and  Florence,  the  wife  of  David  Brooks;  all 
the  rest  are  deceased.  The  family  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Presbyterian  church,  to  which  Mr. 
Hindman  has  contributed  liberally  of  his 
means  and  to  which  he  lends  his  influence. 
Politically,  he  is  a stanch  republican,  and  gave 
his  first  presidential  vote  for  John  Quincy 
Adams.  He  is  one  of  the  oldest  and  most 
respected  of  the  good  citizens  of  the  township, 
and  a representative  farmer  of  Delaware 
county. 

Robert  Hindman  and  his  wife  have  de- 
servedly won  the  esteem  which  they  enjoy,  and 
the  children  are  also  highly  esteemed. 


AMES  H.  JACKSON. — The  following 
biography  is  written  of  one  who  has 
passed  from  the  scenes  of  his  earthly 
labors,  but  who  has  left  behind  him  a 
record  of  an  honest  and  industrious  life,  filled 
with  kind  deeds  to  those  around  him.  James 
Jackson  was  born  in  Shelby  county,  Ohio, 
P'ebruary  6,  1823,  a son  of  Jesse  and  Mary 
Jackson,  both  natives  of  Virginia,  and  both  of 
English  birth.  He  emigrated  from  Ohio  to 
Delaware  county,  Ind.,  in  the  year  1873,  and 
located  in  Perry  township,  where  he  engaged 
in  the  pursuit  of  agriculture.  He  married  De- 
cember I,  1845,  Miss  Elizabeth  West,  a daugh- 
ter of  Thomas  and  Mary  (Benbow)  West,  both 
of  whom  were  natives  of  South  Carolina,  of 
English  descent.  Mrs.  Jackson  was  one  of  six- 
children,  and  she  became  the  mother  of  four, 
as  follows:  John  B. . born  September  3,  1846; 
Edward  D.,  born  March  28,  1849;  Elizabeth 
J.,  born  February  ii,  1853;  the  wife  of  Jacob 
H.  Kilmore,  of  Henry  county,  and  Emma  C., 
born  March  22,  1859;  the  wife  of  Mark  Swear- 
engen. 

After  his  marriage,  Mr.  Jackson  located  on 
his  farm,  and  faithfully  followed  agricultural 
pursuits  until  he  was  called  away  by  death, 
October  28,  1889.  He  was  a man  of  excellent 
traits  of  character,  kind,  but  just,  and  was  a 
capable  manager  of  his  business.  The  fine 
farm  of  184  acres  of  good  land  was  earned  by 
his  own  efforts,  and  he  took  great  comfort  in 
thinking  how  well  he  had  provided  for  those 
dependent  upon  him.  His  remains  lie  in  the 
peaceful  cemetery  at  Mount  Pleasant.  Both  he 
and  his  excellent  wife,  who  still  survives,  were 
members  of  the  United  Brethren  church,  and 
were  faithful  in  their  attendance  and  support. 
Mr.  Jackson  always  manifested  the  interest  of 
a good  citizen  in  the  affairs  of  the  nation,  and 
voted  with  the  republican  party.  He  was  in 
all  respects  a representative  citizen,  and  his 
death  was  felt  as  a personal  loss,  not  only  by 


724 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


his  immediate  relatives,  but  by  the  people  of 
his  township,  who  had  learned  to  respect  him 
for  his  sterling  worth  and  manly  character. 


OHN  B.  JACKSON. — Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  is  noted  not  only  for  its  fine 
farms,  but  also  for  its  wide  awake  and 
progressive  citizens,  and  many  of  these 
reside  in  Perry  township.  Among  the  latter 
may  be  named  John  B.  Jackson,  who  was 
born  in  Delaware  county,  September  3,  1846, 
a son  of  James  H.  and  Elizabeth  (West)  Jack- 
son,  whose  sketch  precedes  this. 

John  B.  Jackson  was  the  eldest  of  the 
family  of  four  children,  and  lived  with  his 
parents  until  he  was  twenty -one,  having  at- 
tended the  common  schools  during  the  winters, 
as  was  the  custom  of  the  boys  of  the  time  and 
neighborhood.  When  he  was  twenty-two  he 
entered  upon  the  life  of  school  teacher,  and 
successfully  continued  it  for  some  time.  Mr. 
Jackson  was  married  July  2,  1870,  to  Miss 
Elizebeth  J.  Marshall,  daughter  of  Miles  and 
Elizabeth  (Bell)  Marshall,  and  by  this  union 
became  the  father  of  five  children,  as  follows: 
Miles  H.,  born  December  12,  1871;  Clyde  E., 
born  April  27,  1873,  but  was  taken  away  Sep- 
tember 12,  of  the  same  year;  Fatima  L. , born 
December  20,  1875,  who  now  is  one  of  the 
efficient  teachers  of  Delaware  county;  Gola  M., 
born  April  9,  1877,  and  Eva  E.,  born  Novem- 
ber 16,  1881.  After  his  marriage,  Mr.  Jack- 
son  bought  100  acres  of  land  and  began  the 
cultivation  of  it,  giving  up  the  teacher’s  pro- 
fession entirely.  He  is  now  the  owner  of  140 
acres,  which  are  under  a high  state  of  cultiva- 
tion, and  he  is  considered  one  of  the  prosper- 
ous farmers  of  the  community  in  which  he 
resides.  Socially,  Mr.  Jackson  is  a member 
of  the  Masonic  order,  belonging  to  Whitney 
lodge.  No.  229,  at  New  Burlington.  In  his 


political  opinions,  he  is  a republican,  and  has 
efficiently  filled  the  office  of  assessor  of  Perry 
township  for  five  years,  and  is  at  present 
serving  as  trustee  of  the  same.  He  possesses 
in  a marked  degree  the  respect  of  the  com- 
munity and  is  justly  entitled  to  a prominent 
place  among  the  representative  citizens  of 
Perry  township  and  Delaware  county. 


^^y^IELIAM  A.  JORDAN.— Among  the 
Mm  I prosperous  farmers  of  Perry  town- 
ship  stands  William  A.  Jordan, 
who  was  born  in  Wayne  county, 
Ind.,  November  9,  1826,  and  is  the  son  of 
William  and  Mary  (McClellen)  Jordan.  His 
ancestors  came  from  Scotland  in  an  early  day 
and  settled  in  Pennsylvania  in  1800.  William 
Jordan,  father  of  William  A.,  came  from  Penn- 
sylvania to  Wayne  county,  Ind.,  and  entered 
a tract  of  land  and  made  a comfortable  home 
there  in  1810.  He  was  also  a soldier  in  the 
war  of  1812.  He  then  went  back  to  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  married  Miss  McClellen;  and  soon 
after  returned  with  his  bride  to  Indiana,  to 
his  farm.  Here,  through  his  industry,  Mr. 
Jordan  succeeded  in  accumulating  considerable 
means,  owning  at  one  time  a fine  farm  con- 
sisting of  400  acres,  and  a tract  of  560  acres 
of  valuable  land  in  Wabash  county.  Mr.  and 
and  Mrs.  Jordan  reared  a family  of  eleven  chil- 
dren, as  follows:  George,  John,  Rachel,  Rus- 
sell, deceased;  Jane,  deceased;  Margaret,  de- 
ceased; William  A.,  James  R. , Smith,  Eliza- 
beth A.,  deceased,  and  Nancy.  The  father  of 
these  chlidren  died,  at  the  age  of  eighty-six 
years,  in  1878,  and  the  mother  in  1883.  They 
were  laid  to  rest  in  the  Jordan  cemetery,  and 
were  much  mourned  by  their  relatives  and  a 
large  circle  of  friends. 

William  A.  Jordan  was  reared  on  the  farm 
and  received  a good  education  for  those  days. 


"i 


P 


% ' 


W.  A.  JORDAN 


MRS.  M.  JORDAN. 


PERRY  TOWNSHIP. 


725 


as  he  had  the  advantage  of  eighteen  months  of 
training  in  a graded  school.  He  married,  in 
1847,  Miss  America  Davidson,  daughter  of 
William  and  Mary  (McSherley)  Davidson,  who 
were  natives  of  Kentucky,  of  Scotch  descent.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Jordan  became  the  parents  of  twelve 
children:  Viretta,  wife  of  Dr.  A.  L.  Murray,  of 
Eaton,  Francis  M.,  a farmer;  Mary  C.,  wife  of  C. 

R.  Howell;  Harriet  J.,  wife  of  J.  L.  Thornburg; 
Olive  A.,  deceased;  Webster,  a farmer;  John 

S.  ; Florence  N.,  deceased;  Clay,  deceased; 
Carrie,  wife  of  Fremont  Gates;  William,  a 
farmer,  and  Volney  M.  After  his  marriage  Mr. 
Jordan  settled  in  Delaware  county,  and  in  1847 
purchased  140  acres  of  land,  nearly  all  of 
which  was  covered  with  undergrowth,  but  by 
hard  work  and  close  economy  he  kept  adding 
to  his  farm,  and  at  the  present  time  owns  640 
acres  of  well  improved  land.  In  1872  Mrs. 
Jordan  was  called  to  the  land  of  departed  spir- 
its, and  now  lies  buried  in  the  Blountsville 
cemetery.  In  1873,  Mr.  Jordan  was  married 
to  Miss  Minerva  Finch,  daughter  of  John  and 
Mary  (Blount)  Finch.  Mrs.  Minerva  (Blount) 
Jordan  was  born  in  Randolph  county,  Ind  , 
May  6,  1836,  and  daughter  of  John  and  Mary 
(Blount)  Finch,  who  were  of  Scotch  and  Irish 
extraction  and  who  were  pioneers  of  this  coun- 
ty, and  the  family  located  in  or  near  Blounts- 
ville about  1810.  His  grandfather  was  in  the 
war  of  1812.  Mr.  Jordan  and  his  wife  are  de- 
voted members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.  In  his  politics  he  is  a republican  and 
socially  he  is  a member  of  the  Good  Templar 
lodge.  He  has  served  as  justice  of  the  peace 
for  one  term,  and  was  also  trustee  for  one  term 
during  the  time  the  first  school  houses  were 
being  built  in  Perry  township.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Jordan  are  very  highly  respected  and  loved  by 
all  who  know  them,  their  walk  through  life 
having  been  such  as  to  command  the  affection 
and  esteem  of  their  neighbors,  as  well  as  that 
of  many  outside  the  township. 


FORGE  W.  KEESLING  grew  up  in 
Delaware  county,  Ind.,  amid  scenes 
of  forest  clearing,  and  at  a time  when 
the  country  was  settling  but  slowly. 
He  was  born  October  15,  1842,  being  the  son 
of  Martin  and  Corassa  (Rees)  Keesling,  the 
father  a native  of  West  Virginia,  and  the 
mother  of  Ohio,  and  both  of  German  descent. 
They  were  the  parents  of  ten  children,  name- 
ly: Morris,  deceased;  Lewis;  Sophia;  an  in- 
fant, deceased;  Mary;  Mahala;  George;  Lee, 
deceased;  Henry  C.  and  Stephen  C.,  an  in- 
fant, deceased.  Martin  Keesling  came  to 
Delaware  county  with  a brother  and  sister, 
being  comparatively  poor,  but  he  was  a 
shrewd,  hard  working  man,  and  owned  at  the 
time  of  his  death  756  acres  of  land.  He  died 
in  1868,  and  his  wife  in  1880,  both  being 
buried  in  the  Rees  cemetery.  George  W. 
Keesling  lived  at  home  until  he  w'as  eighteen 
years  old,  receiving  the  advantages  of  the  dis- 
trict school,  and  at  the  age  of  nineteen  enlist- 
ed in  company  G,  Ninth  Indiana  cavalry, 
under  Capt.  J.  R.  Nasher,  and  went  into 
camp  at  Nashville,  Tenn.  The  first  engage- 
ment he  was  in  was  at  Lawrenceburg,  Septem- 
ber 16,  1864;  then  at  Florence,  September  18, 
18.64;  Pulaski,  September  28,  1864;  Franklin, 
December  17,  1864,  and  Little  Harpeth,  De- 
cember 17,  1864.  He  escaped  injury,  and  was 
discharged  at  Vicksburg,  August  18,  1865.  He 
returned  home  and  lived  there  until  his  marriage, 
which  occurred  February  28,  1867.  His  wife 
was  Cora  Cunningham,  daughter  of  Joseph 
and  Margaret  (Farmer)  Cunningham,  her 
father  being  a native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  her 
mother  of  Maryland.  Cora  was  one  of  three 
children,  two  girls  and  a boy.  Her  father 
came  from  Virginia  to  Delaware  county,  Ind., 
in  the  year  1865.  He  now  lives  at  Converse, 
where  he  is  a general  merchant. 

By  his  marriage  to  Miss  Cunningham,  Mr. 
Keesling  is  the  father  of  seven  children. 


720 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


namely:  Ella  M.,  born  June  i6,  1868,  de- 

ceased; Ida,  born  August  19,  1869,  wife  of 
Cormelias  Swingly;  Laura,  born  March  14, 
1872,  wife  of  William  Jordan;  George  B.,  born 
July  4.  1874;  Homer,  born  February  16,  1877, 
deceased;  Clara,  born  November  7,  1881;  and 
Hildrey,  born  December  7,  1889.  After  his 
marriage  Mr.  Keesling  lived  at  the  old  place 
one  year,  and  then  bought  140  acres  of  land, 
to  which  he  has  added  until  he  now  owns  449 
acres  in  Delaware  county,  beside  270  acres  in 
York  county.  Pa.  Mr.  Keesling  is  a self  made 
man,  and  well  liked,  being  much  respected  by 
all  who  know  him,  and  is  a man  of  superior 
management,  In  politics  he  is  a republican, 
and  his  influence,  which  is  always  exerted  for 
that  party,  is  considerable. 


OHN  LINDSEY  is  a well-to-do  and 
popular  farmer  of  Delaware  county, 
who  was  born  in  Wayne  county,  Ind. , 
July  9,  1834,  being  the  son  of  Thomas 
and  Sarah  (Finch)  Lindsey.  His  parents  are 
of  Scotch-Irish  descent,  and  in  1828  immi- 
grated to  Delaware  county,  Ind.  They  were 
the  parents  of  eleven  children,  namely:  Mel- 
muth  E.,  John,  Sarah,  William,  Robert, 
Thomas,  Clarence,  Monroe  and  Matthew,  the 
last  four  deceased;  the  remaining  two  died  in 
infancy.  The  father  of  these  children  died  in 
1881,  and  five  years  later  the  mother  also 
died,  the  two  now  resting  in  Blountsville 
cemetery.  John  Lindsey  lived  at  home  until 
he  married,  in  1853,  Emma,  daughter  of 
Samuel  B.  and  Mary  (Truitt)  Clevenger.  By 
this  marriage  eight  children  were  born,  namely: 
Francis  M.,  Thomas  C. , James  M. , Laura, 
wife  of  Charles  Hegwood;  Clara,  wife  of  J.  C. 
Thornburg;  Ora,  wife  of  Jonathan  Jefferson; 
Martha,  wife  of  C.  Clevenger,  and  Allie,  wife 
of  Walter  Thornburg.  After  Mr.  Lindsey 


married  he  bought  forty  acres  of  land,  lived  on 
it  for  seven  years;  then  sold  it  and  bought 
eighty  acres  in  Delaware  county.  In  1864  he 
sold  the  property  and  went  to  Parker,  where 
he  engaged  in  general  merchandise  for  two 
years;  then  went  to  Blountsville  and  followed 
the  same  business  for  one  year.  Then  he  re- 
turned to  farming,  buying  120  acres,  and 
later,  eighty  more.  In  the  meantime  he  had 
gone  security  for  Henry  Jacobs  and  Ben  Evans, 
and  had  to  pay  the  whole  amount,  being  com- 
pelled to  sell  his  land,  and  it  took  all  his 
money.  Mr.  Lindsey  would  not  be  cast  down, 
but  borrowed  the  money  to  buy  175  acres  of 
land,  paying  ten  per  cent  interest  four  years; 
later,  he  bought  eighty  acres  more,  and  now 
owns  389  acres  in  all.  He  has  bought  and 
shipped  stock,  together  with  farming,  for  the 
past  thirty-five  years.  In  the  year  1880  his 
wife  died,  and  in  1882  he  again  married,  his 
second  wife  being  Sarah,  daughter  of  John 
and  Mary  (Burnside)  Sivvee.  By  this  mar- 
riage are  two  living  children — Corwin  and 
Ethel.  In  politics  Mr.  Lindsey  is  a republi- 
can and  very  strong  in  that  faith. 


ARY  H.  McCORMICK.  — Among 
the  large  and  well  cultivated  farms 
of  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  here  and 
there  may  be  found  smaller  ones, 
just  as  carefully  managed  and  just  as  product- 
ive, according  to  size,  and  upon  one  of  these 
pleasant  tracts,  of  fifty-two  acres,  in  Perry 
township,  resides  the  lady  for  whom  the  fol- 
lowing sketch  is  prepared. 

The  birth  of  Miss  McCormick  took  place 
in  a state  which  has,  in  times  past,  produced 
many  brave  and  self  reliant  women.  She  en- 
tered the  world,  April  15,  1836,  in  Bedford 
county.  Pa.,  a daughter  of  James  and  Eliza- 
beth (Langham)  McCormick,  both  of  whom 


PERRY  TOWNSHIP. 


727 


were  natives  of  the  Keystone  state,  the  former 
of  Irish  and  the  latter  of  German  extraction. 
In  1839,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McCormick  immigrated 
to  Fayette  county,  Ind. , where  Mrs.  McCor- 
mick died,  after  which  the  father  brought  his 
children  to  Delaware  county.  In  1841,  Mr. 
McCormick  was  also  removed  by  death,  leav- 
ing three  orphan  children,  Mary  H.  being  the 
eldest,  and  at  that  time  but  five  yaars  of  age. 
She  was  taken  by  her  grandmother,  and  lived 
with  the  latter  until,  at  the  age  of  ten,  she  was 
bereft  of  this  natural  guardian.  The  next  five 
years  were  spent  in  the  family  of  a Mr.  Hoover, 
but  at  that  time  she  undertook  the  care  of  Mr, 
and  Mrs.  Lyman  Halstead,  and  faithfully  per- 
formed a daughter’s  part  to  them  until  their 
respective  deaths.  Miss  McCormick,  in  her 
life,  has  displayed  those  qualities  which  make 
successful  the  lives  of  the  hospital  nurses, 
those  noble  women  who  smooth  so  many  dying 
beds  and  show  tenderness  and  care  to  those 
who  have  none  other  to  care  for  them.  Pa- 
tience, tenderness,  piety,  industry  and  econ- 
omy are  necessary  qualities  to  one  who  can 
take  up  such  a burden.  That  the  ministra- 
tions of  Miss  McCormick  were  appreciated, 
was  shown  by  a bequest  of  $1,800,  at  the 
time  of  the  death  of  her  employers.  With 
this  money  she  wisely  invested  in  land  adjoin- 
ing the  Halstead  estate,  and  has  lived  here, 
her  own  mistress,  ever  since.  The  biographer 
is  not  informed  concerning  Miss  McCormick’s 
attitude  on  the  question  of  woman’s  rights, 
but  she  has  shown  by  her  life  that  she  has  not 
preferred  marriage,  and  has  sufficiently  proved 
by  her  efficient  management  of  her  affairs  that 
she  has  needed  no  male  directing  hand.  She 
has  one  sister,  the  widow  of  Joseph  Runkle. 
For  thirty-six  years  she  has  been  an  active 
and  valued  member  of  the  Christian  church. 
Few  ladies,  indeed,  have  exhibited  as  much 
self  reliance  as  Miss  McCormick,  and  none, 
certainly,  deserve  higher  commendation. 


ILES  MARSHALL. — In  considering 
the  progress  made  by  any  section  of 
country,  the  thoughtful  person  will 
ask  concerning  those  who  have 
passed  away,  as  well  as  of  those  who  still  car- 
ry on  the  affairs  of  life  and  enjoy  its  honors. 
The  past  has  made  the  present  what  it  is. 
One  of  those  who  for  many  years  lived  among 
the  residents  of  Perry  township,  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  and  whose  life  commanded  the 
highest  regard  and  confidence,  is  represented 
by  the  name  with  which  this  sketch  is  opened. 
Miles  Marshall  was  born  in  Wayne  county, 
Ohio,  in  1811,  and  in  1836  immigrated  to 
Delaware  county,  Ind.,  bringing  with  him  his 
wife  and  infant.  He  had  been  married  in 
1834  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Bell,  daughter  of 
James  and  Margaret  (Blare)  Bell,  and  ten 
children  were  born  of  this  union,  eight  of 
whom  yet  live.  The  record  is  as  follows: 
Thomas  B.,  born  August  27,  1835;  Margaret 

A. ,  born  November  15,  1837;  Reuben,  born 
April  9,  1840;  Hannah,  born  April  ii,  1842, 
the  wife  of  Henry  Temple;  Jacob  W. , born 
August  zo,  1847,  deceased;  William  H. ; Eliz- 
abeth J.,  born  March  9,  1850,  the  wife  of  John 

B.  Jackson;  Rebecca  E.,  born  May  3,  1853, 
the  wife  of  Albert  Offterdinger;  Miles  H.,  born 
Eebruary  15,  1856,  and  John  B.,  born  March 
18,  i«6o. 

Mr.  Marshall  spent  his  boyhood  days  on 
his  father’s  farm  and  attended  the  neighbor- 
hood schools  at  intervals  during  his  minority. 
Plis  early  life  was  attended  with  obscurity,  but 
he  lived  to  become  one  of  the  most  prominent 
and  successful  men  of  Perry  township,  and  at 
one  time  was  the  owner  of  320  acres  of  land. 
At  present  his  widow  owns  eighty  acres  and 
resides  with  a daughter.  Mr.  Marshall  pos- 
sessed a mind  of  a judicial  cast,  and  the  con- 
fidence of  the  whole  neighborhood  was  reposed 
in  him.  He  was  called  upon  continually  to 
assist  in  the  settlement  of  estates,  and  as  a 


728 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


man  of  excellent  judgment  he  could  not  be  ex- 
celled. Politically,  he  was  a republican  for 
many  years,  but  at  the  time  of  the  second 
term  of  President  Grant  he  became  a demo- 
crat, and  so  continued  all  his  life.  He  was  a 
man  of  many  good  qualities  of  mind  and  heart 
and  was  much  lamented  by  the  people  of  the 
community,  who  had  learned  to  esteem  him  for 
his  many  sterling  qualities  of  manhood. 


Hugest  OFFTERDINGER,  deceased. 

As  the  name  of  the  subject  of  this 
mention  indicates,  he  was  born  in 
Germany  and  inherited,  in  a great 
measure,  those  qualities  which  have  made  his 
race  respected  and  independent  in  whatever 
part  of  the  world  their  fortunes  may  have 
placed  them.  His  birth  occurred  January  7, 
1 81 1,  a son  of  Gottleib  and  Frederica  (Helfrie) 
Offterdinger,  both  natives  of  Germany,  who 
spent  their  whole  lives  in  the  Fatherland.  Mr. 
Offterdinger  grew  to  manhood  in  his  native 
country,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty  years  crossed 
the  Atlantic  and  located  in  the  state  of  Penn- 
sylvania, remaining  there  one  year,  and  then 
coming  to  the  state  of  Indiana  and  settling  in 
Wayne  county  in  1832.  He  had  learned  the 
trade  of  tanner  in  his  native  country  with  his 
father,  and  after  coming  to  Wayne  county  en- 
gaged in  his  chosen  calling  for  Jacob  Sinks 
until  1836.  At  that  date  he  married  Hannah 
Mendenhall,  daughter  of  Isaiah  and  Ghristiana 
(Clark)  Mendenhall,  both  natives  of  North 
Carolina,  of  English  descent.  Mrs.  Offter- 
dinger was  one  of  a family  of  ten  children,  and 
her  birth  took  place  January  16,  1818.  She 
has  but  one  sister  living,  Margaret,  born  in 
1812.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Offterdinger  reared  a 
family  of  twelve  children,  as  follows:  Gottleib, 
born  July  12,  1837,  deceased;  Theresa  B., 
born  November  26,  1838,  deceased;  Christina 


M.,  born  April  4,  1841,  the  wife  of  Samuel 
Parks;  Sarah  A.,  born  February  5,  1843,  de- 
ceased; Caroline,  born  August  i,  1844,  the 
wife  of  David  Doubty;  Amanda,  born  Septem- 
ber 23,  1846,  wife  of  David  Waller;  Mary  J., 
born  December  6,  1848,  deceased;  Franklin 
B.,  born  January  12,  1851,  deceased;  Albert 
M.,  born  August  17,  1853;  Luther  J.,  born 
August  5,  1855;  John,  born  December  7,  1857, 
and  Julia  E.,  born  March  9,  i860,  the  wife  of 
Horace  Marshall,  deceased. 

After  marriage  Mr.  Offterdinger  lived  in 
Wayne  county  forfive  years,  and  then  removed 
to  Delaware  county  in  1842.  In  the  latter 
county  he  engaged  in  farming,  buying  a small 
tract  of  land  to  begin  with,  and  by  industry 
and  economy,  accumulated  from  time  to  time, 
until  at  the  time  of  his  death  he  owned  696 
acres  of  fine  land.  He  received  but  a small 
amount  of  assistance  from  his  home,  never 
speculated,  but  made  his  money  honestly,  and 
by  the  dint  of  hard  work  and  German  thrift. 
His  parents  were  members  of  the  Lutheran 
church,  and  in  that  belief  he  was  brought  up, 
although  he  never  united  with  any  denomina- 
tion in  America.  Eor  many  years  he  was  a 
republican,  but  at  the  time  of  the  second  can- 
vas of  Gen.  Grant,  he  became  an  independent, 
holding  that  position  until  his  decease.  He 
was  one  of  the  solid  farmers  and  good  citizens 
of  the  township,  and  left  many  friends  behind. 


AMUEL  PARKS.— The  name  which 
opens  this  sketch  has  been  a familiar 
one  to  the  residents  of  Perry  town- 
ship, Delaware  county,  Ind.,  for 
many  years,  and  the  original  is  known  to  be 
one  of  the  best  citizens  and  most  prosperous 
farmers  of  the  township.  Although  at  present 
an  invalid,  having  been  prostrated  in  July, 
1892,  with  a stroke  of  paralysis,  he  still  views 


PERRY  TOWNSHIP. 


729 


life  cheerfully  from  his  comfortable  sick  room 
and  takes  an  interest  in  all  that  goes  on  about 
him.  He  was  born  May  8,  1845,  the  state 
of  Virginia,  a son  of  Amos  and  Sarah  (Sikes) 
Parks,  both  natives  of  North  Carolina,  of  Irish 
ancestry.  Amos  Parks  died  in  the  Old  North 
state  in  1888,  but  Mrs.  Sarah  Parks  is  still  living 
there.  Samuel  was  one  of  seven  children  and 
had  no  educational  advantages,  but  by  the  ex- 
ercise of  his  strong  mind  he  partially  educated 
himself  and  became  a good  business  man.  In 
1868  he  was  married  to  Miss  Matilda  Offter- 
dinger,  daughter  of  August  and  Hannah  (Men- 
denhall) Offterdinger,  whose  sketch  appears 
in  another  part  of  this  volume.  Although  no 
children  have  been  born  to  this  union,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Parks  have  taken  an  adopted  daugh- 
ter to  their  hearts  and  home.  The  illness  of 
Mr.  Parks  interfered  with  his  active  life,  he 
having  been  president  of  one  of  the  gas  well 
companies  in  this  township.  He  is  a member 
of  the  Masonic  order,  connected  with  lodge 
No.  331,  located  at  Blountville.  Politically 
Mr.  Parks  is  a prohibitionist,  and  he  and  wife 
are  both  members  of  the  Methodist  church. 
He  has  a fine  farm  of  ninety-four  acres,  a 
beautiful  home  and  a most  excellent  surround- 
ings, with  every  convenience  for  thorough 
farming.  He  and  his  wife  are  much  eeteemed 
in  the  neighborhood. 


HBNER  H.  RATCLIFF,  one  of  the 
the  honored  ex-soldiers  and  promi- 
nent farmers  of  Perry  township,  Del- 
aware county,  Ind. , was  born  in 
Clinton  county,  Ohio,  April  23,  1846,  a son  of  | 
Nathan  and  Phebe  (Hayworth)  Ratcliff,  both 
natives  of  Ohio,  of  English  descent.  Their 
removal  to  Howard  county,  Ind. , took  place 
in  1850;  and  they  became  the  parents  of  seven 
children,  Abner  H.  being  third  in  order  of 
birth. 


In  1856,  the  mother  of  Abner  H.  died,  and 
some  four  years  later  his  father  married  Naomi 
White,  who  departed  this  life  in  1892. 

Abner  Ratcliff  lived  at  home,  with  his 
parents,  until  his  enlistment  in  the  army,  in 
the  late  war,  when  he  entered  the  Eleventh 
Indiana  cavalry,  in  company  L,  under  Capt. 
Lindsey,  going  into  camp  at  Kokomo,  Ind., 
and  then  at  Camp  Carrington,  and  then  at 
Nashville,  Tenn. , in  1864.  He  continued 
with  his  regiment  during  the  remainder  of  the 
I war,  except  a few  months,  when  he  was  within 
the  walls  of  the  hospital,  and  received  his  dis- 
I charge  May  23,  1865.  He  was  at  the  battles 
of  Franklin,  Tenn.,  and  at  Spring  Hill;  also  at 
the  battle  of  Nashville  and  many  minor  skir- 
mishes. 

After  the  \yar  he  returned  home  and 
worked  in  a saw  mill  and  did  some  farm 
work  until  April  10,  1871,  when  he  mar- 
ried. His  wife  was  Miss  Hannah  E.  Cof- 
fin, daughter  of  Francis,  born  March  ii, 
1798,  and  Susanna,  born  June  16,  1805 

(Stanton)  Coffin,  the  father  a native  of  North 
Carolina,  and  the  mother  of  Virginia.  Mrs. 
Ratcliff  was  born,  where  she  now  lives, 
i July  22,  1841,  her  parents  having  settled 
in  Perry  township  in  1834.  Mrs.  Ratcliff 
is  one  of  a family  of  twelve  children. 
Her  parents  have  both  passed  away,  the  mother 
in  1885,  and  the  father  in  1850.  By  this 
marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ratcliff  have  become 
the  parents  of  three  children — Sarah  E. , born 
January  27,  1872;  Frances  O.,  born  March 
27,  1874;  and  Ada  S.,  born  April  15,  1878. 

Mr.  Ratcliff  owns  100  acres  of  well  im- 
proved land  in  Perr}'  township,  and  has  a 
pleasant  home.  He  and  wife  are  members  of 
the  Christian  church,  in  which  thay  take  a 
deep  interest,  and  for  whose  prosperity  they 
cheerfully  labor.  He  is  on  of  the  esteemed 
members  of  the  G.  A.  R.  Abram  D.  Sholty 
I post.  No.  73,  at  Windsor,  and  the  republican 


730 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


party,  in  its  declarations,  embodies  the  politi- 
cal doctrines  to  which  he  subscribes.  He  is 
no  office  holder,  never  desiring  any  recogni- 
tion, preferring  to  give  his  entire  atttention  to 
his  farming  interests.  To  the  credit  of  Mr. 
Ratcliff,  be  it  said  he  has  made  his  own  way 
in  life,  as  far  as  receiving  any  aid  from  his  an- 
cestors may  be  concerned.  To  him  and  wife 
belongs  the  credit  of  their  success.  The 
parents  of  Mrs.  Ratcliff  were  of  English  de- 
scent. Her  father  was  a whig.  In  addition 
to  being  a farmer  he  was  a harness  maker  by 
trade. 


OHN  N.  REECE,  a well  known  and 
popular  citizen  of  Delaware  county,  was 
born  in  the  state  of  Delaware,  August 
28,  1809,  being  the  son  of  John  and 
Susanna  (Hogner)  Reece.  His  father  was  a 
native  of  Delaware  state,  and  of  Welsh  de- 
scent; his  mother  was  a native  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  of  German  descent.  They  were  the 
parents  of  seven  children,  of  whom  John  N. 
is  the  only  survivor.  The  latter  had  no  advan- 
tages of  schooling,  because  the  district  schools 
of  his  time  were  few  and  far  between.  John 
N.  Reece  was  married,  in  1834,  to  Catherine 
Meyers,  daughter  of  Jonathan  and  Margaret 
Meyers,  her  father  being  a native  of  Maryland, 
and  her  mother  of  New  Jersey,  and  both  of 
German  descent. 

John  N.  Reece  and  his  wife  are  the  parents 
of  the  following  children:  Susanna,  born 

November  3,  1834,  wife  of  J.  S.  Eetter;  Louis 
C.,  born  June  25,  1836;  Margaret,  born  May 
II,  1838,  deceased;  Elmer,  born  May  6,  1840; 
Elizabeth,  born  August  27,  1842,  deceased; 
Mary  J.,  born  Eebruary  9,  1845,  deceased; 
Thomas  C,,  born  July  29,  1847;  Sarah,  born 
August  28,  1849,  deceased;  Solon,  born  Octo- 
ber 3,  1853;  twins,  died  in  infancy;  Catherine, 
born  May  6,  1858;  William  W. , born  January 


12,  1861.  After  Mr.  Reece  had  married  he 
lived  in  Pennsylvania  for  ten  years;  then  re- 
moved to  Randolph  county,  Ind.,  in  1844;  in 
1854  he  located  in  Delaware  county,  Ind., 
where  he  bought  seventy-four  acres  of  land. 
His  wife  was  an  invalid  for  a period  of  three 
years  prior  to  her  death,  which  occurred  Octo- 
ber 28,  1885.  In  politics  Mr.  Reece  is  an  in- 
dependent, voting  for  those  who,  in  his  judg- 
ment, will  make  the  best  officers. 


ACOB  H.  REES,  an  honored  and 
prominent  citizen,  an  ex-soldier  of  the 
late  war  and  a well  known  farmer  of 
Perry  township,  was  born  in  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  November  5,  18.40,  son  of  John 
and  Martha  (Powers)  Rees,  both  natives  of 
Virginia,  of  Welsh  descent.  'These  parents 
came  to  Delaware ’county,  Ind.,  in  1827,  and 
entered  160  acres  of  land  and  erected  a log 
cabin  in  the  wilderness.  A family  of  eleven 
children  grew  up  around  them,  six  of  whom 
lived  to  be  heads  of  families,  five  of  whom 
are  yet  living.  Mr.  Rees  died  in  1864,  and 
his  wife  in  1876,  and  both  are  lying  in  the 
Powers  cemetery. 

Jacob  H.  Rees  was  reared  on  the  old  home 
place  and  attended  the  neighborhood  school 
for  about  three  months  in  the  year.  He  en- 
listed, in  1864,  in  company  G,  Ninth  Indiana 
cavalry,  and  immediately  thereafter  went  into 
camp  at  Richmond,  Ind.,  but  was  soon  sent 
with  his  command  to  Nashville,  Tenn.  His 
first  engagement  was  at  Franklin,  from  which 
place  the  regiment  was  driven  back  to  Nash- 
ville, and  from  there  pursued  Hood’s  army  to 
Athens,  Ala.,  where  it  went  into  winter  quar- 
ters near  Sulphur  Springs.  From  the  latter 
place  the  regiment  marched  to  Vicksburg, 
thence  to  Nashville,  and  later  to  Port  Gibson, 
where  Mr.  Rees  was  taken  sick  and  was  sent 


PERRY  TOWNSHIP. 


731 


on  to  Vicksburg  to  the  hospital,  where  he  was 
obliged  to  remain  until  mustered  out  August 
27,  1865,  going  to  Indianapolis,  where  he 

received  his  honorable  discharge  September 
10,  1865.  In  1874,  Mr.  Rees  was  married  to 
Miss  Elizabeth  Conwell,  the  daughter  of 
George  and  Mary  (Messick)  Conwell,  both  na- 
tives, of  the  state  of  Delaware,  the  former  of 
Irish  descent  and  the  latter  of  Welsh.  Mrs. 
Rees  is  one  of  twelve  children.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Rees  have  two  children,  William  E., 
born  July  17,  1875,  and  Mary  A.,  born  De- 

cember I,  1885. 

Choosing  agriculture  for  his  life  work,  Mr. 
Rees  first  located  on  an  eighty  acre  tract  of 
land,  which  he  improved  and  farmed  for  six 
years,  and  then  sold  and  bought  his  present 
place,  consisting  of  160  acres,  it  being  the  old 
homestead  farm  which  his  father  purchased 
from  the  government.  Fraternall}^,  Mr.  Rees 
is  a member  of  the  Whitney  Masonic  lodge  at 
New  Burlington,  No.  229.  Politically  he  is 
a republican,  and  bravely  upholds  the  princi- 
ples for  which  he  fought.  Mrs.  Rees’  father 
was  a gallant  soldier,  gave  up  his  life  on  the 
Mississippi  river,  and  was  buried  at  Helena. 
His  wife  passed  away  in  1883. 


OHN  REES. — Among  the  prominent 
business  men  of  the  thriving  town  of 
New  Burlington,  Ind.,  the  gentleman 
for  whom  this  sketch  is  prepared  takes 
a foremost  place.  John  Rees  was  born  in 
Delaware  county,  Ind.,  July  13,  1826,  a son 
of  Louis  and  Polly  Rees,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  Wales,  who  came  to  Ohio  with 
their  parents  when  children.  They  married  in 
Ohio,  and  reared  a family  of  ten  children,  as 
follows:  David,  Louis,  Robert  and  John,  liv- 

ing, and  Gracie,  Bowen,  Morris,  Mary  A. , Syd- 
ney and  Bort,  deceased. 


John  Rees  grew  up  on  the  farm  of  his 
father  and  learned  by  experience  the  practical 
duties  of  agricultural  life.  After  he  became  of 
age  he  farmed  the  old  homestead  for  his  father 
for  five  years.  The  place  was  large,  and  the 
family  needs  were  great,  so  that  John  did  not 
get  as  many  school  advantages  as  he  would 
have  liked.  In  1849  he  married  Mary  A. 
Rees,  daughter  of  David  and  Sydney  (Oldaker) 
Rees,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Wayne 
county,  Ind.,  of  German  descent.  Mrs  Rees’ 
father  was  born  February  5,  1804  and  her 
mother,  September  20,  1814.  They  had  but 
two  children,  Levina,  the  wife  of  Borter 
Rees,  and  the  wife  of  the  subject  of  this  biog- 
raphy, the  sisters  marr}dng  brothers. 

John  Rees  and  wife  reared  a family  of 
eight  children;  Adeline,  born  October  8,  1854, 
deceased;  Corracy,  born  November  25,  1857, 
deceased;  Louis  D.,  born  December  5,  i860; 
Wesley,  born  September  9,  1863,  deceased; 
Levina  E.,  born  October  9,  1865;  Mary  E. , 
born  November  9,  1869;  Aburtis,  born  June  8, 
1873,  and  Gunda  B.,  born  December  2,  1878. 

After  his  marriage,  Mr.  Rees  lived  on  the 
old  homestead  for  some  time,  and  then  sold  to 
advantage  and  bought  the  place  where  he  now 
lives,  consisting  of  600  acres  of  well  improved 
land.  He  is  one  of  the  wealthiest  farmers  in 
Perry  township,  and  possesses  the  real  esteem 
of  all,  and  none  are  better  known  for  kindness 
of  heart  to  those  less  fortunate  than  himself. 
Politically,  he  votes  with  the  republicans,  but 
has  never  been  a partisan  in  the  sense  of  seek- 
ing official  honors,  never  having  had  any  aspi- 
rations in  that  direction.  Such  men  are  the 
bone  and  sinew  of  a country  and  their  places 
in  a community  are  eminently  honorable  and 
exceedingly  difficult  to  fill.  Mr.  Rees  has 
been  something  of  a traveler.  In  1859  he 
went  to  Pike’s  Peak  and  engaged  in  mining 
there,  being  quite  successful.  He  had  a fine 
claim  near  Mound  City  and  made  as  much  as 


732 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


$40  per  day,  and  did  not  regret  his  venture. 
He  is  now  a stock  holder  in  some  of  the  gas 
wells  in  this  vicinity,  and  occupies  no  unim- 
portant position  among  the  substantial  and 
well-to-do  citizens  of  Delaware  county. 


EZEKIAH  SHUTTLEWORTH.  — 
Among  the  well  known  names  in 
^ * Perry  township,  Delaware  county, 

Ind. , that  of  Mr.  Shuttleworth  will 
always  be  held  in  kind  remembrance.  He 
passed  out  of  life  in  his  prime,  but  relatives 
and  friends  will  ever  cherish  for  him  feelings  of 
the  deepest  affection,  and  long  mourn  his  de- 
parture from  among  them.  He  was  born  in 
West  Virginia  in  1844,  a son  of  Joshua  and 
Mary  J.  (Marrand)  Shuttleworth.  He  was 
twenty-one  years  of  age  when  he  came  here. 
He  had  been  in  the  army,  during  the  late  war, 
having  enlisted  when  a mere  lad  of  nineteen 
years,  and  never  entirely  recovered  his  health, 
which  the  hardships  of  army  life  had  shattered. 

Mr.  Shuttleworth  was  reared  on  the  farm, 
and  at  a time  when  he  should  have  been  ac- 
quiring an  education,  was  obliged  to  labor,  but 
he  was  of  a quick  intelligence,  and  e.xperience 
taught  him  many  lessons,  making  of  him  a 
man  who  could  well  attend  to  all  of  the  busi- 
ness affairs  of  his  life  without  asking  aid  of 
any  one.  It  is  not  always  a college  education 
which  makes  of  men  successful  citizens  in  a 
financial  point  of  view.  One  of  the  wise  and 
never  regretted  actions  of  his  life  was  his  mar- 
riage, in  1871,  to  the  most  estimable  lady  who 
still  survives  him.  She  was  Miss  Elizabeth 
Eelton,  a daughter  of  Elijah  and  Elvina  (Clem- 
mon4)  Felton,  and  from  this  union  the  following 
family  of  interesting  children  were  born:  Mar- 
tha, Charles,  Richard,  Mary,  Louis,  Rosa, 
Alvina  and  Margaret.  After  marriage,  Mr. 
Shuttleworth  bought  180  acres  of  land  and 


engaged  in  farming,  but  later  he  traded  this 
place  for  another  of  102  acres,  where  he  made 
improvements,  and  then  exchanged  again  for 
another  farm  of  160  acres,  each  time  bettering 
his  condition  financially.  Had  his  life  been 
spared  he  would  no  doubt  have  been  one  of 
the  wealthiest  men  in  the  township,  as  he 
possessed  good  judgment  and  was  not  easily 
deceived  in  any  business  transaction.  What 
he  had,  he  earned  by  the  exercise  of  thrift  and 
hard  labor.  Mr.  Shuttleworth  died  in  1891, 
from  disease  contracted  while  in  the  army,  as 
above  stated.  Since  his  death,  his  wife  has 
most  efficiently  managed  the  affairs  of  the 
farm,  showing  most  excellent  judgment  and 
wise  discretion.  Both  Mr.  Shuttleworth  and 
wife  were  consistent  and  valued  member  of 
the  United  Brethren  church,  and  long  will  be 
the  time  before  his  prerence  will  cease  to  be 
missed  in  the  sanctuary.  He  was  a good  cit- 
izen, took  much  interest  in  the  success  of  the 
republican  party,  to  which  he  belonged,  and 
was  ever  active  in  promoting  the  welfare  of 
the  community  of  which,  for  a number  of 
years,  he  was  such  an  honored  and  upright 
citizen. 


y^ILLIAM  THOMPSON.— The  suc- 
cess that  William  Thompson  has 
attained  in  life  is  due  entirely  to  his 
own  unaided  efforts,  as  he  was  left 
an  orphan  at  the  tender  age  of  five  years. 
William  Thompson  was  born  in  Coshocton 
county,  Ohio,  September  25,  1822,  son  of 

James  and  Margaret  (Gary)  Thompson,  both 
parents  natives  of  Wales.  Mr.  Thompson,  Sr., 
served  in  the  war  of  1812  and  died  at  the  age 
of  fifty-two  years,  leaving  a family  of  nine 
children,  of  whom  William  was  the  youngest 
son.  At  the  death  of  his  father,  the  young 
boy  went  to  live  in  the  family  of  a resident  of 
Coshocton,  with  whom  he  remained  two 


PERRY  TOWNSHIP. 


738 


years,  at  the  end  of  which  period  he  found  a 
home  with  his  eldest  sister.  Here  he  remained 
until  attaining  his  majority,  during  which  time 
he  enjoyed  the  advantage  of  twenty-seven 
days  of  school.  When  his  twenty-first  birth- 
day was  passed,  Mr.  Thompson  began  work 
for  a man  by  the  name  of  Jacob  Elliott,  a 
farmer,  agreeing  to  give  his  services  for  $7 
a month.  This  agreement  lasted  for  a year, 
at  the  end  of  which  time  his  employer  failed, 
and  consequently  Mr.  Thompson  never  re- 
ceived a single  cent  for  his  labor.  In  1843  he 
came  to  Indiana,  and  as  he  had  greatly  im- 
proved the  knowledge  gained  in  his  three 
weeks’  schooling  by  hard  study  at  night,  he 
began  teaching  school  at  Stringtown,  in  an 
old  log  cabin.  All  his  school  appliances  were 
very  primitive,  the  first  writing  lessons  being 
given  on  the  clap  boards  with  a piece  of  char- 
coal. In  spite  of  all  the  disadvantages  under 
which  both  teacher  and  pupils  labored,  the 
instruction  gained  in  that  little  school  was 
thorough,  as  the  young  instructor  put  all  the 
energy  of  an  earnest  nature  into  his  work. 

Mr.  Thompson  was  married  March  12, 
1844,  to  Miss  Elizabeth  P.  Drake,  a daughter 
of  Joel  and  Mary  (Stewart)  Drake,  natives  of 
Ohio  and  Virginia,  both  of  Irish  descent.  Mrs. 
Thompson  was  an  only  child.  Mr.  Drake 
died  in  1845,  but  his  wife  survived  him  until 
1867.  To  the  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Thompson  one  child  has  been  born,  George 
O.,  whose  birth  occurred  April  28,  1849. 
After  marriage  the  young  couple  settled  down 
on  the  farm  where  the  ceremony  was  solem- 
nized, and  have  made  it  their  home  ever 
since.  Religiously  Mr.  Thompson  is  connec- 
ted with  the  United  Brethren  church  and  has 
been  the  efficient  superintendent  of  three  Sun- 
day schools  for  as  many  successive  years. 
Mrs.  Thompson  occupies  a prominent  place 
in  the  Methodist  church.  Politically  Mr. 
Thompson  is  a stanch  republican  and  is  well  1 


informed  on  all  the  leading  topics  of  the  day. 
He  is  a farmer  who  keeps  fully  abreast  of  the 
times  and  is  a man  who  enjoys  the  respect  and 
esteem  of  the  entire  community. 


e^DWARD  THORNBURG  is  a well- 
to-do  farmer  who  was  born  in  Guil- 
ford county,  N.  C.,  in  1807.  He  is 
the  son  of  Isaac  and  Rebecca  (Hud- 
son) Thornburg,  both  natives  of  the  same 
state.  The  father  was  of  Irish  and  the 
mother  of  Welsh  descent.  Isaac  Thornburg 
came  to  Randolph  county  in  1831,  bringing 
his  family  with  him,  and  entering  320  acres  of 
land,  upon  which  he  settled,  and  finally  died 
in  the  year  1861.  His  remains  are  buried  in 
the  Hordshaw  cemetery. 

Edward  Thornburg  lived  with  his  parents 
until  he  was  twenty-two  years  of  age,  and  re- 
ceived no  advantages  of  schooling  whatsoever. 
He  came  to  Randolph  county  in  1829  and 
worked  at  such  employment  as  he  could  find, 
in  order  to  earn  a livelihood.  Two  years 
afterward,  he  was  married  to  Susan  Thorn- 
burg, daughter  of  Joseph  and  Rachel  (Bales) 
Thornburg.  This  marriage  proved  a very 
fruitful  one,  there  being  thirteen  children  born, 
the  names  of  the  entire  number  being  as  fol- 
lows: Elizabeth  J.,  born  March  20,  1832,  de- 
ceased; Rachel,  born  January  18,  1834, 

deceased;  Margaret,  born  December  27, 
1835;  Mary,  born  December  12,  1837;  Martha, 
April  II,  1840;  Rebecca,  July  ii,  1842;  Eliza- 
beth, August  5,  1844;  Caroline,  December  28, 
1846;  Isaac,  May  20,  1848,  deceased;  Joseph 
M.,  October  21,  1850,  deceased;  John  W. , 
January  3,  1853;  Sarah  E.,  November  4,  1855, 
deceased;  and  George  H.,  born  April  13,  1859. 
After  Mr.  Thornburg  married  he  entered  120 
acres  of  land  in  a howling  wilderness.  This 
he  improved,  and  has  added  to  it  until  he  now 


734 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


owns  in  all  340  acres  of  well  cultivated  land. 
On  November  7,  1862,  his  wife  died,  and  in 
1863  he  was  married  to  Mrs.  Lydia  A.  Petro, 
daughter  of  Jacob  and  Martha  (Boyles)  Nevil, 
both  natives  of  Pennsylvania,  and  of  German 
descent.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thornburg  are  faith- 
ful members  of  the  Christian  church.  He  is  a 
republican,  and  prior  to  the  birth  of  this  party 
he  was  a whig,  and  cast  his  first  vote  for  John 
Quincy  Adams  for  president.  Mr.  Thornburg 
is  a worthy  and  good  citizen,  and  is  much 
respected  by  all  who  know  him. 


OSEPH  H.  THORNBURG  is  a farmer 
of  worth  and  influence  in  Perry  town- 
ship, Delaware  county,  and  is  recog- 
nized as  a man  of  energy  and  strong 
force  of  character.  He  was  born  in  Clinton 
county,  Ohio,  April  17,  1831,  being  the  son  of 
Alexander  and  Malinda  (Huskins)  Thornburg. 
His  father  was  a native  of  Ohio,  and  his 
mother  of  North  Carolina,  both  being  of 
English  descent.  They  were  the  parents  of 
two  children  only.  Mrs.  Malinda  Thornburg 
died  in  1834,  and  in  1836  Alexander  Thorn- 
burg married  a second  time,  his  wife  being 
Angeline  Sullivan,  by  whom  he  had  five  chil- 
dren. The  father  was  a farmer,  and  a very 
successful  one,  owning  300  acres  of  land  at 
the  time  of  his  death,  having  previously 
divided  a large  part  of  his  property  among  his 
children.  This  worthy  man  died  in  1883,  and 
was  buried  in  the  Union  cemetery. 

Joseph  H.  Thornburg  was  reared  on  his 
father’s  farm,  and  received  a very  limited  edu- 
cation, the  schools  of  that  time  holding  very 
short  terms,  and  being  far  apart.  Beside,  the 
farm  work  was  so  hard  that  it  was  pretty  diffi- 
cult to  get  away  from  it.  He  was  married,  in 
1854,  to  Hannah  Cunningham,  daughter  of 
Samuel  C. , and  she  bore  him  four  children, 


namely:  Erancis  M.,  William  A.,  Elnora, 

and  Sarah  H.  The  mother  of  these  children 
died  in  1 862,  and  in  the  following  year  he  took 
Paulina  Swearinger  for  his  second  wife,  who 
bore  him  two  children,  namely;  Emma,  wife 
Eli  Yockey,  living  at  Muncie;  and  Irwin  V. 
The  second  wife  died,  and  in  1870  he  married 
his  third  wife,  Sarah  W.  Benbow,  daughter  of 
Edward  and  Susannah  Benbow,  by  whom  he 
had  two  children,  namely:  Jane,  wife  of  Will- 
iam Knox;  and  Charles.  The  third  wife  died, 
leaving  him  a widower  for  the  third  time,  and 
in  1872  he  married  his  present  wife,  Sarah 
Thornburg,  daughter  of  John  and  Eliza  (Evans) 
Craig,  her  parents  being  natives  of  Ohio,  and 
of  English  descent.  There  were  three  children 
by  this  marriage,  Elnora,  Sarah,  and  Burtice. 
As  will  be  seen,  Mr.  Thornburg  has  lost  several 
wives,  and  other  misfortunes  have  befallen 
him,  but  he  has  courageously  met  them,  and  has 
the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  he  has  done 
his  duty,  and  has  now  arrived  at  a point  where 
he  can  take  life  easily.  Mr.  Thornburg  owns 
360  acres  of  fine  land  in  Perry  township,  and 
is  highly  esteemed  by  all  who  know  him.  He 
and  his  wife  are  devoted  members  of  the 
Christian  church.  Mr.  Thornburg  is  a member 
of  the  republican  party,  and  supports  its  nomi- 
nees with  much  earnestness. 


I-*  AEAYETTE  WHITNEY.— The  gen- 
r tleman  whose  name  introduces  this 
_ sketch  is  one  of  the  excellent  farmers 
and  business  men  of  Perry  township, 
Delaware  county,  Ind. , and  was  born  in  Wash- 
ington county,  Ohio,  April  21,  1827,  a son  of 
Thomas  and  Hannah  (Preston)  Whitney,  the 
former  a native  of  Vermont,  of  Scotch  descent, 
and  the  latter  a native  of  Pennsylvania,  of 
German  lineage.  They  married  in  Washing- 
ton county,  Ohio,  and  reared  a family  of  eight 


PERRY  TOWNSHIP. 


786 


children,  namely:  Lafayette,  Mcrdecai,  Nancy, 
Phineas,  Artimesia,  William,  David  and  Frank- 
lin, the  last  three  deceased.  These  three  were 
soldiers  in  the  late  war  and  died  while  in  the 
heroic  performance  of  duty — William  losing 
his  life  at  Winchester,  Va. , David  dying  in 
Salisbury  prison,  and  Franklin  being  killed  in 
the  battle  of  the  Wilderness. 

In  1831,  Thomas  Whitney  brought  his  fam- 
ily to  Delaware  county,  Ind. , and  entered 
eighty  acres  of  land  in  Liberty  township  and 
lived  thereon  for  eight  years,  then  sold  it  and 
bought  240  acres,  which  he  improved  and  lived 
upon  until  his  death,  which  occurred  July  4, 
1881,  his  wife  having  preceded  him  to  the 
grave  November  27,  1870.  According  to  his 
wish,  their  remains  were  interred  in  the  door- 
yard  at  the  old  home. 

Lafayette  Whitney  was  reared  on  his  father’s 
farm  and  received  practically  no  education 
while  at  home.  After  he  became  of  age  he 
learned  the  carpenter  trade  under  the  super- 
vision of  his  uncle,  Louis  Smith,  and  after 
learning  proficient  in  the  same,  worked  with 
him  for  two  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time 
he  began  taking  contracts  and  continued  work- 
ing at  this  trade  for  about  twelve  years.  Mr. 
Whitney  was  married,  April  21,  1858,  to  Miss 
Mary  M.  Snyder,  a daughter  of  Jesse  and 
Catherine  (McGlaughlin)  Snyder,  the  former 
of  German  descent  and  the  latter  of  Irish,  and 
both  natives  of  Virginia,  who  came  to  Dela- 
ware county  in  1848.  Mrs.  Whitney  was 
horn  April  5,  1841,  and  was  one  of  a family 
of  eleven  children.  Her  father  was  a farmer 
b)^  occupation,  and  his  death  occurred  in  1858. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Whitney  became  the  parents  of 
five  children,  namely:  Minerva  A.,  born  Jan- 

uary 12,  1859,  the  wife  of  Dr.  William  A. 
Spurgeon,  of  Muncie;  Nancy  E.,  born  January 
18,  i860,  the  wife  of  William  Compton,  of 
Muncie;  John  L. , born  January  3,  1861,  mar- 
ried Clara  B.  Lindville,  and  follows  farming; 


Laura  J.,  born  May  8,  1862,  the  wife  of  Mala- 
chi  Swift,  and  resident  of  Smithfield;  and  Nel- 
lie B.,born  August  22, 1865, the  wife  of  William 
E.  Martin,  a resident  and  prominent  farmer 
of  Mount  Pleasant  township. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Whitney  bought 
eighty  acres  of  land  in  Centre  township,  and 
remained  thereon  nearly  a year,  and  in  con- 
nection with  agricultural  pursuits  also  carried 
on  the  harness  making  trade,  and  one  set  of 
harness  which  came  from  his  hands  was  sold 
to  the  government  and  was  used  in  the  Indian 
war  in  Minnesota.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Whitney 
are  devoted  members  of  the  Christian  church, 
and  have  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  four  of 
their  children  unite  with  the  same  denomina- 
tion. Socially,  Mr.  Whitney  is  a member  of 
the  Masonic  order,  belonging  to  Whitney 
lodge  No.  228,  at  New  Burlington.  In  his 
politics  he  is  a republican,  and  is  one  of  the 
most  respected  citizens  of  the  county. 


ENRY  WILL,  a worthy  citizen  of 
Perry  township,  living  at  New  Bur- 
lington, is  a native  of  Germany,  born 
in  1814,  and  is  the  son  of  George  H. 
Will.  When  a young  man  he  came  with  his 
two  brothers  to  this  country,  and  settled  in 
Indiana.  His  first  work  was  done  under  his 
brother  Thomas,  as  an  apprentice,  in  a cooper 
shop,  where  he  remained  about  two  years, 
and  then  went  to  Smithfield  and  bought  a grist 
mill.  This  he  occupied  for  a number  of  years, 
when  he  traded  it  for  a farm  in  Perry  town- 
ship, where  he  now  owns  244  acres  of  fine 
land.  He  received  a very  superior  education 
in  the  old  country,  and  is  a man  of  fine  intelli- 
gence, and  has  made  his  home  with  his 
nephew,  John  Will,  since  1879.  John  was 
born  in  Wayne  county,  Ind.,  December  27, 
1849,  and  is  the  son  of  Thomas  and  Margaret 


736 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


(Singer)  Will,  both  natives  of  Germany. 
Thomas  Will,  father  of  John  Will,  immigrated 
to  America  in  1838,  was  a cooper,  and  follow- 
ed this  trade  in  this  country.  After  living  in 
America  five  years,  Thomas  returned  to  Ger- 
many for  the  girl  he  left  behind  him  in  1845, 
and  after  their  marriage  he  returned  to  Indi- 
ana, where  he  resumed  his  old  trade.  By 
this  marriage  he  is  the  father  of  ten  children, 
namely:  Henry;  an  infant,  deceased;  John, 

George,  Thomas,  Mary,  Daniel,  Samuel,  de- 
ceased; Adam;  and  Loua,  deceased.  Thomas 
Will,  the  father  of  these  children,  died  Feb- 
ruary 17,  1865,  and  his  wife  followed  him  ten 
years  later.  His  son  John  is  taking  care  of 
Henry  Will,  the  subject  of  our  sketch.  John 
began  working  for  himself  at  the  age  of  fifteen, 
and  was  married  September  30,  1869,  to  Mary 
Keesling,  daughter  of  Daniel  and  Elizabeth 
Keesling.  By  this  marriage  he  is  the  father  of 
three  children,  namely:  Carrie  L. , wife  of 

Dr.  Bell;  Burton  E.  and  Martha  E.  M.  John 
Will  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church. 


■f^BRAHAM  YOCKEY—One  of  the 
successful  farmers  who  have  shown  of 
what  Indiana  soil  is  capable  is  Abra- 
ham Y^ckey.  He  is  located  in  Perry 
township,  Delaware  county,  and  was  born  in 
Starke  county,  Ohio,  August  10,  1820,  the  son 
of  Peter  and  Christina  (Hoover)  Yockey,  both 
natives  of  Pennsylvania,  of  German  descent. 
In  1840  Peter  Yockey  came  to  Delaware  coun- 
ty with  his  parents.  He  learned  the  trade  of 


carpenter  and  followed  that  occupation  until 
his  marriage.  He  was  the  father  of  nine 
children,  two  of  whom  are  yet  living,  Levi 
and  Abraham.  In  1852,  Mr.  Yockey,  Sr., 
died  and  thirteen  years  later  his  wife  followed, 
in  1865.  The  former  was  interred  in  Ran- 
dolph county,  and  the  latter  in  Allen  county. 

Abraham  Yockey  was  reared  on  the  home 
farm  until  he  was  seventeen  years  of  age,  at 
which  time  he  started  out  to  take  care  of  him- 
self, working  in  a general  way  at  anything 
which  offered  proper  remuneration.  For  about 
seventeen  months  he  worked  in  a sawmill  and 
a year  in  a distillery.  In  1849  he  was  married 
to  Eliza  Hoover,  daughter  of  Eli  and  Nancy 
(Rockenfield)  Hoover,  the  former  a native  of 
Pennsylvania  and  the  latter  of  Maryland.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Yockey  reared  a family  of  four  chil- 
dren, as  follows:  Mark,  born  September  19, 
1852,  married  Martha  Bowers;  David,  born 
November  17,  1854,  married  Estella  Ross; 
Nella  A.,  born  April  7,  1857,  the  wife  of 

Andrew  Blount;  Eli,  born  November  15,  1858, 
married  Emma  Thornburg.  After  marriage 
Abraham  Yockey  engaged  in  farming,  renting 
land  for  that  purpose  for  five  or  six  years. 
He  then  bought  thirty  acres  of  land,  and  after 
improving  it  in  some  degree  sold  it  and  bought 
forty  acres,  adding  since  until  he  has  140  acres 
in  all.  He  has  built  a fine  house  with  all 
modern  improvements,  and  has  the  best  of 
modern  tools  with  which  to  carry  on  success- 
ful farming.  He  and  wife  are  members  of  the 
Christian  church,  in  which  they  are  held  in 
high  esteem.  Politically  Mr.  Yockey  is  a re- 
publican, and  one  of  the  best  and  most  relia- 
ble residents  of  the  county. 


I 


. .. 


SALBM  TOWNSHIP 


ICHARD  A.  ANDES,  one  of  the 
prominent  residents  of  Salem  town- 
ship, Delaware  county,  was  born  in 
Rockingham  county,  Va. , November 
22,  1838,  being  a son  of  Adam  and  Elizabeth 
(Jones)  Andes,  both  natives  of  Virginia,  who 
could  trace  their  lineage  back  to  German  and 
English  ancestors.  By  trade,  Adam  Andes 
was  a blacksmith,  and  until  his  death,  in  1845, 
he  followed  that  occupation.  Mrs.  Andes 
died  two  years  prior  to  the  above  date. 

Richard  A.  Andes  remained  at  the  old 
home  until  1858,  when  he  started  out  in  life 
for  himself,  first  locating  in  Tennessee,  where 
he  remained  until  1862,  working  on  a farm 
and  carpentering.  His  educational  advan- 
tages having  been  somewhat  limited,  he  was 
obliged  to  depend  upon  the  labor  of  his  hands. 
The  winter  of  1862  was  spent  in  Ohio  visiting 
with  friends,  but  in  the  spring  of  1863  he 
came  to  Delaware  county,  Ind. , and  later 
went  to  Indianapolis,  where  he  began  working 
at  the  carpenter  trade,  having  become  pro- 
ficient in  the  same,  while  living  in  Tennessee. 
For  twelve  years  he  remained  in  that  city, 
where  he  labored  industriously,  taking  large 
contracts  and  succeeding  well  in  his  chosen 
occupation.  Mr.  Andes  was  married,  in  1865, 
to  Miss  Sarah  Rubush,  and  one  little  daughter 
was  born  of  this  union.  In  1867  the  young 
wife  died,  and  in  1875  Mr.  Andes  married 
Mrs.  Mary  S.  Bowers,  the  daughter  of  Edward 
and  Anna  (Thompson)  Sharp,  the  former  a 
native  of  Tennessee  and  the  latter  of  Virginia, 


and  respectively  of  German  and  English  ex- 
traction. Mrs.  Andes  is  a sister  of  William 
Sharp,  whose  sketch  will  be  found  on  another 
page. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sharp  emigrated  to  Henry 
county,  Ind.,  in  1832,  coming  to  Delaware 
county,  where  Mr.  Sharp  became  one  of  the 
most  successful  farmers,  and  owned  one  of  the 
largest  and  best  farms  of  the  county,  which  he 
made  by  his  own  exertions.  He  was  honored 
and  respected  by  all  with  whom  he  came  in 
contact.  He  was  born  in  1801,  and  died  in 
1854,  his  wife  following  him  to  the  grave  in 
1878.  Both  were  buried  in  the  Sharp  ceme- 
tery, where  a large  monument  marks  their  last 
resting  place.  Mrs.  Andes  was  one  of  thirteen 
children;  was  born  in  1831,  and  lived  with  her 
parents  until  her  marriage  to  Noah  Bowers, 
who  was  also  one  of  Delaware  county’s  suc- 
cessful men.  They  were  married  just  twenty 
years  when  he  died,  leaving  her  and  three 
children.  In  1875  she  married  Richard  A. 
Andes,  making  him  an  excellent  and  capable 
wife.  All  of  her  family  have  been  members  of 
the  Christian  church,  and  her  ancestors  lie 
buried  together  in  one  sacred  spot.  Mrs. 
Andes  is  a consistent  member  of  the  same 
church,  in  which  she  is  much  esteemed,  and 
Mr.  Andes  is  as  highl}^  regarded  in  the  Metho- 
dist church,  of  which  he  is  a member.  Politi- 
cally Mr.  Andes  is  a republican,  and  takes 
much  interest  in  the  progress  of  public  affairs, 
although  he  never  had  any  ambition  to  serve 
as  a public  officer. 


788 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


ICHAEL  BOWERS,  a well  known 
and  reliable  resident  of  Salem  town- 
ship, where  he  has  large  land  inter- 
ests, was  born  in  Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  May  9,  1841,  a son  of  Andrew  and  Mary 
(Shafer)  Bowers,  natives  of  Rockingham  county, 
Va.,  of  German  parentage.  In  the  year  1839, 
Andrew  and  Mary  Bowers  immigrated  to  Del- 
aware county,  Ind.,  where  Mrs.  Bowers  died 
in  1864,  and  in  1881  Mr.  Bowers  was  called 
away.  They  were  the  parents  of  ten  children, 
four  of  whom  are  yet  living.  Michael  Bowers 
lived  at  home  with  his  parents  until  he  was 
twenty-three  years  of  age.  As  he  was  the 
next  to  the  eldest  in  a large  family,  he  was 
early  obliged  to  work,  and  had  but  limited 
means  of  acquiring  an  education.  In  1864, 
feeling  that  his  country  needed  his  services,  he 
enlisted  in  the  Twenty-fifth  Indiana  light  in- 
fantry, was  sent  to  Nashville,  and  from  there 
marched  to  Huntsville,  requiring  twenty-two 
days  to  make  the  trip,  owing  to  the  rain  which 
fell  in  torrents  during  sixteen  days  of  the  time. 
Erom  this  place  the  regiment  was  sent  to  De- 
catur, Ala.,  and  here  Mr.  Bowers  remained  until 
he  was  mustered  out,  and  discharged  July  24, 
1865.  He  came  home  safely,  but  one  of  his 
brothers  died  in  the  awful  prison  pen  at  An- 
dersonville  of  starvation. 

On  leaving  the  army,  Mr.  Bowers  engaged 
in  work  for  his  uncle  for  $200  per  year,  and  on 
March  5,  1867,  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Martha  E.  Summers,  daughter  of  Terrel  and 
Elizabeth  (McClintock)  Summers.  Mrs.  Bow- 
ers was  one  of  a family  of  four  children,  and 
she  became  the  mother  of  four  children,  but 
died  January  23,  1883.  She  had  been  a de- 
voted member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  and  left  a large  circle  of  sorrowing 
friends.  The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bow- 
ers were:  William  O.,  a graduate  of  DePauw 
university;  Dora,  the  wife  of  George  E.  Painter, 
who  resides  in  Henry  county;  Laura,  a teacher 


in  this  county,  and  Edna.  Mr.  Bowers  is  the 
owner  of  102  acres  of  fine  land,  and  this  prop- 
erty is  the  result  of  the  honest  and  persever- 
ing labor  of  its  owner.  He  lives  in  much 
comfort  and  is  one  of  the  representative  farm- 
ers of  the  county.  In  1885,  he  married  Mrs. 
Dorothea  J.  Kirp,  a widow  with  four  children. 
Socially,  he  is  a member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F. , 
No.  561,  located  in  Cowan.  The  Christian 
church  is  the  religious  body  with  which  he  has 
membership,  and  in  this  denomination  he  is 
much  esteemed.  Politically  he  is  a republi- 
can, and  boldly  asserts  the  principles  of  that 
party. 


OAH  BOWERS  deceased,  was  for 
many  years  one  of  the  most  enter- 
prising and  successful  farmers  and 
stock  growers  of  Delaware  county. 
He  was  born  in  Rockingham  county,  Va. , 
June  I,  1826,  and  was  a son  of  Jacob  and 
Susanna  Bowers,  of  German  descent,  and  the 
parents  of  a family  of  nine  children,  viz:  An- 
drew, George,  Noah,  one  unnamed,  Shem, 
Jacob  and  Elizabeth,  all  deceased;  Christina, 
wife  of  T.  Sharp,  and  Susanna,  wife  of  Joseph 
Shirey.  The  parents  of  this  family  were  con- 
sistent members  of  the  Presbyterian  church, 
and  followed  its  teachings  with  unvarying 
steadfastness.  In  politics  the  father  was  a 
democrat. 

Noah  Bowers  was  reared  on  the  old  home- 
stead in  Virginia,  where  he  passed  his  early 
days  in  attending  the  “old  field”  schools  in 
winter  and  in  assisting  his  father  on  the  farm 
in  summer.  At  the  age  of  twenty-four  he  be- 
gan the  race  of  life  for  himself,  engaging  in 
Delaware  county,  Ind. , to  which  he  came 
with  his  parents  in  1835,  in  the  vocation  to 
which  he  was  reared — that  of  farming — in 
which  he  met  with  phenomenal  success.  Janu- 
ary 24,  1850,  he  married  Miss  Mary  Sharp, 


NOAH  BOWERS 


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SALEM  TOWNSHIP. 


739 


a sister  of  Thompson  Sharp,  of  Washington 
township,  and  present  county  commissioner, 
and  of  William  Sharp,  of  Salem  township,  in 
whose  sketches  will  he  found  full  details  re- 
lating to  the  family  of  her  parents.  She  bore 
Mr.  Bowers  six  children,  who  were  born  in 
the  following  order:  Elnora  J.,  Sanford  H., 

Charlie  B.  and  Oliver  P. , all  deceased;  and 
John  G. , a liveryman  of  Muncie,  and  Joseph 
F. , a successful  physician  of  the  same  city. 

September  13,  1870,  Noah  Bowers  was 
called  from  earth.  He  had  long  enjoyed  the 
esteem  of  the  entire  community,  who  turned 
out  en  masse  to  attend  his  funeral,  which  was 
perhaps  the  largest  that  ever  took  place  in  the 
township.  His  remains  was  interred  in  the 
Sharp  cemetery,  and  a magnificent  monument 
marks  the  location  of  his  final  resting  place. 
At  the  time  of  his  death  Mr.  Bowers  was  the 
owner  of  600  acres  of  land,  beside  much  other 
valuable  property — his  administrator  selling, 
that  year,  hogs  alone  to  the  value  of  $4,000. 
And  let  it  be  remembered  that  this  great  wealth 
was  all  accumulated  through  his  own  unaided 
industry  and  economy.  His  course  through 
life  was  upright  and  prudent,  and  his  example 
is  one  worthy  the  emulation  of  every  poor  boy 
in  the  county,  who  should  strive  to  so  live  that 
he  may  leave  an  equally  clear  record  behind 
him. 

In  1875,  Mrs.  Mary  S.  Bowers  was  united 
in  matrimony  with  Richard  A.  Andes,  whose 
sketch  may  be  found  elsewhere,  and  whose 
home  and  life  she  is  causing  to  be  made  as 
happy  as  she  had  made  those  of  Mr.  Bowers. 


USSELL  BOWERS,  a prominent 
young  farmer  of  Salem  township,  is  a 
native  of  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  and 
son  of  Jacob  and  Rebecca  (Sharp) 
Bowers.  He  was  born  in  the  township  of  Sa- 


lem June  7,  1867,  and  grew  to  manhood  on  the 
farm,  attending  in  the  meantime  the  public 
schools,  in  which  he  acquired  a fair  knowledge 
of  the  English  branches.  Subsequently,  he 
took  a full  business  course  in  a commercial  col- 
lege at  Dayton,  Ohio,  from  which  he  gradua- 
ted, and  shortly  thereafter  spent  two  years  in 
the  west,  in  the  states  of  Missouri  and  Nebras- 
ka. Returning  to  Delaware  county,  he  re- 
sumed farming,  and  has  ever  since  carried  on 
the  pursuit  of  agriculture  with  success  and 
financial  profit.  Mr.  Bowers  is  yet  a young 
man  and  his  life  just  in  its  prime.  From  early 
boyhood  it  has  been  marked  by  industry  and 
economy,  and  by  honest  toil  he  has  accumula- 
ted a comfortable  estate.  He  has  a cozy  home, 
consisting  of  forty-six  acres  of  fertile  and  well 
tilled  land,  and  among  his  fellow  citizens  he  is 
recognized  as  an  upright  and  honorable  man, 
possessing  the  esteem  and  confidence  of  all 
who  know  him.  Mr.  Bowers  was  married 
January  31,  1889,  to  Lucinda  j.  Runyan, 

daughter  of  Noah  and  Lydia  Runyan,  and  one 
child,  Leonard  Bowers,  has  come  to  brighten 
their  home.  The  parents  of  Mrs.  Bowers 
moved  from  Henry  to  Delaware  county  in 
1881,  and  purchased  a farm  in  Salem  town- 
ship. Their  children  were  three  in  number: 
Emma  and  Ida,  twins,  and  Lucina. 


BRANDON,  M.  D. — In  no  de- 
0 H I partment  of  biographical  literature 
is  there  more  abundant  cause  for 
inspiration  and  enthusiasm  than  in 
writing  of  the  medical  profession.  The  per- 
fect physician,  whose  smallest  duty  is  the  ad- 
ministration of  physic,  and  whose  very  pres- 
ence heals,  is  a theme  worthy  the  pen  of  a 
gifted  writer.  Among  the  noted  physicians  of 
Delaware  county  who  are  much  regarded,  and 
whose  fame  has  penetrated  beyond  her  borders, 


740 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


is  Dr.  W.  S.  Brandon.  He  is  yet  a young 
man,  having  been  born  in  this  county,  in  the 
town  of  Yorktown,  January  26,  1852,  a son 
of  Joseph  F.  and  Mary  A.  (Saxon)  Brandon, 
the  father  a native  of  Bourbon  county,  Ky. 

Dr.  Brandon  was  reared  in  Fairmount, 
Grant  county,  Ind.,  where  the  most  of  his 
boyhood  was  spent  in  school,  and  at  the  age 
of  eighteen  he  began  the  life  of  a teacher, 
continuing  thus  until  he  was  twenty-six  years 
of  age.  In  1876  he  attended  medical  lectures 
in  the  city  of  Cincinnati,  and  began  practice 
in  Grant  county,  Ind.,  working  faithfully 
among  the  sick  and  needy  from  1880  until 
1881,  when  he  attended  the  medical  depart- 
ment of  the  Butler  university,  from  which  he 
graduated  in  the  winter  of  1880-1.  He  then 
located  at  Andrews,  Ind. , remaining  there 
until  1889,  when  he  came  to  the  pleasant  vil- 
lage of  Daleville,  where  he  has  since  been 
actively  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profes- 
sion. He  has  taken  advantage  of  every  op- 
portunity for  perfecting  his  knowledge,  and 
during  1888  took  a course  in  a hospital  for 
practice,  going  to  New  York  for  this  purpose. 

Dr.  Brandon  is  a very  pleasant  and  genial 
companion,  beside  being  a physician  of  rare 
skill,  and  is  a close  student.  His  success  in 
his  profession  has  been  very  gratifying,  and 
has  gained  him  name  and  fame  in  the  com- 
munity. He  is  now  pension  examining  sur- 
geon for  Delaware  county.  Fraternally  he 
is  a member  of  the  Masonic  order  and  of  the 
Red  Men,  while  in  politics  he  is  an  ardent 
democrat.  In  Van  Buren,  Grant  county, 
Ind.,  the  doctor  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Mary  S.  Green,  who  was  born  in  that 
county  October  27,  1854,  a daughter  of  Lott 
and  Polly  Green.  Two  children  have  been 
born  to  Doctor  and  Mrs.  Brandon,  Chloe  and 
Della  L. , both  bright  and  prepossessing  chil- 
dren. Both  the  excellent  doctor  and  his  wife 
are  members  of  the  Christian  church,  in  which 


they  are  not  only  members  but  active  and 
earnest  workers. 


BRANK  DANIELS,  of  Daleville,  Dela- 
ware county,  Ind. , is  a member  of  the 
firm  of  Daniels  & Overman,  owners 
of  one  of  the  most  successful  mills  in 
this  portion  of  the  country.  Mr.  Daniels  was 
born  in  Madison  county,  Ind.,  July  15,  1853,  a 
son  of  F.  W.  and  Lucinda  (Heritage)  Daniels, 
natives  of  Virginia  and  Indiana  respectively. 
Mr.  Daniels,  Sr.,  had  the  advantages  of  a good 
education  and  for  some  years  followed  the 
occupation  of  teacher,  and  then  went  into  the 
milling  business  in  Alexandria,  Ind.,  for  a 
period  of  four  years.  In  1871  he  disposed  of 
his  property,  moved  to  Tennessee,  and  there 
went  into  the  milling  business  again,  but  was 
so  unfortunate  as  to  be  burned  out  and  to  lose 
all  of  his  property.  Coming  back  to  Indiana, 
he  located  at  Richmond,  where  he  was  again 
engaged  in  milling  for  two  years,  removing 
then  to  Middletown,  Henry  county,  where  he 
died  February  27,  1882.  His  widow  still  re- 
sides in  her  comfortable  home  in  Middletown. 
In  his  political  views  he  affiliated  with  the  re- 
publicans, and  his  wife  is  connected  with 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  Two  chil- 
dren were  born  of  this  union,  J.  C. , a resident 
of  Middletown,  and  Frank. 

Frank  Daniels  was  reared  to  the  occupa- 
tion of  miller.  He  received  a good  education 
and  was  thus  prepared  to  conduct  business 
successfully.  In  1878  he,  with  his  only 
brother,  bought  the  flouring  mill  at  Middle- 
town,  and,  after  operating  it  until  1882  he 
came  to  Salem  township  and  purchased  the 
mill  which  he  is  now  engaged  in  conducting. 
Since  1889  he  has  had  a partner  in  J.  W. 
Overman.  They  entirely  refitted  the  mill 
and  put  in  the  full  roller  process,  with  all 


is* 


GRANVILLE  ELLISON 


MRS.  A.  C.  ELLISON 


SALEM  TOWNSHIP. 


741 


modern  improvements,  and  it  is  now  con- 
ducted as  a first  class  mill  and  is  doing  a good 
business.  Mr.  Daniels  was  married  February 
17,  1880,  to  Miss  Cora  Moore,  daughter  of 
John  K.  and  Elnora  (Crim)  Moore,  of  English 
extraction,  and  one  child  has  been  born  of 
this  union,  namely,  Edith.  Politically,  Mr.  j 
Daniels  adheres  to  the  republican  party,  and  is  | 
one  of  the  progressive  and  wide  awake  citizens  | 
of  the  town  of  Daleville.  i 


RANVILLE  ELLISON  is  a well-to- 
■ do  and  much  esteemed  citizen  of 

^ ^ Daleville,  and  was  born  in  Monroe 
county,  W.  Va. , February  17,  1825. 
He  is  the  son  of  James  and  Susanna  (Mitchell) 
Ellison.  His  parents  were  born  in  the  same 
county,  and  reared  their  family  there  until 
1838,  when  they  moved  to  Madison  county, 
Ind.,  and  lived  there  until  death— the  father 
passing  away  in  1856  and  the  mother  in  1865. 
The  grandfather  of  Granville  Ellison  was  a 
Frenchman,  and  came  to  America  as  a soldier 
during  the  Revolutionary  war,  remaining  and 
becoming  a worthy  citizen.  The  parents  of 
Mr.  Ellison  were  of  French  and  English  de- 
scent, and  reared  the  following  family:  Fan- 

nie, widow  of  James  Pearson,  of  Madison 
county;  Lucy,  widow  of  William  Fox,  Madi- 
son county;  Granville,  Ellen,  Riley,  living  at 
home;  Elizabeth,  James,  deceased;  Jesse,  died 
in  the  army;  John  living  in  Missouri;  Joseph, 
living  in  Kansas;  William,  David,  living  in 
this  county;  Buckels  and  Susanna.  James 
Ellison  was  a whig  of  the  Henry  Clay  school; 
was  a successful  man,  having  acquirea  several 
hundred  acres  of  land.  He  and  his  wife  were 
members  of  the  Baptist  church.  Five  of  the 
sons  above  named  entered  the  Union  army 
and  fought  bravely. 

Granville  Ellison  was  brought  up  on  a farm. 


and  received  but  a limited  education.  The 
chief  schooling  was  received  in  the  college  of 
economy.  He  was  married  in  Delaware  county, 
in  1846,  to  Mary  Hurley,  born  in  the  county, 
the  daughter  of  John  and  Phebe  (Coon)  Hurley, 
of  German  and  Irish  descent  respectively.  By 
this  marriage  Mr.  Ellison  became  the  father  of 
four  children,  two  of  whom  attained  maturity: 
John,  a carpenter,  of  Leachville;  and  Emma 
F. , wife  of  Alfred  Hoppos,  of  Daleville.  The 
mother  of  these  children  died  January  5,  1878, 
and  was  buried  in  the  Ellison  cemictery.  Mr. 
Ellison  lived  in  Madison  county  until  1879, 
when  he  removed  to  Daleville,  where  he  mar- 
ried his  present  wife  August  5,  1879;  she  being 
the  daughter  of  Abraham  and  Rosanna  (Sum- 
mers) Dipboye.  Arbena  C.  Dipboye  was  born  at 
Newmarket,  Va. , September  17,  1823.  Her 
father  and  mother  were  of  French  and  German 
descent  respectively.  This  wife  was  the  widow 
of  J.  Hurley,  by  whom  she  had  twelve  chil- 
dren, namely:  Phebe,  John,  Frank  M.,  Sarah, 
Milton,  Maryette,  William,  Arbena,  Rohanna, 
Homer,  Emeline  and  Harriet.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Ellison  are  members  of  the  New  Light  or 
Ghristian  church.  Mr.  Ellison  was  engaged  in 
manufacturing  for  a short  time,  but  is  now  re- 
tired from  all  business,  and  living  quietly  at 
Daleville.  Until  the  outbreak  of  the  civil  war 
he  was  a democrat,  but  since  that  time  has 
voted  the  republican  ticket  until  last  year, 
when  he  supported  the  Weaver  ticket,  and  he 
is  now  an  alliance  man. 


AREY  FENWICK  is  a prominent 
builder  and  contractor  of  Salem  town- 
ship, Delaware  county,  Ind.,  and  was 
born  in  Highland  county,  Ohio,  Jan- 
uary 4,  1833,  a son  of  William  and  Mary 
(Gilbert)  Fenwick,  the  former  a native  of 
Ohio,  and  the  latter  of  Kentucky,  of  English 


742 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


and  Welsh  ancestry,  respectively.  The  par- 
ents immigrated  to  Indiana  in  1835,  3-nd  Mrs. 
Fenwick  died  in  that  state  in  1844,  her  hus- 
band living  until  1882,  when  he  passed  away 
at  the  age  of  eighty  years. 

Carey  Fenwick,  at  the  age  of  eleven  years, 
went  to  live  in  the  family  of  Jonathan  Shepp, 
one  of  the  old  pioneers  of  Delaware  county. 
Mr.  Shepp  took  young  Fenwick  to  live  with 
him  until,  he  was  eighteen  years  of  age,  giving 
him  his  board  and  clothes,  and  for  one  year 
extra  a horse,  saddle  and  bridle.  At  the  age 
of  nineteen  years  Mr.  Fenwick  began  to  learn 
the  carpenter  trade,  working  under  Mr.  Shepp, 
and,  spending  two  years  more  in  the  employ 
of  Green  Brandon,  acquiring  great  proficiency 
in  his  chosen  calling  in  the  meantime. 

In  October  28,  1858,  Mr.  Fenwick  was 
married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Saunders,  daughter 
of  John  and  Levina  (Sullivan)  Saunders,  who 
were  natives  of  North  Carolina,  of  Irish  ori- 
gin. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Saunders  emigrated  to  the 
state  of  Tennessee,  thence  to  Ohio,  and  from 
there  to  Delaware  county,  Ind.  After  his 
marriage  Mr.  Fenwick  continued  working  at 
his  trade,  and  during  the  period  up  to  1870 
did  a good  business  and  became  well  known 
as  a builder  and  contractor,  but  at  that  time 
he  abandoned  carpentry  and  engaged  in  farm- 
ing, which  he  has  since  followed  with  encour- 
aging success.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fenwick 
have  been  born  the  following  named  children; 
Mary  J.,  born  May  4,  i860,  wife  of  Samuel 
C.  Rinker,  and  they  now  reside  in  Salem 
township;  Lowell  H.,  born  February  8,  1862, 
married  Mary  Grow  and  resides  in  Daleville; 
Joseph  N.,  born  January  10,  1865,  and  is  a 
teacher  in  Delaware  county;  John  N.,  born 
July  22,  1867,  resides  in  Colorado;  Carey  P. , 
born  September  i,  1871;  Jephtha  V.,  born 
November  24,  1874;  Viola  J.,  born  April  21, 
1878,  and  Grover  S. , born  April  10,  1884. 
Mr.  Fenwick  has  never  united  with  any  church 


organization,  but  Mrs.  Fenwick  is  one  of  the 
most  valued  members  of  the  Christian  church. 
Fraternally  he  is  a member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F. , 
having  joined  Daleville  lodge.  No.  309,  June 
6,  1868,  and  has  held  all  the  offices  in  the 
lodge.  In  his  political  views,  Mr.  Fenwick 
affiliates  with  the  democratic  party,  believing 
that  the  principles  enunciated  by  that  party 
are  the  best  for  the  government  of  the  country. 


OHN  G.  HUPP  is  a prominent  farmer 
of  Salem  township,  located  on  sections 
7 and  I 3 in  Delaware  county,  Ind.  He 
was  born  in  this  county  March  29,  1824, 
and  was  here  reared  and  attended  school. 
His  first  school  house  will  be  long  remem- 
bered by  him,  as  it  was  built  of  logs,  with 
greased  paper  in  place  of  glass  in  the  windows, 
and  the  seats  were  of  the  roughest  boards. 
Mr.  Hupp  was  not  able  to  attend  this  temple 
of  learning  very  regularly,  as  his  father  was  in 
limited  circumstances  and  required  his  son’s 
assistance  upon  the  farm.  He  faithfully  worked 
until  he  was  twenty-two  with  his  father,  and 
on  March  3,  1866,  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Emma  Myers,  a daughter  of  Solomon  and 
Louisa  Myers  and  a sister  of  Jane  (Myers)  Sie- 
gel, the  wife  of  Henry  Siegel.  At  this  time  he 
was  in  poor  financial  condition — in  fact,  find- 
ing it  necessary  to  borrow  the  money  with 
which  to  purchase  his  wedding  outfit — but  he 
decided  to  make  a success  of  his  life  and  worked 
hard.  The  first  land  purchased  by  him  was 
forty  acres  in  Salem  township,  and  to  this  he 
kept  adding  until  he  now  has  140,  the  greater 
part  of  which  has  been  earned  by  the  sweat  of 
his  brow.  The  same  spring  of  their  marriage, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hupp  united  with  the  Christian 
church,  of  which  they  have  since  been  good 
and  conscientious  members.  They  are  the 
parents  of  four  children:  Ida  B.,  wife  of 


\ 


■ 


j 


J.  J.  HURLEY. 


SALEM  TOWNSHIP. 


743 


Charles  Hays,  of  Green  county;  Aggie,  wife  of 
C.  Lambert;  Josephine,  wife  of  Henry  Rinker, 
and  Walter.  Mr.  Hupp  is  a home  loving  man, 
never  having  been  outside  of  his  county  except 
once  when  he  went  to  Dayton,  Ohio,  and  once 
when  he  intended  to  enter  the  army  during  the 
late  war,  but  his  relatives  finally  succeeded  in 
pursuading  him  to  remain  at  home.  Politi- 
cally he  is  a republican,  and  has  been  one  ever 
since  the  formation  of  the  party. 


OHN  J.  HURLEY  in  an  old  and  hon- 
ored resident  of  Delaware  county,  Ind. , 
was  born  January  lo,  1841,  and  is  a 
son  of  Joannan  and  Arbena  (Deboise) 
Hurley,  the  former  of  Scotch  and  the  latter  of 
German  ancestry,  and  both  natives  of  Virginia. 
At  the  age  of  ten  years  Joannan  Hurley  ac- 
companied his  father  to  Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  and  worked  at  the  stone  cutting  trade, 
in  connection  with  farming,  and  died  April  26, 
1875.  His  widow  subsequently  married  Gran- 
ville Ellison,  whose  sketch  appears  on  another 
page  of  this  volume.  John  J.  Hurley  remained 
under  the  parental  roof  until  July  ii,  1863, 
when  he  enlisted  in  the  Seventh  Indiana  regi- 
ment, was  examined  and  mustered  into  service 
at  Indianapolis,  and  was  tl-en  sent  to  Ken- 
tucky. His  first  experience  under  fire  was 
near  Memphis.  He,  with  others,  was  riding 
on  the  top  of  a car  when  the  party  was  fired 
upon  by  a band  of  guerrillas,  and  he  was  hit 
in  his  right  limb.  When  he  reached  the  hos- 
pital at  Memphis,  it  was  found  that  he  had 
twenty-three  holes  in  his  clothes,  although  but 
the  one  shot  had  taken  serious  effect;  he  sus- 
tained, however,  four  flesh  wounds.  This 
mishap  made  it  necessary  for  him  to  be  con- 
fined to  the  hospital  for  some  time,  but  as 
soon  as  he  was  able  he  rejoined  his  command 
at  Jefferson  Barracks,  Mo.,  where  he  received 


his  discharge,  Eebruary  5,  1865.  Immediately 
after  the  close  of  the  war  Mr.  Hurley  returned 
home,  where  he  remained  until  he  married, 
which  event  occurred  January  12,  1878,  with 
Miss  Melvina  Shaffer,  a native  of  Virginia  and 
daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Sarah  (Gund) 
Shaffer,  both  natives  of  Virginia  and  of  Ger- 
man descent.  Two  children  have  been  born 
to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hurley,  namely;  Garland 
H.,  born  January  7,  1879,  and  Berzman, 

born  April  5,  1881.  The  first  purchase  of 
real  estate,  by  Mr.  Hurley,  consisted  of  eighty 
acres,  of  which  he  became  possessor  before 
marriage,  and  since  that  time  he  has  become 
owner  of  136  acres  of  land,  all  of  which  is 
suitable  for  farming  purposes  and  is  well  de- 
veloped. He  has  shown,  in  his  manner  of 
farming,  that  he  is  a man  of  thrift  and  energy 
and  understands  his  own  business.  Frater- 
nally he  is  a Mason,  and  for  several  years  has 
held  the  office  of  tyler  in  the  lodge,  located 
formerly  at  Chesterfield,  but  now  known  as 
lodge  No.  53,  Middletown.  He  is  a republi- 
can, and  believes  the  principles  enunciated  by 
that  party  to  be  for  the  best  interest  of  the 
government.  He  has  held  the  office  of  town- 
ship assessor,  and  in  the  discharge  of  the 
duties  of  that  position  has  given  satisfaction  to 
all  concerned.  Mr.  Hurley  is  a worthy  citizen, 
is  remembered  for  his  gallant  services  during 
the  late  war,  and  for  his  honest,  upright  life 
in  times  of  peace. 


AMES  H.  JONES. — Perhaps  nothing 
will  impress  the  reader  of  this  volume 
of  biographical  sketches  of  prominent 
residents  of  Delaware  county,  Ind  , 
more  forcibly  than  that  so  many  of  them  have 
arisen  by  their  own  efforts  from  comparative 
poverty  to  their  present  positions  of  affluence, 
and  that  their  success  has  been  so  often  at- 


744 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


tained  without  any  early  educational  advan- 
tages. The  life  of  James  H.  Jones,  subject  of 
the  present  sketch,  is  a case  in  point. 

James  H.  Jones  was  born  in  Fayette 
county,  Ind.,  May  26,  1819,  and  is  a son  of 
James  M.  and  Mary  (Ostian)  Jones,  both  na- 
tives of  South  Carolina,  the  former  of  Irish 
and  the  latter  of  English  ancestry.  The 
parents  emigrated  from  North  Carolina  to 
Indiana  in  1808,  locating  first  in  Franklin 
county,  and  later  removing  to  the  county  of 
Fayette.  They  reared  a family  of  nine  chil- 
dren, as  follows;  John,  Balls,  Bufur,  Jane  H., 
Eliz,abeth,  and  Mary,  all  deceased;  Martha, 
James  and  David  W.  (the  last  also  deceased). 
At  the  early  age  of  seventeen  James  H.  Jones 
began  life  for  himself.  He  engaged  in  all  kinds 
of  honorable  work,  principally  farming,  and 
received  from  $8  to  $12  a month.  For  one 
man  he  worked  four  years,  giving  entire  satis- 
faction. His  school  advantages  were  none  at 
all  beyond  learning  the  rudiments  of  reading 
and  writing,  but  he  taught  himself,  and,  pos- 
sessing an  active  mind  and  business  tact,  has 
succeeded  well  in  his  battle  with  the  world  in 
spite  of  his  early  disadvantage.  Learning  the 
cabinet  maker  trade,  he  worked  at  that  for 
three  months,  and  then  engaged  in  carpentry, 
for  which  work  he  seemed  especially  fitted  by 
nature.  Before  long  he  was  able  to  make  and 
fill  contracts,  and  from  that  time,  aided  by  his 
honest  and  persistent  efforts  and  good  habits, 
his  life  was  successful  In  1841  he  married 
Miss  Martha  Stewart,  daughter  of  Samuel  and 
Mary  (McKibben)  Stewart,  and  by  this  union 
has  become  the  father  of  three  children,  viz: 
John  S.,  born  September  22,  1844;  Samuel 
T. , born  February  8,  1847,  David  H., 

January  i,  1852.  Mrs.  Jones  died  March 
3.  1854- 

After  his  marriage,  Mr.  Jones  bought  twenty 
acres  of  land  in  the  timber,  upon  which  he 
erected  a log  house,  and  the  smoke  from  his 


pioneer  home  soon  arose  in  the  wilderness.  At 
that  time  game  was  still  abundant  and  filled 
the  larder  during  the  winter  season,  and  during 
the  summers  he  worked  at  his  trade,  which  he 
followed  for  many  years,  also  giving  his  atten- 
tion to  his  now  much  enlarged,  and  well  cul- 
tivated farm.  He  owns  190  acres  of  improved 
land,  and  is  the  fortunate  possessor  of  a very 
commodious  and  comfortable  country  home. 
March  3,  1853,  Mrs.  Jones  died,  leaving  three 
children.  January  5,  1855,  Mr.  Jones  married 
Miss  Martha  J.  Bennett,  and  six  children  have 
been  born  of  this  union,  as  follows:  Joseph  B., 
born  February  i,  1 856;  Arabella,  born  October 
2,  1857;  Frank  W.,  born  August  3,  i860; 

Albert  B. , born  September  25,  1862;  an  infant 
son,  born  October  16,  1867;  and  Martha,  born 
December  16,  1869.  Mrs.  Jones  was  removed 
by  death,  December  16,  1891,  Mr.  Jones 

again  being  left  a sad  and  lonely  man.  Politi- 
cally Mr.  Jones  is  an  ardent  democrat,  and  his 
sons  join  with  him  in  voting  the  democratic 
ticket.  He  is  one  of  the  best  known,  and  most 
highly  respected  men  of  the  community  where 
he  has  so  long  resided. 


NDREW  J.  McAllister,  one  of 

the  successful  farmers  of  Salem  town- 
ship who  has  passed  off  the  stage  of 
life,  was  born  in  the  state  of  Ohio 
and  was  a son  of  Alexander  and  Ruanna  McAl- 
lister, natives  of  Virginia  and  Ohio,  and  of 
Irish  ancestry.  Mr.  McAllister  grew  up  in  his 
native  place  and  about  1854  married  Miss  Ma- 
tilda Luce,  the  daughter  of  Benjamin  and 
Anna  (Jarrard)  Luce,  the  former  of  whom  was 
born  in  Kentucky  of  German  parentage,  and 
the  latter  was  English  by  descent,  born  on  the 
Ohio  river.  Mrs.  Anna  Luce  was  the  mother 
of  fifteen  children,  six  of  whom  were  girls,  and 
all  lived  to  maturity  with  the  exception  of  two. 


■ It*  -- 


MRS.  MARTHA  J.  JONES 


'M 


■ • ’a’ 


I 


V 


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Ji 


c 


SALEM  TOWNSHIP. 


745 


The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McAllister  re- 
sulted in  a family  of  six  children,  as  follows : 
Francis  J.,  born  in  1857,  married  Mollie  Jerni- 
gan  and  resides  in  Delaware  county;  Henry  J., 
born  in  1859,  married  a Miss  Daily  and  resides 
in  Iowa;  Catherine  A.,  born  in  1861,  married 
William  Delinger  and  resides  in  Virginia; 
Oliver  P. , born  in  1863,  married  Rachel  Parker 
and  resides  in  Iowa;  Viola  B.,  born  in  1865, 
died  in  February,  1866,  and  Joseph  A.,  born 
in  1867,  married  Emma  Kiser  and  resides  in 
Delaware  county. 

By  occupation  Mr.  McAllister  was  a farmer 
and  followed  this  calling  all  his  life,  dying  in 
1881  and  leaving  a widow  and  five  children. 
His  remains  lie  in  Painter  cemetery.  His  son 
Francis  is  now  farming  the  old  home  place, 
and  here  Mrs.  McAllister  resided  for  the  next 
two  years,  when  she  married  Calloway  Pierce, 
whose  sketch  appears  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 
The  church  to  which  Mr.  McAllister  was  con- 
nected was  the  Christian,  and  in  its  welfare  he 
took  a deep  interest.  He  was  a republican  in 
his  politics,  and  all  the  boys  have  imbibed 
their  father’s  principles.  Mrs.  McAllister  is 
a member  of  the  Methodist  church,  and  two 
of  the  children  also  joined  that  denomination. 

James  E.  Pierce  was  born  in  Salem  town- 
ship, Delaware  county,  April  21,  1863,  a son 
of  Calloway  and  Ruanna  (Goodpasture)  Pierce 
— the  father  born  in  Montgomery  county,  W. 
Va.,  September  17,  1822,  and  the  mother  at 
Lebanon,  Ohio,  December  10,  1827,  of  Eng- 
lish ancestry.  These  parents  were  married  in 
Delaware  county  and  by  occupation  were 
farmers,  although  for  some  years  Mr  Pierce 
worked  at  intervals  at  the  carpentering  trade. 
He  was  a successful  man  in  business,  and  al- 
though he  began  with  nothing  he  attained  a 
comfortable  competency.  He  reared  a family 
of  eight  children,  six  living  as  follows: 
Thomas,  Calvin,  Walter,  William,  Elora,  and 
Mattie,  deceased.  The  mother  of  this  family 


died  November  27,  1873,  and  Mr.  Pierce  now 
lives  in  Daleville  the  life  of  a retired  farmer. 

James  E.  Pierce  was  reared  on  his  father’s 
farm  and  from  early  life  was  accustomed  to 
hard  work.  He  received  a good  education 
and  prepared  himself  for  teaching,  which  pro- 
fession he  followed  for  ten  years,  two  years  of 
which  time  he  was  principal  of  the  Princeton 
schools  and  two  years  were  passed  in  the  same 
capacity  in  Daleville.  He  then  engaged  in 
drugs,  and  has  built  up  a very  fine  business  in 
this  line.  His  means  were  small  at  first,  but 
since  1891  he  has  continually  progressed  and 
now  is  considered  one  of  the  rising  young  men 
of  the  place.  Mr.  Pierce  was  married  April 
24,  1884,  to  Miss  Donnie  Brindel,  who  was 
born  in  Yorktown,  this  county,  April  24,  1864, 
a daughter  of  M.  G.  and  Margaret  Brindel,  of 
German  descent.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pierce  have  a 
family  of  five  children,  as  follows;  Leona, 
Ralph,  Chester,  and  Herbert  and  Russell, 
twins.  Mrs.  Pierce  is  a member  of  the  Metho- 
dist church,  a lady  of  many  excellent  traits. 
Politically,  Mr.  Pierce  is  a republican. 


PHRIAM  McConnell,  a repre- 
sentative business  man  and  manu- 
facturer of  the  town  of  Daleville, 
Ind.,  was  born,  in  Delaware  county, 
August  II,  1850.  His  father,  John  McCon- 
nell, and  his  mother,  whose  maiden  name  was 
Mary  E.  Cavault,  were  both  natives  of  Ohio, 
and  they  reared  a family  of  seven  children,  of 
whom  the  following  reached  the  years  of  ma- 
turity: Thomas  N.,  Abraham,  Bethuel,  Mary 

E.,  Ephriam,  and  John  D.  The  parents  of 
these  children  died  in  the  years  of  1854  and 
1876,  respectively,  and  are  remembered  as 
most  excellent  people. 

Ephriam  McConnell  passed  the  years  of 
his  youth  and  early  manhood  amid  the  routine 


746 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


of  farm  labor,  received  a practical  education 
in  the  common  schools,  and  for  some  time, 
after  beginning  life  upon  his  own  responsibility, 
found  employment  at  various  occupations. 
He  early  turned  his  attention  to  the  manufac- 
ture of  lumber,  having  manifested  a decided 
preference  in  that  direction,  and,  becoming 
the  possessor  of  a saw  mill,  operated  the  same 
very  successfully  for  some  years,  in  the  town- 
ship where  he  now  resides.  Disposing  of  his 
first  saw  mill  he  subsequently  purchased 
another,  which,  in  turn,  gave  place  to  a third, 
and  he  is  operating  the  last  one  very  ex- 
tensively, at  the  town  of  Daleville,  at  this 
time.  Since  about  the  year  1887,  Mr.  Mc- 
Connell has  been  associated  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  lumber  with  J.  N.  Dale,  but  he  is  best 
known  among  the  mill  men  as  the  inventor  and 
patentee  of  the  the  most  complete  appliance  for 
the  elevating  of  saw  dust  or  grain  ever  put  upon 
the  market.  He  received  letters  patent  for 
this  valuable  invention  on  the  28th  of  June, 
1892,  since  which  date,  in  connection  with 
the  lumber  interests,  he  has  been  selling  the 
exclusive  right  to  manufacture  the  same 
among  the  mill  men  of  Indiana  and  a number 
of  other  states.  The  chief  characteristic  of 
Mr.  McConnell’s  life  is  an  energy  which  hesi- 
tates at  no  obstacle,  and  his  business  career 
has  been  'marked  by  a success  such  as  few, 
whose  early  struggles  were  similar  to  his,  have 
attained.  He  is  familiar  with  the  lumber 
trade  in  all  its  details,  and  as  an  inventor  of 
the  useful  appliance  above  noted,  his  name  is 
destined  to  become  still  more  widely  and 
favorably  known  among  the  people  interested 
in  machinery,  wherever  lumber  is  manufac- 
tured. 

Mr.  McConnell  was  united  in  marriage  in 
September,  1873,  to  Miss  Sarah  E.  Miller, 
daughter  of  Elijah  and  Mary  Miller,  of  Ger- 
man and  Irish  lineage  respectively,  from  which 
union  have  sprung  the  following  children: 


Willie  O.,  Ada  B.,  Wattie  A.,  Walter  and 
John  L.  Mr.  McConnell  and  family  are 
highly  respected  and  consistent  members  of 
the  United  Brethren  church,  and  in  the  esti- 
mation of  the  people  of  the  town  they  are 
held  in  the  highest  regard. 


AMUEL  McNAIRY,  a resident  of 
Salem  township,  Delaware  county, 
Ind. , and  one  of  her  bravest  ex-sol- 
diers, was  born  in  this  county,  Sep- 
aember  13,  1840,  a son  of  Francis  and  Mary 
(Price)  McNairy,  both  of  them  natives  of  North 
Carolina,  of  Irish  origin,  who  emigrated  to 
Indiana  in  the  year  183-1.  In  1870,  Mrs. 
McNairy  died,  and  some  time  after  Mr.  Mc- 
Nairy remarried. 

Samuel  McNairy  was  one  of  a family  of 
four  children,  and  had  no  educational  advan- 
tages whatever.  He  was  obliged  to  assist  his 
father  in  clearing  up  the  farm,  and  worked 
very  faithfully  until  he  had  attained  his  major- 
ity. In  the  memorable  year,  1862,  he  en- 
listed in  the  Union  army,  entering  the  Eighty- 
fourth  Indiana  infantry,  under  Capt.  Taylor, 
of  Muncie,  and  later  served  under  the  famous 
Capt.  McClellan,  of  Muncie. 

Mr.  McNairy  experienced  his  first  camp 
life  at  Richmond,  Ind.,  going  from  there  to 
Covington,  Ky. , and  then  to  Catlettsburg, 
thence  to  Nashville,  and  from  there  to  Frank- 
fort, where  he  was  taken  sick  and  was  sent  to 
the  hospital  at  Nashville.  In  about  six  months 
he  rejoined  the  regiment,  again  resolved  to  do 
his  full  duty,  at  Blue  Springs,  Tenn.,  and  there 
the  regiment  remained  during  the  winter  of 
1863-4.  In  the  spring  the  regiment  belonged 
to  that  grand  army,  which,  under  the  leader- 
ship of  Gen.  Sherman,  started  to  the  sea,  but 
our  brave  soldier  got  no  farther  than  Kenesaw 
Mountain,  where  he  was  shot  through  the  leg. 


SALEM  TOWNSHIP. 


747 


He  was  then  taken  to  the  hospital  at  Chatta- 
nooga, where  he  remained  two  weeks,  being 
then  sent  to  Nashville,  where  the  ball  was  re- 
moved, entailing  much  suffering.  After  two 
weeks  in  the  hospital  he  was  sent  home  on 
furlough,  and  two  months  later  rejoined  the 
regiment  at  Pulaski,  Tenn.,  and  was  in  time  to 
assist  at  the  battle  of  Nashville,  following 
which  came  his  honorable  discharge  at  Nash- 
ville. 

March  28,  1867,  Mr.  McNairy  married  Miss 
Margaret  McAllister,  daughter  of  Andrew  and 
Nancy  (Johnson)  McAllister,  and  three  chil- 
dren were  born  of  this  union;  Mary  B.,  the 
wife  of  Elmer  Pittenger,  of  this  township; 
Samuel  A.,  born  November  i,  1873,  and  died 
September  21,  1874;  Osee  A.,  born  May  15, 
1876,  was  the  third.  Politically,  Mr.  McNairy 
is  a democrat,  and  believes  firmly  in  the  doc- 
trines of  that  party.  Socially,  he  is  a member 
of  the  I.  O.  O.  F. , of  lodge  No.  345,  located 
at  Yorktown.  He  and  wife,  and  one  daughter, 
are  members  of  the  Christian  church,  and  the 
family  is  much  esteemed  in  the  neighborhood. 


Walltown,  Winchester, Fisher  Hill,  Newmarket, 
and  Cedar  Creek.  This  list  represents  regu- 
lar engagements  in  which  Mr.  May  took  an 
active  part,  and,  strange  as  it  may  appear,  he 
passed  through  all  of  this  dangerous  time 
without  a wound.  He  gave  four  years  of  the 
best  part  of  his  life  to  his  country,  being  hon- 
orably discharged  at  Darien,  Ga. , August  28, 
1865,  although  he  received  no  pension  until 
i April  27,  1891,  when  the  government  granted 
! him  $4  per  month,  but  this  was  increased 
November  17,  1892,  to  $8  per  month. 

Three  years  after  his  return  he  married 
Miss  Melissa  Helvie,  daughter  of  Henry  and 
Lillie  Helvie,  Mrs.  May  being  a native  of  Vir- 
ginia. Mr.  and  Mrs.  May  are  the  parents  of 
the  following  children : George  E. , born 
August  21,  1870;  Lillie  F. , born  May  21, 

1872;  Mertie  L. , born  October  19,  1874. 
Politically  Mr.  May  is  a republican,  and  is  one 
of  the  good  citizens  of  the  township  who  merit 
the  esteem  of  the  community. 


'ONATHAN  MAY  is  a prominent  farmer 
of  Salem  township,  who  is  now  en- 
gaged in  managing  his  fine  farm  on 
section  32.  He  is  the  son  of  George 
and  Leana  (Sheets)  May,  and  one  of  a family 
of  twelve  children,  seven  of  whom  are  yet 
living.  He  was  reared  on  the  home  farm  and 
continued  under  the  parental  roof  until  the 
time  of  his  enlistment,  at  the  age  of  nineteen, 
under  Capt.  Tykle.  He  was  sent  to  St.  Louis, 
and  during  his  service  took  part  in  the  follow- 
ing battles;  Rich  Mountain,  W.  Va. , Black 
Water,  Mo.,  Sugar  Creek,  Ark.,  Pea  Ridge, 
Ark.,  Cotton  Plant,  Ark.,  Champion  Hills, 
Jackson,  Big  Black,  Vicksburg,  Jackson,  No. 
2,  Fort  Esperanza,  Austin,  Baton  Rouge, 


AMBERT  MOFFETT.— The  follow- 
ing sketch  concerns  one  of  the  pio- 
neer settlers  of  Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  who  has  passed  out  of  life, 
leaving  behind  him  a record  to  which  his  chil- 
dreh  turn  with  pride,  as  he  was  an  honest, 
industrious  and  successful  man,  who  lived  a 
life  of  peace  and  died  respected  by  the  com- 
munity. His  birth  occurred  early  in  the  cen- 
tury, December  12,  1806,  in  Granger  county, 
Tenn.,  and  later  he  accompanied  his  parents 
to  Fayette  county,  Ind.  His  parents  were 
natives  of  Ireland.  Of  the  early  life  of  Mr. 
Moffett  but  meager  accounts  are  accessible, 
but  of  his  life  as  a pioneer  and  the  privations 
and  vicissitudes  of  those  early  days  local  his- 
tory gives  us  a few  glimpses.  He  was  married 
December  18,  1832,  to  Miss  Maria  McCray, 


748 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


following  which  event  he  worked  four  years  in 
a saw  mill,  then  immigrated  to  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  in  1836,  with  his  young  wife. 
They  here  entered  160  acres  and  bought  eighty. 
The  father-in-law  of  Mr.  Moffett  gave  him 
$125,  but  this  was  all  the  assistance  he  ever 
received,  all  the  labor  involved  in  the  clearing 
up  of  this  land  was  done  by  himself. 

At  the  time  of  the  settlement  of  Mr.  Mof- 
fett in  this  locality,  the  land  was  covered  with 
dense  forest  and  the  amount  of  labor  to  make 
of  it  a cultivated  and  productive  farm  was 
simply  prodigious.  Mrs.  Moffett  died  Sep- 
tember 23,  1887,  and  five  years  later  Mr. 

Moffett  passed  away  at  the  age  of  eighty-five 
years.  His  life  had  been  one  of  hard  work, 
but  he  had  made  it  successful  in  a financial 
way  and  left  a fine  property  to  his  children. 
In  his  political  belief  he  was  a democrat  and 
all  the  sons  follow  the  example  of  their  father. 

The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Moffett  are 
as  follows:  Elizabeth,  born  May  5,  1834,  and 
was  the  wife  of  A.  Pence,  she  dying  March  16, 
1869;  Samuel  C. , born  January  it,  1836, 
married  October  2,  1862,  to  Miss  Rebecca 
Dewitt;  Susan  M , born  November  18,  1837, 
and  married  David  Campbell,  but  died  July 
;3,  i860;  James  T. , born  September  ii, 

1839;  Sarah  J.,  born  July  31,  1841;  William 
H.,  born  February  10,  1844;  Nancy  A.,  born 
November  22,  1845,  married  Taylor  Clark; 

Jemima,  born  June  3,  1848,  married  Henry 
Stewart;  John  T.,  born  October  29,  1850; 
Clarinda  E. , born  February  12,  1853,  married 
Thomas  Barrett,  and  Lambert  E.,  born  Au- 
gust 9,  1855.  The  last  named  with  his  sister 
Sarah  now  own  the  old  homestead.  They 
are  people  of  the  greatest  respectability  in  the 
county  where  their  homes  have  always  been. 
The  children  married  above  have  maintained 
the  enviable  reputation  established  by  their 
parents,  and  are  a credit  to  the  township  in 
which  they  live. 


ILLIAM  M,  MOORE,  a successful 
Mm  i farmer  and  an  ex-soldier,  now  liv- 
ing  upon  his  own  farm  in  Salem 
township,  Delaware  county,  Ind., 
was  born  in  Franklin  county.  Pa.,  March  26, 
1846,  a son  of  David  M.  and  Effie  E. 
(McEwen)  Moore,  both  of  whom  were  natives 
of  the  Keystone  state.  Mr.  Moore  was  of 
German  and  his  wife  was  of  Irish  descent, 
both  vigorous  and  enterprising  people. 
They  immigrated  to  Middletown,  Ind.,  Sep- 
tember I,  1848,  where  Mr.  Moore  followed 
his  trade  of  wagonmaker  for  some  time,  later 
in  life  becoming  a farmer.  His  death  occur- 
red in  1880;  Mrs.  Moore  still  survives,  and 
resides  with  a daughter  in  Fall  Creek  town- 
ship, Henry  county. 

William  M.  Moore  is  one  of  a family  of 
ten  children,  and  remained  with  his  parents 
until  he  enlisted  in  the  Union  army  during  the 
late  war.  November  18,  1861,  he  entered  the 
One  Hundred  and  Twenty-fourth  Indiana 
volunteer  infantry,  under  Captain  Jackson, 
and  was  sent  to  Indianapolis,  thence  to  Lou- 
isville, then  to  Nashville  and  to  Murfreesboro, 
and  took  part  in  the  battle  of  Buzzard’s  Roost, 
this  being  the  first  engagement  with  Hood. 
They  went  all  through  Georgia,  and  Mr.  Moore 
was  with  his  regiment  and  participated  in  the 
battles,  skirmishes  and  marches  of  that  brill- 
iant campaign  and  followed  Hood’s  army  to 
Clifton,  Tenn.  They  also  were  through  North 
Carolina,  and  the  last  engagement  was  at 
Kinston,  that  state.  They  were  mustered  out 
the  last  day  of  August,  1865,  at  Greensboro, 
and  arrived  safely  in  Indianapolis,  September 
10,  1865. 

After  his  return  from  the  army,  Mr.  Moore 
worked  at  the  trade  of  wagonmaker  for  four 
years,  but  later  became  a farmer,  and  now 
owns  a fine  place,  well  improved,  which  he  has 
obtained  by  his  own  honest  and  untiring  labor. 
He  was  married  January  15,  1873,  to  Margaret 


SALEM  TOWNSHIP. 


749 


E.  Vanmatre,  the  daughter  of  Henry  and  Eliz- 
abeth (Summers)  Vanmatre,  and  by  this  union 
seven  children  have  been  born,  four  of  whom 
are  now  living,  the  family  record  being  as  fol- 
lows : Iva  Ethel,  born  November  i,  1873; 
Sadie  V..  born  February  20,  1875;  Joseph  H., 
born  February  23,  1877;  Carrie  B.,  born  No- 
vember 18,  1879;  Blanchie,  born  August  ii, 
1881,  and  died  December  20  of  the  same  year; 
Helen  V.,  born  May  28,  1888,  and  died  Janu- 
ary 31,  1889,  and  WilUam  M.,  born  March  16, 
1890,  and  died  August  20,  1891.  Politically 
Mr.  Moore  is  a republican,  and  is  well  known 
and  much  esteemed  in  the  county. 


OHN  MORELAND,  a representative 
citizen  of  the  township  of  Salem,  and 
one  of  the  intelligent  and  progressive 
agriculturists  of  Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  is  a native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  son  of 
David  Moreland,  who  was  born  in  the  Key- 
stone state  in  1792.  David  Moreland  lived  in 
Pennsylvania  until  1854,  at  which  time  he 
immigrated  to  Indiana,  locating  in  the  county 
of  Henry,  where  he  engaged  in  farming,  and 
where  his  death  subsequently  occurred.  His 
wife,  Isabelle  Long,  whom  he  married  in  1821, 
was  born  October  17,  1797,  in  the  above 
state,  and  bore  her  husband  six  children,  of 
whom  John  Moreland  is  first  in  order  of  birth.  ! 

John  Moreland,  as  stated  above,  is  a na- 
tive of  Pennsylvania,  born  March  9,  1822,  in 
the  county  of  Franklin,  where  the  years  of  his 
early  youth  were  passed.  His  father  being  in 
rather  indifferent  circumstances  financially, 
young  John  was  compelled  to  remain  at  home 
and  contribute  his  share  to  the  support  of  the 
family,  in  consequence  of  which  he  had  but 
little  time  for  acquiring  an  education.  He  re- 
mained with  his  parents  until  his  twenty-fifth 
year,  looking  after  their  interests  with  com- 


mendable fidelity  in  the  meantime,  and  then, 
for  a number  of  years,  obtained  a livelihood  at 
any  kind  of  honest  labor  to  which  he  could 
turn  his  hand.  At  the  age  of  thirty-three  Mr. 
Moreland  was  united  in  marriage  to  Mary  Ann 
Brumbaugh,  the  result  of  which  union  is  seven 
children,  whose  names  are  as  follows:  John, 

William,  David,  Henry,  Emma,  Elizabeth, 
and  Frank.  Mrs.  Moreland  is  the  daughter  of 
Abram  and  Elizabeth  Brumbaugh,  and  dates 
her  birth  from  the  27th  day  of  January,  1830. 

For  a number  of  years  Mr.  Moreland 
rented  farms  in  various  parts  of  the  country, 
but  in  1870,  purchased  the  place  where  he  now 
resides  in  Salem  township,  owning  a comfort- 
able home  in  which  a true  hearted  hospitality 
is  generously  dispensed  by  both  himself  and 
wife.  Mr.  Moreland  belongs  to  that  large  and 
highly  respected  class  of  people  who  do  much, 
in  a quiet  way,  toward  the  moral  and  the  well 
being  of  the  community,  and  he  is  content  to 
pursue  the  peaceful  vocation  of  a tiller  of  the 
soil  rather  than  aspire  to  official  preferment, 
political  or  otherwise.  Originally,  he  was  an 
old  line  whig,  casting  his  first  presidential  ballot 
for  Henry  Clay,  but  since  the  dissolution  of 
that  party,  he  has  been  earnest  in  his  allegi- 
ance to  the  principles  of  its  successor,  the 
republican  party.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Moreland 
united  with  the  Lutheran  church  in  1873,  and 
have  been  consistent  members  of  that  denomi- 
nation from  that  time  until  the  present. 


HLFRED  M.  pence,  an  honored  cit- 
izen and  one  of  the  most  influential 
men  of  Salem  township,  Delaware 
county,  Ind. , was  born  in  Henry 
county,  Ind.,  January  13,  1837,  son  of  Chris- 
tian and  Frances  (Fisher)  Pence,  who  were 
both  natives  of  Rockingham  county,  Va. , of 
German  extraction.  Christian  Pence  came 


750 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


with  his  family  from  the  old  home,  traveling 
in  a wagon,  to  the  new  state  of  Indiana,  in- 
tending to  found  a home  in  the  wilderness. 
They  entered  i6o  acres  of  land  in  Jefferson 
township,  Henry  county,  and  lived  in  the 
traveling  wagon  until  they  could  erect  a log 
cabin  in  the  woods.  These  were  lonely  and 
trying  times,  as  they  were  among  the  early 
pioneers  of  the  section  and  were  obliged  to 
subsist  mainly  on  wild  game,  which  fortunately 
was  very  abundant. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pence  reared  eight  children 
in  this  pioneer  home,  of  which  family  Alfred 
M.  is  a representative.  Although  hardships 
had  to  be  endured,  perhaps  the  privations  of 
those  times  taught  children  lessons  of  self  de- 
nial and  economy  which  served  to  help  them 
in  after  years  over  many  rough  places.  Chris- 
tian Pence  lived  until  1875  and  his  wife  until 
1884. 

Alfred  M.  lived  with  his  parents  and  as- 
sisted in  the  clearing  up  of  the  large  farm,  at- 
tending, perhaps,  one  monfh  out  of  twelve  on 
the  nearest  school.  In  1864,  he  enlisted  in 
the  ranks  of  the  Union  army,  but  one  week  be- 
fore this  he  married  Miss  Delilah  J.  Painter, 
daughter  of  Abraham  and  Rhoda  (Sanders) 
Painter,  natives  of  Henry  county.  Notwith- 
standing this  occurrence,  Mr.  Pierce  left  his 
young  bride,  as  his  country  needed  his  stal- 
wart services,  and  marched  away  in  company 
H,  One  Hundred  and  Fortieth  Indiana  regi- 
ment, leaving  Indianapolis  November  15,  1864. 
The  regiment  reached  Murfreesboro,  Tenn., 
on  the  twenty-second  of  the  same  month  and 
took  an  active  part  in  all  of  the  battles  around 
Nashville  during  Hood’s  raid,  joining  the  Third 
brigade  at  Columbus  and  arriving  in  Clinton, 
Tenn.,  January  8,  when  they  embarked  for 
Fortress  Monroe,  landing  at  Fort  Fisher  Feb- 
ruary 7,  1865,  and  participated  in  the  fights 
around  Wilmington,  took  part  in  the  battle  at 
Fort  Anderson,  was  on  the  skirmish  line  for 


two  days  on  Town  Creek,  N.  C.,  and  entered 
Wilmington  February  22,  1865.  He  also  par- 
ticipated in  the  skirmishing  around  Kings- 
ton and  Raleigh,  and  was  also  at  the  final 
surrender;  the  regiment  was  mustered  out  of 
the  service  at  Greensboro,  N.  C.,  July  ii, 
1865.  He  was  honorably  discharged  July 
26,  and  returned  home,  after  a year  of 
hard  fighting,  without  a wound.  After  the 
war  he  settled  down  to  an  agricultural  life,  in 
which  he  has  reaped  success.  His  has  been  a 
happy  home  and  he  and  good  wife  have  had 
born  to  them  a family  of  twelve  children,  as 
follows:  Otto  B.,  born  June  19,  1867;  Leroy 
M.,  deceased,  born  April  21,  1869;  John  D., 
born  March  13,  1871;  Hattie  M.,  born  Octo- 
ber 4,  1873;  Walter  R. , born  April  21,  1875; 
Mary  E.,  born  July  i,  1877;  Francis  M.,  born 
May  8,  1879,  deceased;  Lenona,  born  June 
12,  1881;  Delia  F. , born  August  21,  1882; 
William  O.,  born  January  26,  1885;  Chester 
A.,  born  September  26,  1888,  and  Jessie, 

born  April  21,  1891.  Althouge  Mr.  Pence 

has  been  very  fortunate  both  in  peace  and 
war,  he  has  sometimes  felt  the  hand  of  afflic- 
tion, one  case  being  the  burning  of  his  barn, 
in  1590,  which  caused  the  loss  of  500  bushels 
of  wheat  and  all  of  his  farming  implements, 
but  he  has  fully  recoved  from  that,  has  built 
a finer  barn  and  is  most  comfortably  situated, 
being  a very  fine  farmer. 


a ALAWAY  PIERCE,  a retired  farmer 
of  Daleville,  Salem  township,  Dela- 
ware county,  Ind.,  was  born  in  Mont- 
gomery county,  in  what  is  now  West 
Virginia.,  September  26,  1822,  and  is  a son  of 
Thomas  and  Susanna  (Thompson)  Pierce,  na- 
tives of  the  same  state.  They  were  married 
in  West  Virginia  (then  a portion  of  Old  Vir- 
ginia), in  1818,  and  resided  there  on  their 


m 


SALEM  TOWNSHIP. 


751 


farm  until  1828,  at  which  time  they  removed 
to  Clarke  county,  Ohio,  and  then  to  Miami  in 
1830,  but  were  not  over  pleased  with  the  coun- 
try, and  consequently  tarried  there  but  three 
years,  when,  in  1833,  they  came  to  Indiana, 
and  settled  in  Salem  township,  Delaware 
county,  when  the  mother  died  in  1840,  and 
the  father  in  1855.  Beside  their  son  Calaway 
they  had  born  to  them  ten  children,  viz:  Ma- 
linda,  Rebecca,  Amanda,  Susanna,  Eliza, 
Arminda,  Jane,  Vorintha  and  two  infants  that 
died  unnamed.  The  parents  were  devout 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church; 
the  father  who  was  a very  successful  man 
through  life,  was  in  politics  a stanch  democrat. 

Calaway  Pierce  remained  on  the  home 
farm,  sharing  its  hard  toil  and  its  rude  enjoy- 
ments, until  he  was  eight  years  of  age,  and 
doubtless  found  more  of  toil  than  he  did  of 
enjoyment  in  the  rugged  life;  yet  he  learned 
many  lessons  in  thrift,  industry  and  frugality 
that  were  afterward  of  benefit  to  him  and  laid 
for  him  the  foundation  of  a future  competence 
in  the  same  vocation,  which  he  eventually 
adopted  as  his  life  pursuit.  On  leaving  the 
home  place  he  employed  himself  at  farm  labor 
by  the  month  for  two  years,  and  then  engaged 
in  carpenter  work  for  nineteen  years  in  Tipton 
county,  Ind.  He  then  moved  back  to  Dela- 
ware connty,  and  in  1859  resumed  his  old  oc- 
cupation of  farming,  purchasing  a tract  of  120 
acres  of  land  in  Salem  township,  which  he 
cultivated  with  great  success  for  several  years, 
but  which  he  later  sold,  and  then  bought  a 
tract  in  of  eighty-eight  acres  in  Richwood, 
same  township,  which  he  continued  to  work 
with  profit  until  1892,  when  he  retired  to 
Daleville,  to  enjoy  in  peace,  ease  and  honor 
the  reward  of  his  early  toil. 

Mr.  Pierce  was  first  married  in  Delaware 
county,  January  ii,  1849,  to  Ruannah  Good- 
pasture,  of  Warren  county,  born  December 
10,  1827,  and  this  union  was  fruitful  in  the 


birth  of  eight  children,  who  were  named  as 
follows:  Thomas,  Walter,  Flora,  James  E. , 

Calvin,  John,  William,  and  Mattie.  The 
mother  of  this  family  was  called  upon  to  part 
from  her  children  November  28,  1870,  and 
laid  to  rest  in  Palmer  cemetery.  After  duly 
and  sincerely  mourning  her  loss,  November 
28,  1882,  Mr.  Pierce  chose  a second  companion 
to  share  his  joys  and  sorrows,  and  wedded 
Matilda  McAllister,  whose  name  has  been  ad- 
verted to  elsewhere.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pierce  are 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
and  by  their  daily  walk  through  life  give  evi- 
dence of  the  sincerity  of  their  faith.  Mr. 
Pierce  is  also  a member  of  lodge  No.  271,  A. 
& F.  M. , and  in  politics  is  a republican,  under 
which  party  he  has  filled  several  township 
offices.  To  such  men  as  Mr.  Pierce  it  is  that 
the  prosperity  of  every  township  is  due. 


HARON  RINKER  is  an  enterprising 
farmer  residing  in  section  7,  Salem 
township,  and  is  a native  of  Henry 
county,  Ind.  He  was  born  April  16, 
1842,  a son  of  John  and  Jane  (Clevenger) 
Rinker  and  a brother  of  Daniel  Rinker,  whose 
sketch  appears  below,  in  alphabetical  order. 
Aaron  Rinker  spent  the  days  of  his  boyhood 
and  youth  on  his  father’s  _ farm,  attending 
school  in  the  neighborhood  about  one  month 
in  the  year.  His  father  had  a large  family  to 
support  and  needed  Aaron  to  assist  on  the 
farm,  hence  his  education  was  somewhat  neg- 
lected. In  the  spring  of  1862,  he  enlisted  in 
the  Union  army,  entering  the  Thirty-sixth 
Indiana  regiment  under  Col.  Groose.  From 
Indianapolis  he  was  sent  to  Jeffersonville,  to 
Louisville  and  Nashville  with  his  regiment, 
then  was  sent  to  Pittsburg,  and  was  placed  on 
detached  duty  to  drive  cattle.  The  party 
started  from  Chattanooga,  Tenn.,  with  3,000 


752 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


head  of  cattle  for  the  arm)  . About  125  miles 
from  Atlanta  they  were  attacked  by  the  Con- 
federates, who  captured  1,500  of  the  cattle, 
and  his  partners  were  also  captured,  but  he 
managed  to  reach  Atlanta,  where  he  joined 
his  regiment.  The  regiment  had  a skirmish 
at  Jonesborough,  and  from  Atlanta  they  went 
to  Frankfort,  Tenn.,  thence  to  Nashville,  and 
then  on  to  Athens,  Ala.,  where  they  went  into 
winter  quarters.  In  the  fall  of  i 863  he  went 
to  Dalton,  111.,  with  Confederate  prisoners. 
He  faithfully  served  his  country  for  two  years 
and  participated  in  many  skirmishes  and  bat- 
tles, but  never  received  a wound.  He  burst 
some  of  the  veins  in  his  legs  by  hard  march- 
ing and  had  to  be  taken  to  the  hospital  on  ac- 
count of  it,  but  as  soon  as  able,  he  went  back 
again  to  his  army  life. 

At  the  close  of  the  war  Mr.  Rinker  return- 
ed home  and  gave  his  attention  to  the  tilling 
of  the  soil,  soon  after  his  return  being  married 
to  Wilminna  Schlegel,  a daughter  of  Henry 
and  Margaret  (Bush)  Schlegel,  and  by  this 
union  three  children  were  born,  as  follows: 
Clarence,  born  October  22,  1867,  died  May  3, 
1877;  Henry,  born  December  10,  1870,  and 
1890  married  to  Miss  Josie  Hupp,  and  is  now 
farming  his  father’s  farm;  Maggie,  now  Mrs. 
Charles  Painter,  of  this  township.  In  1 866, 
Mr.  Rinker  moved  on  the  place  where  he  how 
lives,  it  then  being  owned  by  his  father,  but 
four  years  later  he  bought  eighty  acres  of  the 
place  for  $3,200,  paying  down  $1,000,  and  he 
now  owns  145  acres  of  fine  land.  He  has 
identified  himself  with  the  best  interests  of 
the  township  and  county,  and  is  numbered 
among  the  representative  citizens.  Since  his 
return  from  the  army  he  has  been  a republican, 
and  is  a prominent  member  of  the  G.  A.  R. 
post,  holding  the  office  of  surgeon,  the  head- 
quarters being  in  Daleville.  Both  he  and 
family  are  members  of  the  United  Brethren 
church,  in  which  they  are  highly  regarded. 


Mr.  Rinker  is  deservedly  considered  one  of 
the  best  citizens  of  the  county,  has  a fine  war, 
record,  and  is  universally  esteemed. 


ANIEL  RINKER  is  a well-to-do  and 
honest  farmer  of  Salem  township,  and 
one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Delaware 
county.  He  was  born  in  Union 
county  in  1832,  November  7,  and  is  one  of  a 
family  of  eleven  children,  seven  sons  and  four 
daughters,  all  of  them  living  except  two  of  the 
last.  John  Rinker,  his  father,  was  born  in 
Shenandoah,  Va. , in  1803,  and  followed  farm- 
ing throughout  his  life,  which  was  such  as  to 
command  the  respect  of  all  who  knew  him. 
He  died  in  1872,  and  his  wife  survived  him 
until  1888.  They  lie  side  by  side  in  the  Sand- 
ers cemetery. 

Daniel  Rinker  lived  with  his  parents  until 
he  was  twenty-one,  and  went  to  school  only 
when  the  weather  was  too  bad  for  him  to  stay 
at  home  and  work.  At  the  age  of  twenty-two 
he  was  married  to  Theresa  Minnick,  daughter 
of  Andrew  Minnick,  a farmer,  by  which  union 
four  children  were  born.  Their  married  life 
continued  for  about  twelve  years,  when 
she  died,  leaving  one  son  and  a husband  to 
mourn  her  untimely  loss.  This  son,  Samuel 
C. , at  the  age  of  twenty-two,  married  Mary 
Eenwick,  by  whom  he  had  four  children, 
namely;  Alonzo  E.,  Vivian  A.,  Grover  T. , 
and  Cary  D.  Four  years  after  the  death  of 
his  wife  Mr.  Rinker  married  Joanna  M.  Schle- 
gel, sister  of  Henry  C.  Schlegel,  whose  sketch 
will  be  seen  on  another  page  of  this  volume. 
She  was  born  in  Prussia,  and  came,  with  her 
parents,  to  this  country,  first  to  Pennsylvania 
and  thence  to  Madison  county,  Ind.  Mr.  Rin- 
ker is  a member  of  the  United  Brethren  church, 
and  has  been  honored  with  the  offices  of 
trustee  and  steward  of  that  body,  filling  both 


// 


MRS.  LAURA  J.  SCHLEGEL. 


SALEM  TOWNSHIP. 


768 


positions  with  credit  and  to  the  satisfaction  of 
the  members,  as  his  re-election  shows.  He 
has  always  taken  active  part  in  church  work, 
and  has  many  warm  friends  throughout  the 
community.  He  is  a democrat  in  politics, 
and  heartily  supports  the  nominees  of  that 
party.  He  now  owns  120  acres  of  fine  land. 


ENRY  C.  SCHLEGEL,  an  enterpris- 
ing farmer,  residing  on  section  36, 
Salem  township,  Delaware  county, 
Ind. , is  a native  of  Prussia,  born  in 
the  city  of  Aszler,  August  31,  1843,  a son  of 
Henry  and  Margaret  (Bush)  Schlegel,  the 
former  a native  of  the  same  country,  and  a 
farmer  by  occupation. 

When  nineteen  years  of  age,  Henry  Schle- 
gel. Sr.,  entered  the  Prussian  army,  where  he 
served  three  years,  and  on  the  expiration  of 
his  term  accepted  the  position  of  farmer  on  a 
large  estate,  where  he  lived  for  eleven  years. 
In  the  year  1838,  he  was  married  to  a Miss 
Bush,  and  in  1852  he  emigrated  to  the  United 
States,  locating  in  Pennsylvania,  and  two 
years  later  removed  to  Madison  county,  Ind., 
locating  near  the  town  of  Chesterfield.  In 
i860,  he  came  to  Delaware  county,  where  he 
resided  until  his  death,  which  occurred  Oc- 
tober 27,  1872,  and  his  remains  rest  in  the 
Mount  Pleasant  cemetery.  His  wife  is  still 
living  with  her  eldest  daughter,  in  Delaware 
county.  Henry  C.  Schlegel  started  to  school 
in  his  native  country  at  the  age  of  five  years, 
and  remained  under  tuition  until  his  fath- 
er emigrated  to  the  United  States,  when 
he  was  eight  years  old.  After  coming  to 
Pennsylvania,  he  lived  with  a man  by  the 
name  of  Tobias  Martin  for  a period  of  eight 
months,  for  his  board  and  clothes,  at  the  end 
of  which  time  .he  returned  to  his  parents  and 
came  with  them  to  Madison  county  and  en- 


gaged in  work  among  the  neighbors  at  such 
labor  as  one  of  his  age  could  accomplish,  in 
the  winter  of  1861-2  working  for  Solomon 
Myers  for  a saddle  and  bridle,  and  in  many 
ways  earning  an  honest  dollar. 

At  the  age  of  twenty  years  he  married  Miss 
Laura  Jane  Myers,  born  in  Madison  county, 
Ind.,  May  31,  1849,  ^-^d  located  on  the  farm 
of  Solomon  Myers,  where  he  farmed  during 
the  summer  and  engaged  in  teaching  school 
during  the  winter  and  gradually  accumulated 
means  of  his  own,  which  enabled  him  to  pur- 
chase a farm  of  eighty  acres,  and  afterward 
enlarged  to  128  acres  of  land  in  sction  36,  in 
Salem  township,  Delaware  county,  where  he 
has  since  made  his  home.  Mr.  Schlegel  has 
not  been  content  with  the  slow  mode  of  stock 
stock  raising.  He  is  a progressive  and  intel- 
ligent man.  In  1892  he  purchased  some  fine 
Jersey  cattle  and  entered  into  the  raising  of 
the  same.  Understanding  his  businessthorough- 
ly,  and  carefully  looking  after  it,  he  has  made 
it  a flattering  success.  He  is  one  of  the  self 
made  men  of  this  section  and  deserves,  as  he 
receives,  the  respect  of  the  community.  He 
has  good  financial  standing,  is  a stanch  repub- 
lican, and  one  of  the  best  and  most  reliable 
citizens  of  the  county.  Such  men  are  the  ones 
of  which  a neighborhood  may  be  permitted  to 
to  be  proud,  as  the  self  made  men  are  those 
on  whom  the  state  can  depend  in  time  of 
need. 

William  H.  Schlegel  is  one  of  the  pros- 
perous farmers  of  Salem  township,  Delaware 
county,  Ind. , and  is  a member  of  a well 
known  and  highly  respected  family  of  this  lo- 
cality. He  was  born  December  29,  1864,  a 
son  of  Henry  C.  and  Laura  Jane  Schlegel, 
natives  of  Prussia  and  of  Indiana.  His  father, 
a very  intelligent  man,  started  William  to 
school  when  only  six  years  of  age.  The  lat- 
ter continued  in  his  attendance  at  school  until 
he  was  twenty-one,  at  that  time  entering  upon 


754 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


the  life  of  a teacher.  Prior  to  this,  however, 
he  spent  two  terms  at  Hartsville,  and  several 
years  later  enjoyed  two  terms  at  Valparaiso, 
at  the  excellent  normal  school  there.  About 
this  time  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
May  Davenport,  a daughter  of  William  and 
Cassandra  Davenport,  natives  of  Henry 
county.  Mrs.  Schlegel  is  a lady  of  intelligence 
and  education.  She  grew  up  on  a farm,  her 
father  being  a farmer  and  also  a minister,  and 
was  afforded  the  advantages  of  the  public 
schools.  At  present,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schlegel 
are  living  on  a farm  in  Salem  township. 
They  are  the  parents  of  two  little  boys,  Carl 
Leslie  and  Chester  Dean. 

Elmer  S.  Schlegel  is  among  the  promising 
young  farmers  of  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  and 
one  who  understands  his  business  very  thor- 
oughly. He  was  born  April  25,  1866,  a son 
of  Henry  and  Laura  Jane  Schlegel,  whose 
sketch  appears  above.  He  was  reared  on  his 
father’s  farm  and  assisted  in  the  work  during 
the  summers,  and  was  afforded  the  best  school 
advantages  of  the  vicinity  during  the  winters. 
Until  he  was  twenty-two  years  of  age  he  re- 
mained under  the  parental  roof,  but  on  attain- 
ing his  majority  set  up  a domestic  hearth  of 
his  own.  Mr.  Schlegel  married  March  20, 
1889,  to  Miss  Martha  Stewart,  a daughter  of 
John  and  Mary  Stewart,  the  former  a dealer 
in  real  estate  in  the  city  of  Muncie.  Mrs. 
Schlegel  was  reared  on  the  farm  until  her  mar- 
riage. One  child,  Bertha  Blanche  Schlegel, 
is  the  daughter  of  the  household,  and  the  fam- 
ily have  a pleasant  residence  on  a farm  in 
Salem  township,  where  they  are  much  re- 
spected. 

John  Calvin  Schlegel. — It  is  a pleasant  re- 
flection in  after  life  to  know  that  some  act  or 
vocation  in  which  we  have  been  engaged  has 
left  the  world  better  and  wiser  than  we  found 
it.  Such  must  be  the  reflections  of  a teacher 
after  a successful  season  among  the  young. 


The  early  lessons  received  are  often  the  most 
lasting,  and  the  conscientious  teacher  often  has 
the  chance  to  mold  aright  many  young  lives. 
Delaware  county,  Ind.,  has  many  successful 
educators,  and  John  C.  Schlegel  has  for  some 
time  been  among  the  number.  He  was  born 
March  12,  1872,  a son  of  Henry  and  Laura 
Jane  Schlegel,  whose  sketch  appears  in  this 
connection^  and  remained  at  home  attending 
to  the  duties  on  the  farm,  and  closely  apply- 
ing himself  to  his  books  at  school  until  he  was 
nineteen  years  of  age.  He  then  engaged  as  a 
teacher  in  the  country  schools,  and  has  been 
very  successful,  his  services  being  in  great  de- 
mand. Good  teachers  are  never  too  plentiful, 
and  his  friends  predict  a bright  future  for  this 
promising  young  educator  of  Delaware  county. 

Mary  Florence  Schlegel. — This  is  the  age 
of  woman.  Time  was  when  it  was  not 
thought  proper  for  a woman  to  venture  beyond 
the  confines  of  her  home,  but  the  day  of 
emancipation  has  come  and  now  the  female 
sex  takes  place  in  educational  matters  by  the 
side  of  the  male,  in  many  cases  receiving  the 
same  salary  and  public  recognition.  Among 
the  prominent  and  successful  teachers  of  Del- 
aware county,  Ind.,  for  some  time,  was  Mary 
Florence  Schlegel.  She  was  born  March  4, 
1870,  a daughter  of  Henry  and  Laura  Jane 
Schlegel,  and  grew  up  in  her  pleasant  home, 
attending  school,  including  one  term  in  the 
normal  school  at  Valparaiso,  during  the  win- 
ter, and  assisted  her  mother  in  the  summer 
until  her  nineteenth  year,  when  she  engaged 
in  teaching.  Her  success  was  very  marked, 
and  the  people  of  Daleville  were  very  loth  to 
part  with  her  services  when  her  failing  health 
warned  her  that  her  labors  among  the  youth 
of  that  town  would  have  to  be  given  up  for  a 
time.  She  now  is  at  home,  assisting  her 
mother  in  household  duties,  a good  and  faith- 
ful daughter,  having  been  compelled  to  suc- 
cumb to  the  demands  of  exhausted  nature. 


WM.  SHARP. 


MRS.  WM.  SHARP. 


SALEM  TOWNSHIP. 


755 


ILLIAM  SHARP,  a representative 
of  one  of  the  pioneer  families  of 
Delaware  county  and  a gentleman 
who  has  been  identified  for  many 
years  in  the  farming  and  horse  raising  interests 
of  the  county,  was  born  in  Henry  county, 
Ind.,  April  6,  1829,  a son  of  Edward  and 
Anna  (Thompson)  Sharp.  Edward  Sharp 
was  born  in.  1801  and  Mrs.  Sharp  in  1804, 
being  of  German  and  English  ancestry,  re- 
spectively. They  immigrated  to  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  in  the  spring  of  1832,  and  Mr. 
Sharp  died  here  in  1854.  His  wife  survived 
until  1878,  and  both  lie  buried  in  the  Sharp 
cemetery. 

William  Sharp  was  reared  on  the  farm  and 
during  his  minority  had  school  advantages  of 
about  one  month  in  the  year.  On  December 
I,  1849,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Desdamona 
Banks,  the  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Jane 
(Moffett)  Banks,  to  which  union  five  children 
were  born,  as  follows;  Perry  E.,  who  died  at 
the  age  of  eleven  months,  Sanford  I. , Mary 
A. , Anna  E.  and  Edward  T.  After  marriage 
Mr.  Sharp  bought  a small  farm,  of  which  he 
cleared  sixty  acres  and  then  traded  it  for  400 
acres  in  Iowa,  and  realized  a good  sum  of 
money  for  the  place.  He  then  bought  240 
acres  of  fine  land  in  Delaware  county,  known 
as  Tomlinson  Earm,  where  he  lived  for  twelve 
years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  bought  the 
place  where  he  now  lives. 

When  the  late  war  broke  out,  Mr.  Sharp 
offered  himself  as  a soldier,  but  the  medical 
examiner  refused  him  and  he  was  compelled 
to  return  home.  In  October,  i860,  Mrs. 
Sharp  died,  and  Mr.  Sharp  found  himself  with 
four  motherless  little  children.  In  1862  he 
married  Margaret  Carmichael,  a daughter  of 
Andrew  and  Margaret  (Mansfield)  Carmichael, 
natives  of  Ohio,  of  Irish  descent.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Carmichael  emigrated  from  Ohio  to  Indi- 
ana, November  2,  1832,  and  here  spent  the 


remainder  of  their  days,  dying  July  6,  1841, 
and  in  1864  respectively.  Mrs.  Sharp  is  one 
of  a family  of  ten  children,  three  of  whom  are 
now  living,  and  so  scattered  have  been  the 
family  that  no  two  of  the  band  have  been  laid 
to  rest  in  the  same  cemetery.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Sharp  are  consistent  and  valued  members  of 
the  Christian  church,  in  which  he  is  a deacon, 
having  held  that  office  for  thirteen  years. 
Eraternally  he  is  a member  of  the  Knights  of 
Honor,  in  which  order  he  has  held  the  office 
of  dictator  for  a year.  Politically,  he  belongs 
to  the  republican  party,  and  is  one  of  the 
wealthiest  and  most  esteemed  citizens  of 
Salem  township.  He  has  made  a great  suc- 
cess of  the  raising  of  fine  horses  and  takes 
great  interest  in  all  matters  which  promise 
good  to  the  farming  interests  of  the  country. 
He  spent  eighteen  years  in  handling  fine  stock, 
and  brought  more  fine  cattle  into  the  state 
than  any  man  in  the  county — chiefly  short 
horn  Durhams.  Mrs.  Sharp  has  had  the  care 
of  thirteen  orphan  children  and  raised  seven 
until  they  married. 


ONATHAN  SHEPP  is  one  of  the 
honored  and  greatly  respected  pioneers 
of  Delaware  county,  and  resides  on  a 
valuable  farm  in  section  5,  Salem  town- 
ship. Jonathan  Shepp  was  born  October  9, 
1807,  in  Virginia;  being  the  son  of  Jonathan 
S. , a native  of  Germany,  and  an  old  Revolu- 
tionary soldier.  He  fought  under  Col.  Wal- 
lace, and  was  in  the  battle  when  he  was  taken 
prisoner.  For  a period  of  twenty-one  days 
the  old  patriot  and  his  comrades  were  almost 
without  food,  and  deprived  of  sleep.  Jonathan 
Shepp  came  from  Virginia  to  Henry  county, 
Ind.,  when  it  was  all  a wilderness.  He  was  a 
millwright  by  trade,  and  later  learned  the  car- 
penter trade.  After  completing  the  latter  he 


756 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


began  work,  as  a cabinet  maker,  for  himself, 
following  it  for  three  years.  He  put  up  the 
first  saw  mill  in  Henry  county,  in  the  year 
1836,  add  ran  it  successfully  for  a few  years, 
when  he  sold  out  and  erected  the  first  saw  mill 
in  Daleville.  Then  he  returned  to  the  carpen- 
ter trade  and  followed  that  for  years. 

Mr.  Shepp  was  united  in  marriage,  at  the 
age  of  thirty,  with  Lydia  Fenwick,  and  they 
located  at  Middletown,  where  he  and  his  wife 
resided  for  eight  years,  during  which  time  he 
pursued  his  trade  as  a carpenter.  Eight  years 
subsequent  to  his  marriage  Mr.  Shepp  moved 
on  the  farm,  and  built  the  house  in  which  he 
now  lives;  following  the  occupation  of  a 
farmer,  and  doing  carpenter  work  for  his 
neighbors.  This  family  shared  in  all  the 
hardships  of  pioneer  life,  but  nevertheless  the 
members  of  it  prospered.  The  forest  trees 
were  felled,  and  the  ground  plowed  and  made 
to  yield  crops  year  by  year.  Two  years  after 
purchasing  the  farm  Mr.  Shepp  built  a mill  on 
Francis  Pugsley’s  farm,  and  was  overseer  of 
that  for  one  year,  when  he  sold  it  to  Henry  P. 
Henry,  and  returned  to  his  farm  work.  The 
union  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Shepp  has  been  blessed 
with  four  children,  namely:  Margaret,  born 
March  8,  1839;  Mary  Ann,  born  July  22,  1840; 
Sally,  born  November  4,  1842,  and  Sophia, 
born  May  22,  1844  In  politics  Mt.  Shepp  is 
a strong  republican,  and  has  voted  that  ticket 
ever  since  the  party  was  founded.  His  re- 
ligious belief  is  that  of  the  Universalist,  and 
he  holds  firmly  to  the  teachings  of  that  de- 
nomination. 


OHN  SHOEMAKER  is  one  of  the  well 
known  residents  of  the  town  of  Dale- 
ville, Delaware  county,  Ind. , where  he 
has  been  engaged  in  business  for  almost 
thirty  years,  and  is  esteemed  and  respected  by 
all.  Mr.  Shoemaker  was  born  in  Montgom- 


ery county.  Pa.,  April  18,  1808,  a son  of  John 
and  Elizabeth  (Myers)  Shoemaker,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Pennsylvania,  having 
been  born  in  the  same  county,  and  both  of 
whom  died  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-eight 
years  and  six  months.  In  1810  John  and 
Elizabeth  Shoemaker  removed  to  Adams 
county.  Pa.,  and  in  1824  to  Eranklin  county, 
the  same  state,  where  they  remained  until 
1837,  at  which  time  they  came  to  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  being  among  the  earliest  pioneers 
of  the  county.  They  located  in  the  Richwoods 
district,  and  there  remained  until  their  death, 
his  occurring  in  about  1865  and  hers  in  1861. 
They  were  members  of  the  Dunkard  church  in 
early  life  and  later  became  identified  with  the 
Christian  church,  of  which  they  remained  faith- 
ful members  until  their  death.  They  were 
very  successful  in  life  and  accumulated  consid- 
erable property.  Mr.  Shoemaker  was  a repub- 
lican in  politics  and  earnestly  supported  the 
principles  of  that  party. 

When  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  a 
young  man  he  engaged  for  several  years  in 
teaching  vocal  music,  both  to  German  and 
English  pupils,  and  acquired  great  proficiency 
as  an  instructor  of  melody.  He  was  reared  on 
the  home  farm,  received  his  education  in  the 
common  schools,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-four 
years  he  began  life  for  himself  as  a farmer  in 
Eranklin  county.  Pa.  One  year  prior  to  his 
father’s  location  in  this  county  he  entered  a 
tract  of  160  acres  of  land,  which  is  still  owned 
by  the  Shoemaker  family.  They  began  the 
improvement  of  the  property,  and  in  1844 
bought  160  acres  more.  In  1 864  our  subject 
sold  his  land  to  his  brother,  and  moved  to 
Daleville^  where  he  has  since  resided,  and  en- 
gaged in  the  handling  of  general  merchandise, 
grain,  etc.,  from  which  business  he  retired  in 
1886.  That  same  year  he  went  to  California, 
and  again  in  1887,  visiting  his  son,  since  which 
time  he  has  lived  a retired  life.  Mr.  Shoemaker 


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E.  C.  SNIDER. 


SALEM  TOWNSHIP. 


757 


was  married  November  15,  1832,  in  Franklin 
county,  Pa. , to  Miss  Maria  Myers,  born  in  the 
same  county,  in  December,  1813,  a daughter 
of  Henry  Myers,  a prominent  minister  of  the 
Dunkard  church.  Thirteen  children  were  born 
of’this  union,  eleven  reaching  maturity,  Michael, 
Elizabeth,  deceased;  Susannah,  wife  of  J. 
N.  Templer,  an  attorney  of  Muncie,  Henry, 
a farmer  of  Centre  township;  Jane,  wife  of  E. 
M.  Rudly,  of  Delaware  county;  John  P. , of 
Middletown,  Ind. ; Joseph  of  Salem;  Miles,  of 
California;  Daniel,  deceased;  Sylvester,  a mer- 
chant, and  Allie,  deceased.  The  mother  died 
July  24,  1874.  Three  of  the  sons  of  Mr. 

Shoemaker  served  in  the  late  war,  doing  their 
duty  bravely.  Mr.  Shoemaker  has  been  a local 
preacher  since  1850,  and  is  a Christian  gentle- 
man, a conscientious  member  of  the  Christian 
church,  and  for  three  generations  his  family 
has  belonged  to  this  religious  order. 


DWIN  CLARK  ANTHONY  SNY- 
DER is  a prominent  business  man  of 
Daleville,  Ind.,  where  he  has  large 
interests  and  is  the  proprietor  of  the 
largest  brick  manufactory  in  the  county.  Mr. 
Snyder  was  born  in  Centre  township,  Dela- 
ware county,  December  10,  1835,  was 

named  for  a son  of  good  old  Dr.  Anthony,  a 
pioneer  of  Muncie,  this  state.  The  father  of 
our  subject  was  John  T.  Snyder,  of  German 
descent,  and  his  mother,  Cynthia  S.  (Gustin) 
Snyder,  born  in  Warren  county,  Ohio,  a 
daughter  of  John  and  Jane  Gustin,  of  the  same 
state.  John  T.  Snyder  was  born  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, but  was  reared  to  manhood  in  a small 
village  called  Red  Lion,  in  Warren  county, 
Ohio,  in  which  county  his  father,  Conrad  Sny- 
der, was  sheriff  for  eight  years.  For  the 
greater  part  of  his  life  he  followed  auctioneer- 
ing and  was  a very  successful  man  of  business. 


John  T.  Snyder  was  the  only  son  in  a family 
of  five  children,  all  now  deceased.  He  fol- 
lowed agricultural  pursuits  for  the  greater  part 
of  his  life,  and  in  1832  removed  to  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  where  he  remained  until  1837, 
when  he  changed  his  location  to  Madison 
county,  Ind.,  but  died  in  Illinois  while  on  a 
business  trip  to  that  state  in  1842.  His  widow 
was  remarried  in  1843,  to  Thomas  Tripp,  and 
spent  her  declining  years  in  Madison  county, 
Ind.,  but  died  December  24,  1885,  in  Delaware 
county;  her  remains  are  laid  to  rest  in  Mount 
Pleasant  cemetery.  When  John  T.  Snyder 
and  wife  located  in  Delaware  county  they  had 
no  floor  in  their  cabin,  and  had  to  hang  a quilt 
in  the  doorway  in  lieu  of  a door  proper.  On 
one  occasion,  when  Mrs.  Snyder  was  left 
alone,  she  was  compelled  to  burn  hickory 
bark  throughout  a whole  night,  in  order  to 
keep  the  wolves  at  bay.  The  cabin  was  later 
improved  somewhat,  by  Mr.  Snyder  hewing 
out  puncheons  for  flooring. 

E.  C.  A.  Snyder  is  the  only  surviving 
child  of  a family  of  seven  children  and  en- 
joyed but  very  limited  educational  advantages, 
walking  two  and  one-half  miles  to  reach  the 
school  house.  He  lived  with  his  step-father 
until  he  had  reached  his  majority,  and  then 
went  into  business  with  him.  The  latter  had 
a contract  for  building  one  and  one-fourth 
miles  of  the  C.,  C.,  C.  & I.  R.  R. , and  this 
resulted  in  the  accumulation  of  enough  money 
to  enable  them  to  purchase  eighty  acres  of 
land  in  Madison  county  and  they  began  im- 
proving it.  Upon  the  death  of  his  step-father 
Mr.  Snyder  inherited  the  other  portion  of  the 
farm,  which  had  cost  $550,  and  nine  years 
later  was  able  to  sell  it  for  $2,500.  He  then 
purchased  160  acres  of  land  in  Delaware 
county  for  that  amount,  and  after  operating  it 
for  twenty-two  years  he  sold  it  for  $8,000. 
Moving  at  this  time  to  the  town  of  Daleville, 
he  engaged  in  business  with  J.  V.  Stewart  in 


758 


DELAWARE  COUNTY  : 


the  handling  of  agricultural  implements,  for  a 
term  of  five  years.  In  1891,  in  company  with 
Granville  Ellison,  this  energetic  and  far-seeing 
man  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  brick, 
which  partnership  continued  until  July,  1892, 
when  Mr.  Snyder  became  sole  proprietor. 
This  is  the  largest  manufacturing  establish- 
ment of  the  kind  in  the  county,  and  has  a ca- 
pacity of  25,000  brick  per  day. 

Mr.  Snyder  is  pre-eminently  a man  of  busi- 
ness, and,  in  addition  to  his  manufacturing  in- 
terests, is  engaged  in  the  handling  of  grain, 
being  the  owner  of  a large  elevator,  and  is  also 
the  owner  of  several  fine  farms,  which  he  finds 
time  to  oversee,  and  also  looks  after  his  valu- 
able town  property  with  care  and  good  judg- 
ment. His  varied  interests  employ  his  time, 
but  do  not  cause  him  to  neglect  any  of  the 
duties  of  the  good  citizen.  He  is  a democrat 
in  politics  and  votes  with  his  party,  taking 
great  interest  in  all  public  questions.  Mr. 
Snyder  married  in  Madison  county,  Ind. , April 
12,  1857,  Miss  Amanda  Groenendyke,  a native 
of  Madison  county,  and  one  child,  Elias,  was 
born,  but  is  now  deceased,  and  his  wife  died 
August  20,  1839.  His  second  marriage  was 
solemnized  November  8,  1861,  with  Eydia  J. 
Eloyd,  who  was  born  in  Madison  county.  May 
7,  1842,  a daughter  of  Thomas  and  Lydia 
(Wheatly)  Lloyd,  of  Welch  and  English  ex- 
traction. By  this  marriage  Mr.  Snyder  has 
became  the  father  of  nine  children,  as  follows: 
Matilda,  deceased;  Mariah,  the  wife  of  J.  C. 
Eish;  Thomas  E.,  Florence,  wife  of  L.  Nel- 
son; Norris  A.,  Josephine,  Jessie,  deceased, 
Dora  A.  and  Leroy.  The  family  are  members 
of  the  United  Brethren  church,  in  which  they 
are  much  esteemed.  Mr.  Snyder  is  the  present 
trustee  of  the  church,  fulfilling  the  duties  of 
the  office  with  the  same  care  that  he  gives  his 
private  business.  He  is  one  of  the  worthy 
citizens  who  do  much  for  any  locality  by  their 
enterprise  and  progressive  spirit. 


e'^DWIN  R.  STEWART,  of  Salem 
township,  Delaware  county,  Ind. , 
comes  of  good  stock,  and  was  born 
in  Clarke  county,  Ohio,  the  son  of 
James  and  Matilda  (McBeth)  Stewart,  both  of 
Irish  descent.  The  father  was  born  in  Ken- 
tucky, December  28,  1801,  and  at  the  age  of 
eleven  emigrated  with  his  parents  to  Ohio,  and 
there  learned  the  trade  of  a brickmason.  When 
twenty-six  years  old  he  was  married,  and  be- 
came the  father  of  three  children  by  his  first 
wife,  who  died  in  1832,  her  place  of  burial 
being  in  Clarke  county,  Ohio.  He  was  next 
married,  November  5,  1833,  to  Druscilla  Rey- 
nolds, who  died  December  4,  1888,  and  was 
buried  in  the  Saunders  cemetery.  To  this 
union  were  born  nine  children.  Prior  to  this 
time,  however,  in  1881,  he  sold  his  farm  and 
moved  to  Muncie,  made  his  home  with  his 
daughter  in  the  latter  place,  and  is  now  living 
with  her  and  the  rest  of  the  children. 

Edwin  R.  Stewart  lived  at  home  until  he 
was  twenty  years  old,  going  to  school  in  the 
winter,  and  working  in  the  summer  on  the 
farm,  and  at  the  age  named,  went  back  to 
t Ohio  to  learn  the  carpenter  trade  with  a cousin, 
O.  S.  Kelly,  remaining  two  years.  He  then 
went  with  this  cousin  to  California,  starting 
from  Springfield,  Ohio,  proceeding  down  the 
Ohio  river  and  the  Mississippi  river  to  New 
Orleans,  to  Georgetown  on  the  Isthmus  and 
from  there  in  canoe  to  Lake  Nicaragua,  and 
crossed  that  in  a sloop,  and  from  there  to  the 
Pacific  coast  on  mule  back,  twelve  miles,  and 
then  took  a bark  to  San  Francisco.  During 
his  trip  across  the  Isthmus  he  was  stricken 
with  the  Panama  fever,  and  was  near  death’s 
door  for  a long  while.  He  journeyed  from  San 
Francisco  to  Sacramento  city  by  steamboat; 
thence  to  Marysville  by  steamboat,  and  from 
the  latter  place  to  Downeyville  on  the  back  of 
a mule.  The  trip  was  quite  an  expensive  one 
as  well  as  protracted;  costing  him  $306.50, 


n 

p/' 


) { 


SALEM  TOWNSHIP. 


759 


and  consuming  the  time  from  March  29,  1832, 
to  July  18,  1852. 

From  Downeyville,  Mr.  Stewart  traveled 
on  mule  back  eighteen  miles  to  Canon  creek, 
where,  with  three  companions,  Oliver  Kelley, 
Joshua  Gore  and  David  Bright,  he  bought  a 
claim  for  $300,  paying  $100  down,  and  agree- 
ing to  pay  the  balance  when  they  had  mined 
it,  but  they  failed  to  find  more  than  two 
ounces  of  gold,  so  they  gave  up  the  claim. 
Oliver  Kelley  and  the  others  went  their  way, 
and  Mr.  Stewart  went  down  the  canyon  and 
engaged  in  putting  in  a flume  in  a mine  at  a 
salary  of  $6  per  day,  this  employment  lasting 
two  months,  when  Mr.  Stewart  bought  an  in- 
terest in  the  mine,  which  interest  he  held  for 
three  weeks,  panning  out  occasionally  as  high 
as  $64  per  day,  and  averaging  $12  per  day. 
But  while  at  work  the  water  in  the  creek  rose 
to  such  an  extent  as  to  drive  them  away — 
although  the  claim  would  yet  be  a profitable 
one.  Mr.  Stewart  then  went  to  Slate  creek, 
across  the  mountains,  and  there  re-engaged  in 
mining  until  the  snow  became  so  deep — being 
ten  feet  on  a level — as  to  drive  Mr.  Stewart 
and  his  companions,  thirteen  in  all,  to  seek 
new  quarters.  They  progressed  at  the  rate 
of  three  miles  a day  for  two  or  three  days 
until  they  reached  Hansomville,  after  which 
they  made  better  time,  as  the  trail  had  been 
broken  from  that  point.  Mr.  Stewart  and 
Wash  George  parted  with  their  companions 
somewhere  hereabout  and  continued  on  to 
Sacramento,  and  thence  crossed  over  to  Wil- 
low creek,  where  the  companions  separated, 
and  Mr.  Stewart  engaged  in  mining  during  the 
winter  of  1853;  he  next  went  to  Murphy’s 
camp,  but  did  not  meet  with  any  success  at 
this  place.  However,  he  continued  mining  at 
various  points  for  another  year,  made  some 
money,  and  then  engaged  in  fluming  and 
framing  for  the  Union  Water  company,  of 
Calaveras  county,  conducting  water  inland 


from  the  Stanislaus  river.  At  this  employ- 
ment he  was  engaged  about  a year  and  a half, 
when  he  returned  home.  It  was  while  Mr. 
Stewart  was  there  that  four  men  were  em- 
ployed four  weeks  in  cutting  down  a huge  tree 
that  measured  twenty-nine  feet  across  the 
stump,  the  object  being  to  send  it  to  the  Grys- 
tal  Palace  at  New  York,  but  it  was  found  to 
be  too  bulky  for  shipment. 

In  the  year  1856  he  returned  home  and 
bought  a farm  of  144  acres  of  Delaware 
county’s  best  land,  which  he  has  increased  to 
228  acres.  In  1858  he  married  Margaret  J. 
Shepp,  daughter  of  Jonathan  and  Lydia  (Fen- 
wick) Shepp,  whose  sketch  will  be  seen  on 
another  page  of  this  volume.  By  this  mar- 
riage our  subject  became  the  father  of  eight 
children,  namely;  Alice  F.,born  November 
24,  1858;  Oliver  K.,  born  October  22,  i860; 
Lydia  L. , born  July  6,  1863,  and  died  April  6, 
1864;  Milton  H.,  born  March  7,  1865; 

Mary  I.,  born  August  6,  1867;  Matilda  J., 
born  February  6,  1869;  Lilly  I.,  born 
September  18,  1873;  Edwin  R. , born  De- 
cember 24,  1876.  The  father  of  these 

children  is  a prominent  republican,  and  active 
in  all  matters  in  his  township. 


ERRY  V.  STEWART.— There  are 
many  fine  farms  in  Delaware  county, 
Ind. , and  upon  one  of  these,  located 
in  Salem  township,  lives  Perry  V. 
Stewart.  He  was  born  in  this  county,  Octo- 
ber 13,  1845,  is  the  son  of  Samuel  and 
Anna  (Summers)  Stewart,  the  former  a native 
of  Wayne  county,  Ohio,  of  Irish  descent,  and 
the  later  of  Highland  county,  in  the  same 
state.  Samuel  Stewart  accompanied  his  par- 
ents to  Indiana  in  1835,  married  in  this 
state  in  1844.  He  prospered,  and  at  the  time 
of  his  death,  in  April,  1859,  was  worth  con- 


760 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


siderable  property.  His  widow  now  lives  with 
a daughter  in  the  city  of  Muncie,  this  state. 

Perry  V.  Stewart  lived  with  his  parents 
until  he  was  twenty-two  years  of  age,  and  had 
attended  the  common  schools,  so  closely  ap- 
plying himself  that  he  was  able  at  that  time  to 
become  an  acceptable  teacher,  and  continued 
in  that  profession  until  1869,  when  he  engaged 
as  a clerk  with  Samuel  Williams,  and  one  year 
later  went  into  the  employ  of  W.  A.  Brundage 
cS:  Co.,  in  Muncie,  in  the  same  capacity.  He 
remained  with  this  latter  firm  from  1871  to 
1873,  when  he  was  taken  in  as  a partner. 
One  year  later  he  sold  out  and  entered 
the  house  of  George  W.  Stephenson  as  book- 
keeper, and  continued  with  him  for  three 
years.  Mr.  Stewart  was  married  March  2, 

1 879,  to  Miss  Margaret  Sunderland,  daughter 
of  Samuel  and  Lavina  (Kepper)  Sunderland, 
and  one  of  a family  of  ten  children.  Samuel 
Sunderland,  a native  of  Ohio,  was  born  Feb- 
ruary 26,  1812,  and  immigrated  to  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  locating  on  the  farm  where  he 
died.  He  began  life  in  obscurity,  being  but 
one  year  old  when  his  father  died,  and  at  the 
early  age  of  ten  years  little  Samuel  had  to 
start  out  for  himself.  His  first  engagement 
was  to  work  for  $50  per  year,  and  he  contin- 
ued at  these  wages  for  four  years,  contriving 
to  save  a greater  part  of  the  amount,  and  in 
1836  he  made  his  way  to  Delaware  county, 
where  he  entered  160  acres  of  land.  He  kept 
adding  to  this  until  he  had  12,000  acres,  all  of 
it  won  by  hard  and  persistent  labor  and  by  no 
scheme  of  speculation.  At  death  he  was 
worth  $75,000,  which  was  divided  among  his 
children,  and  the  subject  of  this  mention  now 
lives  on  the  old  farm  which  his  father  first 
entered.  Fraternally,  Mr.  Stewart  is  a mem- 
ber of  I.  O.  O.  F.  No.  345,  of  Yorktown. 
Politically  he  prefers  to  think  for  himself  on 
the  important  questions  of  the  day,  but  usual- 
ly votes  with  the  republican  party. 


EC.  SUMMERS,  M.  D.,  is  one  of 
the  most  highly  respected  citizens  of 
Daleville,  and  one  of  the  leading 
physicians  of  Delaware  county.  He 
was  born  in  Henry  county,  Ind.,  November 
22,  1843.  son  of  Simon  and  Cynthia  (Van 
Matre)  Summers.  His  father  was  born  in 
Virginia,  and  his  mother  in  Ohio,  their  mar- 
riage having  occurred  in  1835,  in  Delaware 
county,  Ind.  After  his  marriage,  Simon  Sum- 
mers located  in  P'all  Creek  township,  Henry 
county,  Ind.,  in  1835,  and  began  the  occupa- 
tion of  farming,  which  he  continued,  with  good 
success,  until  1857,  his  death  occurring  in 
1879.  His  wife  survived  him  until  January, 
1885,  and  their  remains  were  laid  in  Middle- 
town  cemetery.  They  were  the  parents  of 
five  children,  namely:  J.  V.,  who  holds  a 

government  position  in  Indian  Territory;  W. 
H.,  deceased;  H.  C. ; Faraba  E. , wife  of  Frank 
H.  Smith;  and  Mary  J.,  wife  of  Samuel  H. 
Davis,  of  Stockton,  Mo.  Mr.  Summers  was  a 
prominent  man  and  is  still  remembered  as  an 
active  politician,  having  represented  the  people 
of  Henry  county  in  the  general  assembly,  from 
1848  to  1856,  but  as  his  health,  at  that  time, 
was  seriously  impaired,  he  was  forced  to  with- 
draw from  political  life.  His  church  connec- 
tion was  with  the  Christian  denomination. 
He  was  a whig  in  early  life,  but  upon  the  birth 
of  the  republican  party,  soon  knew  where  to 
place  his  allegiance.  Fraternally,  he  was  a 
charter  member  of  the  Fall  Creek  lodge  of  I. 
O.  O.  F.,  and  in  business  circles  his  success 
was  unusual. 

H.  C.  Summers  was  reared  upon  the  home 
farm  until  he  was  fourteen  years  of  age,  at 
which  time  his  parents  removed  to  Middle- 
town,  Henry  county,  Ind.,  where  he  attended 
the  graded  schools  until  he  was  eighteen  years 
of  age.  He  had  long  been  interested  in  medi- 
cine, and  now  took  the  opportunity  offered  of 
pursuing  a medical  course  under  Drs.  Summers 


SALEM  TOWNSHIP. 


761 


and  Guisin^er,  remaining  four  years  under 
their  tuition,  going  from  thence  to  Chicago, 
where  he  enjoyed  the  advantages  of  lectures 
during  the  term  of  1864-5  Rush  Medical 
college.  He  began  practice  in  Henry  county, 
where  he  continued  for  two  years,  coming 
thence  to  Daleville,  and  here  he  has  built  up  a 
practice  and  has  obtained  the  respect  and  con- 
fidence of  his  fellow  citizens.  Dr.  Summers 
married  in  Middletown,  Ind.,  in  1864,  Miss 
Sarah  A.  Laboyteaux,  a native  of  Henry 
county,  to  which  union  four  children  have  been 
born,  as  follows:  Ollie,  wife  of  W.  H.  Lind- 

sey of  Anderson,  Ind.;  Frank  L. , of  Anderson; 
Glenn  S.,  of  Stockton,  Mo.,  and  Ella,  wife  of 
W.  S.  Johnson,  of  Lima,  O.  Mrs.  Summers 
died  in  March,  1873,  and  her  remains  were 
laid  to  rest  in  the  cemetery  at  the  village  of 
Daleville,  where  may  be  seen  a handsome 
monument  erected  to  her  memory.  Dr.  Sum- 
mer’s second  marriage  occurred  August  4,  1881, 
to  Miss  Louise  L.  Stewart,  born  in  Madison 
county,  a daughter  of  J.  V.  and  Sarah  (Bishop) 
Stewart.  In  political  life  the  doctor  is  a re- 
publican, and  he  is  socially  connected  with  the 
order  of  Red  Men. 


^ ILLIAM  SUMMERS  was  born  in 
Delaware  county,  Ind.,  September 
2,  1854,  a son  of  Terrell  and  Eliza- 
beth (McGlintock)  Summers.  His 
father  had  come  with  his  parents  to  Delaware 
county  and  was  married  January  13,  1842,  to 
Miss  Samantha  Witt,  but  she  died  one  year 
later  and  he  then  married  Elizabeth  McClin- 
tock,  April  28,  i g44-  The  first  wife  left  one 
little  daughter,  who  died  at  birth,  but  five 
children  were  born  of  the  second  marriage: 
Martha  E. , the  wife  of  Michael  Bowers; 
Sarah  J.,  born  in  1852,  died  October  9,  1890; 
John  W. , born  in  1856,  died  in  infancy,  and 


Emma  B.,  born  August  18,  1862.  The  father 
of  this  family  died  July  12,  1887,  and  was 
buried  in  the  Tumbleson  cemetery.  The  date 
of  birth  of  William  is  given  above. 

William  lived  at  home  with  his  parents 
until  he  was  twenty-four  years  old  and  at- 
tended the  district  schools.  At  the  above  age 
he  married  Josephine  Thomas,  the  daughter  of 
John,  he  being  a tanner  by  trade  and  a native 
of  the  state  of  Virginia,  dying  in  1867.  Mrs. 
Summers  was  one  of  eight  children,  three  of 
whom  are  yet  living,  James  L. , Charles  L. 
and  Josephine.  After  marriage,  Mr.  Summers 
located  on  the  old  home  farm,  buying  out  the 
other  heirs.  He  is  the  owner  of  140  acres  of 
well  improved  land  and  is  one  of  the  stock- 
holders in  the  Richmond  gas  well.  Two  chil- 
dren have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sum- 
mers: Bertha  F. , born  March  21,  1880,  and 
Arthur  T. , born  September  22,  1882.  Mrs. 
Summers  is  a member  of  the  Christian  church, 
and  Mr.  Summers,  like  all  of  his  name,  is  a 
stanch  republican. 


AMUEL  R.  SUNDERLAND.  — Dela- 
ware county,  Ind. , is  noted  all  over 
the  whole  state  for  its  fine  farms  and 
its  excellent  class  of  agriculturists. 
The  finely  cultivated  farm  of  Samuel  K.  Sun- 
derland answers  for  itself  as  to  the  efficiency 
of  its  owner.  The  broad  fields  and  fertile  soil 
from  which  abundant  yields  are  realized  must 
be  very  gratifying  to  the  owner  of  them,  and 
are  almost  calculated  to  excite  envy  in  the 
minds  of  the  poor  passing  traveler,  whose  only 
claim  can  be  to  six  feet  of  mother  earth  when 
his  time  comes  to  no  longer  cumber  the 
ground. 

Samuel  K.  Sunderland  was  born  in  Dela- 
ware county,  Ind.,  November  26,  1851,  a son 
of  one  of  the  best  known  and  wealthiest  men 


762 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


of  the  county,  Samuel  Sunderland,  and  his 
wife,  Elvina  (Kepper)  Sunderland.  Samuel 
K.  resided  at  home  with  his  indulgent  parents 
until  he  was  of  age.  He  received  an  excellent 
education  at  the  public  schools,  and  April  5, 
1882,  laid  the  foundation  of  his  own  home  by 
his  marriage  with  Miss  Anna  Bell,  daughter  of 
Hiram  and  Mary  (Clark)  Bell,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  Kentucky,  of  Irish  descent. 
Mr.  and  .Mrs.  Bell  reared  a family  of  eleven 
children,  all  of  whom  are  yet  living.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Sunderland  have  one  child,  Carl,  born 
December  28,  1884.  Mr.  Sunderland  has  one 
of  the  finest  tracts  of  land  in  the  county,  con- 
sisting of  185  acres,  well  improved,  and  is 
considered  one  of  the  most  prosperous  of  the 
young  farmers  of  his  locality.  Politically  he 
is  a democrat,  as  have  been  the  members  of 
the  Sunderland  family  as  far  back  as  their  po- 
litical opinions  can  be  traced.  He  is  a good 
citizen  and  takes  deep  interest  in  the  progress 
of  public  affairs. 


m 


r’lLLIAM  SUNDERLAND.— Promi- 
nent among  the  progressive  farmers 
and  stock  raisers  of  the  township  of 
Salem  is  William  Sunderland,  a 
native  of  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  and  son  of 
Samuel  and  Elvina  (Kepper)  Sunderland.  He 
was  born  on  the  12th  day  of  October,  1848, 
and  like  the  majority  of  country  boys  grew  to 
manhood  amid  the  peaceful  pursuits  of  the 
farm,  where  he  early  learned  the  true  dignity 


of  labor  and  those  lessons  of  industry  and  per- 
severance which  have  inured  to  his  success  in 
the  later  years  of  life.  In  the  common  schools, 
which  he  attended  at  intervals  during  the 
years  of  his  minority,  he  acquired  a practical 
knowledge  of  the  brances  usually  taught  there- 
in, and,  chosing  agriculture  for  his  life  work, 
he  early  embarked  in  the  same,  continuing  the 
useful  calling  with  most  flattering  success  to 
the  present  time.  Mr.  Sunderland  believes  in 
the  nobility  of  the  farmer’s  vocation,  and  his 
well  cultivated  lands,  consisting  of  178  acres, 
fine  residence,  commodious  barn  and  other 
buildings,  bespeak  the  owner  possessed  of 
superior  ability  as  a successful  as  well  as  tasty 
manager. 

In  the  year  1873  Mr.  Sunderland  and  Miss 
Orlena  Marker,  daughter  of  William  and  Mary 
(Bishop)  Marker,  the  former  of  Pennsylvania 
and  the  latter  of  Indiana,  were  united  in  the 
bonds  of  wedlock.  Mrs.  Sunderland’s  father 
came  to  Indiana  with  his  parents  when  but 
twelve  years  of  age,  and  is  living  at  this  time 
at  Yorktown,  following  the  plasterer’s  trade, 
which  he  learned  in  early  manhood.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Sunderland  are  parents  of  three  children: 
Jessie  P. , born  March  4,  1876;  Arthur  E., 

born  January  4,  1879,  and  Marker  S.,  born 
October  8,  1887.  In  addition  to  his  fine  farm 
Mr.  Sunderland  has  financial  interests  in  the 
Richwood  gas  well,  and  is  one  of  the  well-to- 
do  citizens  of  the  township  of  Salem;  he  and 
wife  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church, 
and  politically  he  supports  the  democratic 
party. 


S',, 


SALEM  TOWNSHIP. 


703 


ENJAMIN  F.  LEFTER,  one  of  the 
enterprising  business  men  of  Dela- 
county,  Ind.,  and  proprietor  of  an 
extensive  tile  factory  in  Daleville, 
Salem  township,  was  born  in  Franklin  county, 
Ind.,  December  12th,  1846,  the  son  of  Jacob 
and  Eunice  (Ryckman)  Lefter.  Jacob  Lefter, 
the  father,  is  a native  of  Kentucky,  was  born 
in  1812,  and  is  a son  of  a Revolutionary 
soldier.  Jacob  was  reared  a farmer,  and  early 
in  life  left  his  Kentucky  home  and  came  to 
Indiana;  he  settled  in  Franklin  county,  and 
there  continues  to  follow  his  vocation.  He 
affiliates  with  the  democratic  party,  and  with 
his  wife,  is  a member  of  the  Methodist  church. 
Jacob  and  Eunice  Lefter  had  born  their  mar- 
riage, twelve  children,  of  whom  ten  reached 
maturity. 

Benjamin  F.  Lefter  is  the  seventh  in  order 
of  birth  in  this  family  of  twelve.  He  received 
a fair  education  and  was  early  inured  to  the 
hard  work  necessary  to  the  proper  care  and 
cultivation  of  the  home  farm,  where  he  also 
imbibed  those  lessons  of  frugality  and  industry 
which  proved  of  so  much  utility  and  benefit  to 
him  in  latter  years  in  the  prosecution  of  his 
business.  He  opened  his  career  in  active  life 
as  a teacher,  a profession  he  followed  for  over 
twenty  years  in  the  public  schools  of  Franklin, 
Rush  and  Deleware  counties,  this  state,  and 
in  which  he  achieved  an  enviable  reputation 
for  capability  and  thoroughness.  In  1884  he 
located  in  Centre  township,  Delaware  county, 
erected  a tile  factory,  and  for  two  years  carried 
on  a profitable  trade;  he  then  found  it  to  be 
to  his  advantage  to  remove  to  Daleville,  in 
Salem  township.  Here  he  erected  his  plant 
for  the  manufacture  of  tiles,  the  building  being 
64x1  52  feet  with  a capacity  per  annum  of  over 
600,000  tile  of  all  grades.  This  plant  is  in 
most  excellent  condition  and  speaks  well  for 
the  thrift,  enterprise  and  comprehensive  knowl- 
edge of  details  of  the  owner.  Although  his 


capital  was  quite  limited  at  the  start,  Mr. 
Lefter,  through  his  knowledge  of  the  business 
and  of  financiering,  has  won  for  himself  a 
handsome  competence. 

The  enterprise  and  energy  of  Mr.  Lefter 
have  been  the  means  of  adding  considerably 
to  the  growth  and  prosperity  to  the  town  of 
Daleville  as  well  as  the  township  of  Salem  in 
general,  his  plant  being  quite  an  extensive  one, 
as  will  be  seen  by  the  figures  given  above,  and 
furnishing  employment  to  a large  number  of 
workmen  of  more  or  less  skill,  who  would 
otherwise  be,  beyond  doubt,  out  of  steady  em- 
ployment. His  products  find  sale  in  all  parts 
of  the  country,  having  become  quite  celebrated 
for  the  excellence  of  their  qaulity,  their  dura- 
bility and  for  the  low  figure  at  which  Mr. 
Lefter,  through  his  great  facilities,  can  afford 
to  place  them  on  the  market. 

June  21,  1871,  Mr.  Lefter  was  united  in 
marriage  in  Franklin  county,  with  Miss  Ade- 
line Schofield,  daughter  of  Caleb  and  Hannah 
(Lounsberry)  Schofield,  natives  of  New  Jersey 
and  of  English  extraction.  To  this  felicitous 
union  have  been  born  three  bright  and  intelli- 
gent children,  named  Adah,  Mattie  and  Claud- 
ius, who  have  been  reared  to  become  useful 
members  of  society  and  ornaments  to  the  com- 
munity. In  politics  Mr.  Lefter  is  a democrat 
of  somewhat  aggressive  characteristics,  and 
fraternally,  he  is  a master  Mason,  a Knight 
of  Pythias  and  a Red  Man.  He  and  wife  are 
consistent  in  their  observation  of  the  tenets  of 
the  United  Brethren  church,  of  which  they. are 
working  members,  and  they  enjoy  to  the  full 
the  respect  and  esteem  of  their  neighbors  and 
the  community  in  general. 

Since  the  above  sketch  was  put  in  type. 
Miss  Adah,  the  elder  daughter  of  Mr.  Lefter, 
has  been  united  in  marriage  (December,  1893), 
with  Mr.  M.  Painter,  a prominent  teacher  of 
Henry  county,  Ind.,  and  well  known  in  Ran- 
dolph county. 


3 


UNION  TOWNSHIP. 


765 


his  present  successful  undertaking  in  the  vil- 
lage of  Eaton.  In  1890,  in  connection  with 
B.  F.  Houseman,  he  established  the  business 
of  manufacturing  hoops  and  spokes  in  Albany 
and  Eaton,  and  at  the  present  time  the  out- 
put of  the  factory  is  the  enormous  number  of 
20,000  yearly.  This  plant  has  become  widel}^ 
known  for  the  excellence  of  the  w'ork  done  and 
is  well  patronized.  In  March,  1893, 
Bartlett  purchased  the  interest  of  his  partner, 
and  has  since  conducted  the  business  on  his 
sole  account. 

Mr.  Bartlet  was  married  February  I 5,  1887, 
in  Eaton,  to  Miss  Lola,  daughter  of  David 
Brandt,  of  Eaton,  and  one  child  has  been 
born,  September  22,  1891,  and  has  been 

named  Lerlie.  Mr.  Bartlett  believes  that  the 
democratic  party  advocates  those  measures 
which  will  best  govern  this  great  country, 
hence  he  always  votes  with  that  organization. 
Socially,  he  is  a member  of  the  Masonic  order 
and  is  much  esteemed  in  his  place  of  resi- 
dence. He  is  one  of  the  representative  busi- 
ness men  of  the  town  in  which  he  resides  and 
enjoys  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  a large 
and  influential  circle  of  friends  throughout 
Delaware  and  adjacent  counties. 


AVID  BRANDT. — Although  the  town 
of  Eaton,  Ind.,  is  but  a small  part  of 
the  county  of  Delaware,  it  has  more 
than  its  portion  of  successful  busi- 
ness men,  and  among  these  the  gentleman  for 
whom  this  sketch  is  written  is  well  and  favor- 
ably known.  Mr.  Brandt  was  born  in  Fair- 
field  county,  Ohio,  July  3,  1815,  a son  of  David 
and  Martha  (Hamilton)  Brandt.  The  father 
was  born  in  Mechanicsburg,  Pa.,  October  22, 
1876,  the  mother  near  Shippensburgh,  the 
same  state,  July  27,  1875.  David  Brandt, 
Sr.,  lost  his  wife  July  17,  1847,  and  he  sur- 


vived her  about  two  years.  They  were  the 
parents  of  thirteen  children,  as  follows:  Adam, 
Barbara,  Eve,  Francis,  IMary,  John,  George, 
David,  Ruth,  Samuel,  Jacob,  Martin,  and 
Isaac,  all  of  whom  passed  away  except  David 
and  Isaac,  the  last  named  being  the  present 
post  master  at  Des  Moines,  Iowa.  During 
early  life,  David  Brandt,  Sr.,  was  a school 
teacher,  also  was  engaged  in  the  making  of 
saddles,  and  carried  on  farming  at  the  same 
time.  He  w'as  a Dunkard  in  his  religious  faith, 
and  a very  conscientious  and  moral  man.  His 
declaration  to  his  sons  that  he  would  leave 
them  a legacy  of  an  unblemished  life,  was 
carried  out,  and  is  now  recalled  with  pride  by 
the  survivors.  Early  in  life  he  was  a whig, 
but  at  the  formation  of  the  republican  party 
he  attached  himself  to  that  faith,  and  so  con- 
tinued until  his  death.  Mrs.  Martha  Brandt 
was  a member  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  a 
good  and  pious  woman.  When  seventy-eight 
years  of  age  Mr.  Brandt  moved  to  De  Kalb 
county,  Ind.,  and  took  charge  of  the  post 
office,  and  attended  to  his  official  duties  until 
within  two  weeks  of  his  death. 

David  Brandt,  Jr.,  was  reared  to  manhood 
in  Fairfield  county,  Ohio,  and  there  learned 
the  shoemaker  trade,  in  which  he  was  engaged 
until  1840.  He  left  Ohio  February  17,  of 
that  year,  and  located  in  Cass  county,  Ind., 
where  he  was  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
shoes  until  May  15,  1842,  when  he  came  to 
Delaware  county,  locating  in  Union  township, 
where  he  followed  the  shoe  business,  moving 
in  1851  to  the  town  of  Eaton,  with  the  com- 
m.ercial  interests  of  which  he  has  since  been 
prominently  identified.  He  has  now  a very 
prosperous  business,  owning  a dry  goods  store, 
and  also  dealing  in  boots  and  shoes.  Mr. 
Brandt  has  seen  the  country  grow  from  a 
wilderness  to  its  present  advanced  state  of 
civilization.  When  he  came,  it  was  an  almost 
unbroken  forest  and  the  location  where  his 


766 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


business  house  now  stands  was  covered  with 
brambles.  He  can  relate,  in  the  most  inter- 
esting manner,  tales  of  those  early  times  when 
all  settlers  stood  upon  the  same  social  plane, 
and  good  feeling  and  hospitality  were  uni- 
versal. During  his  long  residence  here  he  has 
seen  the  changes,  many  for  the  better,  but  a 
few  not  so  much  so.  At  one  time  Mr.  Brandt 
owned  400  acres  of  land,  but  he  has  sold  all 
but  eighty,  in  this  township.  He  married  in 
this  county,  October  22,  1842,  Miss  Jane 

Long,  born  in  Clinton  county,  Ohio,  a daugh- 
ter of  Robert  and  Jane  (Woodruff)  Long,  na- 
tives of  Kentucky,  of  Irish  ancestry.  Six 
children  were  born  into  the  family  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Brandt,  as  follows:  John,  who  gave  up 
his  life  for  his  country.  He  entered  the  Sixty- 
fourth  regiment,  Indiana  volunteer  infantry, 
September  20,  1863,  and  died  January  12, 

1864,  in  Chattanooga  hospital.  No.  4;  Robert, 
a merchant  of  Eaton;  Martha,  wife  of  Daniel 
Endee,  the  secretary  of  the  Glass  works; 
Alice,  the  wife  of  Mitchell  Neff;  Wayman, 
deceased  and  Elmira,  the  wife  of  James  Long, 
a farmer  of  Nebraska.  Mrs.  Brandt  died 
Api'il  15,  1861,  and  her  remains  lie  in  the 
cemetery  at  Eaton.  She  was  a consistent 
member  of  the  Disciples  church.  Mr.  Brandt 
married  April  17,  1862,  Mrs.  Susan  Sabin, 
who  was  born  near  Germantown,  Mongomery 
county,  Ohio,  August  27,  1827,  a daughter  of 
Beniah  and  Sarah  (Shafer)  Eshtenfelder,  of 
German  extraction.  To  this  marriage  six 
children  were  born,  as  follows:  an  infant,  de- 
ceased: Louise,  wife  of  R.  C.  Peterson; 

Willie,  clerk  for  his  father;  Viola,  wife  of 
Oscar  Bartlett,  a hoop  manufacturer,  and 
Chloe  and  Gertrude,  deceased.  Eor  more 
than  forty  years  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brandt  have 
been  members  of  the  Christian  church,  he 
being  the  only  one  now  left  of  the  original  or- 
ganizers of  the  church  in  this  locality.  Polit- 
ically he  is  a republican,  voted  for  William 


Henry  Harrison  in  1^36,  and  in  1892  voted 
for  Benjamin  Harrison.  Socially  he  is  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  order  and  is  one  of  thd 
best  citizens  of  the  county. 


ILLIAM  COX  is  a highly  respected 
citizen  of  Union  township,  Dela- 
ware connty,  and  was  born  in  Preble 
county,  Ohio,  December  7,  1832, 
being  the  son  of  Isaac  B.  and  Mary  (Helm) 
Cox,  both  of  English  descent.  His  father  went 
from  Maryland  to  Tennessee  when  eighteen 
years  old  and  was  married  while  living  in  the 
latter  state.  He  then  went  to  Ohio  and  re- 
mained for  five  years,  when  he  came  to  Dela- 
ware county,  Ind. , and  settled  upon  the  farm 
which  he  now  owns.  With  haste  he  built  his 
log  cabin  and  removed  into  it  when  it  had 
neither  floor  nor  door.  After  a number  of  years 
he  split  his  flooring  out  of  blue  ash  and  hewed 
it  down.  This  humble  house  was  his  home 
for  twenty-five  years,  when  he  built  the  com- 
fortable home  his  son,  William,  now  lives  in, 
the  same  being  sided  up  with  pebble-dash  sid- 
ing. Here  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  days 
and  passed  away  in  the  fall  of  1870. 

The  names  of  the  brothers  and  sisters  of 
William  Cox  are  : Sarah,  wife  of  Robert  Lan- 
sing; Caroline,  wife  of  J.  C.  Long;  Nancy, 
wife  of  William  Adsit;  Joanna,  wife  of  Isaac 
Sleeth;  Eliza,  wife  of  Dr.  Helm — William  being 
the  youngest  of  the  family.  When  William 
Cox  was  twenty-two  he  went  to  Minnesota, 
where  he  remained  one  year,  and  then  returned 
home,  his  mother  dying  soon  after,  in  1854. 
Again  leaving  home  he  went  to  the  Rocky 
mountains,  at  Gold  Run,  Colo.,  and  worked  in 
the  mines  for  four  years,  being  very  success- 
ful and  making  enough  to  buy  the  farm  upon 
which  he  lives,  then  consisting  of  eighty  acres. 
Subsequently  he  bought  the  farm  of  his  father, 
consisting  of  200  acres. 


UNION  TOWNSHIP. 


767 


William  Cox  was  married,  December  lO, 
1865,  to  America  Long,  daughter  of  William 
and  Anna  (McLaughlin)  Long,  of  English  and 
Scotch  descent,  respectively.  The  parents  of 
Mrs.  Cox  came  from  Clinton  county,  Ohio,  at 
an  early  day  and  settled  in  Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  on  what  is  known  as  the  William  Props 
farm.  The  brothers  and  sisters  of  Mrs.  Cox 
are:  Lucetta,  wife  of  Joseph  Hinton;  John  W. , 
a farmer;  Martha  J.,  wife  of  John  Morris;  and 
Mary,  wife  of  John  Pilkey — Mrs.  Cox  being  the 
second  child.  After  his  marriage,  Mr.  Cox 
settled  upon  the  farm  where  he  now  lives,  a 
splendid  tract,  consisting  of  306  acres,  finely 
improved.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cox  are  the  parents 
of  five  children,  namely:  Charles  V.,  a farmer; 
Anna,  wife  of  Ezra  Armstrong;  John,  a farm- 
er; Erank,  and  Jennie  Fern. 

When  Isaac  B.  Cox  settled  here  there  were 
no  roads  between  this  point  and  Muncie,  and 
game  of  all  kinds  abounded.  During  a period 
of  thirty-five  years  of  their  married  life  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Cox  had  no  cook  stove,  and  the 
father  worked  with  a wooden  plow,  and  cut 
his  grain  and  grass  with  a sickle  and  other  old- 
fashioned  tools  and  implements.  Once  a year 
these  parents  made  a trip  to  Ohio  for  flour, 
salt  and  coffee,  and  hauled  it  home  in  a wagon 
drawn  by  oxen.  The  first  wheat  grown  in 
this  section  was  called  “sick,”  and  could  not 
be  eaten.  Mrs.  Cox  is  a consistent  member 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  is 
highly  esteemed  in  that  body  and  also  by  all 
who  know  her.  Mr.  Cox  is  a member  of  the 
Masonic  order  and  is  much  esteemed  for  his 
active  interest  in  that  society.  He  is  a repub- 
lican, having  cast  his  first  vote  for  Fremont 
and  his  last  for  Harrison. 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  Cox  family  are  of 
pioneer  stock,  and  that  the  township  is  some- 
what indebted  to  them  for  its  splendid  present 
development,  and  the  present  generation  is 
not  at  all  behind  in  continuing  the  good  work. 


EORGE  W.  DUKE  is  a successful 
farmer  of  Union  township,  who  was 
born  in  North  Carolina,  May  22, 
1820,  being  the  son  of  James  and 
Catherine  (Reece)  Duke,  natives  of  Virginia. 
James  Duke  went  from  Virginia  to  North 
Carolina  after  he  was  married,  and  was  over- 
seer for  Capt.  Williams  on  a slave  plantation 
for  four  years.  He  then  removed  to  Henry 
county,  Ind.,  where  he  entered  120  acres  of 
land,  cleared  the  same,  and  after  a life  of  toil 
died  in  1873,  and  was  buried  in  the  Canada 
cemetery  in  Henry  county,  where  his  mother 
was  buried  in  1833.  To  James  and  Cathe  e 
Duke  were  born  the  following  chil 
George  W.  ; John,  living  in  California;  Ed- 
ward, a farmer;  William,  an  invalid;  and 
James,  a laborer. 

George  W.  Duke  left  home  when  a lad  of 
sixteen,  and  worked  by  the  month  for  three 
or  four  years,  after  which  he  went  into  the 
business  of  buying  stock-,  and  continued  at 
that  for  twenty-five  years.  He  was  married 
in  the  year  1847  to  Jane,  daughter  of  William 
and  Hannah  Smith,  her  parents  being  of  Irish 
and  German  descent,  respectively.  The  peo- 
ple of  Mrs.  Duke  all  lived  in  Virginia,  and  in 
the  year  1870  came  to  Henry  county,  Ind., 
and  spent  the  remainder  of  their  days.  The 
brothers  and  sisters  of  Mrs.  Duke,  are:  Carl- 

son, a grocer;  Myer,  a farmer;  Emeline,  wife 
of  Myer  Bell;  and  Minerva,  wife  of  Miles 
Pierce. 

George  W.  Duke  first  settled  upon  a farm 
of  160  acres  in  Henry  county,  and  lived  there 
the  twenty-five  years  he  was  dealing  in  stock. 
From  that  point  he  came  to  Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  and  lived  near  Selma  for  four  years  on  a 
farm;  then  moved  upon  a farm  west  of  Mun- 
cie, resided  there  four  years,  after  which  he 
bought  the  farm  of  120  acres,  in  1882,  upon 
which  he  now  lives.  His  children  by  his  mar- 
riage to  Jane  Smith  were  ten  in  number. 


768 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


namely:  William,  hotel  keeper  in  Danville; 

John,  a barber  in  Missouri;  Martha,  wife  of 
George  Koons;  James,  a liveryman  in  Eaton; 
Morrison,  a cattle  dealer  in  Texas;  Joseph,  a 
farmer  in  Illinois;  Scott,  a farmer;  George,  de- 
ceased: Newton,  a locomotive  engineer,  and 
Luther,  restaurant  keeper  in  Missouri.  The 
mother  of  this  large  and  interesting  family  died 
in  Henry  county  in  1873  and  was  buried  there. 
Mr.  Duke  remained  there  a short  time  and 
then  married  Sarah,  daughter  of  Wilson  and 
Sarah  (Dixon)  Wisehart,  both  of  German  ex- 
traction. The  people  of  the  second  Mrs.  Duke 
went  from  Virginia  to  Tennessee;  lived  there 
for  several  years,  and  then  went  to  Henry 
county,  Ind.,  where  they  lived  upon  a farm. 
One  child  has  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Duke, 
namely,  Josie.  Mr.  Duke  and  his  wife  are 
members  of  the  Christian  church,  and  are  very 
much  esteemed  by  all  who  know  them.  Mr. 
Duke  has  given  up  buying  and  selling  stock, 
and  devotes  his  entire  time  to  the  management 
of  his  farm. 


ISAAC  G.  GOODRICK  is  widely  known 
throughout  Union  township,  and  the 
adjacent  country,  and  is  highly  re- 
spected, being  a farmer  of  industrious 
habits  and  correct  life.  He  was  born  in  Ohio, 
was  reared  on  a farm,  and  married  at  the  age 
of  twenty-six  to  Martha,  daughter  of  John  and 
Asenath  (Greenleaf)  Murphy,  her  father  being 
a native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  her  mother  of 
^hrginia.  The  parents  of  Mrs.  Goodrich  came 
to  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  first  settling  near 
Smithfield,  in  Liberty  township,  and  then  re- 
moving to  Albany,  where  they  spent  the  re- 
mainder of  their  da}^s,  the  father  dying  Janu- 
ary 5,  1885,  and  the  mother  September  5, 
1872.  A fine  monument  marks  their  resting 
place  in  Bethel  cemetery.  The  brothers  and 
sisters  of  Mrs  Goodrich  are  Samuel  B.,  a 


farmer;  Maria,  wife  of  Joseph  Blakely,  and  a 
half-brother,  Abram  R.,  a farmer. 

Isaac  G.  Goodrich  first  settled  on  a farm 
near  Albany,  where  he  lived  two  years,  and 
then  removed  to  the  Reesling  farm,  near 
Smithfield,  where  he  lived  three  years.  At 
this  time  he  bought  eighty  acres  near  his  pres- 
ent farm,  and  lived  there  sixteen  years;  then, 
selling  out,  he  bought  his  present  farm,  con- 
sisting of  I I rj  acres,  where  he  has  lived  for 
the  past  eighteen  years.  The  children  by  our 
subject’s  marriage  are  seven  in  number,  name- 
ly; Thomas  W. , a farmer;  Albert  L. , de- 
ceased; Walter  A.,  a teacher;  John  N.,  de- 
ceased; Emma  O.,  Mary  M.,  wife  of  Riley 
Garrard,  and  Josie  L.  The  parents  and  chil- 
dren are  members  of  the  Christian  church,  and 
are  highly  respected  by  all  who  know  them. 
The  children  have  received  a good  common 
school  education,  and  are  occupying  worthy 
and  useful  positions  in  'the  community  in 
which  they  live.  Mr.  Goodrich  is  a republi- 
can, and  cast  his  first  vote  for  Lremont. 


AMUEL  J.  HARTLE,  was  born  in 
Miami  county,  Ohio,  December  26, 
1851,  being  the  son  of  Andrew  and 
Anna  (Petersiamee)  Hartle.  The  father 
was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  and  his  father  came 
to  Ohio  when  his  son  was  but  ten  years  old, 
bringing  him  with  the  family.  Mrs.  Anna 
Hartle  came  from  Germany  with  her  parents 
when  she  was  but  ten  years  old.  They  settled 
in  Miami  county,  Ohio,  where  she,  like  her 
husband,  grew  to  maturity.  There  they  were 
married  and  lived  until  1882,  when  they  came 
to  Union  township,  Delaware  county,  Ind., 
where  they  live  upon  a well  improved  farm  of 
eighty  acres.  The  family  comprised  the  follow- 
ing brothers  and  sisters:  Jacob,  John,  and 

Andrew,  farmers;  Peter,  a carpenter;  Samuel 


UNION  TOWNSHIP. 


769 


and  James,  farmers;  Barbara,  wife  of  Jacob 
Baker;  Hester,  wife  of  Mahlon  Martin,  Fannie, 
wife  of  Zachariah  Tobias,  and  India,  wife  of 
Isaac  Tobias.  The  brothers  and  sisters  of 
Mrs.  Anna  Hartle  are,  Adam,  Henry,  and 
Martin,  farmers;  Christena,  the  wife  of  C. 
Smith;  Harriet,  wife  of  John  Hartle;  and 
Mary,  the  wife  of  Dr.  Lingen.  Samuel  J. 
Hartle  has  no  brother,  but  four  sisters:  India, 
Sarah,  wife  of  Henry  McDowell;  Cassie,  wife 
of  Charles  Carpenter,  and  Mina,  wife  of  Levi 
.Hayworth.  After  Samuel  j.  was  of  age  he 
remained  on  the  farm  until  two  years  before 
he  was  married,  and  these  two  years  his  sister 
kept  house  for  him.  In  1875,  February  ii, 
he  was  married  to  Hester,  daughter  of  Wilson 
J.  and  Nancy  Johnson.  Her  parents  were  of 
English  descent,  and  lived  near  Cincinnati  for 
a number  of  years;  they  moved  to  Champaign 
county,  Ohio,  where  they  bought  land,  and 
lived  the  remainder  of  their  days,  the  father 
dying  in  1892,  and  the  mother  in  1872,  both 
being  buried  in  Honey  Creek  cemetery  in  that 
county.  The  father  of  Mrs.  Hartle  had  one 
brother,  Samuel.  After  his  marriage,  Samuel 
J.  rented  his  uncle’s  farm  for  four  years,  and 
then  moved  in  with  his  father,  and  has  farmed 
his  place  ever  since.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hartle  are 
the  parents  of  six  children,  namely:  Mahlon, 
Emma,  Charles,  Wesley,  Martin,  Willie  and 
Onie  Maud.  The  family  are  members  of  the 
German  Reformed  church,  and  are  held  very 
high  in  esteem  by  all  who  know  them.  Mr. 
Hartle  is  a democrat  in  politics. 


AMES  M.  MOTSENBOCKER.— The 
following  biography  concerns  one  of 
the  members  of  a popular  and  success- 
ful business  firm  of  the  town  of  Eaton, 
Ind. , a gentleman  of  many  talents  and  a fine 
character.  Mr.  Motsenbocker  was  born  in 


Marion  county,  Ind.,  December  30,  1856,  a 
son  of  Samuel  and  Sarah  (Draper)  Motsen- 
bocker. The  father  was  born  in  Crittenden 
county,  Ky. , and  was  left  an  orphan  at  an 
early  age,  but  when  eighteen  years  old  he 
came  to  Indiana  and  located  in  Marion  coun- 
ty, where  he  followed  his  trade  of  coopering 
until  the  close  of  the  late  war,  and  then  en- 
gaged in  farming  in  Boone  county,  following 
the  same  in  connection  with  coopering,  at 
Zionsville.  In  1869  he  removed  to  Grant 
county,  and  there  engaged  in  farming  until  the 
fall  of  1877,  when  he  removed  to  Kentucky, 
where  he  decided  to  remain  two  years,  at  the 
end  of  which  time  he  removed  to  Arkansas, 
where  he  and  wife  remained  until  his  death, 
in  1881,  she  surviving  him  one  year. 

Samuel  Motsenbocker  was  of  a roving  dis- 
position, but  was  a good  man,  and  never  will- 
ingly injured  any  one.  The  political  party  to 
which  he  held  allegiance  was  the  republican, 
and  he  took  much  interest  in  the  affairs  of  the 
nation.  Mrs.  Motsenbocker  was  a member  of 
the  Disciples  of  Ghrist  church  and  died  in  that 
faith.  They  were  the  parents  of  seven  chil- 
dren, as  follows:  Surilda,  the  wife  of  Joseph 
Cluster,  of  Arkansas;  James  M.,  our  subject; 
Elias,  of  this  place;  Mary  C,  of  Kansas; 
Leander  M. , Delos  S.,  and  Nancy  A.,  all  three 
deceased,  and  Sylvester  L. , of  this  place. 

James  M.  Motsenbocker  was  reared  in 
Grant  county  until  he  was  about  sixteen  years 
of  age.  Eor  three  years  he  worked  for  an 
uncle  near  Indianapolis  and  thus  assisted  his 
father,  and  later  attended  school  in  winter  and 
worked  during  the  summer  until  he  had  ac- 
quired a good  common  school  education.  He 
was  a lad  of  more  than  ordinary  intelligence 
and  ability,  and  was  possessed  of  a desire  for 
a thorough  education.  For  five  weeks  he  at- 
tended school  at  Gharlottesville,  Ind.,  and 
upon  his  return  to  Grant  county  obtained  a 
certificate,  enabling  him  to  teach  school, 


770 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


which  he  did  for  six  nronths.  In  the  winter  of 
1875  he  thus  taught,  and  in  the  following  sum- 
mer studied  telegraphy  at  the  business  college 
at  Indianapolis,  but  this  term  lasted  only  six 
weeks,  and,  having  an  opportunity,  he 
taught  during  the  following  winter  in  Grant 
county  and  the  next  summer  attended  two 
terms  of  school  at  Lebanon,  Ohio.  The  follow- 
ing winter,  Mr.  Motsenbocker  taught  in  Ma- 
rion county,  Ind.,  and  when  his  school  was 
out  attended  one  term  at  Terre  Haute,  follow- 
ing this  with  one  term. more  of  teaching  in 
Marion  county,  and  then,  to  recuperate  after 
so  much  intellectual  labor,  he  returned  for  a 
time  to  farm  labor.  In  the  fall  of  1878  he 
came  to  Delaware  county  and  engaged  in 
teaching  until  1888,  and  then  embarked  in  the 
hardware  business  until  the  following  January, 
when,  in  company  with  Dr.  A.  L.  Murray,  he 
bought  the  drug  store  of  which  they  are  now 
the  proprietors,  and  where  they  carry  a full 
line  of  drugs,  wall  papers,  etc. — in  fact,  they 
have  the  largest  and  most  complete  line  in  the 
county  outside  of  Muncie.  Mr.  Motsenbocker 
was  married  in  Delaware  county,  December 
25,  1885,  to  Nanny  A.  Peterson,  daughter  of 
Eli  and  Sarah  (Hook)  Peterson,  of  Green 
county,  Ohio.  One  child  has  come  to  bless 
this  union.  Merlin  Bliss.  Mrs.  Motsenbocker 
is  a member  of  the  Methodist  church,  and  a 
very  estimable  lady.  Politically  Mr.  Motsen- 
bocker is  a republican  and  is  considered  a val- 
uable member  of  the  party.  He  is  a stock- 
holder in  the  Eaton  Window  Glass  company 
and  was  its  manager  for  some  time.  He  is  also 
interested  in  the  Mississinewa  Land  Improve- 
ment company,  and  is  its  secretary  and  treas- 
urer, and  is  also  a member  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity. 

James  M.  Motsenbocker,  although  yet 
quite  a young  man,  has  shown  himself  to  be 
made  of  sterling  material,  and  to  be  worthy  of 
the  pioneer  family  from  which  he  is  descended. 


R.  ALFRED  LESLEY  MURRAY.— 
Conspicuous  among  the  successful 
professional  men  of  the  town  of  Ea- 
ton, Delaware  county,  Ind.,  is  Dr. 
A.  L.  Murray.  Dr.  Murray  was  bron  in  Henry 
county,  Ind.,  February  25,  1845,  a son  of 

James  and  Catherine  (Taylor)  Murray,  the 
former  born  in  Pennsylvania,  July  19,-  1813, 
and  the  latter  in  Indiana,  March  31,.  1817. 
James  and  Catherine  Murray  were  married  in 
Wayne  county,  Ind.,  November  19,  1835,  3-nd 
immediately  thereafter  located  in  Henry  coun- 
ty and  engaged  in  farming.  During  the  winter 
seasons  Mr.  Mui'ray  engaged  in  teaching 
school,  which  profession  he  followed  for  sev- 
eral years  after  his  marriage.  In  1880  he  sold 
his  farm  and  built  a home  in  Blountsville, 
Henry  county,  Ind.,  and  has  since  then  re- 
sided there.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Murray  were 
among  the  early  pioneers  of  Henry  county,  he 
buying  his  first  forty  acres  of  land  in  1838. 
During  his  farming  life,  he  accumulated  some 
200  acres  and  was  a very  prosperous  and  suc- 
cessful business  man.  In  1855  he  was  stricken 
with  paralysis,  and  since  that  time  he  has  not 
been  able  to  do  much  in  any  active  line.  In 
early  life  he  was  a whig,  but  later  joined  the 
republican  party.  Public  affairs,  particularly 
temperance  and  educational  matters,  have  in- 
terested him  greatly,  and  he  has  always  been 
regarded  as  a man  of  intelligence  and  high 
moral  character.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Murray  reared 
the  following  family;  F.  W. , of  Henry 
county,  where  he  is  engaged  in  farming; 
S.  T. , a physician  of  Greentown,  Howard 
county;  Mary  A.,  deceased;  Alfred  L. , Helen,. 
Viretta  and  Alice,  all  three  deceased,  and 
Laura,  the  wife  of  R A.  Johnson,  of  Hamil- 
ten  township,  Delaware  county. 

Dr.  A.  L.  Murray  was  reared  on  the  home 
farm  and  received  the  advantages  afforded  in 
the  common  schools,  remaining  with  his  par- 
ents until  he  was  nineteen  years  old.  At  the 


UNION  TOWNSHIP. 


771 


age  ot  eighteen  he  began  teaching  in  Delaware 
county,  in  1863,  and  taught  six  terms,  and 
two  years  later  entered  upon  the  study  of 
medicine,  under  the  direction  of  Dr.  John  A. 
Windle,  of  Blountsville.  He  continued  his 
reading  with  him  for  eighteen  months,  finished 
his  preparatory  course  with  Dr.  D.  N.  Kendall 
of  the  same  place,  subsequently  passing  one 
term  in  the  Ohio  Medical  college  at  Cincinnati, 
and  then  began  his  practice  at  Economy, 
Wayne  county,  in  1867,  at  which  place  he  re- 
mained one  year.  He  then  returned  to 
Blountsville,  where  he  practiced  his  profession 
until  1873,  at  which  time  he  located  in  Gran- 
ville, Delaware  county,  and  in  1884  removed 
to  Eaton,  where  he  practiced  until  1892,  when 
failing  health  caused  him  to  retire.  In  1889 
he  engaged  in  the  drug  business  with  J.  M. 
Motsenbocker.  Dr.  Murray  was  married 
December  24,  1870,  to  Miss  Viretta  Jordan, 
of  Delaware  county,  where  she  was  born  Jan- 
uary, 30,  1849,  9-  daughter  of  W.  A.  and 
America  (Davidson)  Jordan,  of  Irish  and  Eng- 
lish descent.  Three  children  have  been  born 
to  this  union:  Bertha,  wife  of  C.  K.  Van 

Buskirk;  Goldie,  and  Cora  deceased.  Politi- 
cally, the  doctor  is  a republican.  He  takes 
great  interest  in  public  affairs  and  is  one  of 
the  representative  citizens  of  Delaware  county. 


AVID  P.  ORR  was  born  in  Greene 
county,  Ohio,  January  5,  1837,  a son 
of  Joseph  and  Mary  (Hoppings)  Orr, 
natives  of  Ireland  and  Ohio.  Joseph 
Orr  left  Ireland  when  a lad  of  eleven  years, 
and  came  to  Monroe  county,  Va.,  where  he 
helped  his  father  on  the  farm  until  he  grew  to 
manhood,  and  then  removed  to  Greene  county, 
Ohio,  where  he  worked  in  a woolen  factory, 
later  in  a saw  mill,  but  in  the  year  1840,  he 
came  to  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  and  bought 


! eighty  acres  of  land,  later  becoming  the  pos- 
sessor of  176  acres.  This  tract  was  located 

I 

! near  Selma,  where  he  lived  and  died,  March 
28,  1881,  and  the  mother  at  the  home  of  our 
i subject,  August  26,  1886.  They  were  laid  to 
! rest  near  Selma,  in  the  Orr  cemetery.  In 
those  days  large  families  were  the  rule  among 
the  worthy  pioneers,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Orr 
had  nine  children,  as  follows:  David,  James, 

deceased;  Josephine,  wife  of  Aaron  Sholty; 
Ann  Eliza,  wife  of  Mordecai  Whitne}-;  Eliza- 
beth M. , deceased;  Martha,  who  died  in  Iowa, 
was  the  wife  of  Hugh  HcHardy;  Julia,  wife  of 
Zeph.  Martin,  and  Joseph  J.,  deceased  in  in- 
I fancy. 

When  the  civil  war  broke  out  among  those 
' who  hastened  to  offer  his  country  his  services 
was  our  subject,  who  enlisted  July  29,  1861,  at 
i Indianapolis  in  company  K,  Nineteenth  Indi- 
j ana  volunteer  infantry.  From  there  the  regi- 
j ment  was  sent  to  Washington,  D.  C. , where 
I they  remained  until  the  last  of  April,  1862, 

} after  which  he  was  engaged  with  his  regiment 
' in  the  battles  of  Eanesville,  Md. , Bull  Run, 

I South  Mountain,  Anteitam,  Fredericksburg 
and  Fitz  Hugh  crossing.  They  were  taken  to 
] Belle  Plains,  Va. , on  the  Potomac  river, 
j where  they  went  into  winter  quarters.  In  the 
spring,  operations  were  commenced  under 
Gen.  Hooker,  who  took  them  across  the  river 
to  Chancellorsville,  from  there  to  Frederick, 
Md. , and  on  to  Gettysburg,  after  which  they 
wintered  at  Mine  Run.  Mr.  Orr  re-enlisted 
at  Culpeper,  Va. , as  a veteran  and  was  given 
a furlough  of  thirty  days,  after  which  the  regi- 
ment remained  at  Culpeper  until  March  5, 
1864,  when  they  took  part  in  the  following 
j battles:  Wilderness,  Spottsylvania,  North 

Anna,  Cold  Harbor,  Petersburg  and  Weldon 
railroad,  where  he  was  discharged  October  19, 
1864.  He  draws  a pension  for  his  services 
and  was  one  of  the  fortunate  ones  who  came 
out  of  the  war  unhurt. 


772 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


At  the  age  of  twenty-four  years  Mr.  Orr 
was  married  to  Miss  Rebecca  Sholty,  daugh- 
ter of  Christian  and  Elizabeth  (Musselman) 
Sholty,  both  of  German  extraction.  They 
had  come  from  Pennsylvania  in  1838  and  set- 
tled upon  an  eighty-acre  farm,  later  buying 
twelve  acres  more,  where  Mr.  Sholty  now  lives 
in  comfort.  The  mother  was  laid  to  rest  Feb- 
ruary 3,  1890,  and  was  buried  in  Liberty 

township,  near  Selma.  When  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Sholty  came  to  this  part  of  the  country,  they 
were  members  of  the  United  Brethren  church, 
but  later  united  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Orr,  Sr.,  were  mem- 
bers of  the  United  Presbyterian.  He  was  a 
man  widely  known  and  served  as  commissioner 
for  one  term.  The  three  brothers  of  Mrs.  Orr 
are  all  farmers — Aaron,  in  Indiana;  William, 
in  Kansas,  and  John,  in  Pennsylvania,  and  her 
sister  Mary  resides  at  home. 

David  P.  Orr  first  settled  on  a farm  near 
Selma,  where  he  lived  until  1879,  when  he 
sold  this  and  came  to  Union  township,  near 
Eaton,  where  he  pui-chased  eighty  acres  of 
extra  fine  and  well  improved  land,  where  he 
now  resides.  The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Orr  are  as  follows:  William  H.,  married 

Belle  Davis  and  they  live  Eeaton;  Christian 
W.,  May  9,  1893,  married  Miss  Bertha  Gra- 
ham; John  B.,  Ida  L. , Cora,  died  February 
I,  1885,  and  is  buried  at  Eaton,  and  Samuel. 
As  members  of  his  family,  Mr.  Orr  has  two  of 
his  grandchildren,  Oscar  and  Ethel  Younts. 
He  and  family  are  connected  with  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church  and  the  whole  family 
is  one  highly  esteemed  throughout  Union 
township. 


AVID  S.  RENCH. — Among  the  farm- 
ers of  Union  township,  David  S. 
Rench  is  one  of  the  most  earnest, 
hardworking  and  enterprising.  He 
was  born  in  Blackford  county,  Ind. , Septem- 


ber 25,  1864,  the  son  of  John  and  Elizabeth 
(Studebaker)  Rench,  who  were  both  of  Ger- 
man extraction,  John  Rench  and  his  wife 
moved  from  Pennsylvania  to  Miami  county, 
Ohio,  and  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land,  and 
after  living  there  several  years  sold  out  and 
came  to  Blackford  county.  Inch,  living  there 
until  1873.  Selling  out  again,  they  came  to 
Delaware  county,  Ind.,  and  purchased  forty 
acres,  which  were  situated  near  Shideler,  on 
which  farm  they  now  reside.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Rench  had  a family  of  ten  children  : Mary, 

wife  of  Elsworth  Galbraith;  Abraham,  a farmer; 
David;  Sarah,  wife  of  Louis  Holliday;  Emma, 
John,  a farmer;  Henry,  a farmer;  Bertha;  Hat- 
tie, deceased;  and  Joseph. 

David  S.  Rench  remained  at  home,  assist- 
ing his  father  on  the  farm,  until  April  24, 

1 889,  when  he  married  Miss  Sarah  Haynes, 
the  daughter  of  John  and  Catherine  (Ashen- 
felter)  Haynes,  the  former  of  English  and  the 
latter  of  German  extraction.  John  Haynes 
was  born  and  reared  in  Indiana,  while  his 
wife  was  born  and  reared  in  Ohio.  After  their 
marriage  they  settled  in  Union  township,  where 
they  now  reside.  They  had  four  children, 
whose  names  are:  Sarah;  William,  deceased; 
Flora  A. ; and  Anna  P.  The  father  of  these 
children  is  a very  honest,  industrious,  influen- 
tial and  highly  respected  citizen.  He  served 
as  supervisor  for  several  terms,  and  is  a mem- 
ber of  the  order  of  Red  Men,  and  he  and  his 
wife  are  members  of  the  Christian  church. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  David  S.  Rench  have  been 
blessed  with  two  children,  Lulie  and  William 
M.  Mr.  Rench  resides  on  his  grandfather’s 
farm,  which  consists  of  160  acres.  He  is  an 
honest  and  hardworking  man,  and  is  highly 
respected  in  Union  township.  He  is  a faith- 
ful member  of  the  Dunkard  church,  and  Mrs. 
Rench  of  the  Christian  Disciples  church  at 
Eaton,  and  both  show  the  sincerity  of  their 
faith  in  their  conduct. 


I.. 


*•- 

'■f'. 


I 


u • • 


O.  I.  REASONER,  M.  D 


UNION  TOWNSHIP. 


773 


OSMER  IRWIN  REASONER,  M.  D., 
is  a descendant  of  an  old  and  highly 
respectable  family,  which  settled  in 
Blackford  county,  Ind. , at  an  early 
period  in  the  history  of  that  part  of  the  state. 
His  grandparents,  Peter  and  Rhoda  (Fry) 
Reasoner  were  natives  respectively  of  Penn- 
sylvania and  Virginia.  The  great-grandfather, 
Benjamin  Reasoner,  was  born  April  27,  1770, 
the  son  of  Peter  Reasoner,  who  left  Germany 
for  France  in  early  manhood,  and  in  1770, 
during  a religious  persecution  emigrated  to 
America,  locating  in  Pennsylvania,  having 
married  Sallie  Spears  in  France.  Then,  in 
1805,  he  located  in  Muskingum  county,  Ohio, 
where  they  lived  and  died  quite  aged.  Peter 
and  Rhoda  Reasoner,  grandparents  of  Osmer  I. , 
were  married  in  Ohio,  and  in  1832,  with  their 
family,  then  consisting  of  two  children,  set  out 
by  a team  for  Indiana,  which  they  reached 
after  a long  and  tedious  journey,  locating  in 
what  is  now  Licking  township,  in  the  county 
of  Blackford.  It  w'as  here,  in  an  almost  un- 
broken forest,  that  this  hardy  pioneer  began 
to  lay  the  foundation  of  a home,  and  all  the 
vicissitudes  and  hardships  incident  to  those 
early  times  were  experienced  by  him  in  full 
measure.  He  was  a true  type  of  the  settler 
of  sixty  years  ago,  a successful  hunter,  an 
energetic,  hard  working  farmer,  and  most 
estimable  Christian  gentleman  of  the  Presby- 
terian faith,  as  his  ancestors  were  before  him. 
He  died  on  the  farm  where  he  settled  in  Octo- 
ber, 1868.  The  following  are  the  names  of 
the  children  born  to  Peter  and  Rhoda  Reason- 
er: Levina  S.,  Washington  F.,  MaryE.,  Noah 
H.,  Calista  Ann.,  John  B.,  Almira  C. , and 
Jacob  M.  Washington  F.  Reasoner,  father  of 
the  gentleman  whose  name  introduces  this  men- 
tion, was  born  in  Muskingum  county,  Ohio,  July 
27,  1830,  was  reared  amid  the  scenes  of  pioneer 
times,  and,  on  arriving  at  a suitable  age, 
his  ax  was  swung  in  unison  with  that  of  his 


father’s  in  the  work  of  clearing  the  farm.  He 
was  united  in  marriage,  October  15,  1850,  to 
Rachael  Slater,  who  was  born  in  Guernsey 
county,  Ohio,  June  26,  1829.  Mrs.  Reasoner 
accompanied  her  parents,  Jacob  and  Sarah 
(Alban)  Slater,  to  Indiana  in  the  year  1836, 
settling  in  Blackford  county.  Her  father  died 
in  September,  1839,  and  the  mother  departed 
this  life  in  July,  1840.  W.  F.  and  Rachael 
Reasoner  are  the  parents  of  the  following  chil- 
dren: Mary  K. , deceased;  Harriet  Samantha, 

deceased;  Ethan  Thomas,  a prominent  attor- 
ney of  Peru,  Ind.  ; Osmer  Irwin,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch;  Rhoda  Ann,  wife  of  Lewis  D.  Mc- 
Vicker;  Riley  R. ; Allie  Maria;  and  Orval  Mad- 
ison. Mr.  Reasoner  is  one  of  the  substantial 
agriculturists  of  Blackford  county  and  has  been 
residing  upon  his  present  beautiful  farm  since 
the  year  i860.  During  his  long  period  of 
residence  in  the  county  of  Blackford,  embrac- 
ing a period  of  over  sixty  years,  he  has  wit- 
nessed many  important  changes,  and  by  his 
upright  character  and  conduct  has  gained  the 
respect  and  confidence  of  his  fellow  citizens. 

Dr.  Osmer  I.  Reasoner,  the  immediate 
subject  of  this  mention,  was  born  November 
20,  1852,  in  Grant  county,  Ind.  His  youth- 
ful years  were  spent  on  the  farm  of  his  father, 
and  at  the  age  of  nineteen  he  entered  the 
academy  of  Wabash  college,  Crawfordsville, 
Ind.,  for  a period  of  two  years.  Having  de- 
cided to  enter  the  medical  profession,  he 
began  the  study  of  the  same  shortly  after  fin- 
ishing his  literary  education  with  Dr.  Reason- 
er at  the  town  New  Cumberland,  Grant 
county,  under  whose  instructions  he  continued 
three  years,  and  then  entered  upon  a course  in 
the  Ohio  I^Iedical  college  at  Cincinnati.  Sub- 
sequently, he  became  a student  of  the  Ken- 
tucky school  of  Medicine,  Louisville,  graduating 
from  the  same  upon  the  29th  of  June,  1876, 
after  which  he  began  the  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession at  the  town  of  Wheeling,  Delaware 


774 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


county,  where  he  remained  for  a limited 
period.  In  April,  1878,  he  removed  to  his 
present  location,  the  town  of  Shideler,  where 
he  has  since  been  actively  engaged  in  the 
practice,  which  embraces  a large  area  through- 
out the  northern  part  of  Delaware  county  and 
southern  part  of  Blackford  county. 

Dr.  Reasoner  began  the  practice  at  the 
town  of  Shideler  under  circumstances  not  the 
most  encouraging — the  sum  total  of  his  earthly 
wealth  at  the  time  consisting  of  but  seven  dol- 
lars in  money,  and  for  several  years  his  life 
was  full  of  struggle  against  adverse  conditions. 
With  an  enei'gy  born  of  a determination  to 
succeed,  he  overcame  the  obstacles  by  which 
his  pathway  was  beset,  and  his  ability  in  his 
profession  won  for  him  a lucrative  business. 
During  the  period  of  his  residence  in  Union 
township  his  practice,  as  already  noted,  has 
taken  a very  wide  range,  and  he  now  ranks 
among  the  most  successful  physicians  of  Dela- 
ware county,  and  the  town  of  Shideler  largely 
owes  its  growth  and  development  to  the  inter- 
est the  doctor  has  taken  in  its  welfare,  behaving 
done  more  for  the  town  than  any  other  citizen. 
In  addition  to  his  success  in  his  chosen  calling. 
Dr.  Reasoner  possesses  good  business  tact, 
and  his  careful  judgment  pertaining  to  matters 
financial,  has  enabled  him  to  accumulate  a 
comfortable  competence  of  worldly  wealth. 
The  doctor  is  a leading  horticulturist  of  Del- 
aware county,  growing  all  kinds  of  small 
fruits  in  abundance.  He  is  a member  of 
the  Delaware  county  Horticultural  soci- 
ety. Politically  a republican,  he  takes  an 
active  interest  in  public  affairs,  but  is  not 
known  as  an  aspirant  for  the  honors  or  emolu- 
ments of  office.  Religiously  he  is  a Presbyter- 
ian, but  he  affiliates  with  the  Methodist  church 
— which  church  organization  he  organized, 
and  became  its.  first  member.  He  is  active  in 
behalf  of  all  religious  movements,  and  for  a 
period  of  several  years  served  as  president  of 


the  Delaware  county  Sunday  School  union. 
He  has  also  filled  various  official  positions  in 
the  local  congregation  to  which  he  belongs, 
including  that  of  class  leader,  the  duties  of 
which  he  discharged  for  a period  of  eight 
years. 

Dr.  Reasoner  was  married  September  28, 
1876,  to  Miss  Luella  Wood  of  Delaware 
county,  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Harriet  (An- 
derson) Wood,  both  natives  of  Clermont 
county,  Ohio.  Samuel  Wood  grew  to  man- 
hood in  his  native  county  and  there  married 
Miss  Anderson,  in  1854.  He  followed  the 
carpenter’s  trade.  He  immigrated  to  Indiana 
in  1866,  locating  in  Union  township,  where  he 
lived  a farmer’s  life  and  was  one  of  the  pro- 
gressive men.  He  died  in  1875,  having  been 
a member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 
Mrs.  Wood,  his  widow,  is  now  a resident  of 
Shideler,  and  is  a worthy  member  of  the  Ger- 
man Baptist  church.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wood 
were  parents  of  seven  children — four  sons  and 
three  daughters,  and  Mrs.  Reasoner  is  the 
second  in  order  of  birth.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Reas- 
oner are  parentsof  six  children,  viz:  Birch  W. , 
born  September  16,  1877;  Selina  M.,  born 
February  13,  1879;  Claude  B.,  born  June  17, 
1880;  Homer  A.,  born  December  ii,  1881, 
deceased  February  19,  1883;  Herbert  W. , 

born  February  17,  1883,  and  Frank  A.,  born 
October  12,  1885. 

Mrs.  Reasoner  was  educated  in  the  com- 
mon schools  and  began  teaching  when  but 
sixteen  years  of  age,  which  vocation  she  fol- 
lowed four  consecutive  years,  her  fast  term 
being  taught  after  her  marriage.  Mrs.  Reas- 
oner has  been  a helpmeet  in  the  true  sense  of 
that  term,  and  is  a valuable  factor  in  the  com- 
munity where  she  lives,  being  a worthy  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  It 
will  be  understood  that  Mr.  Reasoner  affiliated 
with  the  Methodist  church  because  there  was 
no  Presbyterian  body  at  Shideler. 


UNION  TOWNSHIP. 


775 


TTO  M.  SHARP,  a prominent  busi- 
ness man  in  the  hardware  line  at 
Eaton,  Delaware  county,  Ind  , and  a 
member  of  the  late  prosperous  firm 
of  Sharp  & Shirey,  was  born  at  New  Corner, 
Delaware  county,  Ind.,  January  24,  1856,  a 
son  of  Thompson  and  Christina  (Bowers) 
Sharp,  whose  biography  appears  in  another 
part  of  this  volume. 

Mr.  Sharp  was  reared  on  a farm  and  re- 
ceived the  advantages  of  the  public  school, 
later  attending  three  terms  at  the  Ladoga 
Normal  school.  He  then  engaged  in  teaching 
and  followed  that  profession,  very  successfully, 
in  this  county  for  seven  successive  terms,  after 
which  he  bought  a farm  of  eighty-two  acres  in 
Washington  township,  which  he  cultivated  for 
eight  years.  Leaving  the  farm,  Mr.  Sharp 
moved  into  Eaton,  where  he  engaged  in  the 
hardware  business  with  D.  W.  Younts,  which 
partnership  lasted  but  a month,  and  subse- 
quently he  effected  a co-partnership  with  L. 

E.  Shirey,  with  whom  he  continued  in  busi- 
ness until  April,  1893.  This  firm  did  a large 
and  lucrative  trade  in  all  kinds  of  hardware, 
implements,  paints,  oils,  crockery,  china, 
pumps,  etc. 

Mr.  Sharp  was  married  in  Centre  township, 
December  4,  1881,  to  Miss  Kate  C.  Stradling, 
who  was  born  in  Centre  township,  a daughter 
of  William  Stradling,  a biography  of  whom  ap- 
pears in  this  volume.  Eive  children  have  been 
born  of  this  marriage — Edna,  Leda  H.,  Albert, 
Hilda  and  Ina.  Politically,  Mr.  Sharp  is  a 
republican  and  is  regarded  as  an  important 
factor  in  his  party  in  this  county.  He  is  con- 
sidered one  of  the  leading  business  men  of  the 
town  and  owns  considerable  property  in  the 
place.  He  is  progressive  and  alert,  and  always 
is  ready  to  look  with  favor  upon  any  project 
which  seems  to  promise  benefit  to  the  town, 
and  is  an  earnest  advocate  and  liberal  patron  1 
of  all  movements  having  for  their  object  the  1 


public  good.  Mr.  Sharp  is  now  engaged  in 
the  lime  and  cement  business,  and  contem- 
plates farming  for  some  time  in  the  future. 


UTHER  EMERY  SHIREY,  a well 
known  resident  of  Eaton,  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  is  a native  of  this 
county  and  state,  having  been  born 
near  the  village  of  Tabor,  a son  of  Joseph  W. 
and  Susan  (Bowers)  Shirey,  his  birth  occur- 
ring December  24,  i860.  His  father  was  a 
native  of  Roanoke  count}',  Va. , his  mother 
coming  from  the  same  place,  and  they  were 
married  in  1855,  and  were  among  the  early 
pioners  of  Delaware  county.  Joseph  W.  Shirey 
located  near  the  village  of  Tabor,  where  he 
engaged  in  farming  and  followed  this  occupa- 
tion all  of  his  life  until  1888,  when  he  and 
family  removed  to  Hanover,  Jefferson  county, 
where  they  now  reside.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Shirey 
were  the  parents  of  nine  children,  as  follows; 
Lillie,  L.  E.,  C.  O.,  W.  B.,  W.  E,  W.  A., 
N.  C.,  J.  P. , deceased,  and  Hazel.  The  fam- 
ily belongs  to  the  Presbyterian  church,  and 
politically,  Mr.  Shirey  is  a republican. 

Luther  Emery  Shirey  was  reared  in  his 
native  county  and  there  attended  the  common 
school,  and  supplemented  this  education  with 
three  terms  spent  in  'the  Danville  normal 
school.  Eor  the  following  four  years  he  en- 
gaged in  teaching,  after  which  he  engaged  in 
farming  in  this  county,  continuing  the  latter 
occupation  until  1890,  when  he  went  into 
partnership  with  Mr.  Sharp,  with  whom  he 
continued  in  business  until  April,  1893.  Mr. 
Shirey  married  in  Muncie,  Ind.,  March  29, 
1883,  Miss  Julia  Stradling,  who  was  born 
March  7,  1862,  a daughter  of  William  Strad- 
ling, to  which  union  were  born  three  children, 
Claire,  Ivy  and  Winogene.  Mrs.  Shirey  died 
January  i,  1892,  and  her  remains  rest  in  the 


77(3 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


Collins  cemetery,  west  of  Muncie.  Both  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Shirey  were  members  of  the  Presby- 
terian church.  In  politics,  Mr.  Shirey  is  an 
ardent  republican,  keeps  well  posted  in  the 
affairs  of  his  party,  and  is  a man  much 
respected  in  his  neighborhood. 


^^^^ILLIAM  S.  SHIDELER  lives  a 
mm  I retired  life  in  the  little  town  of 
Shideler,  Ind.,  where  he  takes  life 
easily,  as  he  well  may,  having 
fought  a good  fight  through  the  years  which 
have  passed.  He  was  born  in  Miami  county, 
Ohio,  August  31,  1836,  and  is  the  son  of  Isaac 
and  Sarah  (Little)  Shideler,  the  father  born  in 
Miami  county.  May  8,  1812,  and  the  mother 
in  Pennsylvania,  Alay  12,  1812.  These 

parents  were  married  in  Ohio  in  December, 
1834,  and  moved  to  Delaware  county,  Ind., 
in  1836,  locating  in  Hamilton  township, 
where  Mr.  Shideler  improved  a tract  of  eighty 
acres  from  its  primitive  condition,  upon  which 
they  remained  the  rest  of  their  lives.  They 
were  the  parents  of  thirteen  children,  three  of 
whom  died  in  infancy,  the  rest  living  to  be- 
come heads  of  families.  The  names  of  these 
children  are  as  follows:  Joseph  K. , a physi- 
cian of  Muncie;  William  S. ; Isaac,  a resident 
of  Shideler;  Henry,  a merchant  of  Merom, 
Sullivan  county;  John  S.,  a grain  dealer  of 
Lincoln,  Kan.;  MaryJ.,  wife  of  O.  P,  Kane, 
of  Shideler;  David  L. , of  Delaware  county; 
Elizabeth,  deceased;  Margaret  E.,  wife  of  B. 
K.  Burt,  and  Thomas  R. , who  owns  a sawmill 
and  tile  manufactory  in  Shideler. 

Isaac  Shideler  died  November  16,  1875, 
his  death  resulting  from  the  kick  of  a mule. 
The  mother  of  the  family  died  November  18, 
1888,  and  with  her  husband  lies  buried  in  the 
Granville  cemetery,  this  county.  They  were 
among  the  most  respected  members  of  the 
Christian  church.  Mr.  Shideler  was  a promi- 


nent man  in  the  township  of  Hamilton,  hav- 
ing been  its  trustee  for  three  terms.  He  was 
a democrat  in  his  political  opinions  and  filled 
all  of  the  positions  of  life  in  a commennable 
manner. 

William  S.  Shideler  was  reared  on  the  home 
farm,  under  good  influences.  The  principles 
of  industry  and  economy  were  early  instilled 
into  his  mind,  and  these  have  undoubtedly 
contributed  much  to  his  prosperity.  His  early 
education  was  limited,  but  he  has  proved  that 
a college  education  is  not  necessary  to  become 
a successful  business  man.  He  began  life  for 
himself  when  he  reached  his  majority,  but  did 
not  buy  land — only  farmed  on  shares.  On 
May  10,  1864,  he  enlisted  in  company  G,  One 
Hundred  and  Thirty-fourth  regiment  of  In- 
diana volunteers,  and  served  in  the  army  of 
the  Potomac,  being  discharged  at  Indianapolis, 
September  2,  1864.  In  1865,  he  engaged  in 
the  mercantile  trade  and  became  railroad  and 
express  agent,  which  position  he  filled  for  a 
period  of  fourteen  years.  In  1871  was  made 
assistant  postmaster,  and  two  years  later  was 
appointed  postmaster  and  served  until  Decem- 
ber, 1876;  then,  in  1877,  was  reappointed  and 
served  continuously  until  July  14,  1884;  was 
again  appointed  September  3, 1 885,  under  Pres. 
Cleveland,  and  resigned  when  Gen.  Harrison 
was  elected.  From  1871  to  1891  he  was  en- 
gaged in  mercantile  pursuits  when  he  sold  out, 
and  except  for  his  duties  as  notary  public,  since 
1889,  he  has  lived  retired  from  business.  Mr. 
Shideler  has,  at  various  times,  owned  a large 
amount  of  real  estate,  at  one  time  being  the 
possessor  of  280  acres,  all  of  which  he  obtained 
by  his  own  labors.  He  recently  sold  140  acres 
of  choice  land,  but  now  possesses  seventy-seven 
acres,  and  some  valuable  town  property.  At 
the  time  of  his  marriage  he  was  entirely  with- 
out means,  but  he  possessed  a clear  head,  a 
sound  body,  and  the  proper  ideas  of  right  and 
wrong,  consequently  he  has  prospered. 


UNION  TOWNSHIP. 


777 


The  marriage  of  Mr.  Shideler  took  place 
August  7,  1867,  in  Delaware  county,  with 

Miss  Lavina  B Miller,  who  was  born  in  Rip- 
ley county,  Ind.,  February  23,  1840,  the 

daughter  of  John  and  Nancy  (Murphy)  Miller, 
the  former  a native  of  Indiana  and  the  latter 
of  Ohio.  John  and  Nancy  Miller  were  the 
parents  of  twelve  children,  all  of  whom  are 
deceased  except  three.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Shideler 
are  the  parents  of  three  children:  Millie,  the 
wife  of  Arthur  G.  Bowen,  a telegraph  operator 
at  Decatur,  111.;  William  H.,  a telegraph  op- 
erator at  New  Castle,  and  Dora  Souders,  at 
home  with  her  parents.  Mr.  Shideler  and  his 
excellent  wife  are  members  of  the  Christian 
church,  of  which  he  is  a deacon,  and  they  are 
among  the  most  respected  residents  of  the 
community.  Each  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Shideler's 
children  has  one  child,  making  them  the 
grandparents  of  three  families.  The  grand- 
children are  Carl,  Herbert  Bowen,  Beatrice, 
Souders  and  Hazel  Shideler. 


BRAHAM  SNYDER  was  born  in  Mi- 
ami county,  Ohio,  September  2, 
1835,  the  son  of  James  and  Catherine 
(Studebaker)  Snyder,  both  of  Ger- 
man descent.  This  worthy  couple  were  reared 
in  Ohio,  and  lived  there  a number  of  years 
after  their  marriage,  when  they  settled  in  Del- 
aware county,  Ind.,  Abraham  at  that  time  an 
infant  of  six  weeks  old.  Here  the  father  en- 
tered up  120  acres  of  land,  which  he  proceeded 
to  improve  with  industry  and  skill.  Upon 
this  place  the  parents  spent  the  remainder  of 
their  days,  the  father  dying  in  1845,  and  the 
mother  in  1849 — the  latter  making  her  home 
with  her  children  after  the  death  of  her  hus- 
band. Both  were  members  of  the  Dunkard 
church,  and  the  remains  both  lie  in  the  ceme- 
tery of  that  body.  They  reared  a family  of 
eight  children,  all  of  whom  grew  up  to  be  es- 


teemed members  of  society,  their  names  being 
David,  a farmer;  Alexander,  Jacob,  who  died 
in  the  army;  John,  a farmer;  Abraham,  Joseph, 
who  died  in  the  army;  Hannah,  wife  of  George 
Keppler,  and  Sarah,  wife  of  Daniel  Studebaker. 

Abraham  Snyder  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Melissa  Johnson,  daughter  of  Israel  and 
Lizzie  (Berry)  Johnson,  on  the  5th  of  March, 
1866.  Her  parents  were  of  German  extraction 
and  settled  at  an  early  day  in  Delaware  county, 
having  come  here  from  Ohio.  The  father 
bought  si.xty  acres  of  land  and  settled  upon  it 
with  his  family,  remaining  there  until  the 
death  of  his  wife,  which  occurred  in  1883. 
Mr.  Johnson  then  moved  to  Blackford  county, 
where  he  died  in  1887  and  was  buried  in  the 
Dunkard  cemetery,  by  the  side  of  the  wife,  to 
whom  he  was  so  strongly  attached  in  life. 
They  were  parents  of  three  children;  Melissa, 
Mary  and  James.  This  much  respected  pair 
were  members  in  good  standing  of  the  Dun- 
karp  church.  Abraham  Snyder  began  life  for 
himself  by  working  the  farm  of  his  father, 
continuing  to  do  so  for  a nnmber  of  years, 
when  he  moved  upon  what  is  known  as  the 
Powell  farm,  remaining  at  that  place  three  or 
four  years,  and  then  bought  his  present  farm 
of  sixty-one  acres.  This  property  was  at  that 
time  but  partly  cleared,  but  Mr.  Snyder  went 
to  work  with  will  and  determination  and  has 
made  of  the  tract  a most  valuable  property,  it 
being  highly  improved  and  well  stocked. 
Eight  children  have  blessed  the  union  of  this 
couple,  their  names  being  as  follows;  Erancis, 
Willie,  Roily,  Isaac,  deceased,  Eva,  Joseph, 
Walter  and  May.  The  good  wife  of  Mr. 
Snyder  died  March  31,  1892,  and  was  buried 
in  the  Dunkard  cemetery.  The  father  and  his 
boys  reside  upon  the  home  place  and  are  all 
highly  respected  as  honest  and  industrious 
people.  They  are  consistent  members  of  the 
Dunkard  church,  following  the  teachings  of 
that  body  and  living  at  peace  with  everybody. 


778 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


eDMUND  H.  STRADLING.— Among 
the  prominent  men  of  Union  town- 
ship, Delaware  county,  Ind.,  Edmund 
H.  Stradling  occupies  a conspicuous 
place.  He  now  resides  in  the  town  of  Eaton, 
but  his  efficient  services  have  made  him  well 
and  favorably  known  all  over  the  country.  He 
was  born  in  Centre  township,  Delaware  county, 
April  3,  1857,  a son  of  William  Stradling,  and 
was  reared  to  manhood  on  the  home  farm. 
His  common  school  education  was  supplement- 
ed by  a course  in  college  at  Danville,  in  April, 
1879,  where  he  made  substantial  progress  in 
the  department  of  science  and  engineering, 
having  previously  taken  a teacher’s  course, 
which  enabled  him  to  follow  that  profession 
very  successfully  for  a number  of  years. 
While  at  college  he  improved  every  oppor- 
tunity, teaching  at  intervals  and  acting  as 
janitor  of  the  building,  thus  making  his  way, 
in  the  face  of  many  obstacles,  until  he  suc- 
ceeded in  graduating  August  3,  1882.  On  the 
5th  of  the  following  October  he  was  appointed 
county  surveyor,  which  office  he  efficiently 
filled  until  November,  1882,  at  which  time  he 
was  regularly  elected  to  the  office  on  the  repub- 
lican ticket.  For  two  years  Mr.  Stradling 
faithfully  performed  the  duties  of  his  office, 
when,  in  1884,  he  was  re-elected  for  a term  of 
two  more  years.  He  afterward  went  to  Cali- 
fornia, where,  from  1886  until  1888,  he  was 
engaged  in  railroad  surveying  in  San  Bernadino 
and  San  Diego  counties.  In  the  latter  year,  he 
was  made  superintending  engineer  of  the  free 
gravel  roads  of  Union  township,  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  which  position  he  held  until  No- 
vember, 1889,  when  he  removed  to  Spencer 
county,  Ind.,  where  he  engaged  in  the  lumber 
trade,  in  hard  wood,  until  July  28,  1892,  at 
which  time  he  retired  to  the  pleasant  little 
town  of  Eaton,  Delaware  county.  He  was 
again  appointed  superintendent  of  the  free 
gravel  roads  July,  1892,  and  engages  in  sur- 


veying and  engineering  work  whenever  his 
services  are  in  demand,  having  had  much  prac- 
tical experience  in  all  departments  of  his  pro- 
fession. 

Mr.  Stradling  was  married  June  3,  1891, 
to  Miss  Ollie  Hopkins,  a native  of  Spencer 
county,  Ind.,  and  daughter  of  Richard  and 
Ellen  (Porter)  Hopkins,  to  which  union  one 
son,  Richard  H.,  has  been  born.  Mr.  Strad- 
ling owns  a fine  farm  of  eighty  acres  in  Wash- 
ington township,  and  also  eighty  acres  of  ex- 
cellent land  in  Spencer  county,  and  some  valu- 
able real  estate  in  the  town  of  Eaton.  He  is 
a republican  in  politics  and  takes  a great  inter- 
est in  public  affairs.  Mrs.  Stradling  is  a mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  church,  and  they  are  both 
among  the  well  known  and  esteemed  residents 
of  the  village.  On  the  resignation  of  William 
Freeman,  March  6,  1893,  Mr.  Stradling  was 
appointed  to  succeed  him  in  the  honorable  and 
responsible  office  of  township  trustee  of  Union 
township.  He  is  a member  of  Welcome  lodge. 
No.  37,  K.  of  P. , of  Muncie.  He  also  belongs 
to  lodge  78,  I.  O.  O.  F. , and  also  encamp- 
ment No.  30,  at  Muncie,  of  the  same  order. 


ARRISON  STRONG  is  a citizen  of 
Union  township,  Delaware  county, 
and  a farmer  of  the  highest  respecta- 
bility. He  was  born  in  Greene  county, 
Ohio,  November  18,  1840,  being  the  son  of 
George  W.  and  Nancy  (Hummer)  Strong,  they 
being  of  Irish  and  German  descent  respectively. 
The  father  was  taken  from  Vermont  when  he 
was  five  years  old  to  Greene  county,  Ohio, 
where  he  grew  to  manhood  and  married.  He 
lived  near  Jamestown  for  forty-four  years,  and 
then  sold  his  farm  and  came  to  Blackford 
county,  Ind.,  where  he  purchased  land  and 
lived  on  it  for  twelve  years,  having  nearly 
cleared  it  when  he  sold  it,  and  came  to  Union 


UNION  TOWNSHIP. 


779 


township,  and  bought  120  acres  of  nearly 
cleared  land.  Upon  the  latter  property  he 
ended  his  days.  He  had  a sister,  Elizabeth, 
wife  of  Wm.  Galbraith,  living  in  Grant  county. 
George  W.  Strong  was  married  the  first  time 
to  Sarah  Minninghall,  and  there  were  eight 
children  as  the  result  of  this  marriage,  namely: 
Martin,  deceased;  Adolph,  a farmer  in  Iowa; 
Moses,  living  in  Ohio;  Jefferson,  a farmer  in 
Iowa;  Prudence,  deceased;  Susanna,  wife  of 
Osborn  Lemark,  deceased,  living  in  Madison 
county,  Ind. ; Martha,  wife  of  David  Glass,  de- 
ceased, living  in  Greene  county,  Ohio,  and 
Benjamin,  deceased.  The  mother  of  these 
children  was  born  in  Greene  county,  Ohio,  and 
died  in  the  fall  of  1835  George  W.  Strong 
departed  this  life  April  27,  1863,  and  Nancy 
Strong  September  6,  1864,  and  they  are  laid 
to  rest  in  Ashenfeller  cemetery,  where  a fine 
monument  marks  the  spot.  It  will  be  under- 
stood that  Harrison  Strong  is  the  son  of  the 
second  wife,  who  had  three  children,  he  being 
the  second  child;  Elizabeth  being  the  first,  and 
George  W.  the  last. 

Harrison  Strong  was  married  August  25, 
1863,  to  Naomi,  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Jane 
(Haight)  Irwin.  Her  parents  went  from 
Maryland  to  Pennsylvania,  and  after  a short 
residence  there  moved  to  Ohio,  stayed  there  a 
number  of  years,  and  then  came  to  Delaware 
county,  Ind.  They  lived  on  a farm  of  160 
acres  in  the  latter  place  for  seven  or  eight 
years,  then  removed  to  Blackford  county, 
where  they  bought  a farm  of  280  acres,  and 
ended  their  days  there,  the  father  passing  to 
his  rest  October  ii,  1878,  and  the  mother 
July  14,  1849.  These  good  people  sleep  in 
Mt.  Zion  cemetery.  Mrs.  Naomi  Strong  has 
one  brother,  William  L , a farmer  of  Black- 
ford county.  Harrison  Strong,  immediately 
after  his  marriage,  settled  upon  a farm  of  120 
acres,  which  was  partly  cleared,  and  by  hard 
work  and  rigid  economy  he  has  succeeded  in 


making  it  a delightful  home,  and  a valuable 
piece  of  property.  The  residence  and  the 
out-buildings  are  in  fine  condition,  and  every- 
thing shows  Mr.  Strong  to  be  a prosperous 
and  good  farmer.  The  union  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Strong  resulted  in  six  children,  namely:  Mary 
A.,  wife  of  Wm.  Michael,  of  Union  township; 
Samuel  W. , at  home;  Wm.  A.,  restaurant 
keeper  at  Eaton;  Nancy  J.,  died  in  1872; 
Emma  E.,  died  in  1885,  and  Lizzie  May,  at 
home.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Strong  received  a com- 
mon school  education,  and  are  people  of  su- 
perior intelligence  In  politics  he  is  a demo- 
crat, and  a member  of  the  E.  M.  B.  A.  He 
and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist 
church,  and  are  highly  respected  in  that  body, 
where  they  are  most  useful  workers. 


DMUND  TAYLOR. — Among  the  en- 
terprising, intelligent  and  successful 
young  farmers  of  Union  township, 
Delaware  county,  Ind.,  none  have 
shown  more  ability  in  the  management  of  his 
place  than  has  Edmund  Taylor.  Mr.  Taylor 
was  born  in  Grant  county,  Ind.,  June  9,  1862, 
son  of  Edmund  and  Patience  (Seely)  Taylor, 
natives  of  England  and  America,  respectively. 
He  was  reared  on  his  father’s  farm  until  he 
was  prepared  to  found  a home  of  his  own,  and 
received  a good  education,  improving  many 
opportunities  until  he  is  now  among  the  best 
informed  young  men  of  his  neighborhood. 
His  family  has  been  reduced  to  himself  and 
one  brother,  Erank,  who  is  an  invalid,  his 
father  having  died  November  18,  1889,  and 
his  mother  in  1866. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Taylor  occurred  Sep- 
tember i8,‘  1883,  to  Miss  Inez  Lambert, 
daughter  of  John  R.  and  Mary  A.  (Smith) 
Lambert,  natives  of  Indiana,  of  English  and 
German  descent.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lambert  are 


780 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


prominent  residents  of  Delaware  county, 
where  also  reside  Mrs.  Taylor’s  two  younger 
brothers,  Jesse  and  David,  who  are  engaged 
in  the  pursuit  of  agriculture.  After  marriage 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Taylor  removed  to  the  fine  farm 
of  i6o  acres  on  which  they  have  since  lived. 
This  well  improved  tract  of  land  was  a pres- 
ent to  Mr.  Taylor  from  his  father,  and  to  the 
original  gift  he  has  added  fifty  acres  by  pur- 
chase. This  place  is  well  located,  under  good 
cultivation,  and  is  in  every  way  a desirable 
home.  The  children  born  into  this  pleasant 
home  are  five  in  number,  as  follows:  Edith, 
Harry,  Elma,  Howard  and  Ruth.  In  politics 
Mr.  Taylor  espouses  the  principles  advocated 
by  the  democratic  party,  and  the  family  is  one 
of  the  most  respected  in  the  township. 


^^^lEEIAM  HENRY  YOUNTS.— The 
Mm  I ancestors  of  this  gentleman  were  of 
German  descent  and  spelled  their 
name  Yountz.  It  has  been  Angli- 
cized, however,  by  various  members  of  the 
family  to  its  present  form.  His  grandfather, 
Philip  Yountz,  was  a native  of  Ashe  county,  N. 
C.,  where  he  married  Margaret  Byrkett,  and 
subsequently  removed  to  Miami  county,  Ohio. 
He  was  among  the  first  white  settlers  of  that 
that  county,  and  served  as  a soldier  in  Wayne’s 
expedition  against  the  Indians  of  the  north- 
west, which  terminated  with  the  treaty  of 
Greenville,  August  3,  1795.  He  died  in  Miami 
county  in  1 864,  having  served  for  fifty-two 
years  as  an  elder  in  the  German  Baptist 
church.  His  wife  died  in  1862.  They  had 
eight  sons  and  two  daughters.  All  lived  to 
maturity  and  married,  and  one  of  the  daughters 
and  one  son  still  survive.  George,  the  fourth 
son,  was  the  father  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch.  He  was  born  in  Miami  county,  Ohio, 
where  he  married  Mahala  Mickel,  by  whom  he 


had  twelve  children,  viz.:  William  H.,  John 
A.,  Samuel,  Elizabeth,  Abram  W.,  Macy  C. , 
Margaret  E.,  Joseph  W. , Daniel  H.  and  Alice 
— all  of  whom  now  survive.  One  son,  Philip, 
died  in  the  service  of  the  Union  at  Matagorda, 
Texas,  November  24,  1865,  being  first  ser- 
geant of  company  G,  Eifty-seventh  Indiana 
volunteer  infantry,  and  Charles  A.,  a private  in 
company  I,  Indiana  volunteer  cavalry,  was 
killed  at  Okolona,  Miss.,  February  22,  1864. 
The  daughters,  with  one  exception,  are  mar- 
ried— Elizabeth  to  George  W.  Smith;  Mary  C. 
to  John  Miller,  and  Alice  to  Albert  Mills. 

The  father  devoted  his  time  to  agricultural 
pursuits,  remaining  in  his  native  county  till 
1856.  In  that  year  he  came  to  Delaware 
county  and  purchased  a farm  in  Union  town- 
ship, where  he  died  Februrry  9,  1878.  He 
was  a member  of  the  German  Baptist  church, 
and  an  honest  and  highly  respected  citizen. 
His  wife  survives  him.  William  H.,  the  eldest 
son,  was  born  March  21,  1835,  in  Miami 

county,  Ohio.  His  youthful  days  were  passed 
in  the  performance  of  farm  labor  at  home,  and 
he  never  enjoyed  the  privilege  of  attending 
school,  with  the  exception  of  about  three 
months;  yet  he  prepared  himself  for  the  voca- 
tion of  school  teaching  by  a system  of  diligent 
study  at  home,  and,  when  he  came  to  Indiana 
in  1856,  he  entered  at  once  upon  that  line  of 
work  in  Delaware  county,  and  was  thus  en- 
gaged, with  a few  intermissions,  every  winter, 
till  1882.  In  the  twentieth  year  of  his  age — 
September  21,  1854 — he  married  Miss  Anna 
M.  Eowery,  niece  of  the  late  Judge  Lowery, 
of  the  supreme  bench  of  Ohio.  On  the  i 5th 
day  of  February,  1864,  his  wife  died,  leaving 
one  son,  George  W. , of  Eaton,  a manufacturer 
of  pulleys.  In  April,  1864,  Mr.  Younts  went 
to  Greenville,  Ohio,  and  enlisted  as  a soldier 
in  the  Union  army,  enlisting  in  company  B, 
Second  provisional  battalion,  of  Richardson’s 
sharpshooters.  He  re-enlisted  December, 


WASHINGTON  TOWNSHIP. 


781 


1864,  and  was  assigned  to  duty  in  company 
C,  One  Hundred  and  Seventy-third  Ohio  vol- 
unteer infantry,  which  became  a part  of  the 
Second  brigade,  Second  division,  of  Hancock’s  | 
veteran  corps.  Mr.  Younts  passed  through  all 
the  commissions  up  to  the  rank  of  sergeant  ; 
major  of  his  regiment,  from  which  he  was  j 
made  lieutenant  of  company  B,  and  assigned 
to  duty  on  the  staff  of  Gen.  Eugene  Powell, 
as  A.  A.  A.  G.,  in  the  army  of  the  Shenandoah. 
He  was  mustered  out  of  the  service  with  his 
regiment  at  Columbus,  Ohio,  September  1 3,  : 

1865,  and  returned  to  his  home  in  this  county,  j 
On  the  22d  day  of  May,  1866,  he  was  wedded 
to  his  present  companion,  Lydia  J.,  daughter 
of  John  and  Celia  McClain.  He  continued  ' 
the  occupation  of  school  teaching,  and,  in 
1868,  resumed  the  study  of  law.  In  1869,  he  ^ 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  Delaware  county,  ^ 
and  began  the  practice  of  his  profession  at  the  j 
town  of  Eaton.  The  position  he  occupies,  as  ! 
an  attorney,  has  been  gained  by  unremitting 
effort  on  his  part,  and  his  limited  educational  ' 


advantages  entitle  him  to  the  more  credit,  and 
mark  him  as  one  of  the  self  made  men  of  the 
county. 

In  his  social  relations,  he  is  esteemed  as 
much  for  the  frank  goodness  of  his  nature  as 
he  is  among  the  teaching  fraternity  for  his 
ability;  and  in  this  sphere  the  honors  are 
shared  by  his  wife,  who  is  a lady  of  an  ami- 
able, kindly  disposition.  Although  not  a mem- 
ber of  any  church,  Mr.  Younts  adheres  to  the 
tenets  of  the  Christian  religion,  and  contributes 
cheerfully  to  the  support  of  the  chcrch  and  the 
spread  of  the  Gospel. 

He  is  a member  of  Delaware  lodge,  46,  A. 
E.  & A.  M.,  and  has  served  as  junior  and  sen- 
ior warden  and  senior  deacon  in  that  lodge. 
He  also  belongs  to  the  Muncie  chapter.  No.  38, 
Muncie  council  No.  16,  Muncie  commandery  K. 
T.  ,and  Muncie  chapter.  No.  104,  of  the  Eastern 
Star.  The  other  fraternities  with  which  he  is 
identified  are  the  G.  A.  R. , John  Brant 
post.  No  156;  Muncie  tribe.  No.  144,  I.  O. 
R.  M. 


WASHINGTON  TOWNSHIP. 


OHN  BARRETT. — The  blessings  of 
the  farm  life,  and  the  profit  which 
comes  from  following  that  calling,  are 
aptly  shown  in  the  life  of  John  Barrett, 
of  Washington  township,  Delaware  county. 
Mr.  Barrett  was  born  in  Jefferson  county, 
Ohio,  November  25,  1825,  and  lived  with  his 
parents  until  he  was  of  age.  His  boyhood  and 
youth  were  spent  upon  the  farm,  and  he  re- 
ceived but  a limited  education.  After  reach- 
ing his  majority,  he  worked  by  the  month, 
cutting  down  forest  trees,  and  fitting  the  soil 
for  cultivation,  and  in  this  way  cleared  a very 


large  amount  of  land.  After  his  marriage,  he 
bought  forty  acres  in  Madison  county,  Ind. , at 
that  time  covered  with  a dense  forest  growth, 
but  he  cut  down  the  trees  and  broke  the 
ground  and  put  it  in  a nice  state  of  cultivation, 
after  which  he  traded  it  for  eighty  acres, 
which  compose  his  present  farm.  The  latter 
is  under  a fine  state  of  cultivation,  and  what 
he  owns  came  as  the  result  of  the  work  of  his 
own  hands. 

Mr.  Barrett  is  the  son  of  Thomas  and 
Elnora  (Johnson)  Barrett,  the  father  a native 
of  Maryland,  and  the  mother  of  New  Jersey. 


782 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


The  father  was  taken  to  Ohio  when  a boy  by 
his  parents,  who  located  in  Jefferson  county; 
removed  to  Madison  county,  lud, , in  1842, 
where  he  bought  forty  acres  of  land;  remained 
there  a few  years,  and  then  came  to  Delaware 
county,  buying  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Wash- 
ington township.  His  death  occurred  in  1881 
and  his  wife  followed  him  to  the  grave  the 
next  year.  They  were  membei'S  of  the  Chris- 
tian church,  and  had  been  for  forty  years 
prior  to  their  death. 

john  Barrett  was  married  April  i,  1852,  to 
Martha  Zedekar,  who  was  born  in  Montgom- 
ery county,  Ohio,  May  4,  1837,  being  the 

daughter  of  John  and  Catherine  (Nowland) 
Zedekar,  her  father  a native  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  her  mother  born  in  Shelby  county,  Ohio. 
The  father  of  Mrs.  Barrett  came  to  Madison 
county,  Ind.,  in  1840,  where  he  combined 
farming  with  his  trade  of  carpentering.  He  was 
a very  successful  man,  owning  at  the  the  time 
of  his  death  300  acres  of  land.  He  was  a 
democrat  up  to  the  time  of  Buchanan’s  admin- 
istration, and  then  he  became  a republican, 
and  continued  so  for  the  rest  of  his  life.  For 
a number  of  years,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Zedekar  were 
active  and  influential  members  of  the  Christian 
church.  To  the  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Barrett  there  have  been  born  seven  children, 
namely;  Elnora,  John  Z. , Thomas,  Cathe- 
rine, Nellie  "Frances,  Rebecca  Florence  and 
William  Wesley.  Mr.  Barrett  is  an  honest, 
hard  working  man.  He  has  always  given  the 
democratic  ticket  a very  hearty  support. 


ENJAMIN  BARTLETT  is  one  of  the 
very  old  citizens  of  Delaware  csunty, 
was  born  in  Salem  township,  Dela- 
ware county,  Ind.,  July  12,  1834, 

and  is  the  son  of  Benjamin  and  Elizabeth 
(Flemings)  Bartlett,  natives  of  Virginia,  and 


of  English  descent.  The  father  left  Virginia 
in  1830,  and  located  in  Henry  county,  Ind., 
where  he  remained  one  year,  and  then  moved 
to  Salem  township,  this  county.  There  he 
bought  eighty  acres  of  land,  but  remained  only  a 
short  time.  Coming  to  Washington  township, 
he  bought  400  acres  of  forest  land.  He  lived  to 
see  100  acres  improved,  and  reared  a family  of 
ten  children.  The  mother  of  our  subject  died 
when  he  was  a small  boy,  and  his  father  mar- 
ried a few  years  later  Elizabeth  Dragoo,  also 
a native  of  Virginia.  The  father  died  in  1858, 
and  his  second  wife  had  then  been  dead  some 
time.  In  politics  he  was  a whig,  and  a strong 
supporter  of  Henry  Clay.  Benjamin  Bartlett 
lived  with  his  parents  until  he  was  twelve  years 
old,  and  then  with  his  brother  David  until  he 
was  twenty-one,  working  at  anything  that 
would  bring  him  in  an  honest  dollar.  He 
had  very  few  educational  advantages,  having 
gone  but  four  months  to  school  in  all,  yet 
he  is  a well  informed  man,  having  studied 
and  read  after  he  grew  to  manhood.  He 
rented  land  up  to  the  time  of  the  v/ar,  and 
then  enlisted,  August  24,  1861,  in  company  B, 
Thirty-sixth  Indiana  regiment,  for  three  years 
or  during  the  war.  Mr.  Bartlett  took  part  in 
the  following  battles:  Shiloh,  Round  Top 

Mountain,  Perryville,  Stone  River,  Chicka- 
mauga.  Lookout  Mountain,  Missionary  Ridge, 
Ringgold,  and  Dalton.  Mr.  Bartlett  was 
with  Sherman  at  Dalton,  where  he  received  a 
wound  in  the  left  thigh  from  a musket  bad. 
As  a result  of  this  wound  he  receives  a pen- 
sion of  $6'per  month.  Mr.  Bartlett  has  al- 
ways been  an  active  man,  and  after  the  war 
he  engaged  in  farming  in  this  township  for  six 
years,  after  which  he  ran  a saw  mill  for  a 
number  of  years,  and  then  ditched  for  about 
five  years.  In  the  year  1885  he  bought  a title 
factory  in  New  Corner,  where  he  now  carries 
on  a large  business;  having  the  latest  improved 
facilities  for  the  manufacture  of  tile.  Mr. 


WASHINGTON  TOWNSHIP. 


788 


Bartlett  has  acquired  his  property  by  his  own 
exertions,  and  is  a man  who  has  the  confi- 
dence of  the  entire  community. 

Mr.  Bartlett  was  married  April  8,  1854,  to 
Miss  Lucinda  Gilliland,  who  was  born  June  9, 
1838,  in  Henry  county,  Ind.  She  is  the 
daughter  of  Joseph  and  Lucinda  (Clark)  Gilli- 
land, her  father  being  a native  of  Kentucky, 
and  her  mother  of  North  Carolina.  The  for- 
mer, when  a boy,  moved  to  Ohio,  and  then  to 
Henry  county,  Ind.,  after  which  he  came  to 
Delaware  county,  in  1840,  and  entered  eighty 
acres.  After  some  years  he  went  to  Howard 
county,  Ind.  He  was  a shoemaker  as  well  as 
a farmer,  and  whatever  he  did  he  did  well. 
This  worthy  man  died  in  1862,  and  his  wife 
followed  him  two  years  later.  They  were  con- 
sistent members  of  the  New  Light  church.  In 
politics  he  was  a republican,  and  a warm  ad- 
mirer of  Lincoln.  Lie  and  his  wife  were  the 
parents  of  the  following  children;  Mary  Ellen, 
John  Riley,  Sarah  Jane,  Lucy  Florence,  Clar- 
issa, Matilda,  David  Vincent,  Joseph  Willis, 
George  Harrison,  deceased,  Charles  and  Nellie 
Pearl.  In  politics  Mr.  Bartlett  is  a democrat, 
and  does  good  services  for  his  party  in  election 
campaigns.  He  is  a member  of  lodge  No. 
425,  of  Odd  Fellows,  at  New  Corner;  also  of 
Live  Tribe  No.  123,  Red  Men,  at  New  Corner, 
and  Lookout  Mountain  post.  No.  140,  G.  A.  R. 


DWARD  BEUOY,  farmer  and  worthy 
citizen  of  Washington  township,  this 
county,  was  born  September  12,  1 828, 
in  Guernsey  county,  Ohio,  and  is  the 
son  of  Thomas  and  Mary  (Harte)  Beuoy, 
whose  sketch  appears  in  this  volume  in  con- 
nection with  that  of  Randolph  Beuoy.  Ed- 
ward grew  up  on  a farm,  where  he  had  very 
limited  chances  for  schooling,  and  remained 
with  his  parents  until  he  was  twenty-one. 


Until  this  time  he  had  worked  hard,  helping 
his  father  to  clear  the  land  and  get  it  into 
good  farming  shape.  He  began  life  for  him- 
self by  working  for  his  father  by  the  month 
for  a few  years,  and  that  parent  gave  him  125 
acres  in  section  2,  Washington  township. 
After  living  on  this  land  for  three  years  he 
bought  his  present  farm  near  Wheeling, 
consisting  of  100  acres,  all  of  which  is  im- 
proved, and  under  cultivation.  He  followed 
farming  all  his  life  until  a few  years  ago,  when 
he  retired  from  active  work.  He  has  one  of 
the  best  farm  residences  in  the  township,  and 
the  barn  and  the  out-houses  are  neat,  attrac- 
tive and  roomy. 

Mr.  Beuoy  was  married  in  this  county, 
March  6,  1850,  to  Sarah  Jane  Milhollin, 
daughter  of  John  and  Melinda  Milhollin.  Her 
parents  are  old  pioneer:  of  Grant  county,  and 
are  both  members  of  the  Methodist  church, 
and  in  politics  he  is  a strong  republican.  By 
this  marriage  Edward  Beuoy  is  the  father  of 
the  following  children;  Owen,  John,  Thomas, 
Eliza,  Cedora  and  Mary  Jane,  all  deceased; 
Alsina,  Cora  and  Maggie,  all  at  home,  Ellen, 
wife  of  Frank  Kepplinger,  of  Fairmount,  Ind. 

Mrs.  Sarah  Jane  Beuoy  died  August  25, 
1875,  and  her  remains  lie  in  the  Olive  Branch 
cemetery.  She  died,  as  she  lived,  in  the  faith 
of  the  Presbyterian  church,  of  which  her  hus- 
band is  also  a member.  Mr.  Beuoy  is  a strong 
supporter  of  the  democratic  party,  and  firmly 
believes  in  its  teachings. 


ANDOLPH  BEUOY.— Washington 
township,  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  is 
settled  with  a peaceful  and  law  abid- 
ing people,  the  majority  of  whom  are 
in  good  circumstances.  Among  the  well 
known  residents  is  Randolph  Beuoy,  who  is 
highly  esteemed  for  his  many  good  qualities 


784 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


and  admired  for  his  knowledge  of  practical 
farming.  Mr.  Beuoy  was  born  August  14, 
1834,  in  the  same  township  in  which  he  now 
resides,  and  lived  with  his  parents  until  he  was 
twenty-one,  working  upon  the  farm  and  aiding 
in  subduing  the  forest  and  adding  to  the  culti- 
vable acres  of  the  farm;  consequently,  his 
education  was  very  limited.  After  attaining 
his  majority,  he  and  his  brother  took  charge 
of  his  father’s  farm  in  partnership,  and  so  ran 
it  for  twenty  years,  and  then  Randolph  bought 
his  present  farm  of  120  acres  in  Washington 
township.  It  was  larger  originally  than  at 
present,  as  he  has  just  given  his  son  seventy 
acres  from  it.  Previously  he  had  bought  a 
farm  which  he  gave  to  his  daughter. 

Mr.  Beuoy  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  best 
citizens  of  Delaware  county.  His  house  is 
beautifully  situated  on  a knoll,  and  everything 
about  the  place  affords  evidence  of  thrift  and 
enterprise.  He  gives  much  care  to  the  raising 
of  poultry,  and  has  every  convenience  at  hand 
for  that  purpose,  his  hennery  being  heated  by 
gas  during  the  cold  weather,  and  the  result  is 
the  supply  of  eggs  continue  through  the  win- 
ter months.  His  poultry  department  adds  no 
little  to  his  income  yearly.  Mr.  Beuoy  is  also 
very  successful  as  a grower  of  fruit,  the  pro- 
duct of  his  orchards  being  second  to  that  of 
none  in  the  county  of  Delaware.  The  resi- 
dence is  a large  and  very  attractive  building; 
the  barn  is  roomy  and  convenient,  and  all 
other  needful  buildings  upon  the  place  are  in 
good  condition.  In  short,  Mr.  Beuoy  is  a live, 
wide  awake  and  progressive  farmer,  who  suf- 
fers no  interest  of  his  to  be  neglected.  He  is 
a liberal  and  public  spirited  man,  always  ready 
to  assist  in  any  movement  that  promises  to 
benefit  the  community  or  the  county. 

Mr.  Beuoy  was  married  January  14,  1858, 
to  Miss  Eliza  McVicker,  a most  estimable  lady, 
born  in  Blackford  county,  Ind.,  January  9, 
1837,  the  daughter  of  Aaron  and  Elizabeth 


(Bruner)  McVicker.  Her  parents  came  from 
Guernsey  county,  Ohio,  in  1836,  and  settled 
in  Blackford  county,  Ind.,  the  father  entering 
160  acres  of  land,  which  was  all  forest.  With 
brave  heart  and  strong  hands  he  went  to  work 
and  made  of  it  one  of  the  finest  farms  in  the 
county.  There  they  lived  until  their  death, 
both  passing  away  in  the  faith  in  which  they 
had  lived,  the  Old  School  Baptist  church. 

Mr.  Beuoy  is  the  son  of  Thomas  Beuoy, 
who  was  born  in  Virginia,  June  3,  1787. 

Thomas  Beuoy  was  one  of  the  old  settlers  of 
this  county  and  township,  and  was  at  Wheel- 
ing, W.  Va.,  when  that  city  was  a mere  vil- 
lage. He  helped  to  build  the  first  court  house 
in  Greene  county.  Pa.,  and  settled  in  Ohio 
when  it  was  yet  a territory.  He  spent  a few 
years  there  hunting  and  trapping,  until  his 
marriage,  then  he  leased  a piece  of  land, 
bought  and  disposed  of  it,  after  which  he  pur- 
chased 160  acres  of  land,  which  he  sold  for 
$700,  and,  then,  in  1832,  came  to  Delaware 
county,  Ind.  Here  he  entered  160  acres  of 
land,  in  the  township  of  Washington.  After 
locating  in  Indiana  he  prospered,  althongh  he 
reared  a family  of  twelve  children,  eight  sons 
and  four  daughters,  all  of  whom  attained  their 
majority.  In  addition  to  his  first  entry  he  sub- 
sequently purchased  forty  acres  of  government 
land,  which  he  improved,  and  afterward  bought 
each  of  his  eight  sons  eighty  acres  of  land. 
Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  he  could  neither 
read  nor  write,  he  was  a very  intelligent,  and 
a very  good  man.  It  was  the  aim  of  his  life 
to  provide  each  of  his  children  with  a home, 
and  this  he  did.  He  and  his  wife  were  con- 
sistent members  of  the  Old  School  Baptist 
church.  Randolph  Beuoy  and  wife  also  are 
held  in  the  highest  esteem  in  that  body,  as 
they  are  in  the  community  generally.  They 
are  the  parents  of  three  children,  namely: 
Alice,  at  home;  Mack,  married  to  Miss  Jennie 
Watson,  and  Jennie,  wife  of  Jonathan  Rich- 


WASHINGTON  TOWNSHIP. 


785 


ardson^  In  politics  Mr.  Beuoy  has  always 
supported  the  republican  ticket  with  hearty 
good  will. 


HOMAS  BEUOY  (deceased)  was  born 
October  17,  1818,  in  Ohio,  where  he 
remained  until  he  was  thirteen  years 
of  age;  then  came  with  his  parents  to 
Washington  township,  Delaware  county,  Ind., 
where  his  father  purchased  a tract  of  land 
from  the  government.  Faithfully  he  remained 
at  home,  assisting  his  father  in  the  improve- 
ment and  cultivation  of  the  land,  until  he  was 
twenty-two  years  of  age,  at  which  time  he  be- 
gan life  for  himself,  choosing  agriculture  for  his 
life  work. 

Mr.  Beuoy  married  when  he  was  twenty- 
two  years  old  and  removed  at  once  to  the  farm 
in  Washington  township,  where  he  ended  his 
days,  and  upon  which  his  widow  now  lives. 
His  father  gave  him  eighty  acres  and  he  bought 
eighty  acres  additional,  all  of  which  at  that 
time  was  in  a primitive  state.  He  built  a 
humble  log  cabin,  in  which  he  and  his  wife 
lived  for  twelve  years,  for  they  were  quite 
poor  in  those  days.  Their  furniture  was  scant 
and  of  the  simplest  kind;  but  industry,  per- 
severance and  favoring  seasons  brought  their 
reward,  and  a finer  and  better  house  took  the 
place  of  the  rude  cabin,  and  comforts  and 
luxuries  were  added  to  the  home. 

Mr.  Beuoy  gave  his  time  to  farming  and 
stock  growing,  taking  a special  pleasure  in  the 
raising  of  cattle  and  sheep.  He  was  never 
connected  with  any  church,  but  was  always 
generous  towards  the  cause  of  religion  and 
gave  freely  to  the  poor.  He  was  a kind  and 
considerate  husband  and  an  indulgent  father. 
Mr.  Beuoy  died  January  23,  1889,  and  his  re- 
mains lie  buried  in  the  cemetery  at  Wheeling, 
where  a beautiful  monument  marks  the  spot. 

The  wife  of  the  subject,  Esseignor  Beuoy, 


was  born  January  24,  1821,  in  Gallatin  coun- 
ty, Ky. , being  the  daughter  of  Benjamin  W. 
and  Tamer  (Corn)  Furnish.  Benjamin  W. 
Furnish  was  born  April  14,  1796,  and  his  wife 
January  2,  1796;  both  natives  of  Kentucky, 
and  they  were  reared  to  maturity  in  Harrison 
county,  that  state.  The  grandfather  of  Mrs. 
Beuoy  was  a soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  war, 
and  her  grandfather,  Joseph  Corn,  was  in  the 
war  of  1812.  The  father  of  Mrs. Beuoy  moved 
to  Rush  county,  Ind.,  from  Kentucky,  in  1823, 
and  bought  land,  upon  which  he  remained 
until  1830,  and  then  he  went  to  Franklin 
county,  where  he  purchased  eighty  acres. 
After  living  there  for  several  years  he  settled 
in  Grant  county,  where  he  lived  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  1851  Her  mother 
lived  until  1888,  when  she  passed  away  at  a 
ripe  old  age.  Both  were  members  of  the  Bap- 
tist church  from  childhood  to  the  end  of  their 
lives.  Mr.  Beuoy  was  married  to  Esseignor 
Furnish,  August  27,  1840,  and  the  fruit  of 
this  marriage  were  the  following  children; 
Catherine,  Emeline  and  Mary,  all  deceased; 
Benjamin  T. , married  Catherine  Grimes  and 
lives  in  Washington  township;  Emily,  wife  of 
Edgar  Grimes,  and  Amanda,  deceased.  The 
father  of  these  children  was  a strong  republi- 
can, and  took  an  active  part  in  matters  polit- 
ical. 


BRANK  BFAKEFY,  the  courteous  and 
thriving  general  merchant  of  Gas- 
ton, Washington  township,  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  was  born  in  Randolph 
county,  Ind.,  September  15,  1855.  His  par- 
ents, William  B.  and  Feah  A.  (Fyon)  Blake- 
ly, came  from  Clinton  county,  Ohio,  in  1852, 
and  sttled  on  the  farm  near  Farmland,  Mon- 
roe township,  Randolph  county,  where  the 
father  died  in  1887.  The  mother  still  sur- 
vives, together  with  three  sons  and  one  daugh- 


786 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


ter,  one  son  having  died  at  the  age  of  five 
years.  The  Lyon  family  is  of  English  origin, 
and  Mrs.  Leah  Blakely  is  the  niece  of  Gen. 
Lyon,  who  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Wilson’s 
Creek,  Mo.,  August  lO,  1861,  while  gallantly 
charging  the  enemy.  Mrs.  Blakely  also  had 
three  brothers  in  the  Union  army  under  the 
intrepid  Gen.  W.  T.  Sherman. 

Frank  Blakely  performed  the  regular  labor 
of  a farm  life  until  fifteen  years  of  age,  re- 
ceiving his  elementary  education  at  the  dis- 
trict school,  and  then  being  sent  to  a higher 
grade,  until  prepared  to  engage  in  teaching, 
which  vocation  he  followed  for  several  years. 
Later,  while  attending  college  at  Ridgeville, 
Ind.,  Mr.  Blakely,  in  1879,  becanre  acquaint- 
ed with  his  future  wife.  Miss  Nellie  Rowley, 
who  was  the  preceptor  of  music  in  the  same 
college.  This  acquaintanceship  ripened  into 
love,  and  June  28,  1883,  at  the  home  in  Stur- 
gis, Mich. , the  two  were  united  in  matrimony,  and 
at  once  located  in  Albany,  fnd.,  where  Mr. 
Blakely  had  for  some  years  been  engaged  in 
the  dry  goods  business.  There  came  to  bless 
this  happy  union  two  children,  a boy  and  a 
girl,  named  Karl  and  Nina,  the  girl  now  aged 
nine  and  the  boy  seven  years.  But  in  Octo- 
ber, 1892,  the  young  mother  was  seized  with 
typhoid  fever,  and  lingered  until  November  17, 
following,  when  death  claimed  her  for  his  own. 
She  was  a most  exemplary  Christian,  and 
strove  to  soften  the  ills  and  asperities  of  life 
whenever  within  her  power.  She  felt  more 
the  pang  of  parting  with  her  most  helpless 
children,  still  almost  in  their  infancy,  than  she 
did  the  sting  of  the  enemy  of  life,  but  she 
meekly  bowed  to  the  will  of  God.  She  was 
much  beloved  by  her  sorrowing  husband,  and 
loved  and  respected  by  her  numerous  acquaint- 
ances and  the  large  circle  of  friends,  who  held 
her  very  dear. 

The  father  of  Mrs.  Blakely  was  also  a war- 
rior-patriot, and  fell  in  the  battle  of  the  Wil- 


derness, while  fighting  under  Gen.  Grant.  Mr. 
Blakely,  since  his  residence  in  Washington 
township,  has  won  many  warm  friends,  and  by 
sound  and  substantial  business  methods,  his 
business  has  had  a very  rapid  and  profitable 
increase  since  the  first  establishment  of  the 
store. 


C.  BRADDOCK  is  a well  known 
citizen  of  Washington  township, 
whose  many  good  qualities  have 
endeared  him  to  the  people  of  his 
community.  He  was  born  in  Greene  county. 
Pa.,  April  27,  1833,  being  the  son  of  David 
G.  and  Susan  (Crow)  Braddock.  His  father 
was  born  May  9,  1807,  and  his  mother  in  1808, 
both  in  the  above  county  and  state.  His 
parents  remained  in  Greene  county  until  their 
death;  the  father  was  a farmer  who  acquired 
250  acres  of  land.  He  died  in  1889,  having 
survived  his  wife  forty-three  years.  They 
were  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  of 
which  he  was  a ruling  elder.  The  father  was 
of  German  descent.  M.  C.  Braddock  lived 
with  his  parents  until  he  was  twenty-one,  obe- 
dient to  them,  and  then  he  worked  for  his 
father  until  he  was  twenty-seven  years  old.  In 
the  year  1864  he  enlisted  in  company  A, 
Eleventh  Pennsylvania  infantry,  and  remained 
in  the  service  until  June  17,  1865.  He  parti- 
cipated in  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness,  of  Five 
Forks,  and  was  under  fire  every  day  after  that 
engagement  until  the  surrender  of  General 
Lee.  He  received  a slight  wound  in  the  hip, 
caused  by  a musket  ball,  and  receives  a pen- 
sion of  six  dollars  per  month.  After  the  war  Mr. 
Braddock  engaged  in  farming  on  eighty  acres  of 
land  in  Greene  county.  Pa.  This  he  sold  in 
1870,  and  moved  to  his  present  farm  in  Washing- 
ton township,  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  consisting 
of  165  acres.  Here  he  has  engaged  in  farm- 
ing ever  since,  as  well  as  stock  raising,  hand- 


WASHINGTON  TOWNSHIP. 


787 


ling  a great  many  sheep.  He  was  married 
April  2 1,  1 860,  to  Mary  Carter,  who  was  born 
in  Greene  county.  Pa.,  in  1835,  S-^d  died  in 
1863.  By  this  marriage  he  had  one  child, 
Viola,  wife  of  George  Reasoner.  Mr.  Brad- 
dock’s  second  marriage  was  solemnized  Octo- 
tober  6,  1 870,  with  Mrs.  Mary  Ann  Miller,  who 
was  born  December  22,  1837.  She  was  the 
widow  of  Abraham  Miller,  a native  of  Mus- 
kingum county,  Ohio.  Mr.  Miller  was  born 
in  1832,  and  died  in  1868,  owning,  at  the  time 
of  his  death,  200  acres  of  land.  Mrs.  Brad- 
dock  is  the  daughter  of  Nancy  and  John  (John- 
son) Crow,  her  father  being  a native  of  Greene 
county,  Ohio,  and  her  mother  of  Guernsey 
county,  Ohio.  Her  father  came  to  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  in  1836,  and  made  a great  deal 
of  money,  having  given  his  children  960  acres 
of  land.  He  died  July  9,  1891,  and  the  mother 
died  December  9,  1887;  both  being  members 
of  the  Presbyterian  church.  In  politics  her 
father  was  a republican,  and  warmly  supported 
the  ticket  of  that  party. 

Mr.  Braddock  held  the  office  of  justice  of 
the  peace  for  two  terms,  and  has  in  other 
ways  been  identified  with  the  interest  of  the 
community.  He  is  a worthy  man,  and  much 
esteemed  by  all  who  know  him. 


ACKSON  BROCK  was  born  March  5, 
1828,  near  New  Burlington,  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  and  resided  with  his  par- 
ents until  he  had  reached  the  age  of 
twenty-one  years.  His  parents  were  Sherod 
and  Mary  Brock,  the  former  having  been  born 
March  13,  1781,  in  Tennessee;  he  came  from 
there  when  still  a young  man  and  settled  in 
Wayne  county,  Ind.,  where  he  remained  for  a 
period  of  two  years,  and  then  bought  land  in 
Perry  township,  county  of  Delaware.  He  sold 
this  in  1834  and  purchased  more  land  in  Dela- 


ware county,  but  one  year  later  disposed  of 
his  country  real  estate  near  Muncie,  rented 
land  and  worked  at  shoemaking  for  a few 
years.  He  spent  his  remaining  days  with  his 
son,  the  subject  of  this  mention,  and  died 
August  8,  1858. 

Jackson  Brock  grew  up  in  the  country,  and 
like  most  farmer  lads,  had  but  few  educational 
advantages.  He  lived  on  the  home  place, 
assisting  in  the  labor  incident  thereto,  until 
1854,  when  he  bought  a piece  of  land  and 
went  to  work  for  himself.  He  has  continued 
this  until,  at  the  present  time,  he  is  the 
owner  of  ninety-six  acres  of  good  Indiana  soil. 
Mr.  Brock  takes  an  interest  in  his  farm,  for  he 
alone  has  earned  it,  $17  representing  all  of  the 
assistance  he  received  from  any  source  what- 
ever. Politically  he  is  a republican,  is  a 
member  of  the  United  Brethren  church,  and  is 
one  of  the  worthy  and  reliable  citizens  of  the 
township. 

Mr.  Brock  has  been  twice  married;  his 
first  wife  was  Elizabeth  Barrett,  born  in  1831, 
daughter  of  Jacob  and  Sarah  Barrett.  They 
were  married  June  7,  1849,  had  a family 
of  five  children,  William,  deceased,  Samantha 
Ann,  Lydia  Jane,  deceased,  Jonathan  Wesley, 
and  Mai'y  Emily,  deceased.  Mrs.  Brock’s  par- 
ents were  natives  of  Ohio,  where  Mr.  Barrett 
carried  on  farming.  In  1 864,  Mr.  Brock  mar- 
ried his  present  wife.  Miss  Malissa  Rhodes, 
born  in  Ohio,  in  1843,  daughter  of  George 
and  Elizabeth  Rhodes,  and  the  follow- 
ing children  have  been  born  of  this  union; 
Jacob  Sherod;  Andrew  Jackson;  Van  Buren 
and  Elizabeth  Etta.  The  family  are  all 
attendants  at  the  United  Brethren  church  and 
are  highly  esteemed  throughout  the  community. 

It  will  be  seen  that  Mr.  Brock  has  been 
the  architect  of  his  own  fortune,  and  his  ex- 
ample is  one  that  is  well  worthy  the  imitation 
of  the  rising  generation  of  Delaware  county,  as 
well  as  elsewhere. 


788 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


RYAN  BROTHERS  represent  one  of 
the  most  flourishing  business  houses 
of  the  town  of  New  Corner,  Dela- 
ware county,  Ind.  The  elder,  R.  J. 
Bryan,  was  born  in  Washington  township, 
Delaware  county,  December  i6,  1852,  and 
William  R.  Bryan,  the  junior  partner,  was 
born  November  17,  1866,  sons  of  John  and 
Sarah  (Bryan)  Bryan,  who  were  natives  of 
Virginia  and  Ohio,  respectively.  They  married 
in  this  county  September  2,  1850,  and  imme- 
diately located  in  Washington  township,  with 
which  they  were  so  well  pleased  that  they 
spent  the  rest  of  their  lives  there.  They 
reared  a family  of  eight  children,  as  follows: 
Mary  E.,  R.  J.,  Jennie,  Erank,  Laura,  Anna, 
William  R.  and  Walter  I.  The  father  of 
this  family  died  in  October,  1882,  and  the 
mother  resides  with  her  son.  They  always 
always  belonged  to  the  Methodist  church,  and 
were  good  and  worthy  people  in  every  way. 
Mr.  Bryan  followed  farming  all  of  his  life,  and 
at  death  left  an  estate  of  120  acres  of  land. 

R.  J.  Bryan  grew  up  in  his  home  under 
parental  care,  receiving  a good  common  school 
education,  and  he  himself  taught  school  for 
seven  terms  in  the  county  before  he  was 
twenty-four  years  old.  He  was  married  Au- 
gust 3,  1876,  in  this  township  to  Miss  Lydia 
J.  Clemens,  born  in  Ohio,  a daughter  of 
William  D.  and  Sarah  E.  (Jones)  Clemens, 
who  were  natives  of  Ohio,  and  of  English  de- 
scent. By  this  marriage  there  were  born 
three  children:  Flossie,  deceased;  Bessie  and 
Bertha.  In  their  religious  connection  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Bryan  are  Methodists.  Politically, 
both  brothers  are  republicans  and  take  promi- 
nent parts  in  local  affairs.  In  1877,  R.  J. 
Bryan  began  farming,  at  which  he  continued 
until  1883,  when  he  engaged  in  general  mer- 
chandise, following  the  latter  until  1888,  when 
he  took  in  a partner  in  the  person  of  his 
brother,  since  which  time,  the  firm  has  done 


a flourishing  business  of  several  thousands  of 
dollars  annually.  He  has  been  a hard  worker 
and  says  that  his  success  in  life  has  come  from 
I close  application  to  the  work  in  hand, 
j William  R.  Bryan,  the  junior  member  of 
the  firm,  was  reared  on  the  farm,  educated  in 
the  public  school,  and  afterward  took  a course 
at  Danville,  Ind.  In  March,  1888,  he  went 
into  business  with  his  brother.  He  is  a young 
man  much  respected  in  the  village  and  is  con- 
sidered a good  business  man. 


ARRIET  WILSON  BROYLES  is 
the  widow  of  Anderson  Broyles,  one 
of  the  most  prosperous  farmers  of 
Washington  township,  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  a good  and  worthy  man  who 
left  a large  estate  of  500  acres  to  his  survivors. 
Mrs.  Broyles  was  born  April  9,  1812,  in  the 
state  of  Kentucky,  a daughter  of  Robert  and 
Mary  (Scott)  Wilson,  also  natives  of  the  same 
state.  They  came  to  Decatur  county,  Ind., 
when  Mrs.  Broyles  was  eight  years  old,  there 
engaged  in  farming  and  entered  land.  They 
lived  in  a tent  until  they  could  build  the  house 
in  which  they  lived  until  their  death  On 
February  20,  1835,  the  subject  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Anderson  Broyles,  who  was 
born  in  Greenville  county,  Va. , August  19, 
1812,  and  died  December  29,  1889.  He  had 
immigrated  with  his  father  from  Virginia  to 
Rush  county,  Ind.,  in  1834,  and  afterwards 
lived  in  the  state  of  Illinois  for  some  time,  but 
in  1837  removed  to  the  western  part  of 
Washington  township,  Ind.,  which  at  that 
time  was  a wilderness.  Industry  and  perse- 
verance made  him  successful,  and  he  had  the 
satisfaction  of  knowing  that  he  had  provided 
well  for  those  dependent  upon  him.  His 
father  had  a large  family,  but  two  children 
only  of  his  are  left,  these  being  Madison,  of 


WASHINGTON  TOWNSHIP. 


789 


this  county,  and  Joseph  of  Wright  county, 
Mo.  For  fifty-five  years  he  was  a consistent 
member  of  the  Methodist  church,  in  which 
body  Mrs.  Broyles  also  holds  a membership. 
Mr.  Broyles  was  a son  of  Ephraim  and  Eliza- 
beth (Harvey)  Broyles,  natives  of  Virginia. 
He  did  not  rear  as  large  a family  as  his  father, 
but  as  his  death  left  a widow  and  five  children 
to  mourn  his  decease,  together  with  a large 
number  of  friends.  His  remains  were  laid  to 
rest  in  the  Zion  cemetery.  His  family  were  as 
follows:  James  T. , John  W. , Nancy,  de- 
ceased, William  H.,  Lewis  H.,  Irena,  died 
February  i,  1851,  and  Joseph  A.  Mrs. 
Broyles  manages  her  fine  estate  with  wisdom 
and  intelligence  and  is  one  of  the  most  re- 
spected residents  of  the  township. 


HOMAS  BROYLES  (deceased)  was 
born  May  6,  1817,  in  Virginia,  and 
when  a young  man  came  to  Rush 
county,  Ind.,  and  engaged  in  team- 
ing, hauling  goods  from  Cincinnati  to  Rich- 
land. When  he  married  he  gave  up  teaming 
and  went  to  work  on  his  uncles’s  farm  by  the 
month  for  two  years,  and  then  came  to  this 
county.  This  was  in  1830,  and  he  located 
near  his  present  farm  in  W ashington  township, 
entering  forty  acres,  right  in  the  wilderness. 
He  was  obliged  to  borrow  $50  to  begin  with, 
and  by  hard  work  and  good  management  he 
made  a success  of  life,  owning  400  acres  at  the 
time  of  his  death.  He  was  united  in  marriage 
February  22,  1838,  with  Sarah  Ann  (Lyon) 
Broyles,  who  was  born  February  10,  1817,  in 
Bourbon  county,  Ky.  She  was  the  daughter 
of  John  L.  and  Margaret  (Sharp)  Lyon,  both 
parents  natives  of  Kentucky.  They  came  to 
Rush  county,  Ind.,  in  an  early  day,  and  en- 
tered eighty  acres  of  land.  He  was  a carpen- 
ter and  worked  at  the  trade  in  connection  with 


farming.  He  and  his  wife  were  members  of 
the  Methodist  church.  The  father  of  Mrs. 
Broyles  voted  the  democratic  ticket  up  to  the 
beginning  of  the  war,  when  he  joined  the  re- 
publican party  and  remained  loyal  to  it  until 
his  death;  which  occurred  a number  of  years 
ago.  His  wife  likewise  is  dead.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Broyles  are  the  parents  of  two  children: 
Margaret  Elizabeth,  wife  of  John  Harris,  and 
Joseph  William,  who  married  Miss  Mary 
Broyles. 


ANNAH  McCREERY  BROWN.— 
The  well  known  lady  whose  name 
introduces  the  present  sketch  is  the 
widow  of  William  Brown,  who,  during 
life,  was  one  of  the  largest  land  owners  and 
most  prominent  men  of  Washington  township, 
Delaware  county,  Ind.  She  was  born  March 
24,  1831,  in  Tuscarawas  county,  Ohio,  a 
daughter  of  Samuel  McCreery,  whose  sketch 
appears  elsewhere  in  this  volume.  In  1851 
she  was  united  in  marriage  with  James  Mar- 
shall, who  was  born  in  Harrison  township  and 
who  engaged  in  farming  there  until  the  date  of 
his  death.  He  left  two  children,  but  both  of 
whom  are  deceased,  namely:  Rhoda  Catherine, 
and  Elizabeth.  Some  time  later  Mrs.  ISIar- 
shall  married  Mr.  William  Myers,  a native  of 
Clinton  county,  Ohio,  who  came  to  the  county 
of  Delaware  when  a young  man.  Again  she 
was  left  a widow  with  three  children,  Mary 
Ellen,  now  the  wife  of  Frank  Johnson,  Lavina 
Ann  and  Jacob  Henry,  the  last  two  of  whom 
are  deceased. 

Mrs.  Myers  is  a womrn  of  agreeable  nature 
and  of  sociable  temperament,  eminently  fitted 
to  make  a pleasant  home  for  a husband,  and 
March  20,  1867,  she  was  married  to  William 
Brown.  He  was  born  in  Ohio,  and  had  come 
to  this  county  at  an  early  day  and  located  in 
Washington  township,  where  his  father  had 


790 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


previously  entered  a piece  of  land.  After  the 
death  of  the  latter,  William  bought  the  old 
home  place.  He  was  a man  of  prominence 
and  was  successful  in  a financial  way,  owning, 
at  the  time  of  his  lamented  demise,  520  acres 
of  fine  land,  which  is  now  managed  by  his 
widow.  In  politics,  Mr.  Brown  was  a demo- 
crat, and  was  an  important  factor  in  the 
deliberations  of  his  party  in  local  affairs. 
Both  he  and  his  wife  were  valued  members  of 
the  Methodist  church.  Beside  his  widow,  he 
left  the  following  children;  Sarah  Catherine, 
the  wife  of  Otis  Broyles;  Cora  Eddie,  the  wife 
of  Frank  Hayden;  and  Rebecca  Leona,  the 
wife  of  William  Shipley, 


LFRED  CAMPBELL  is  a native  of 
Indiana,  having  been  born  in  Jeffer- 
son county,  May  12,  1819.  He  is 
very  active  for  his  years,  and  is  held 
in  very  high  esteem  by  his  neighbors.  Mr. 
Campbell  is  the  son  of  James  and  Sarah 
(McClure)  Campbell;  his  father  a native  of 
Culpeper  county,  Va. , and  his  mother  of 
Pennsylvania.  The  father  immigrated  with 
his  parents  to  Kentucky  when  very  young;  re- 
mained there  several  years,  and  then  came 
with  the  family  to  Jefferson  county,  Ind.,  and 
entered  160  acres  of  land,  where  he  remained 
until  within  a few  months  of  his  death,  when 
he  sold  and  moved  to  Ripley  county,  Ind. , and 
purchased  eighty  acres.  He  made  farming  his 
principal  business,  and  died  in  1829.  At  that 
time  Alfred  Campbell  was  but  ten  years  old, 
and  he  remained  with  his  mother  until  he  was 
twenty-two  years  old,  being  her  mainstay 
after  he  was  old  enough  to  understand  and  per- 
form the  duties  of  the  farm.  Alfred  Campbell 
was  united  in  marriage,  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
two,  to  Sarah  Nicholson,  of  Ripley  county. 
Ind.,  born  September  18,  1841.  She  is  the 


daughter  of  George  and  Sarah  (Basset)  Nichol- 
son. Her  parents  were  natives  of  Holmes  coun- 
ty, W.  Va.  George  Nicholson  immigrated  with 
his  parents  to  Kentucky  when  a boy;  remained 
there  until  after  his  marriage,  and  then  brought 
his  family  to  Ripley  county,  Ind.,  where  he 
purchased  land  and  settled  and  finally  died. 
He  was  very  successful  as  a farmer,  and  accu- 
mulated considerable  land.  He  and  wife  were 
of  Scotch  descent,  and  were  members  of  the 
Baptist  church. 

After  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Campbell  he 
rented  a farm  for  four  years  in  Ripley  county, 
and  then  bought  forty  acres,  upon  which  he 
remained  six  years;  then  came  to  Delaware 
county  and  located  upon  his  present  farm  in 
Washington  township,  consisting  of  eighty 
acres,  all  of  which  was  in  timber  at  the  time 
of  the  purchase.  He  has  remained  upon  this 
property  ever  since,  and  now  owns  no  acres, 
all  of  which  are  under  cultivation.  Mr. 
Campbell  has  always  been  a farmer,  but  has 
devoted  a great  deal  of  his  time  in  the  past 
thirty  years  to  the  work  of  the  ministry.  He 
has  never  received  any  pay  to  speak  of  for  his 
services,  his  church,  the  Missionary  Baptist, 
engaging  his  services  in  establishing  new 
places  of  worship  where  the  congregations 
were  small  and  unable  to  give  him  any  stated 
salary.  He  and  his  wife  have  been  members 
of  that  church  for  upwards  of  fifty  years.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Campbell  are  the  parents  of  the  fol- 
lowing children;  Jeanetta,  George,  and  Will- 
iam Oliver,  deceased;  Sarah  Ann,  wife  of 
James  Stace,  a blacksmith  of  this  township; 
Cynthia,  deceased;  Acha,  wife  of  S.  W.  Hay- 
den, a farmer  of  Washington  township,  and 
Jane,  wife  of  David  Williams,  also  a farmer 
of  the  same  township.  In  politics  Mr.  Camp- 
bell is  a republican,  and  believes  that  the 
safety  of  the  country  demands  the  continued 
success  of  that  party,  consequently,  he  ardent- 
ly works  for  it. 


WASHINGTON  TOWNSHIP. 


791 


ILLIAM  A.  CLEMENS  was  born 
in  Randolph  county,  Ind. , January, 
II,  1834,  and  is  the  son  of  Dr. 
William  D.  and  Sarah  (Jones)  Cle- 
mens. The  parents  came  originally  from  Ohio, 
and  were  married  at  Fairview,  Randolph 
county,  Ind.,  in  April,  1832.  The  married 
couple  located  at  Fairview,  and  here  Mr.  Cle- 
mens engaged  in  the  shoemaking  business  for 
a living,  and  at  the  same  time  studied  medi- 
cine. He  was  of  the  old  school,  and  began 
practicing  medicine  in  Alexandria,  Madison 
county,  Ind.,  in  1862,  and  remained  there  for 
four  years,  when  he  came  to  this  place,  and 
remained  until  his  death,  which  occurred  July 
18,  1889.  He  remains  are  in  the  Odd  Fellows’ 
cemetery  at  Cumberland,  Grant  county,  Ind. 
The  widow  is  now  the  favorite  milliner  of  that 
place.  They  are  the  parents  of  two  children: 
William  A.,  and  Lydia  J.,  the  wife  of  R.  J. 
Bryan.  Dr.  Clemens  was  a republican  in 
politics,  and  was  moderately  successful  in  life, 
and  both  he  and  wife  were  members  of  the 
Methodist  church. 

William  A.  Clemens  was  practically  reared 
in  the  village  of  Fairview,  and  came  from  that 
place  to  Delaware  county.  He  received  a 
good  common  school  education,  and  began 
life  for  himself  at  the  age  of  seventeen  by 
teaching  school  in  the  winter.  He  then  served 
under  Thomas  Stubbs  at  the  carpenter  trade 
for  three  years,  and  has  followed  the  same 
ever  since.  He  was  married  February  28, 
1875,  to  Martha  Burgess,  who  was  born  in 
Delaware  county,  Ind.,  August  2,  1854,  the 
daughter  of  David  and  Elizabeth  (Bryan)  Bur- 
gess— the  family  of  German  extraction.  To 
this  union  there  have  been  born  three  children 
— Omer  E.,  Joseph  C.  and  Harry  M.  Mr. 
Clemens  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Method- 
ist Protestant  church.  He  was  elected  justice 
of  the  peace  in  1888,  entered  upon  the  duties 
of  office  in  April,  1889,  and  has  served  in  that 


capacity  with  fidelity,  and  to  the  satisfaction 
of  the  public  to  the  present  time,  having  been 
re-elected  since  that  date  In  politics  Mr. 
Clemens  is  a republican,  and  takes  an  active 
interest  in  all  matters  relating  to  the  success 
of  that  party. 


OHN  DUNN  a prominent  and  popular 
citizen  of  Washington  township,  was 
born  in  Monroe  county,  Ohio,  August 
26,  1829.  He  is  the  son  of  John  and 
Cathander  (Knight)  Dunn.  The  father  was 
born  in  1775,  in  Monongalia  county,  Va. , and 
the  mother  in  Monroe  county,  Ohio.  'John 
Dunn  went  to  Monroe  county,  when  a young 
man,  and  remained  there  until  his  marriage. 
Following  this  event  he  engaged  in  farming, 
and  pursued  that  occupation  in  Ohio  until 
1832,  at  which  date  he  came  to  Delaware 
county,  Ind. , locating  in  Washington  town- 
ship, on  160  acres  of  land,  in  section  15.  He 
afterward  bought  24a  acres,  but  remained  on 
the  first  purchase  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred in  1865.  His  wife  died  in  1863,  both 
being  members  of  the  Baptist  church.  The 
father  was  a democrat  until  1856,  and  then  he 
became  a republican. 

John  Dunn  remained  obedient  to  his  par- 
ents until  he  was  twenty-one,  and  then  rented 
his  father’s  farm  until  the  death  of  the  latter, 
when  he  inherited  eighty  acres,  and  bought  an 
adjoining  eighty  acres,  living  upon  this  land 
for  ten  or  twelve  years,  and  then  bought  100 
acres  of  his  present  farm  in  section  10,  Wash- 
ington township.  At  the  present  time  he  owns 
eighty  acres  in  section  15,  and  280  in  section 
10,  upon  which  he  has  erected  one  of  the 
handsomest  residences  in  the  township. 

Mr.  Dunn  was  married  September  3,  1854, 
to  Sarepta  Littler,  born  February  24,  1843,  in 
Grant  caunty,  Ind.  She  was  the  daughter  of 
Thomas  and  Susan  (Fry)  Littler.  Her  father 


792 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


was  born  in  Hardy  county  (now  W.  Va. ),  in 
1802,  and  her  mother  in  the  same  county  in 
1805.  The  father  removed  to  Grant  county, 
Ind. , with  his  wife,  in  1829,  and  entered  120 
acres  of  land;  afterward  buying  138  acres  more. 
Mrs.  Littler  died  in  1869,  and  her  husband  in 
1883.  They  were  members  of  the  Methodist 
church,  and  were  worthy  and  greatly  respected 
people. 

To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dunn  were  born  the  fol- 
lowing children;  Rosetta,  wife  of  John  Dorton, 
a farmer  of  this  township;  Sylvester,  married 
Angeline  Richards,  living  in  Jefferson  town- 
ship, Grant  county,  a farmer;  Thomas  L. , at 
home;  Alma  Amanda,  wife  of  Henry  Dooling, 
of  Grant  county;  Emma  May,  at  home.  Mrs. 
Dunn  died  August  27,  1893,  and  her  remains 
rest  in  New  Cumberland  cemetery.  Mr.  Dunn 
is  a firm  believer  in  the  teachings  of  the  dem- 
ocratic party,  and  gives  it  a hearty  support  at 
every  election. 


OHN  C.  DUNN,  a highly  respected 
citizen  of  Washington  township,  was 
born  in  Blackford  county,  Ind.,  August 
28,  1840,  and  is  the  son  of  Thomas 
and  Sarah  (Reasoner)  Dunn,  the  father  having 
been  born  in  Pennsylvania  in  1812,  and  the 
mother  in  Ohio  in  1815.  Thomas  Dunn  emi- 
grated with  his  parents  to  Virginia  when  a boy, 
remained  there  a short  time,  and  accompanied 
them  to  Henry  county,  Ind.  He  lived  with 
his  parents  until  he  was  of  age,  and  then 
learned  the  carpenter’s  trade.  About  this  time 
he  entered  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Washington 
township,  Delaware  county,  which  he  after- 
ward traded  for  another  eighty  acres  in  the 
same  township,  in  section  10.  This  was  about 
the  year  1842.  In  1865,  he  bought  the  Cum- 
berland mills  in  Grant  county,  and  operated 
them  until  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occur- 
red in  November,  1881.  This  enterprising 


man  also  owned  an  interest  in  the  Elizabeth 
mills  in  Washington  township,  now  operated 
by  his  son,  John  C.  He  likewise  owned  eighty 
acres  of  land  in  Jefferson  township.  Grant 
county,  and  forty  acres  in  Washington  town- 
ship, Delaware  county.  This  property  was 
cleared  by  his  own  industry  and  good  manage- 
ment. He  filled  the  office  of  township  trustee 
for  sixteen  years,  and  took  a very  active  part 
in  politics,  always  supporting  the  republican 
ticket.  He  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  church,  in  which  faith  she  lived 
and  died  in  1890. 

John  C.  Dunn’s  boyhood  days  were  spent 
upon  the  farm,  where  he  acquired  a thorough 
knowledge  of  farming.  He  enlisted  in  1862 
in  the  Eighty-fourth  Indiana  infantry  for  three 
years,  or  during  the  war,  all  of  which  time  he 
served  except  one  month,  taking  part  in  the 
Atlanta  campaign,  and  was  in  the  following 
battles:  Buzzard’s  Roost,  Pulaski,  Duck  River, 
Eranklin  and  Nashville.  In  the  last  named 
battle  he  was  wounded  in  the  knee  by  a minie 
ball,  and  was  in  the  hospital  for  five  days. 
He  was  mustered  out  in  June,  1865,  having 
served  throughout  the  entire  war.  He  has 
never  made  application  for  a pension.  Upon 
his  return  home  he  worked  for  his  father  one 
year  in  the  mills,  and  then  traveled  for  a few 
months  in  Iowa  and  Illinois  and  the  northern 
part  of  this  state. 

Mr.  Dunn  was  married  May  19,  1870,  to 
Sarah  Horner,  born  in  Darke  county,  Ohio,  in 
1843,  daughter  of  Andrew  and  Nancy  (Walker) 
Horner,  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  Her  father 
was  a farmer  of  Grant  county,  Ind.  Mrs. 
Dunn  died  February  22,  1891,  and  was  buried 
in  Elizabethtown  cemetery.  She  was  the 
mother  of  one  child,  Della,  wife  of  William 
R.  Janney,  a farmer  of  this  township.  Mr. 
Dunn  married  again  October  25,  1892, 

the  maiden  name  of  his  wife  being 
Clara  E.  Irwin,  born  in  Clinton  county, 


WASHINGTON  TOWNSHIP. 


793 


Ohio,  October  30,  1852.  She  is  the  daughter 
of  Joseph  and  Nancy  (Killian)  Irvin,  the  father 
having  been  born  February  24,  1817,  in 
Fayette  county,  Ohio,  and  the  mother  in 
Clinton  county,  Ohio,  April  ii,  1825.  The 
father  was  a cabinet  maker,  and  followed  that 
trade  all  his  life.  In  the  year  1856  he  settled 
at  Atlanta,  Logan  county.  111.,  where  he  re- 
mained until  his  death,  which  occurred  De- 
cember 22,  1888.  He  was  an  active  member 
of  the  Christian  church,  and  was  the  deacon 
in  that  body  for  years.  Mr.  Irvin  was  a 
strong  supporter  of  the  republican  party.  His 
widow  is  living  with  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Dunn. 

J.  C.  Dunn  is  a deacon  in  the  Presbyterian 
church,  and  his  wife  is  a member  of  the 
Christian  church.  In  politics  he  is  a republi- 
can, and  always  takes  a lively  interest  in 
elections.  Mr.  Dunn  has  been  in  the  milling 
business  since  1866;  first  in  Cumberland,  and 
then  in  the  Elizabeth  mills;  being  now  owner 
of  the  latter,  and  doing  an  excellent  business. 
He  also  own  a store  at  that  place,  where  he 
sells  all  kinds  of  merchandise.  In  addition  to 
this  property  he  owns  fifteen  acres  of  land 
adjoining  the  mills,  and  is  in  very  prosperous 
circumstances. 


OSIAH  FERGUSON  is  a native  of 
Southampton  county,  Va. , and  the 
youngest  of  six  children  of  William  and 
Mary  (Glovier)  Eerguson,  as  follows: 
Nancy,  Drew,  Lydia,  Tabitha,  Jane  and  Josiah. 
But  little  is  known  of  the  history  of  his  ancestors, 
the  father  dying  when  Josiah  was  but  ten 
years  of  age,  leaving  him  to  the  care  of  his 
aged  mother  and  sisters.  The  family  left  their 
native  state  and  emigrated  westward  to  Ohio 
about  the  year  1834.  The  journey  through  a 
sparsely  settled  country  was  an  undertaking  of 
no  little  magnitude,  and  Josiah  and  his  sisters 
were  compelled  to  traverse  the  greater  part  of 


the  distance  to  their  new  home  on  foot.  After 
consuming  about  five  weeks  on  the  road,  the 
family  reached  Clinton  county,  Ohio,  and 
settled  in  a comparative  wilderness,  where  Mr. 
Eerguson  began  clearing  a farm.  He  possessed 
a strong  rugged  nature,  and  it  is  stated  that  he 
become  one  of  the  strongest  and  most  able 
bodied  men  in  the  community  where  he  resided. 
He  worked  early  and  late,  and  was  a true  type 
of  those  hardy  pioneers  through  whose  efforts 
civilization  was  introduced  into  the  great  states 
of  Ohio  and  Indiana.  In  1848  Mr.  Ferguson 
came  to  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  and  purchased 
a small  tract  of  land  in  Harrison  township, 
and  at  once  went  to  work  with  his  characteristic 
energy  to  make  it  habitable  for  the  family.  In 
1856  he  embarked  in  business  in  what  is  now 
known  as  the  village  of  Gaston,  which  ven- 
ture proved  unsuccessful,  and  he  returned  to 
his  farm,  where,  until  the  close  of  life,  he  de- 
voted his  attention,  exclusively,  to  the  pursuits 
of  agriculture.  A few  months  previous  to  his 
death  he  suffered  a stroke  of  paralysis,  from 
the  effects  of  which  he  never  entirely  recovered. 
The  infirmities  ot  age,  together  with  the  ail- 
ment mentioned,  brought  on  the  disease  which 
ended  his  life;  he  died  on  the  30th  day  of 
October,  1891,  aged  seventy-five  years,  nine 
months  and  sixteen  days.  Susan  Ferguson, 
wife  of  Josiah  Ferguson,  was  born  in  North- 
ampton county,  N.  C, , June  9,  1823,  and  was 
the  daughter  of  Josiah  and  Tabitha  Oliver. 
From  the  best  information  obtainable,  her 
ancestors  came  from  the  British  Isles  and 
snttled  in  North  Carolina,  at  a period  ante- 
dating the  revolutionary  struggle.  Her  father, 
Josiah  Oliver,  was  born  in  1782,  married  in 
1807,  Sallie  Nelson,  who  became  the  mother 
of  two  children;  Zachariah  and  Charlotte. 
The  former  died  in  early  life,  but  Charlotte 
became  the  wife  of  Drew  Ferguson,  who  in 
later  years  located  in  Grant  county,  Ind. 
After  the  death  of  his  first  wife  Josiah  Oliver 


794 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


married  Tabitha  Thorpe,  who  bore  him  the 
following  children:  Joseph,  John,  Charity, 

William,  James,  Susan,  Evart,  Edmund,  Mary, 
Thomas  and  Benjamin  Oliver.  In  1833  Mr. 
Oliver  met  with  the  loss  of  his  second  wife, 
and  a short  time  after  that  event  removed  to 
Ohio  with  his  large  family.  At  that  time 
Susan  Oliver  was  eleven  years  of  age,  and  of 
the  party  she  was  one  of  the  gayest,  and 
she  stood  the  trip  remarkably  well  con- 
sidering her  youth,  as  the  trip  had  to  be  made 
on  foot,  a distance  of  over  500  miles.  It  was 
while  on  this  journey  she  first  met  Mr.  Eergu- 
son,  who  a few  years  later  became  her  hus- 
band. He  was  then  with  a number  of  friends 
seeking  a new  home  in  the  western  country. 
Josiah  Ferguson  and  Susan  Oliver  were  mar- 
ried in  1838.  Being  in  very  poor  circum- 
stances, they  were  obliged  to  encounter  the 
vicissitudes  of  life  in  the  best  way  possible, 
and  he  soon  found  employment  in  the  family 
of  Mr.  Edward  Thorpe.  As  soon  as  sufficient 
money  could  be  procured,  Mr.  Ferguson  pro- 
cured the  necessary  household  effects  and  farm 
implements,  rented  a place  and  began  house- 
keeping. After  leasing  and  clearing  a consid- 
erable farm  in  Ohio,  he  concluded  to  better 
his  condition  by  emigrating  further  westward; 
accordingly  in  1848  the  family  removed  to 
Delaware  county,  Ind.  This  country  was  at 
that  time  quite  new,  deer  and  wolves  moved 
unmolested  through  the  thick  forests,  and  life 
in  the  woods  had  many  hardships  and  obsta- 
cles for  the  pioneer  family.  It  was  in  the  fall 
of  1848  that  the  new  house  was  reached,  and 
Mrs.  Ferguson,  who  still  survives  to  tell  the 
story  of  those  stirring  times,  recalls  with 
pleasure  the  many  meals  she  cooked  in  the 
hollow  stumps  and  the  many  days  and  nights 
of  toil  spent  with  her  husband  in  battling  with 
adverse  circumstances.  Mrs.  Ferguson  has 
reached  the  good  old  age  of  seventy  years. 
Sixteen  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 


Ferguson,  namely:  Lucinda,  Elizabeth,  Jane, 
George,  Ruth,  Mary,  Rhoda,  Emma,  Lydia, 
John,  Silas,  Daniel,  infant  son,  Caroline, 
Josiah  and  Joshua.  Of  the  above,  death  has 
claimed  Elizabeth,  Jane,  George,  Rhoda, 
Emma,  Lydia,  John,  and  Caroline  and  the 
infant,  which  died  without  being  named. 


AMUEL  GROOVER  is  a worthy  citi- 
zen and  successful  farmer  of  Wash- 
ington township,  who  was  born  in 
Pennsylvania,  September  20,  1833. 
Samuel  Groover  is  the  son  of  William  and 
Catherine  (Roderick)  Groover,  both  of  Penn- 
sylvania. The  father  moved  to  this  state  when 
Samuel  was  thirteen  years  old,  and  located  in 
Mount  Pleasant  township,  near  the  present 
site  of  Yorktown,  took  a lease,  and  was  en- 
gaged in  farming  until  1859,  the  period  of  his 
death.  His  wife  was  called  hence  in  1851; 
they  were  both  natives  of  Germany,  and  very 
worthy  and  good  people. 

Samuel  Groover  lived  with  his  parents 
throughout  his  minority,  and  then  rented  the 
farm  on  which  his  father  had  lived  in  Mount 
Pleasant  township.  After  two  years  he  bought 
his  present  farm,  consisting  of  forty-five  acres, 
which  is  in  a fine  state  of  cultivation.  This 
was  in  1867,  and  Mr.  Groover  has  continued 
to  reside  on  the  same  ever  since;  in  fact,  his 
entire  life  has  been  spent  as  a farmer. 

Mr.  Groover  was  married  May  20,  1854, 
to  Miss  Elizabeth  Schults,  who  was  born  in 
Ohio  in  1827,  the  daughter  of  Jacob  and 
Elizabeth  (McClurry)  Schults.  Her  father 
was  a native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  her  mother 
of  Ohio.  Jacob  Schults  went  to  Ohio  with 
his  parents  when  a young  man,  and  later 
moved  to  Indiana  when  the  wife  of  our  the 
subject  was  ten  years  old,  settling  near  York- 
town, and  engaging  in  farming,  which  he  fol- 


WASHINGTON  TOWNSHIP. 


795 


lowed  to  the  time  of  his  death.  Mrs.  Schults 
was  a member  of  the  Methodist  church,  and, 
like  her  husband,  was  of  German  descent.  To 
the  union  with  Miss  Schults  Mr.  Groover  is 
the  father  of  the  following  children:  Martha 

Ellen,  Esther,  Margaret,  deceased,  Gharles 
L. ; Mary  C.,  Amanda,  William  and  Rosetta, 
all  four  deceased. 


AVID  HEAL  is  an  old  and  highly  re- 
spected citizen  of  Washington  town- 
ship, Delaware  county,  Ind. , who 
was  born  November  5,  1823,  in 

Muskingum  county,  Ohio,  being  the  son  of 
William  and  Olive  (Carter)  Heal;  the  father 
was  born  October  29,  1791,  near  Belfast,  Me., 
and  the  mother  October  18,  1799,  in  the  same 
place;  the  father  died  April  16,  1847,  and  the 
mother  September  19,  1844.  William  Heal 
went  to  Muskingum  county  when  twenty-two 
years  old,  and  worked  in  a foundry  for  seven 
years,  after  which  he  was  employed  in  burning 
brick,  cutting  stone,  building  houses,  he  being 
a mechanical  genius,  who  could  turn  his  hand 
to  almost  anything.  In  1829  he  moved  to 
Indiana,  and  entered  200  acres  of  land  in 
Washington  township,  Delaware  county, 
which  at  that  time  was  virgin  forest.  He  and 
his  family  lived  by  a log  heap  until  he  erected 
a rude  cabin,  which  was  very  small,  and  only 
six  feet  in  pitch  to  the  ceiling.  William  lived 
to  see  100  acres  under  cultivation,  and  had  his 
family  in  a good  substantial  dwelling.  In 
those  days  most  of  the  marketing  was  done  at 
Cincinnati  and  Michigan  City.  He  was  the 
father  of  nine  children,  seven  of  whom  lived 
to  rear  families. 

David  Heal  lived  with  his  parents  until  he 
was  twenty-one,  his  boyhood  being  spent  in 
working  upon  the  farm,  splitting  rails;  and 
other  work  necessary  for  the  improvement  of 


the  place.  His  playmates  when  a boy  were 
chiefly  Indian  lads,  the  red  men  being  there  in 
numbers,  and  living  in  great  concord  with  the 
whites.  The  chances  for  an  education  were 
most  limited,  yet  David  so  improved  them, 
that  he  was  able  to  teach  school  when  twenty 
years  old.  He  taught  two  terms,  then  at- 
tended school  at  Muncie  for  six  months,  and 
then  resumed  teaching  for  five  terms,  receiv- 
ing from  $30  to  $50  for  seventy-two  days’ 
work.  Mr.  Heal  purchased  his  first  tract  of 
land  in  1848,  it  being  a share  of  his  father’s 
estate,  and  consisting  of  twenty-one  acres, 
worth  at  that  time  about  $290.  At  the  pres- 
ent time  he  owns  thirty-one  acres,  having 
given  his  children  127  acres.  He  is  one  of 
the  most  useful  men  in  the  township,  being 
public-spirited,  and  interesting  himself  in 
everything  that  will  advance  the  welfare 
of  the  community.  He  held  the  office 
of  justice  of  the  peace  for  sixteen  years, 
and  has  been  a notary  public  for  twenty 
years.  An  idea  of  the  confidence  that 
is  placed  in  him  may  be  seen  in  the  fact 
that  he  has  been  administrator  for  twenty-five 
different  estates,  all  of  which  were  satisfactorily 
settled.  He  was  married  May  21,  1848,  to 
Anna  Caroline  Rigdon,  born  May  24,  1831,  in 
Guernsey  county,  Ohio.  She  is  the  daughter 
of  Eli  Rigdon,  and  her  mother’s  maiden  name 
was  Nixon.  Her  father  came  to  this  state  in 
1838,  and  located  in  Blackford  county,  where 
he  bought  a grist  mill  and  managed  it  for  some 
time,  after  which  he  engaged  in  farming  for  a 
few  years,  and  then  came  to  Wheeling,  Dela- 
ware county,  where  he  was  a merchant  until 
his  death.  Mrs.  Heal  departed  this  life  Janu- 
ary 7,  1878,  and  her  remains  rest  in  Olive 
Branch  cemetery.  She  was  a good  mother,  a 
faithful  wife,  and  a consistent  member  of  the 
Christian  church.  The  children  by  this  mar- 
riage are:  George  E.  and  Anna  Lacy,  who  are 
also  members  of  the  Christian  church.  In  poli- 


796 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


tics  Mr.  Heal  is  a stanch  republican.  He  is 
living  a retired  life,  after  long  years  of  arduous 
labor,  and,  despite  his  age,  is  strong  as  a 
young  man  of  thirty. 


EWIS  J.  HOOKE,  a prominent 
farmer  and  successful  man  of  Wash- 
ington township,  Delaware  county, 
Ind. , was  born  in  Rockingham  coun- 
ty, Va.,  July  17,  1840,  a son  of  Jerry  and 

Anna  (McNett)  Hooke,  both  natives  of  the 
same  place.  By  trade  the  father  was  a car- 
penter, who  spent  his  whole  life  in  the  county 
of  his  birth,  and  died  when  Lewis  J.  was  six 
years  of  age.  Following  this  event,  Lewis  J. 
lived  with  Mr.  Elijah  Huffman  until  he  was 
nineteen  years  of  age,  and  then  learned  the 
trade  of  miller,  being  apprenticed  for  two 
years,  at  wages  of  $40  for  the  first  year  and 
$60  for  the  second  year.  He  filled  out  his 
contract,  serving  the  first  year  on  Mill  creek, 
Rockingham  county,  Va. , and  the  second  year 
in  Augusta  county,  on  Middle  river.  For  six 
months  he  served  as  a soldier  in  the  Confeder- 
ate army, having  been  pressed  into  the  service; 
in  1862,  went  to  Roanoke  county,  where  he 
worked  in  a mill  until  1864,  and  then  removed 
to  Logan  county,  Ohio.  In  the  state  of  Ohio 
Mr.  Hooke  remained  until  1865;  engaged  in 
the  milling  business,  at  which  date,  he  re- 
turned to  Roanoke  county,  Va. , and  engaged 
in  farming  for  a short  time,  subsequently  com- 
ing back  to  Logan  county,  Ohio,  where  for  a 
brief  period  he  continued  to  pursue  his  chosen 
calling.  Again  he  returned  to  the  state  of  his 
birth,  but  in  a short  time  came  back  to  Logan 
county,  Ohio,  and  after  engaging  in  milling  for 
a time  farmed  for  three  years.  Mr.  Hooke  then 
came  to  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  in  1873,  and 
located  on  his  present  farm  of  eighty-three 
acres  of  well  improved  land  in  Washington 


township,  and  as  agricultural  labor  proved 
remunerative  he  has  devoted  the  greater  por- 
tion of  his  time  to  the  cultivation  of  the  soil. 
In  addition  to  his  labors  in  this  direction  Mr. 
Hooke  is  the  solicitor  for  the  German  Baptist 
Mutual  Insurance  company. 

Mr.  Hooke  was  married  June  12,  1866,  to 
Miss  Lucy  A.  Moomaw,  born  September  9, 1845, 
near  Amsterdam,  Va. , daughter  of  Joseph  and 
Mary  (Stover)  Moomaw.  The  following  interest- 
ing family  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Hooke:  Calvin  W.,  Joseph  W.,  Harvey  L.,  Effie 
C.  and  Eddie  C.,  twins;  Hugh  A.,  Mary  Esta, 
Clara  V.,  and  Anna  F.  In  politics  Mr.  Hooke 
is  a democrat,  and  is  one  of  the  leaders  of 
that  party  in  the  township.  He  and  his  family 
are  very  prominent  in  the  German  Baptist 
church,  of  which  he  and  his  wife  are  members. 
Having  risen  by  his  own  industry,  Mr.  Hooke 
is  rightly  considered  one  of  the  representative 
men  of  the  township,  and  is  highly  .espected 
by  all  his  neighbors  and  friends. 


ISAIAH  HOWARD.— The  history  of 
Washington  township  would  be  incom- 
plete without  the  sketch  of  Isaiah  How- 
ard, a well  known  and  popular  farmer 
of  this  section.  Mr.  Howard  was  born  De- 
cember I,  1831,  in  Ross  county,  Ohio,  and 
his  days  were  passed  under  the  parental  roof 
until  he  reached  manhood.  His  father,  being 
a farmer,  he  toiled  in  the  field,  and  when  there 
was  nothing  to  do  on  the  farm  he  attended 
school,  if  any  was  in  session.  In  other  words, 
Mr.  Howard’s  educational  opportunities  were 
very  limited,  and  six  months  will  cover  the 
time  he  spent  under  a teacher.  After  his  mar- 
riage, he  rented  a farm  in  Ross  county,  and 
remained  there  for  twelve  years,  and  then 
came  to  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  and  located  in 
Washington  township  upon  a portion  of  his 


WASHINGTON  TOWNSHIP. 


797 


present  farm.  He  bought  120  acres,  all  of 
which  is  now  under  a high  state  of  cultivation. 

Mr.  Howard  has  been  a minister  of  the 
gospel  for  a quarter  of  a century,  being  an  ac- 
ceptable preacher  for  the  German  Baptists. 
The  financial  reward  he  has  received  for  his 
ministrations  has  been  very  slight,  and  he  has 
always  looked  for  a higher  source  of  recom- 
pense. The  wife  of  Mr.  Howard  was  Sophia 
Moomaw,  of  Ross  county,  Ohio,  born  Septem- 
ber 5,  1835,  being  the  daughter  of  Peter  and 
Celia  (Adams)  Moomaw.  Her  fatl>er  is  a na- 
tive of  New  Amsterdam,  Va. , and  her  mother 
of  Ross  county,  Ohio.  The  father  came  to 
Ross  county  with  his  parents  when  about  four 
years  old,  and  spent  his  life  there  engaged  in 
farming,  and  owned  a large  tract  of  land  at 
the  time  of  his  death.  Her  parents  were  mem- 
bers of  the  German  Baptist  church. 

Mr.  Howard  is  the  son  of  John  and  Mar- 
garet (Jones)  Howard,  the  father  born  in 
Rockingham  county,  Va. , April  3,  1802, 

and  the  mother  in  Augusta  county,  of  the 
same  state,  July  14,  1814.  The  father  went 
to  Ross  county,  Ohio,  with  his  parents  when 
twelve  years  old,  and  resided  there  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  1871.  After  attain- 
ing manhood  he  learned  the  blacksmith’s  trade, 
and  worked  at  this,  in  connection  with  farming, 
all  his  life.  In  politics  he  was  a democrat, 
and  firm  in  the  belief  of  the  teachings  of  that 
party.  The  marriage  of  Isaiah  and  Sophia 
Howard  resulted  in  the  birth  of  nine  children, 
namely:  Alice  Mary,  wife  of  Frank  White, 

clerk  in  a dry  goods  store  in  Hartford  City; 
Ella  Jane,  wife  of  E.  E.  Allen,  an  employe  in 
the  handle  works  at  Huntington,  Ind. ; Eliza- 
beth, wife  of  J.  O.  Allen,  bank  cashier,  Sum- 
mitville;  Peter  S.,  a farmer  in  Madison  coun- 
ty, married  Miss  Anges  Thomas;  John,  a stock 
buyer  at  Summitville;  McCrillus,  a farmer,  at 
home;  Joseph,  a farmer,  at  home,  and  Ed- 
ward, at  home.  In  politics  Mr.  Howard  is  a 


prohibitionist,  and  stands  squarely  upon  the 
platform  of  his  party. 


ENRY  HYER  is  a man  in  the  full 
vigor  of  strength,  and  a representa- 
tive farmer  of  Washington  township, 
who  has  accumulated  a good  prop- 
erty by  the  labor  of  his  own  hands.  Mr. 
Hyer  was  born  in  Ross  county,  Ohio,  Novem- 
ber 10,  1^37,  and  lived  with  his  parents  until 
tw'enty-one  years  old.  At  the  age  of  seven- 
teen he  went  with  his  parents  to  Greenfield, 
Ohio,  and  there  attended  school  ten  months, 
working  upon  the  farm  for  the  remainder  of 
the  time  until  April,  1861,  when  he  enlisted  in 
company  C,  Twenty-second  =regiment  Ohio 
volunteers,  for  three  months.  He  served 
abont  five  months,  and  then  returned  home 
and  worked  upon  his  father's  farm.  He  was 
married  August  19,  1862,  to  Miss  Elizabeth 
Ellen  Winengar,  born  August  27,  1839,  in 
Highland  county,  Ohio,  and  died  December 
8,  1873.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Richard 
and  Elizabeth  (Johnson)  Winengar,  both  na- 
tives of  North  Carolina.  Her  father  emi- 
grated with  his  parents  to  Virginia  when  but  a 
boy,  remained  there  a few  years  and  went 
with  his  parents  to  Highland  county,  Ohio,  and 
in  1866,  with  his  wife,  removed  to  Marion 
county,  Iowa.  After  farming  there  for 
ten  years,  he  moved  to  Nebraska,  located 
on  a farm  and  died  a few  days  later.  Some 
time  during  the  year  1864  Mr.  Hyer  entered 
the  lumber  trade,  and  followed  it  for  two  years, 
at  the  end  of  which  time  he  went  to  Johnson 
county.  Mo. , with  his  wife.  There  he  engaged 
in  farming  and  stock  raising,  which  he  fol- 
lowed until  the  spring  of  1877,  when  he 
moved  to  Madison  county,  Ind.,  and  engaged 
in  the  lumber  business.  At  the  latter  place 
he  remained  two  years,  and  then  moved  to  a 


798 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


j point  near  New  Cumberland,  and  carried  on 
the  lumber  trade  there  for  three  years.  He 
then  bought  the  farm  on  which  he  now  lives, 
consisting  of  i6o  acres,  which  was  then  in  a 
primitive  state.  He  went  to  work  with  a will, 
and  the  result  is  that  the  land  is. almost  en- 
tirely under  cultivation.  During  this  time  he 
continued  to  follow  the  lumber  trade  for  several 
years,  and  met  with  encouraging  success  in 
the  same.  He  served  for  a term  as  road  sup- 
erintendent, at  a time  when  this  official  had 
charge  of  all  the  roads  in  the  township.  He 
now  holds  the  office  of  township  trustee,  to 
which  he  was  elected  by  the  republican  party, 
of  which  he  is  an  active  and  influential  mem- 
ber. By  his  marriage,  previously  noted,  Mr. 
Hyer  is  the  father  of  five  children,  namely: 
Janies  Orlin,  Charles  Hemy,  Lizzie  Maude, 
Evelyn,  and  Orland;  the  first  and  last  deceased. 
Mr.  Hyer’s  second  marriage  was  consummated 
in  October,  i88i,  with  Mary  P,  Moore,  who 
was  born  in  Muskingum  county,  Ohio,  Novem- 
ber 8,  1850,  she  being  the  daughter  of  Jesse 
and  Mary  (Perron)  Moore.  Her  parents  are 
natives  of  the  same  county  and  state.  When 
she  was  but  one  week  old  she  lost  her  mother, 
and  her  father  passed  away  in  1889.  The 
latter  owned  a farm  of  120  acres  in  the  county 
in  which  he  was  born.  By  his  last  marriage 
Henry  Hyer  is  the  father  of  two  children, 
namely;  Henry  Clyde,  and  Edith  Pearle. 

John  and  Elizabeth  (Strayley)  Hyer,  par- 
ents of  Henry,  were  natives  of  Ross  county, 
Ohio.  The  father  lived  in  that  county 
until  fifty  years  of  age,  and  then  moved 
to  Greenfield,  with  the  object  of  giving 
his  children  an  education.  There  he  re- 
mained four  years,  during  which  time  he 
conducted  a hotel.  He  then  moved  back  to 
his  farm  in  Ross  county,  which  consisted  of 
twenty-two  acres,  staid  there  a few  years  and 
then  moved  to  Henry  county,  Ind. , purchasing 
120  acres,  where  he  lived  until  his  death. 


Henry  Hyer  and  wife  are  active  and  upright 
members  of  the  Methodist  church. 


HMOS  E.  JANNEY  is  a highly  respect- 
ed citizen  of  Washington  township, 
who  has  lived  a successful  life,  and  by 
industry  and  strict  attention  to  his 
own  affairs  has  become  one  of  the  leading 
farmers  of  the  community  in  which  he  resides. 
He  was  born  in  Stark  county,  Ohio,  May  5, 
1837,  being  the  son  of  Joseph  and  Sarah 
(Hayden)  Janney,  the  father  a native  of  Stark 
county,  born  December  21,  1811,  and  the 

mother  born  in  Westmoreland  county.  Pa., 
March  i,  1812.  The  father  came  to  Dela- 
ware county,  Ind.,  in  1837  and  located  in  the 
township  of  Washington  upon  a farm.  Up  to 
the  time  of  settling  in  Indiana  he  operated  a 
grist  mill,  but  on  becoming  a resident  of  the 
Hoosier  state  he  gave  his  time  unreservedly  to 
farming,  at  which  he  was  most  successful.  He 
occumulated  ample  means  and  was  able  to 
give  to  each  of  his  seven  children  an  eighty- 
acre  tract  of  land.  He  was  an  active  member 
of  the  republican  party,  and  always  took  an 
interest  in  the  great  political  questions  of  the 
day.  He  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the 
Christian  church. 

Amos  F.  Janney  lived  upon  the  farm  with 
his  parents  until  he  was  twenty  years  old, 
working  upon  the  place  during  the  summer  and 
attending  school  during  the  winter  season.  He 
began  life  for  himself  by  taking  charge  of  the 
home  farm  for  a year,  and  working  it  upon 
shares,  and  at  the  expiration  of  that  time, 
bought  a farm  of  eighty  acres  in  Washington 
township,  upon  which  he  continued  to  live 
until  within  a comparatively  recent  date,  when 
he  removed  to  the  village  of  Gaston,  where  he 
is  spending  his  years  in  retirement  from  active 
business.  Mr.  Janney  owns  a farm  of  150 


WASHINGTON  TOWNSHIP. 


799 


acres,  in  a fine  state  of  cultivation,  and  also 
has  a valuable  property  in  Gaston.  Mr.  Jan- 
ney  was  married  March  12,  1857,  to  Miss  Bar- 
bara J.  Roberts,  who  was  born  November  16, 
1835,  the  daughter  of  Vincent  and  Dorcas 
Roberts,  natives  of  Dearborn  county,  Ind.  Mr. 
Roberts  became  a resident  of  Delaware  county 
in  1854,  locating  upon  a farm  in  Washington 
township.  He  was  a minister  of  the  Christian 
church,  and  he  and  his  wife  died  a number  of 
years  ago,  firm  believers  in  the  faith  of  that 
body.  Mr.  Roberts  was  a very  intelligent  and 
successful  farmer. 

The- marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Janney  re- 
sulted in  the  following  offspring:  Dorcas,  wife 

of  Volney  Reeves;  Vincent  R. , married  to 
Jane  Woodring;  John  W. , married  to  Anna 
Myers;  Alice  A.,  wife  of  Nathan  Brown,  of 
Madison  county,  and  Jacob,  married  to  Della 
Dunlap.  Mrs.  Janney  died  November  10, 
1881,  and  her  remains  rest  in  the  Perry  ceme- 
tery, Washinton  township,  she  dying,  as  she 
had  lived,  unshaken  in  her  faith  in  the  Christian 
church. 

Mr.  Janney  married  again  April  3,  1882, 
his  wife  being  Mrs.  Cynthia  (Wear)  Love, 
widow  of  Joseph  Love  and  the  daughter  of 
James  and  Eliza  Wear;  she  was  born  March  4, 
1848.  Mr.  Love  was  born  in  Ohio  and  came 
to  Dearborn  county,  Ind.,  when  a boy  with 
his  parents;  Mrs.  Love  being  a native  of 
Dearborn  county,  Ind.  After  the  marriage  of 
her  parents  they  came  to  this  county  and  lo- 
cated in  Harrison  township,  in  which  they 
lived  the  remainder  of  their  days  upon  a farm, 
the  father  making  his  business  very  successful. 
Both  have  been  dead  a number  of  years  and 
their  remains  lie  in  the  Nottingham  cemetery, 
Harrison  township. 

Mr.  Janney  has  three  children  by  his  sec- 
ond marriage,  namely:  Emerson,  Lillian  and 

Everett,  the  last-named  dead.  Before  giving 
any  of  his  land  to  his  children,  Mr  Janney 


owned  270  acres.  He  and  his  wife  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Christian  church  and  are  held  in 
high  estimation  by  all  their  neighbors  and 
friends. 


ENRY  A.  JONES  is  one  of  the  lead- 
ing men  of  Washington  township, 
and  one  who  is  always  ready  to  do 
all  in  his  power  to  advance  the  inter- 
ests of  his  community.  He  was  born  August 
6,  1828,  in  Adams  county.  Pa.,  being  the  son 
of  Jacob  and  Mary  Ann  (Neely)  Jones,  both  of 
Welsh  extraction.  Jacob  Jones  was  born 
January  6,  1806,  in  Cnmberland  county,  Po., 
and  Mrs.  Jones  is  a native  of  Adams  county, 
same  state.  Mr.  Jones  emigrated  to  Ohio  in 
1832,  lived  in  Miami  county,  upon  a farm,  for 
six  years,  then  farmed  in  Clarke  county  for 
three  years,  after  which  he  came  to  Delaware 
county,  Ind.,  in  1841,  and  located  in  Wash- 
ington township,  on  120  acres  of  land.  This 
land  was  covered  with  heavy  timber,  but  he 
lived  to  see  it  under  a high  degree  of  cultiva- 
tion, and  finally  died  January  5,  1891.  His 
wife  died  in  Pennsylvania  when  Henry  A.  was 
a mere  boy.  She  was  a member  of  the  Epis- 
copal church,  as  also  was  her  husband;  the 
latter  was  a strong  republican,  and  always 
supported  his  party  ticket.  In  1837  he  mar- 
ried Maria  Packer,  who  died  in  1853.  He 
filled  the  offices  of  justice  of  the  peace,  and 
township  trustee,  and  was  very  prominent  in 
the  affairs  of  the  county. 

Henry  A.  Jones  lived  with  his  parents  un- 
til he  was  of  age,  and  then  learned  the  car- 
penter’s trade,  but  worked  at  home  most  of 
the  time  until  he  reached  the  age  of  twenty- 
four,  but  carpentering  engaged  his  attention 
for  some  time  after  his  marriage.  When  this 
latter  important  event  occurred  he  owned 
ninty-one  acres  of  land  in  the  township 
named,  and  lived  upon  it  until  1883.  The 


800 


DELAWARE  COUNTY; 


farm  was  located  in  section  i8,  and  consisted 
of  165  acres.  In  the  year  named  he  sold  this 
tract,  and  bought  his  present  farm  near  Gas- 
ton, which  consists  of  164  acres.  He  also 
owns  four  lots  in  the  town  of  Gaston,  where 
he  has  built  one  of  the  finest  residences  in  the 
town,  in  which  he  and  his  wife  expect  to  spend 
the  remainder  of  their  days.  Mr.  Jones  en- 
gaged in  the  mercantile  business  for  a short 
time  a few  years  ago,  but  was  burned  out  and 
sustained  a loss  of  $3,000. 

Mr.  Jones  was  married  June  24,  1853,  to 
Miss  Mary  Reasoner,  born  January  4,  1833; 
being  a daughter  of  Peter  and  Rhoda  (Fry) 
Reasoner.  See  sketch  of  Dr.  O.  I.  Reasoner, 
Union  township.  By  his  marriage  Mr.  Jones 
is  the  father  of  the  following  children:  Frances 
A.,  wife  of  Allen  Oxley;  Julia  Ann,  wife  of 
Henry  Higdon;  John  and  Jennie,  twins,  Jennie 
being  the  wife  of  B.  A.  Brown;  Rhoda  C. , 
wife  of  John  Watson;  Mary  E.,  wife  of  Milton 
Gwinup;  Effie  M.,  wife  of  Erank  Woodring. 
Mr.  Jones  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the 
Methodist  church,  and  are  much  esteemed  in 
that  body.  He  is  a strong  republican,  and 
always  votes  for  the  candidates  of  that  party. 


W.  McKinley,  of  the  mercantile  firm 
of  Rowlett  & McKinley,  Gaston,  was 
born  in  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  Sep- 
tember 22,  1864,  the  son  of  B.  H.  and 
Arab  McKinley.  B.  H.  McKinley  was  a na- 
tive of  Ohio  and  married  in  Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  in  1850,  Arab  Bryan  a native  of  Virginia, 
who  bore  her  husband  nine  children,  as  fol- 
lows: Nancy,  deceased;  William,  a citizen  of 

Delaware  county;  JohnW.,  whose  name  in- 
troduces this  mention;  James  A.,  Samuel, 
Thomas,  Mary  A.,  George  M.,  and  Robert. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  McKinley  are  both  living  at  this 
time.  They  are  members  of  the  Methodist 


church,  and  Mr.  Kinley  is  a democrat  in  poli- 
tics; he  belongs  to  the  I.  O.  O.  E. , No.  425, 
and  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men. 

J.  W.  McKinley  was  reared  on  the  home 
farm,  received  his  early  education  in  the  com- 
mon schools,  and  prepared  himself  for  the 
teacher’s  profession  by  taking  a course  in  the 
Normal  school  at  Danville,  this  state.  He 
taught  successfully  for  six  years  in  the  schools 
of  Delaware  county,  and  earned  the  reputation 
of  a competent  and  painstaking  instructor.  He 
abandoned  the  profession  in  1892,  and  in  part- 
nership with  E.  M.  Rowlett,  under  the  firm 
name  of  Rov^^lett  & McKinley,  engaged  in  the 
mercantile  business  at  the  town  of  Gaston, 
where  he  has  a large  and  constantly  increas- 
ing trade.  Mr.  McKinley  was  married  Eebru- 
ary  22,  1890,  in  Muncie,  to  Miss  Ethel  Trow- 
bridge, who  was  born  in  Delaware  county, 
January  28,  1866,  the  daughter  of  Dr.  D.  L. 
Trowbridge  of  Muncie.  One  chiid  has  glad- 
dened the  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McKinley, 
namely,  Ered  W.  Mr.  McKinley  wields  an 
influence  for  the  democratic  party,  and  is  a 
member  I.  O.  O.  E. , belonging  to  lodge  No. 
425.  He  is  still  a a young  man,  but  is  recog- 
nized by  his  fellow  citizens  as  one  of  the  wide 
awake  and  enterprising  residents  of  the  town 
where  he  lives.  He  possesses  good  business 
qualifications  and  has  before  him  a future  of 
much  usefulness. 


ASHINGTON  MAYNARD  is  a na- 
tive of  the  Buckeye  state,  and  a 
well  known  citizen  of  Washington 
township,  this  county.  He  was 
born  in  Tuscarawas  county,  Ohio,  June  21, 
1837,  being  the  son  of  Benjamin  and  Letha 
(Tracy)  Maynard,  both  natives  of  Virginia. 
The  father  removed  to  Tuscarawas  county 
when  a young  man,  farming  there,  and  re- 


WASHINGTON  TOWNSHIP. 


801 


mained  there  until  1841,  when,  with  his  fam- 
ily, he  came  to  Washington  township  and 
bought  eighty  acres  of  land  in  section  27. 
Later  he  purchased  eighty  acres,  where  he  re- 
mained until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  Au- 
gust, 1883.  He  and  his  wife  were  members 
of  the  Methodist  church.  Benjamin  Maynard 
was  a republican,  and  gave  his  hearty  support 
to  that  party. 

Washington  Maynard  came  here  with  his 
parents,  and  remained  with  them  until  the  age 
of  twenty-four;  receiving  a good  common 
school  education  as  he  grew  up.  At  the  age 
named  he  owned  forty  acres  of  land  in  Harri- 
son township,  which  he  sold,  and  bought  the 
same  amount  in  section  29,  in  Washington 
township.  Here  he  lived  until  1868,  and  then 
moved  to  New  Corner,  and  engaged  in  mer- 
cantile business  for  fourteen  months,  at  the 
expiration  of  which  time  he  sold  out  and 
moved  back  to  the  farm.  Here  he  remained 
until  1891,  and  then  again  moved  to  New 
Corner,  where  he  now  lives,  and  is  a notary; 
having  been  a justice  of  the  peace  for  twelve 
years,  he  is  very  familiar  with  all  kinds  of  legal 
forms. 

Mr.  Maynard  was  married  September  24, 
i860,  to  Martha  J.  Thompson,  daughter  of 
David  and  Melinda  (Davis)  Thompson.  She 
was  born  January  10,  1842,  in  Delaware 
county.  Her  father  was  born  October  27, 
1817,  and  her  mother  May  13,  1820,  in  Butler 
county,  Ohio,  and  came  to  this  county  in  1840, 
where  Mr.  Thompson  engaged  in  farming  up 
to  1872.  In  this  year  he  removed  his  family 
to  Muncie,  where  he  now  lives  a quiet  retired 
life.  He  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the 
Church  of  God.  In  politics  he  is  a prohibi- 
tionist, and  is  very  earnest  in  his  support  of 
that  party.  Mr.  Maynard  is  the  father  of  the 
following  children:  Mary  Alice,  George 

Thomas,  and  Munroe,  deceased;  John  and 
Sherman.  He  and  wife  are  members  of  the 


Methodist  church,  both  identifying  themselves 
with  the  church  in  early  life.  Mr.  Maynard  is 
a trustee  in  the  church,  and  superintendent  of 
the  Sunday-school.  In  politics  he  is  a prohi- 
bitionist, and  firmly  believes  that  party  is 
necessary  to  the  salvation  of  the  country. 


HDAM  H.  miller,  a prominent 
farmer  of  Washington  township,  of 
which  he  is  a native,  was  born  March 
9,  1839.  He  lived  with  his  parents 
until  he  was  of  age,  spending  his  boyhood  on 
the  farm,  and  received  but  little  education,  the 
district  schools  of  those  times  being  anything 
but  what  they  now  are.  Added  to  this,  the 
farmers  could  ill  afford  to  spare  their  boys  from 
the  hard  work  that  was  necessary  in  the  clear- 
ing of  the  land  and  putting  it  in  shape  for  cul- 
tivation, accordingly  the  schools  were  slimly 
attended.  When  Mr.  Miller  arrived  at  his 
majority,  he  farmed  rented  land  until  he  was 
married,,  and  then  built  upon  forty  acres  of  his 
present  farm.  His  marriage  took  place  Jan- 
uary 20,  1861,  his  bride  being  Sarah  Jane 
Hayden,  born  July  12,  1841,  in  Sparta, 
Morrow  county,  Ohio.  She  is  the  daughter  of 
Zachariah  and  Martha  Ann  (Bathal)  Hayden. 
Jane  Hayden  was  left  motherless  when  six 
years  of  age,  after  which  she  made  her  home 
with  her  grandmother  until  thirteen  years  old, 
from  which  time  she  lived  among  neighbors 
until  her  marriage.  After  the  death  of  her 
mother  her  father  went  to  San  Diego,  Cal., 
where  he  slill  lives  and  where  he  has  accumu- 
lated quite  a comfortable  fortune.  Mrs.  Miller 
died  at  New  Corner,  Ind. , October  19,  1892, 
a faithful  member  of  the  Methodist  church. 
She  had  been  reared  a member  of  the  Chris- 
tian church,  but  after  her  marriage  united  with 
the  Methodist  body.  During  her  illness, 
which  was  protracted,  she  bore  her  affliction 
with  remarkable  resignation  and  with  Christian 


802 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


fortitude,  attesting  by  word  and  action  her 
supreme  faith  in  a higher  sustaining  power 
than  earth  affords.  No  complaint  ever  came 
from  her  lips,  and  during  her  illness  she  con- 
tinued to  testify  to  the  sustaining  grace  of  the 
gospel  of  the  Son  of  God.  This  good  woman 
left  seven  children,  with  her  husband,  to 
mourn  her  irreparable  loss.  All  the  relations 
of  life  were  sustained  by  her  with  a grace  that 
challenged  the  admiration  of  all,  being  the 
best  of  wives  and  mothers  and  the  kindest  of 
neighbors.  To  know  her  was  to  be  benefited 
by  the  good  words  that  constantly  fell  from 
her  lips  and  by  the  brightness  of  her  example. 
The  following  are  the  names  of  the  children 
born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs  Miller:  Levi  Franklin; 
Rhuanna  C.,  wife  of  Oscar  Needier;  Martha 
Ann,  wife  of  Charley  Hyer;  Isaac  Newton; 
Effiie  Estella,  wife  of  Walter  Morris;  Pearl 
Permelia  and  Harry  Irwin. 

Mr.  Miller  is  the  son  of  Levi  and  Rhuhanna 
(Summers)  Miller,  the  father  born  in  Ohio,  in 
i8oi,  of  Irish  descent,  and  the  mother  in  Vir- 
ginia. The  latter  went  from  Ohio  to  Henry 
county,  Ind. , with  her  husband,  in  1836, 
where  they  remained  for  a short  time  and  then 
came  to  Delaware  county,  Ind.,  where  Levi 
Miller  entered  a tract  of  eighty  acres  in  Wash- 
ington township,  the  first  home  in  the  new 
country  having  been  a log  dwelling  of  the 
most  primitive  pattern.  At  the  time  of  his 
decease  Levi  Miller  owned  420  acres  of  land, 
150  of  which  were  cleared.  He  died  in  1871 
and  his  wife  in  1878.  Both  were  members  of 
the  Methodist  church,  and  in  politics  Mr. 
Miller  was  a democrat.  Adam  H.  Miller  has 
one  of  the  finest  farms  in  the  county,  consist- 
ing of  159  acres;  the  residence,  barn  and  out- 
houses all  being  in  keeping  with  a first  class 
rural  home,  and  showing  the  thrift  and  good 
management  of  the  owner.  In  religion  he  is 
a member  of  the  Methodist  church,  and  in 
politics  he  is  a prohibitionist. 


a ALVIN  E.  MOOMAW,  farmer  of 
Washington  township,  this  county. 
Calvin  F.  Moomaw  stands  prominent 
as  a careful  and  hard  working  man. 
He  was  born  October  13,  1841,  in  Botetourt 
county,  Va. , being  the  son  of  Joseph  and  Mary 
(Stover)  Moomaw,  his  parents,  natives  of  the 
same  county  and  state.  Joseph  Moomaw  is 
yet  living  there,  and  is  a very  successful  farmer. 

Calvin  F.  Moomaw  lived  with  his  parents 
until  he  was  of  age,  going  to  school  during  the 
winter,  and  working  on  the  farm  in  the  summer 
time  as  he  grew  to  manhood,  and  in  this  way 
acquired  a fair  knowledge  of  books,  and  be- 
came a very  good  farmer.  For  a short  time 
after  reaching  his  majority  he  worked  for  his 
father,  and  then,  about  1865,  went  to  Ross 
county,  Ohio,  worked  on  a farm  for  a while, 
after  which  he  spent  a couple  of  months  at 
South  Bend,  Ind.,  returned  to  Pmss  county, 
and  then  went  back  to  Virginia.  In  the  follow- 
ing year,  1866,  he  went  back  to  Ross  county 
and  remained  one  season  upon  a rented  farm, 
then  came  to  Delaware  county,  Ind. , and 
rented  a farm  in  Washinton  township,  remain- 
ing on  the  same  for  two  years.  Then  he 
bought  100  acres  in  Harrison  township,  farm- 
ed this  place  for  eight  years,  at  the  end  of 
which  time  he  bought  the  farm  upon  which  he 
now  lives  in  Washington  township,  consisting 
of  ninety  acres  of  well  improved  land.  This 
property  came  to  Mr.  Moomaw  through  his 
own  industry. 

Mr.  Moomaw  was  married  in  February, 
1866,  to  Miss  Sarah  Moomaw,  who  was  born 
in  Ross  county,  Ohio,  February  5,  1848,  be- 
ing the  daughter  of  Peter  and  Celia  (Adams) 
Moomaw,  natives  of  Botetourt  county,  Va. 
Peter  Moomaw  was  born  May  24,  1806,  and 
his  wife  in  the  month  of  June,  1810.  He  was 
a farmer,  and  followed  that  occupation  all 
his  life. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Calvin  Moomaw  are  the 


WASHINGTON  TOWNSHIP. 


803 


parents  of  the  following  children:  Lewis,  mar- 
ried to  Jennie  Keppler;  Alice,  at  home;  Lena 
Belle,  at  home;  Ella  Jane,  deceased;  and 
David  O.,  deceased;  Jessie,  Howard,  Ray,  and 
Lily  Myrtle,  the  last  four  also  at  home.  Mr. 
Moomaw  and  wife  are  worthy  members  of  the 
German  Baptist  church.  In  politics  Mr. 
Moomaw  is  a democrat,  and  always  supports 
the  candidates  of  that  party. 


AVID  O.  MUNSEY,  M.  D.,  a popu- 
lar physician  and  surgeon  of  Gaston, 
is  a native  of  Russell  county,  Va. , 
and  dates  his  birth  from  the  7th  day 
of  July,  1845.  His  parents,  Skidmore  and 
Rebecca  (Ewing)  Munsey,  were  both  born  in 
Virginia,  in  which  state  they  were  married  in 
the  year  1842.  Dr.  Munsey  was  nine  years  of 
age  when  his  parents  came  to  Delaware  county, 
Ind.,  and  he  fiest  lived  about  three  miles  from 
Muncie,  in  Hamilton  township,  where  his 
father  purchased  a farm.  He  received  his  ed- 
ucation in  the  common  schools  and  the  schools 
of  Muncie,  and,  in  early  manhood,  began 
teaching,  which  profession  he  followed  for  two 
years.  In  the  meantime  he  decided  to  enter 
the  medical  profession  and  to  prepare  for  the 
same  began  reading  in  the  office  of  Dr.  Kem- 
per, under  whose  able  instruction  he  continued 
for  two  years,  and  then  attended  a course  of 
lectures  in  the  Ohio  Medical  college,  Cincin- 
nati, from  whice  he  graduated  in  1878.  Eorti- 
fied  with  a knowledge  of  the  healing  art,  he 
began  the  practice  of  the  same  in  the  town  of 
Parker,  Randolph  county;  thence,  one  year 
later,  he  moved  to  Power’s  Station,  Jay  coun- 
ty, where  he  remained  until  1870,  at  which 
time  he  moved  to  New  Corner,  Delaware 
county,  now  the  village  of  Gaston,  where  he 
has  since  carried  on  a lucrative  professional 
business.  In  his  chosen  profession  Dr.  Mun- 


sey has  in  a great  measure  solved  the  problem 
of  success,  and  he  occupies  a prominent  place 
among  the  professional  brethren  of  Delaware 
county.  He  is  an  enterprising  citizen,  alive 
to  all  the  better  and  higher  interests  of  the 
community  and  he  endorses  and  patronizes  all 
movements  having  for  their  object  the  promo- 
tion of  the  general  welfare. 

Dr.  Munsey  was  married  September  3, 
1873,  to  Sarah  Trout,  daughter  of  Washing- 
ton and  Carmilla  (Christe)  Trout.  Two  chil- 
dren were  born  to  this  union,  namely:  Ger- 
trude, a student  at  Terre  Haute,  and  Bessie. 
Mrs.  Munsey  died  September  4,  1883,  and  on 
the  15th  of  December,  1885,  the  doctor  mar- 
ried Mrs.  Kate  McMahan  of  Madison  county, 
Ind. , and  daughter  of  William  and  Catharine 
Knipe.  Dr.  Munse}^  served  six  months  in  the 
late  war  as  member  of  company  B,  One  Hun- 
dred and  Thirty-fourth  Indiana  volunteer  in- 
fantry, and  during  that  time  did  duty  princi- 
pally as  a guard  of  railroads.  He  was  dis- 
charged in  September,  1864.  He  is  a mem- 
ber of  the  G.  A.  R.,  and  votes  the  democratic 
ticket.  He  owns  a farm  in  Washington  town- 
ship and  several  lots  in  the  village  whei'e  he 
resides. 


HBRAHAM  W.  pence. — Those  who 
visit  Abraham  W.  Pence  will  be  ready 
to  join  with  his  neighbors  in  pro- 
nouncing him  a genial,  pleasant,  and 
kind  hearted  man  of  decided  intelligence,  who 
takes  a deep  interest  in  matters  pertaining  to 
his  community.  Mr.  Pence  was  born  in 
Henry  county,  Ind.,  Eebruary  8,  1831,  and 
lived  under  his  father’s  roof  until  he  was 
twenty-four  years  old,  working  upon  the  farm, 
and  making  himself  generally  useful.  He 
married,  March  23,  1854,  Miss  Elizabeth 

Moffett,  who  was  born  August  5,  1827,  in 
Wayne  county,  Ind.  She  was  the  daughter 


804 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


of  Lambert  Moffett,  a native  of  Ireland,  who 
came  to  this  country  when  a young  man.  In 
1827  Mr.  Moffett  purchased  land  in  Mount 
Pleasant  township,  this  county,  where  he  lived 
until  his  death. 

Air.  Pence  is  the  son  of  Christian  and 
Frances  (Fisher)  Pence,  the  father  born  in 
1805,  and  the  mother  in  1810,  both  natives  of 
Virginia.  These  parents  moved  to  Henry 
county,  Ind. , in  1829,  and  the  father  entered 
160  acres  of  land,  which  he  worked,  and  at 
the  same  time  followed  his  trade  as  a cooper. 
At  one  time,  Christian  Pence  owned  600  acres 
of  land,  and  he  lived  upon  his  original  tract 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1875.  He 
gave  his  son,  Abraham  W. , a 160-acre  tract, 
upon  which  the  latter  now  lives  in  Washing- 
ton township.  The  wife  of  Christian  Pence 
survived  her  husband  a few  years.  Abraham 
W.  Pence  removed  to  this  township  after  his 
marriage,  and  located  upon  the  farm  which  his 
father  gave  him.  It  was  at  that  time  a wil- 
derness, but  with  energy  and  hard  work  he 
converted  it  into  a very  good  farm.  Fie  had 
the  misfortune  to  lose  his  wife  March  16,  1869, 
and  since  that  time  has  remained  unmarried. 
Mr.  Pence  is  of  German  parentage,  and  his 
wife  was  of  Irish  descent.  She,  like  her  hus- 
band, was  a member  of  the  Christian  church, 
and  her  remains  lie  buried  in  the  Perry  Grove 
cemetery.  Mr.  Pence  has  always  voted  the 
republican  ticket,  and  is  an  active  worker  in  that 
party.  By  his  marriage  he  is  the  father  of 
seven  children,  as  follows;  Christian,  Samuel 
P. , Frances  Maria,  Amanda  Jane,  Susan, 
Alfred  James,  and  an  infant  unnamed. 


AMES  RIGDON  is  a worthy  citizen  of 
this  county  whom  it  is  a pleasure  to 
know,  because  of  his  many  sterling 
qualities.  He  was  born  August  12, 
1834,  in  Guernsey  county,  Ohio,  being  the  son 


of  Eli  and  Harriet  (Slater)  Rigdon.  The 
father  was  born  in  Harford  county,  Md. , Oc- 
tober 4,  1792,  and  the  mother  was  born  in 
Guernsey  county,  Ohio,  in  1812.  Eli  Rigdon 
left  home  when  a boy  and  went  to  Baltimore, 
where  he  worked  in  a store  mornings,  evenings 
and  Saturdays,  and  attended  school.  This 
youth  was  resolved  to  have  an  education  at 
any  cost  of  honest  work,  and  his  father  was 
just  as  determined  he  should  grow  up  in  ignor- 
ance. This  is  why  he  left  home,  and  his 
father  disinherited  him.  Eli  taught  school  for 
a few  years  during  the  winter  months  and  then 
went  to  Ohio,  teaching  school  in  that  state. 
In  Ohio,  Eli  bought  eighty  acres  of  land,  but 
finally  lost  this  by  going  security  for  a friend. 
He  came  to  Indiana  in  1834,  located  in  Grant 
county  and  entered  160  acres  of  land,  after- 
ward trading  that  for  a saw  and  grist  mill  in 
Blackford  county.  This  property,  too,  he  lost 
by  going  security  for  a friend,  and  then  he 
bought  forty  acres  of  land,  upon  which  he  lived 
until  1855,  when  he  came  to  Wheeling  and 
bought  a small . farm,  which  he  afterwards 
sold.  At  this  time  he  embarked  in  the  mer- 
cantile business  at  Wheeling,  and  continued  in 
it  until  his  death,  which  occurred  January  24, 
1 864.  He  was  one  of  the  first  county  commis- 
sioners of  Blackford  county.  Brought  up  an  old 
line  whig,  he  continued  in  that  party  until  the 
republican  party  was  formed,  when  he  joined 
that  and  and  voted  with  it  until  he  died.  In 
religion  he  was  a Baptist  and  held  firmly  to 
the  teachings  of  that  church. 

James  Rigdon  lived  at  home  until  he  was 
twenty-two,  then  engaged  in  farming  for  one 
year,  at  the  end  of  which  he  bought  an  inter- 
est in  a blacksmith  shop  at  Wheeling,  at 
which  he  worked  until  1859.  Selling  out,  he 
went  to  the  mines  of  Colorado,  proceeding  by 
rail  to  Jefferson  City,  and  thence  to  Denver 
with  an  ox  team.  He  remained  there  until 
the  fall,  engaged  in  mining,  but  proved  un- 


WASHINGTON  TOWNSHIP. 


805 


profitable;  so  he  returned  to  Wheeling  and 
went  into  a blacksmith  shop  of  his  own,  re- 
maining at  that  trade  until  1869,  then,  in 
1869,  having  saved  enough  for  the  purpose,  he 
bought  160  acres  of  land  near  the  town,  the 
same  costing  $3,000.  Since  that  time  he  has 
followed  farming  and  has  been  very  successful, 
now  owning  400  acres  around  Wheeling.  He 
was  married  January  26,  1861,  to  Jane, 

daughter  of  John  and  Susan  (Ginn)  Sanders, 
who  settled  in  this  county,  in  1838,  and 
owned  a great  deal  of  real  estate.  Mrs.  Rigdon 
died  August  ii,  1866.  Mr.  Rigdon  then 
married,  February  14,  1867,  Rebecca,  the 

sister  of  his  deceased  wife.  Rebecca  was  born 
November  28,  1848.  By  the  first  marriage 
there  were  no  children,  but  by  the  second 
there  were  three — Minnie,  deceased;  EliS., 
at  home;  and  Frank,  deceased.  Mr.  Rigdon 
voted  for  Peter  Cooper,  and  is  a strong  peo- 
ple’s party  man.  % 


AVID  E.  ROWLETT,  a prominent 
business  man  and  ex-soldier,  now 
located  in  the  pleasant  village  of 
Gaston,  Delaware  county,  Ind. , 
was  born  in  Wayne  county,  Ind.,  June  28, 
1849,  son  of  Edwin  and  Mary  E.  (Wright) 
Rowlett,  natives  ot  Indiana  and  Pennsylvania 
respectively.  Mr.  Rowlett’s  father  first  located 
in  Wayne  county,  where  he  lived  for  some  time, 
when  he  moved  to  Jay  county,  Ind.,  and  then 
to  Madison  county.  Neb.,  where  he  is  now  en- 
gaged in  farming  and  stock  raising.  He  has 
been  thrice  married,  and  is  the  father  of  twenty- 
one  children,  thirteen  of  whom  are  yet  living. 
He  is  a member  of  the  Methodist  church,  and 
is  a temperance  man,  voting  the  prohibition 
ticket. 

David  E.  Rowlett  was  reared  in  Jay  county, 
Ind.,  where  he  was  given  a limited  amount  of 


schooling,  but  when  little  over  fourteen  years 
of  age,  he  enlisted  in  company  B,  Eleventh 
Indiana  cavalry,  November  4,  1863,  for  a term 
of  three  years,  and  received  his  honorable  dis- 
charge at  Indianapolis,  September  19,  1865. 
He  participated  in  the  battle  of  Nashville,  but 
the  greater  part  of  his  service  was  spent  as  a 
scout.  He  now  is  the  recipient  of  a pension 
of  $10  per  month. 

When  the  war  closed  Mr.  Rowlett  was  still 
a boy,  and  immediately  after  leaving  the  army 
he  began  working  in  a saw  and  grist  mill, 
which  occupation  he  followed  until  1872.  In 
the  latter  year  he  engaged  in  the  manufacture 
of  boots  and  shoes,  which  business  he  has  pur- 
sued since  locating  in  the  village  of  Gaston,  in 
1881.  He  now  deals  in  boots,  shoes  and  har- 
ness, and  does  a very  prosperous  and  satisfac- 
tory business.  Mr.  Rowlett  married  May  17, 
1868,  Miss  Esther  A.  Heaton,  born  in  Dela- 
ware county,  December  28,  1851,  daughter  of 
Madison  Heaton,  a pioneer  of  the  county  and 
state.  By  this  marriage,  five  children  have 
been  born,  as  follows:  Mary  J.,  Edv^^in  M., 
George  W. , Ida  B.,  and  John  deceased.  Mrs. 
Rowlett  died  January  5,  1879,  and  on  May  9, 
1880,  Mr.  Rowlett  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Samantha  A.  Brock,  born  in  this  county, 
December  16,  1852,  daughter  of  Jackson  and 
Elizabeth  (Barrett)  Brock,  and  three  children 
have  been  born  of  this  union,  as  follows: 
Orpha  B.,  Arthur  Jackson,  deceased,  and 
Mettie  E.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rowlett  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  and  United  Brethren 
churches,  respectively,  and  are  highly  esteemed 
in  the  community  where  they  reside.  Mr. 
Rowlett  belongs  to  the  G.  A.  R.  and  also  to 
the  order  of  I.  O.  O.  F.  He  owns  eleven 
acres  of  fine  land  in  the  village  of  Gaston,, 
which  promises  to  be  very  valuable.  Politi- 
cally, he  is  a republican  and  upholds  the  prin- 
ciples of  his  iparty -with  spirit,  intelligence  and. 
energy. 


806 


DELAWARE  COUNTY: 


HOMPSON  SHARP,  a prominent 
farmer  of  Washington  township,  and 
one  of  the  leading  citizens  of  Dela- 
ware county,  is  a native  of  Indiana, 
born  on  the  I2th  day  November,  1827,  in  the 
county  of  Henry.  His  father,  Edward  Sharp, 
was  born  June  4,  1801,  in  Tennessee,  and  the 
mother,  whose  maiden  name  was  Anna 
Thompson,  was  a native  of  Virginia,  where 
her  birth  occurred  on  the  i8th  day  of  January, 
1808.  Edward  Sharp,  in  an  early  day,  accom- 
panied his  father  to  Ohio,  were  he  remained 
for  a few  years,  and  then  came  further  west, 
locating,  in  1820,  in  Henry  county,  Ind. 
Subsequently  he  purchased  a farm  in  Salem 
township,  Delaware  county,  where,  in  time, 
he  became  the  possessor  of  a large  tract  of 
real  estate,  owning,  at  the  time  of  his  death, 
in  1855,  640  acres,  the  result  of  his  own  energy 
and  thrift.  In  addition  to  the  pursuit  of 
agriculture,  he  dealt,  quite  extensively,  for  a 
number  of  years,  in  live  stock,  purchasing  in 
various  parts  of  Indiana  and  driving  to  Cincin- 
nati, making  of  this  a very  profitable  business. 
He  was  recognized  as  one  of  the  leading  citi- 
zens of  the  community  in  which  he  resided; 
was  a prominent  member  of  the  Christian 
church,  and  exerted  a wholesome  moral  influ- 
ence upon  all  with  whom  he  had  business  or 
other  relations.  His  wife,  a most  estimable 
Christian  lady,  and  a member  of  the  Protestant 
Methodist  church,  departed  this  life  in  1862, 
and  was  laid  to  rest  by  the  side  of  her  husband 
in  the  Sharp  cemetery,  in  the  township  of 
Salem. 

Thompson  Sharp  remained  under  the  pa- 
rental roof  until  his  majority,  working  on  the 
farm  during  the  summer  attending  school  about 
three  months  of  each  year  until  reaching  the 
age  of  thirteen,  consequently  he  is  not  an 
educated  man  in  his  knowledge  of  books,  but 
in  the  practical  affairs  of  life  possesses  a 
knowledge  such  as  institutions  of  learning  fail 


to  impart.  Immediately  after  his  marriage, 
which  occurred  in  his  twenty-first  year,  he  re- 
moved to  his  present  farm  in  Washington 
township,  where  he  has  since  resided,  actively 
engaged  in  the  pursuit  of  agriculture.  At  that 
date  the  farm  consisted  of  120  acres,  but  he 
has  since  enlarged  its  area  until,  at  this  time, 
it  contains  340  acres,  the  entire  place  being 
under  cultivation,  the  improvements  upon  the 
same  ranking  among  the  best  in  the  township 
and  county.  Mr.  Sharp  has  surrounded  him- 
self with  all  the  modern  improvements  and 
conveniences  of  agriculture,  and  devotes  to 
his  calling  the  energies  of  a strong  practical  I 
mind,  believing  in  the  true  dignity  of  the  farm- 
er’s  vocation.  He  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  | 
intelligent  and  substantial  citizens  of  the  com-  | 
munity,  manifests  a lively  interest  in  every-  j 
thing  that  pertains  to  the  material  and  moral  J 
well  being  of  the  township  of  which  he  has  so  { 
long  been  a resident,  and  as  an  active  worker  j 
in  the  republican  party  is  widely  and  favorably 
known  throughout  the  county.  As  a reward  of 
his  party  service,  he  has  been  twice  elected  to 
the  responsible  position  of  county  commis- 
sioner; in  1888  first,  and  second  in  1892,  of 
which  office  he  is  a present  incumbent,  and  the 
duties  of  which  he  has  discharged  with  ability 
and  most  commendable  fidelity.  His  mar- 
riage, as  already  noted,  was  solemnized  on  the 
15th  of  November,  1849,  with  Miss  Chnstena 
Bowers,  who  was  born  March  20,  1828,  the 
daughter  of  Jacob  and  Susanah  (Andes)  Bow- 
ers. These  parents  were  natives  of  the  state 
of  Virginia,  born  in  the  counties  of  Shenan- 
doah and  Rockingham,  respectively,  and  be- 
came residents  of  Salem  township  in  1841, 
purchasing  a farm  of  160  acres  of  land,  upon  j 
which  the  remaining  years  of  their  lives  were  | 
spent.  The  following  are  the  names  of  the 
children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thompson  1 
Sharp:  Jemima  A.,  Florence  O.,  Otto,  mar-, 

ried  Kate  Stradling;  Oral  L. , wife  of  JohnlH 


WASHINGTON  TOWNSHIP. 


807 


Hall;  Noah,  married  x\manda  Prim;  George, 
Nelson  Grant,  Dora,  wife  of  James  Lewis  and 
Ozora.T.  This  is  a most  interesting  family, 
and  the  children,  like  their  parents,  are  held 
in  the  highest  esteem  in  the  community.  The 
youngest  son,  OzoraT. , is  a graduate  of  one 
of  the  leading  literary  and  law  schools  of  the 
country,  and  since  his  admission  to  the  federal 
and  supreme  courts  at  Indianapolis  in  June, 
1893,  has  practiced  the  legal  profession  very 


successfully  in  Delaware  county.  He  is  a 
young  man  of  more  than  ordinary  ability  abil- 
ity and  bids  fair  to  make  a creditable  record 
as  an  attorney.  Mr.  Sharp,  although  in  his 
sixty-sixth  year,  possesses  in  a remarkable  de- 
gree his  faculties,  both  mental  and  physical, 
and  may  be  considered  as  in  the  prime  of  vig- 
orous manhood.  He  has  borne  well  his  part 
in  life,  and  it  is  with  pleasure  this  brief  tribute 
to  his  worth  is  presented  in  this  connection. 


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